Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-07
PLEASANT PLACES ABOUT BUR
LpNGTON,
Preface With an Admonition and n
Disq uisition-Tho start From the

Preface With IN AdmODitton ana u
Hub.
We heard it very Justly remarked, tue
other day, that Burlington people do not
seem To appreciate rs they ought the charms
Of natural scenery with which our beautiful
city is cnvironcd. Strangers are so prOiusc
in their praises that we are sometimes tempt
Ell 10 smile incredulously, and forgetting
the entire impcrsonality of their remarks. OBJ
jccl in modest, dCprccatory way, -"Oh,
now you hatter u.s." But they do uot-they
can not-why should they' Nature is
not susceptible to the soft blandish-
ments Of human praise, and US for
ilatcring us, we have no more right
to take unto ourselves credit for
the beautiful things about us than we have
| to pat ourselves on the back-if such II thing
were possblc-and congratulate ourselves ON
thc eminent wisdom VIZ displayed in having
ourselves born IN such paradise OF natural
scenery. They say what they say in all hon.
esly OF heart and from pure enthusiasm, aud
they have a right to be surprised ut he cool
way in which some of us receive IL. The
fact is, we have heard 50 much about our
| y
ing with ioliage-embowercd streets from the
University building, which crowns the hill,
to the beautiful bay which nestles at its foot"
and so forth, indefinitely, that II has got 10
be an old story with us, and we are very will
ling to take ii ali for granted, nay, we even
think that we escape somewhat OF II Dore-if
we can satisfy our visiting friends with II
yood-naturcd Acknowledgements of their
praises, and shift the subject of conversation
to something else
But this is not all. We are not only, as
u general thing, more indifferent to the
beauties of our local scenery than il deserves,
but many of us are actually ignorant OF some
OF its most charming features. Indeed these are
so varied and SO many th 1t it is hardly to b.
wondeted at that anybody but devoted
student of nature should be familiar with
them ALL The more notable and popular
prints Of interest, however, should be well
known TO all our rcaders-not by mere re-
port and easy tradition, but by actual ac-
quantance nor yet by single hasty visit,
but by frequent coming, that they may be
seen under different conditions, from differ
cut points, and may occupy more than a
single tablet in the album OF memory. We
like to have the faces of our friends photo.
graphed in different positions, and under
varying dispositions of light and shade, So
that we may possess more complete aud life
like representations OF them; and so we
ought to study these natural scenes, which
are like old friends to us till they become Sc
familiar that we can picture to our.
selves Just how they look un.
der all circumstances. Some views
about our city which are simply beautiful on
u clear day are magnificent in storm, OF
when high wind is bending aud tossing the
! trees, and driving the low black clouds over
In ali nat
seem to trail their skirts upon the Garth.
Starting from the City Park as Il hub let
us follow in various directions the suburban
spokes Of our wheel of rural scenery. First,
as worshippers of the sun, we will turn Ia
/, the east, and following College street to the
top OF the hill, gaze with regret upon the
runs of the old University building, from
whose dome we were wont to look out upon
wide-reachin5 view unsurpassed in story
or in art-and not very often often in real
, ity We will turn to the right, now, aud
bowl mp Prospect street, one of the s,.,vOt,,,
est and pleasantest drives in the city. We
; are now exploring the fifty so-caed
Fifth Avenue Of Burlington" the street
of elegant residences. destined in future gen
$ erations to be the boast Of the elite of the
, great metropolis of Vermont Already it Is
adorned with some Of the handsomcst privat,
I buildings in the State. But now our atten.
ton is drawn to the right by the beautiful
lake and mountain view spread out before us.
I From no one point In the Champlaln valley
Can SO extended and varied view Of the
lake be obtained. Bays, headlands and lie.
lands 10 the north asd south lie mapped out,
us it were, upon tird's-rye chart and yet
we are just lar enough away, and at just the
5 proper elevation, to catch all their beauties
and note all their pecuarities.
Rock Dunder
Forms sn interesting feature in the water
scape. We call to mind its historic re-
: lations, and comment upon the pic
turesquc ugness of its shape nnt
name We wonder how large it is
whether Jumbo could turn around on it
: how high-could the circus giant look ovel
; the top of iii How trm-would it support
the fat woman in the side show? How pro
ductivt would it nourish the living skele
ton! Juniper and the Four Brothers win
our attention from such Improbable musings
us they lie basking in the sheen of smooth
sun lit water. We fancy that we catch the
glare of the great eye OF the lighthouse OF
; Juniper, and we grow sentimental over the
fraternal piopinquily of tho Four Brothers
,, and wonder why two OF them weren't called
sisters, SO that they could pair of and b,
happy forever. Looking to the north, VT
see Rock Point, Appletree Point and Col
chester Point, each reaching further out thar
its predecessor, as II IN vain endeavor Il
shake hands with our imperial sister OF New
York. what is that ship coming around
Colchester Pointp" some one asks. Thai
ship, apparently SO far from land, is Colches
ter Reef lighthouse the only place OF
residence In New England where one car
not fall GU. of the window without wet.
ting his feet To the south we see tn,
twin points OF Shelburn Bay, one OF The
most beautiful bodies OF water in the world
, When sc ure little farther up on the hill
we shall see it stretching away inland, likt
the silver scabbard of our gallant old Cham
plains sword, dangling on his historic hip
| This fine residence upon the right, built il
q old bar ,nia style, and surrounded with
t park like that which envrons the castl,
| homes of England, is the summer home o
E our distinguished towDsman, Col. lie Crane
8 b. Cannon. From the summit of the lttl,
: rise upon which the highway finds its turn
0 ing point VIC have a glorious view down th,
: Champlain valley to the South. WOODLAND
and meadow following each other for milel
e and miles in ever varied panorama OF rura
e loneliness. Returning, we alight from thu
4 carriage just north of Col. Cannon's grounds
8 aud passing through gateway upon tue op
posite side of the road enter the park opened
10 Inc puDnc by Danlel fiowhru, Ulother ID
our city's benefactor, John Z. Howard, ant
9 wend our way up the slope to the neat
! Howard Summit Observatory,
D From which VIC obtain a magnificent eastern
e view of the Green Mountains and the valleys
s at their foot. The western view from the
r observatory Is substantially the same as tina,
: from the highway. Resumiug our drive
! we return to Main street, and turning to the
: right pass the Medical College building and
: come to the city reservoir. Ascending the
c steps, VIC take glance at the city's foun-
tain of refresh,nent, and the big brick de
cauter on the hill beyond, an auxiliary re
scrvoir lately built for the accommodation Of
residents on the hill, whose winter level |.