Businesses closed, residents dispersed and the community's three-storey Old Tavern hotel became a sagging shell. A private foundation ultimately saved the town and funded its restoration. Harry Wilbur and his wagon team roll through the Cheese Company covered bridge, in Grafton. Guests again sit and read on the Old Tavern's porch. Stores sell food and souvenirs.
Galleries display art, churches house congregations and kids hang from backyard tire swings.
The revived community feels touristy but not contrived. Even the two-horse buggy clomping down the street seems fitting. The road descends to Weston, a small community whose central attraction is the Vermont Country Store. This crowded emporium is stuffed with useful gadgets and rural nostalgia. It's the kind of place Garrison Keillor would love.