A rural Vermont town between Dorset Mountain and Mount Tabor
Nearly two miles beneath the Earth’s surface in western Vermont, the Danby Quarry lies within the recesses of Dorset Mountain. Providing thousands of square feet of white marble each day, the mine is the world’s largest subterranean marble quarry. The surrounding Danby community itself – and its rocky white export – are located in western Vermont. “Danby is very rural,” says Trent Stephens, a Realtor and sales agent with Wohler Realty Group. “Here in Vermont, we have the mountains and the shires. It’s two worlds: the valleys, which is traditional farm country with lots of locals living there full-time, and then up in the mountains, which is our ski industry.”
A few car-friendly roads do meander across Danby, but the remoteness is what draws homebuyers to the community, and that remoteness is furthered by the fact that many of the area roads don’t accommodate cars. “To get around in Vermont, we have a saying: ‘You can’t get there from here,’” Stephens says. “Sometimes you just can’t, so there are gravel roads that you can use bikes or four-wheelers on.” Danby is partially framed by Dorset Mountain to the south and Mount Tabor to the east, both rising over 3,000 feet skyward. This lends a hilly, verdant backdrop to area homes, which are often situated on an acre or more of land.
Recreation on and around Mount Tabor and Dorset Mountain
With Mount Tabor and Dorset Mountain to the east and south, respectively, locals aren’t far from parks, preserves and trails. Mount Tabor is lined by the concurrent sections of the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail. The Long Trail spans the length of the state, and the Appalachian Trail shares part of the path in southern Vermont on its trajectory from Georgia to Maine. “There are a lot of great day hikes in Danby,” Stephens says. “Danby has a lot of national forest land. It borders Mount Tabor, which has the White Rocks Recreation Area and has great rock climbing, hunting and camping. There’s a lot to do outside.” Both mountains have smaller local trails, spanning several miles of hiking to and from the summits.
Less than 15 miles south, the Dorset Marble Quarry, which is no longer in operation and is not to be confused with the active Danby Quarry, now serves as a swimming hole. “It’s very popular,” Stephens says. “Danby Mountain is a huge heave in the ground that has pulled out most of the white marble that we have in the U.S.,” he says, referring to a specific method of marble extraction. “The old marble quarry is where they took a lot of the marble out for buildings in Washington, D.C., and there are a lot of hikes, waterfalls and swimming in and around the quarries.” The former quarry draws visitors from across the country.
Naturally formed recreation spots are another hallmark of the area. The Danby Slides are as a natural rock slide in water deep enough to allow for tubing; the area also features a small waterfall and a pool. Part of Mill Brook, the landform is also a popular spot for kayaking and canoeing. “In the summer, everybody’s swimming at the Danby Slides,” Stephens says. Waterways, like Mountain Brook and Farm Brook, accommodate fishing, while larger tributaries like Otter Creek are popular for kayaking and canoeing. Snowmobile trails in Vermont are maintained for winter recreation by the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers.
Homes on acreage in Danby
Homes are scattered across the Danby community, with properties often on an acre or more of land. “ It’s really rural and really pretty,” Stephens says. “It’s a lot of old farmhouses mixed with a bunch of 1970s-through-1990s builds. Cape styles are popular here, cabins get popular if you’re moving into the mountains and there is everything in between. We have some big architectural marvels in our small towns that are pretty breathtaking.” Recent sale prices mostly fall between $200,000 and $400,000.
School districts of choice in Vermont
Many students head to the Dorset School, which receives a B from Niche, for kindergarten through eighth grade. “The draw is that Danby is a school choice town,” Stephens says. “There’s no high school for that town, so people can send kids wherever they want. There are a mix of private and public choices.” Students can then choose to go to high schools like Rutland Senior High School, which gets a B-minus and spans grades nine through 12.
Heading outside of Danby for shopping and dining
Danby is not known for an abundance of commercial activity, and opportunities for both shopping and dining in the town are limited. On Route 7, the Mt. Tabor Country Store offers convenience shopping along with a deli. Nearby, the Danby Village Marketplace and Nichols Deli also has convenience-style offerings. “The little, old town has a couple of cute village stores, but for shopping you’re either going north to Rutland or south to Manchester. There’s outlet shopping and little niche shops there,” Stephens says. Both Rutland and Manchester are trips of about 20 miles north and south, respectively. “I tell people to go to Thai Basil in Manchester if they’re looking for really, really good food,” Stephens says. Besides the local town stores, the closest major grocery stop is a Shaw’s less than 20 miles south in Manchester.
Miniature golf, ice cream and arcade games in one stop
While the area offers plenty in the way of recreation in the great outdoors, there are also a few nearby options that are slightly less nature-themed. Along Route 7, Otter Creek Fun Center operates a putt-putt course and arcade, along with a snack bar that serves food and ice cream. “The best spot in Danby is Otter Creek Fun Center,” Stephens says. “That’s somewhere I go all the time with my kids.” About 20 miles south of Danby, the HITS Vermont Summer Festival takes place over six weeks each July and August. “It’s a large horse show where people come and show off their fancy riding and horses,” Stephens says. “That’s a big thing and draws a lot of people here.” The event includes derbies, jumping competitions and speed challenges.
Traveling beyond the community on Route 7
United States Route 7 passes through parts of eastern Danby in a north-south direction, in total spanning parts of three New England states. “7 is the way up north,” Stephens says. “There are ways to get to different places, but going across the mountains, you’re just on mountain roads. They’re long and winding.” Rutland is about 20 miles north via Route 7, while Manchester is around the same distance south. The New York state line is about 14 miles west. Rutland Regional Medical Center is located around 20 miles north.
