The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-06-16
STOWE
Old Summit House Register Given Ii
brary.

A relic which will take its place be-
side the old "Three Score and Ten
book in the Stowe Free library is the
first register Of the Summit house on
Mt. Mansfield, and is gift to the Ii
brary from Harry L. Bingham OF Wa
terbury. 1t was obtained through the
efforts Of L. G. Camp.
The register came into Mr.. Blng-
hams possession from his father, the
late DR.. l.. NJ. Bingham of Burlington
and formerly of Stowe, who was
nephew of Hon. w. H. II. Bingham, the
successful promoter of Mt. Mansfield
and who received the book with 9TH
ers in the house which was his after
the death of his uncle. Mr.. Camp, who
has taken much interest in the earlier
history of the town and who had been
promised the book by the Hon. Mr..
Bingham, recently brought the matter
to the attention of II. i. Bingham,
who was very glad to donate the book
to the Stowe Free library, where It
viii be kept as a reference book and
will not be loaned
The register covers the months OF
July, August and September, 1859. The
hotel had been built the year before.
1t was 20x40 feet in size, comfortable
and convenient and a valuable adjunct
to the then fourishing hotel business
in Stowe. There was good road to
the Half Way house, which was then
kept as a hotel, but beyond that point
there was only bride path. Not
withstsnding this, the record shows
that there were over 1900 visitors at
the Summit house during the three
months covered. The largest part of
the visitors were from Vermont towns.
There were 10 from Boston, IL from
New York City, 10 from Washington,
D. c. some from Canada East, one
from Salt Lake City, several from Cal.
ifornia and two or three from England
and Scotland. The only visitor now
living in Stowe was George G. Wake
field.
The number registered took no ae-
count of the visitors on Aug. "a of
that year, when, according to clippings
in the book and records of townspeo-
pie, from 1900 to 1000 people visited
| the mountain the next day after a
| Universalist convention that met IN
| Stowe. Mr.. Bingham furnished din
ner gratis to all the ministers and
| their wives present, about 20 in all. A
natural amphitheatre "a little over the
east side of the Nose" made con-
venient place for the service which was
held, about 1000 attending. The choir
sang very appropriately How Beauti-
full Upon the Mountains" Rev. o. III.
Tillotson offered prayer and Rev. w.
S. Balch of Ludlow preached the SER
mon.
About % clippiSgs, dated from 1859
to 1868, are pasted in the book, all
describing visits to the mountain. One
of them gives an account of the mid
winter ascent of Mt Mansfield on Feb.
10, 1860, when party of nine "actu-
ally undertook the ascent of the noun
tain and succeeded, though to their
sorrow" Taking a four-horse pleas
ure team and availing themselves OF
the good sled path kept open to the
summit by the hauling of materials
| for a new hotel and rejecting the serv-
ice of a guide, the set sail. They
| intended to return the same day, but
the ascent proved more laborious than
they had apprehended and it was near
/ lv dark when they reached the Sum
nit house, which, accordingly, they
took possession Of and kindled a fire
TO make themselves comfortable for
the night. A terrible wind during the
night. however. found them poorly pro-
tected They were without food either
| for themselves or their horses and
morning found them lily prepared for
the descent. At daylight they started
homeward, only to find the road
blocked with snow, and after proceed
ing half mile the horses became slat-
ted and by their foundering broke
harness and sleigh. The party could
neither go forward nor return to the
Summit house and the danger Of per
ishing seemed TO them almost a GER.
Etainty. Taking shelter as best they
could under a rock or beside a tree
some of them already badly frozen
they Remained until mid-forenoon
when a rescue party, made up Of mer
from Stowe and along the road TO the
mountain, came TO their relief They
at last safely reached their houses and
had no wish to repeat the trip 70 this
mountain, at least not until the wealth
er was warmer"
The names Of the party as furnished
by Mr.. Camp were DR.. and Mrs. B. 2
Sutton. DIR. and Mrs. Holly, Mr.. anc
Mrs. C. 5. Taylor, Mr.. and Mrs I. 4
Barnes and Miss Abbie Barnes.
Manager B. p. Stowe reports thai
during the month Of May, 81 ,60t
pounds Of butter were made at th'