On a recent visit to Woodstock, Vermont, I came to the following conclusion: If you had to assign each state an official color, Vermont should be green. There are the obvious reasons, its lushly forested Green Mountains and the role its Green Mountain Boys played in pivotal battles of the Revolutionary War. The main reason, though, would be the state's influential role in environmentalism and conservation. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

Vermont was the birthplace of environmentalism and where the concept of conservation got its foothold. It all began in the quaint shire town of Woodstock and during my visit there, I saw examples of conservation and environmentalism in a variety of forms, from historic sites to artists' studios and from nature centers to nature itself. I found Woodstock, and its neighboring towns of Bridgewater and Plymouth, to be a wonderful destination for exploring these various approaches.

I arrived at the Ardmore Inn in Woodstock late on a Friday evening and drove through the mock-covered bridge in its driveway to find the last available parking spot. The house, like most lining Pleasant Street (the town's main thoroughfare, a.k.a. Route 4), dates back to the mid 1800's. As I settled into my room, innkeeper Charlotte Hollingsworth called ahead to Bentley''s, a local restaurant, to let them know I'd be stopping in for a late dinner. Having driven four hours from New York, I opted to walk to Bentley's, which is an easy thing to do in Woodstock since almost everything is within walking distance. True to their word, they kept the kitchen open for me and I enjoyed eating my dinner in one the restaurant's high-ceilinged rooms while studying the interesting décor. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

After dinner, I took advantage of the Jacuzzi bathtub in my stately room. The tub was large enough for two and worked wonders in rejuvenating my travel-weary body. The bathroom also featured a walk-in Vermont marble shower that was also roomy. The next morning the Inn's guests were treated to the culinary delights cooked up by Charlotte's husband, Cary. As a particularly pleasing and unique touch, each morning's four-course meal concludes with a dollop of ice cream or sorbet.

My introduction to Woodstock as the birthplace of environmentalism began at the Billings Farm & Museum , a short walk or drive away, just off Route 12. Established in 1889 by Frederick Billings (the railroad magnate for which Billings, Montana is named), the farm has been worked continuously for more than 100 years. Now run by the Woodstock Foundation, the farm maintains the same animals - Jersey cows, chickens, sheep, and plough horses - that were on Frederick Billings' farm. The farm also runs a working dairy where guests can assist with milking, butter churning, and ice cream making. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

On the day in late May that I visited, we were treated to a sheep-shearing session, watching several different approaches to the process of removing the wool from the sheep. At tables nearby, children and adults also tried their hand at cleaning and carding the wool. The museum offers a glance back at what farm life was like in the late 1800's and has live cooking demonstrations which bring the past back to life in an aromatically appealing way. Other activities include the chance to play games popular among children more than a century ago and make a visit to the farm and museum thoroughly enjoyable for the entire family.

Across Route 12 from the Billings Farm & Museum, and up a generous incline, are the mansion of Mary and Laurence Rockefeller and the site of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Vermont's only national park. The park's theme is the history of conservation and the evolving nature of land stewardship in America. Like many members of his family, Laurence Rockefeller was very influential in conservation efforts throughout the U.S., including New York, Hawaii, and California, as well as Vermont. The mansion and its surrounding land, and the Billings Farm are two examples of the Rockefeller's land stewardship in Woodstock. So is the view from the mansion's front porch, which Rockefeller purchased and placed in a scenic easement to preserve the view for perpetuity. The mansion also had been the childhood home of George Perkins Marsh, author of Man & Nature, who is considered the "Father of American Ecology." As a statesman who served as ambassador to Italy and Hungary, Marsh took note of the scientifically based forestation that these European nations employed to rejuvenate their dwindling forests. He saw how it was possible to turn around damage that had been done and tried to influence others toward thinking in those terms. His efforts led to Congress establishing a national forest system, which today is our U.S. Forest Service.

Among those who read Marsh's book was Frederick Billings. His conclusion: the book wasn't about the West, but "where we live", and he embraced the book's message. A conservationist in his own right, Billings bought the Marsh mansion when he saw it was available for purchase in 1869, rebuilding and renovating over the years. The mansion remained in the family until Mary and Laurence Rockefeller donated it as part of the national park. The period when Billings purchased the home - post-Civil War - is considered the least green in Vermont's history. By that time, nearly 80 percent of Vermont had become deforested, a plight helped along by the thousands of merino sheep grazing the countryside.

In the 50 years between 1810 and 1860 the state had gone from 80 percent forested to 80 percent deforested, and this marked depletion concerned Billings. Recognizing the need to address this ecologic problem, he played an instrumental role in bringing back Vermont's forests and in promoting the concept of conservation locally and nationally. His family continued these efforts after his death, including his daughter Elizabeth's aiding the reforesting Mount Peg, which she could see from her bedroom window.

Today, trails to the top of Mount Peg and nearby Mount Tom are within easy walking distance of the national park. These trails overlook breathtaking views in every season. I hiked up the Mount Peg trail with Annette Compton and her dog, Cyrus, since the trailhead is also within several blocks of Pleasant Street and easy to access. Also within walking distance is the two-hour walking tour offered by national park guides, which takes you back into town as well as back in time, to the Civil War.

While more focused on preserving memory than preservation, the tour offers another fitting aspect of a visit to Woodstock - its role in our nation's history. During the Civil War, 239 soldiers left Woodstock to fight in the Union army. Of these men, eight were members of the all-Black 54th regiment made famous in the movie "Glory". And per capita, Vermont sent more soldiers (36,000) than any other northern state.

Highlights of the tour include homes of key individuals taking part in the fight to preserve our nation. One such individual, Senator Jacob Collamer, supported President Lincoln's viewpoint that it was imperative to restore the Union. He also fought for Black soldiers to receive equal pay as White soldiers. A couple of homes in town, most notably the Titus Hutchinson House, also purportedly were stops on the Underground Railroad, a network of abolitionists who opened their homes to escaping slaves to help them reach freedom.

Preserving memory is not limited to Woodstock. Six miles south, in Plymouth Notch, the clock has metaphorically been stopped in 1923, the time when Calvin Coolidge learned he would become the 30th President of the United States.

The scene of Coolidge's oath-taking at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, as well as his birthplace, childhood home, and several other buildings in the village, are preserved as they appeared at 2:47 a.m. on August 3, 1923 - when his father, a notary public, swore Coolidge into the nation's highest office. The President's son and daughter-in-law, John and Florence Coolidge, gave the Coolidge Homestead to the State of Vermont in 1956 and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and the Plymouth Notch Historic District operate the Homestead as part of a statewide system of historic sites. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

Just up the road from the Homestead, the Plymouth Cheese Factory has re-opened, using the original recipes created by Calvin's father, Colonel John Coolidge, and four other dairy farmers who first established the cheese factory in 1890. (The cheese factory had closed in 1934 and been re-opened in 1960 by President Coolidge's son John. In 1998 the Division of Historic Preservation purchased it from John and closed it to bring its operations up to modern health codes.) In a nod to the state's love of nature, just up the road from Coolidge's well-preserved hometown is the Calvin Coolidge State Park, which offers miles of hiking trails, as well as campgrounds for overnights. The park, along with Woodstock's proximity to the Appalachian Trail (AT) - the 2,000+ miles of woodlands that challenges hikers from Georgia to Maine - offer ample hiking to satisfy Vermonters' love of nature.

I hiked a portion of the AT in Ascutney, just five miles from Woodstock, along a trail that led to an abandoned rock quarry. Cables and rails lay where workers left them, amid piles of boulders -- the remains of the work being done there. A babbling brook tumbles down the steep rocks, enriching the surrounding greenery. And the wondrous views invite you to stop and just take in the splendor. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

Yet another way to take in nature, and one that clearly delights children, is to pay a visit to the Vermont Institute for Natural Science, or VINS. First and foremost, VINS is a refuge for raptors - birds of prey including eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons - that need to be nursed back to health before being released back into the wilds. These birds have injuries or an ailment that makes it temporarily unsafe for them to survive on their own.

Through a live raptors show, visitors to VINS get a close - even better than birds' eye - view of the different birds of prey. And while they get this intimate look at the raptors, they learn about the birds' flying abilities, feeding habits, and personal stories. In addition, 17 spacious enclosures house birds whose injuries or birth defects cause incapacities that will prevent them from ever living in the wild.

The VINS also offers a half-mile walking trail along the Ottauquechee River within its 46 acres. Located in Quechee, VINS is also just a short drive from Quechee Gorge, Vermont's "Little Grand Canyon." Hiking trails to view the gorge are a short walk from parking. Although much smaller in scale, at 165 feet, than its Western namesake, the gorge offers spectacular perspective on the power of the elements that shape our world. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

Also nearby is the Simon Pearce factory where a different kind of preservation takes place - preservation of fine crafts. At Simon Pearce, we saw glass blowers and ceramic potters practicing their crafts. Children also could make their own clay creations in the pottery area. Upstairs, a restaurant offers tasty fare, including the recommended cheddar soup -- which did not disappoint. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

Finished products - pottery, glassware and tapestries - are on display and available for purchase - which brings us to another "green" aspect of Vermont. The state is a haven for craftsmen (and women) who create hand-made items ranging from housewares and furniture to musical instruments and one-of-a-kind art pieces. And more often than not, these products do not come cheap.

Charles Shackleton, the furniture maker whose studio and shop we visited in Bridgewater noted, "You can buy some of the same items for one-third the price, but we hope you appreciate the human value in what we make and how we do it, and that you'll want to purchase such a hand-made item for your home." The notable difference, of course, is the workmanship of Shackleton's hand-made products versus the machine-made items offered at lower prices elsewhere. For Shackleton and his wife, ceramic potter Miranda Thomas, their work is all about preserving craftsmanship. Thomas and her crew of five potters work from traditional patterns and measures, incorporating designs created by Thomas. They employ an old form of stoneware pottery in which the finished piece is dipped into colored slip, after which the design is carved out of the drying slip using the quill of an African porcupine. (Photo: Karen Gardner)

The preservation of craftsmanship is celebrated statewide through a weekend in May devoted to open studios throughout Vermont. The Shackleton and Thomas studios were just two of countless studios displaying "Open Studio" placards along Routes 4 and 12. A special map provides a listing of the hundreds of craftsmen all over Vermont whose studios are open to visitors.

Also artful, but somewhat counter to conservation - that is, where counting calories is concerned - is dinner at the Woodstock Inn & Resort . We enjoyed a multi-course dinner featuring one culinary delight after another -- including lobster salad with pear, tender filet mignon, scallops, and sinful desserts. I preserved my memories of the meal on the walk back to the Ardmore.

Even if green is not your color, a trip to Woodstock, Vermont will give you a new appreciation of what green can mean. Whether escaping for a romantic weekend, seeking adventure outdoors, planning a family vacation, or practicing your own brand of preservation focused on rest and relaxation, Woodstock is an ideal location for a getaway.

Assistance: Weblope would like to thank the Association of Woodstock Innkeepers and Ms. Sara Widness of Widness Public Relations for their assistance in organizing this trip.

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