The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-09-27
PICNIC DINNER
5, At ROAD HOUSE
WELL ATTENDED
Keen Interest Shown In Stratton
Turnpike Road Meeting
]. X. BATCHELDER SPEAKS
Gives Comprehensive History OF
Road-Commssioncr Bates
Also Speaks.

Unexpected interest was shown by
the road meeting Saturday afternoon
at the Kelley Stand in behalf CT the
old Stratton turnpike from Wards
boro to Arlington In spite OF the
fact that the gathering took place at
one OF the most inaccessible points
in southern Vermont, the attendance
was double what the promoters OF
the party anticipated.
Windham and Bennington counties
we're about equally represented in
the the company that gathered
around the old road house for the
picnic dinner followed by an extern
poraneous program that proved all
the better for not having been pre-
pared in advance.
The speakers were: Hon James
X. Batchelder OF Arlington, Miss
Ethel A. Eddy OF Brattleboro, Mrs.
DtEothy Garfield Fisher of Arlington.
Senator George l.. Dunham of Brat
tleborc, Senator Walton f. Andrews
of Manchester. NJ. j. Hapgood OF
Peru and State Highway Comm's'
sioner Stoddard B. Bates of Derby.
Frank 4. Howe of Bennington preSid-
cd.
Mr.. Batchelder, whose memory OF
the subject of the gathering extends
back fer more than fifty years, gave
an interesting Il stOrical summary.
There has been, said Mr.. Batchelder,
highway from the west river valley
to Arlington since shortly after the
close OF the Revolution, but 1t did not
follow the present route until about
1880 when what Is now known as
the Stratton Sunderland turnpike was
built. Just how much of the pres
ent highway was included in the
turnpike is not known but probably
that part between the gorge In Sun
and the "Grout job and the head
hesdwaters of the Deerfield in STRAIT
ton.
The first village of Stratton was
considerably north of the present
highway and two or three miles north
east OF the now deserted seconcd
village. At this old community cen
ter in Stratttn four roads conyerged,
one from Winhall, one from Somer-
set, one from Jamaica and Wards
boro and one from Arlington. or
these the first two have utterly dis
appeared and even the route they fol.
lowed is now hardly known. The
old road from Strattcn to Arlington
wound over the Sunderland mountain
tops and at one point was over a
thousand feet above the present
highway. After the turnpike was
luit the old road thl0usn Sunder.
land was discontinued though, after
the big freshet in the fall of 1869, the
mail wa3 carried on fo,t by the old
route for several months. When
Stratton village was moved to its sec
Ond location the highway east follow
cd to the accommodation of travel.
Before the days Of railroading this
old highway was a busy line of
travel, Four horse stage coaches
were filed with passengers, tayerns
and road houses were frequent and
heavily laden wagons and ox-carts
carried the products of industry from
east and west The Kelley Stand
where the meeting Saturday was
held, was one Of the best known tav
crns OF southern Vermont 1t was
Kept by William Kelley who was a
famous landlord and popular alike
with travellers and teamsters.
History, said Mr. Bachelor, is now
repeating tse t. The railroads tool
away the glories of the old stage ant
ooachng days, but the automob Il
has brought them back The people
are now seeking the hills and thu
IN untains, the roadside tavern Il
again coming into its own, Dweller
in the great cities in search of res
and recreation are hunting out th,
paths By which their great grandsire
fought their way through the wilder
ness. Travel requires roads and tn
old road over the Sunderland an,
Stratton pass tho highest and one 0
the most scenic and beautiful in Vel
mont should not be closed for tn
want OF a few patry dollars.
Miss Ethel Eddy, Dorothy Candel
Fisher and Senator'S Dunham and Al
drews further emphasized the impOI
ance of Keeping this useful highwa
for further services. People ar
turning more and more to Vernon
"a the most charming vacation spC
and summer paradise in America.
Closed roads and inaccessibI
mountains are not the lure whic
Vermont should offer.
MIR. Hapgcod brought out the fu
ther pont that the timber resource
of the Green mountains are of grei
and growing value. The wildernel
here is thirty miles broad and fl
protection against forest fires it
essential that the roads be kept opt
by which fire fighters can quick
enter and to supply line again
and advancing fire like trenches
stay the progress OF enemy force
Mr. Hapgood also called attention
the fact that it was on this old mou
tain road that Mrs. Blake perished
the snow in December, 1921 b