Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-19
LAST OF THE VERMONT PONDS.
The Beauties of Fairlee Pond and Its His
torical Associations.
[By the Rev. T. p. Frost in the Christian Ad


Every great invasion makes its impress
upon the invaded country, One result of
the annual invasion of country towns by
our city friends is marked change in the
nomenclature of geographical features.
The people of the Green mountain State
complain that the streams are becoming
smaller, but as partial compensation the
ponds are expanding to the dignity of
lakes, picturesque in name at least. Sum-
mer hotels are rising upon their shores,
and visitors are hocking to them from dis
tant States. A pond possessing any just
claim to ample proportions and attractive
surroundings is already a relic of the past
The writer makes bold to call attention to
body of water which still modestly bears
its virgin maine of Fairlee pond.
If not the last of the ponds, it must be
near the last, and is certaily worthy of
mention by reason of both its natural set
ting and the romance of it's historic sur
roundings. Situated in the town of Fair
lee, only one mile from the Connecticut
river, and less than that distance from
the direct railway line between New York
city and the White mountains, it is sell
dom visited by any of the thousands who
sweep past on their dusty pilgrimage to
the great hotels in the mountain region of
New Hampshire. And yet it does not lack
admirers. Two Chicago artists found it
in the summer of 1887, fell willing cap
tives to its charms, and made for them
selves lodge on the western shore. This
year they brought with them students
from the palmetto groves of the South
and the praires of the West, and actually
established a school of art by Vermont
1S gt bai
find. Before their studio lies sheet of
water two miles in length and shut in by
densely wooded sleeps. Back of the stu
dio glen cleaves the mountain side, and,
with the witchery of waterfall, precpice,
and cavern, all mbered by the shade of
Goods first temples" entices one on far
above the mere. The wanderer who keeps
along the shore strolls through groves of
poplar. birch and pine. He sees the birch
canoe gliding across the water under the
str 1keS of an Anglo-SaXon's paddle AS
he approaches the outlet he is likely to
hear mingling of merry voices, like the
sound of many waters, for Sunday schools,
Chatauqua circles and divers kinds of So
cietes from the towns of Vermont and
New Hampshire for 40 miles around gath.
er here to picnic.
This little body of water, has, moreover,
historic and traditional associations of no
little interest. 1t lies on the southern Dor
known in the annals of pioneer life as the
Coos or Cohos country. This region was
first explored by white men in 1854, and
began to be settled in 176l. The strong
est settlement was in New bury, Vt, about
10 miles north of Fairlee pond. The traveller
still sees in that town, near the great "oX-
bow" of the Connecticut. an old fashioned
farm house displaying over the door the
legend: Built by T. j. in August, 1775."
This was the residence Of Col. Thomas
Johnson, who is said to have entered Fort
Ticonderoga close upon the heels of Ethan
Allen. AT all events he became such an
active and interesting rebel that the Brit
ish sent squad of men from Canada in
1871 to effect his capture. After spending
seven months in captivity, he was releas-
ed on parole on condition that he should
furnish certain specified Information. and
return to Canada at any time if recalled
These conditions brought him into uuen-
vlable reputation among his neigh bors.
He sought relief by sending letter of
nine closely written pages to General
Washington. This resulted in some cor.
respondence and personal interview
with the general. In the light of sober
history, authenticated by reliable docu-
sents striking parallel to the character
of Harvey Birch in Cooper's Spy. In late
years old Newbury is not unknown in the
history of Methodlsm. In 1884 it became
the seat of the first Methodist educational
institution in northern New England.
The first theological school of the church
liberated to this place from Middletown,
Conn, was sent on to Concord, y. H., and
Is now settled in Boston. But the border
ing heights, and even the cool depths of
Fairlee pond, the Killarney of the Goes
valley, have story of their own. No le
: end of a lovers leap is yet connected with
the place, but there are ample facilities
it N oil 10
east preciplce frowns down upon the
New York express us ii thunders along 400
feet below the brow Of the rock. No rea-
sonable lover could ask for more deadly
place TO leap; but until the demands OF
tourists snail call forth this ven.
cradle fable from the echoes of the cliffs,
the Oldest inhabitant will continue to re-
gale the listener with d less threadbare
and more scientific tale. Tradition stout
ly aifirms that the first steamboat ever
launched in American waters rests in the
sands at the bottom of the pond. The
writer inclines tothe opinion that this as
OF tradition is not altogether
The following statements
are well attested
AT the beginning of the century one
Captain Samuel Morey owned large
tract of land contiguous to the pond, and
for several years conducted an extensive
business in pine lumber Remains of roads |
SllueSi CANALS anu bridges Oh MS COnSCruc |
ton are still to be seen in the vicinity |
Much of his time was spent in the seclu-
sion of a little shop, located near the out
let of the pond, experimenting with hot |
air and steam, and inventing machines
for utilizing their forces. He did con-
5truct a boat to be propelled by steam,
and one Sunday, in or about the year 1907,
with the aid of a lad by the name of Maun
placed it in the Connecticut river and sue
,essfully steamed up stream. The voy-
tge was made during the hours of public
not for the purpose of breaking
he Sabbath, but in order that the trial
rip of his novel craft might be concealed
rom the eyes of his neighbors. He claim
ID for himself the honor of constructing
he first steamboat. One gentlemen, a
member of the Morey family, has investi-
,ated this claim with considerable pains,
md is said to have reached the conclu-
ion that the boats of Fulton and Morey
ppeared at about the same date, with a
probability that Captain Morey WAS
lightly ahead
Soon after the success of Fulton's in
'entiou had been heralded through the
ountry, Morey's boat disappeared, Thus
ar we are able TO trace what appear to be
acts but from this point tradition alone
DaakS Snmp saw that the arrutir Morav