Panton, a farming community with friendly neighbors
Located on Lake Champlain’s eastern shore, Panton is an Addison County community known for its dairy farms and scenic views of the Adirondack and Green Mountains. Revolutionary War figures passed through the area in the late 1700s, including Benedict Arnold, who led one of the first U.S. Navy battles on Lake Champlain to delay British troops. Today, about 600 people live here — a mix of residents who have lived and farmed in Panton for generations and those who left larger Vermont cities for peace and quiet.
Krista Diego owns Wiggly Goat Farm, a small fiber farm where she raises animals, such as goats, llamas and angora rabbits. She moved to the area with her husband, Chris, from Cape Cod and expanded her hobby farm into a full business. “We have a rural way of life,” Diego says. “Our neighbors are those who’ve lived and farmed here their whole lives, as well as people who’ve moved here from bigger cities. Some people think New Englanders are stand-offish and unfriendly, but we’re actually very nice. I know I could count on any one of my neighbors for help, if needed.”
Grand lakeside homes and smaller houses near farmland
Homes don't often go for sale in Panton. “People who come here on vacation want to retire here,” Diego says. "Many old summer cabins along Lake Champlain have been turned into luxury homes.” Panton’s median price for single-family homes is $520,000, higher than the national median of around $400,000. Lakeside homes are often grand estates on more than 10 acres, with long driveways, private lake access and uninterrupted views of the Adirondack Mountains. Among the rolling farmland are small ranch-style homes and Cape Cod-style houses on sprawling lots.
Dining in Vergennes and supporting local farmers
While there are many farm businesses in Panton, the nearest grocery store is Shaw’s in Vergennes. “I love going to the grocery store because there are no stop lights, and you see cows and sheep along the way,” Diego says. Vergennes also has popular restaurants, like 3 Squares Cafe, which serves home-style dishes for breakfast and lunch. Black Sheep Bistro offers a French menu for dinner and neighbors the Vergennes Laundry bakery.
Residents can also buy goods directly from Panton's farmers. "If you buy steak from someone, you go down to the farmstand, take what you need on an honor system and Venmo them,” Diego says. Wiggly Goat Farm is joining this trend and opening an on-site shop soon. The Shelburne Farmers Market happens every Saturday from May through October in nearby Shelburne. The market is another place to buy locally made items from Panton's businesses, like Diego’s goat milk soaps.
Watching for snow geese and touring Panton farms
“We’re right in the path of the migratory birds,” Diego says. “They come down Lake Champlain. We have snow geese, like in the thousands. You hear them and look up to see a sky full of birds. People go to the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area to birdwatch.” In addition to birdwatching, Dead Creek WMA visitors can fish and kayak down Dead Creek. Button Bay State Park is north of Panton, with camp sites, public access to Button Bay and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Wiggly Goat Farm is among other farms in Panton that offer tours, so residents and out-of-town visitors can see animals and historic buildings.
Driving to Vergennes, Shelburne and Middlebury
Commuters can be in Vergennes in about 10 minutes by driving 5 miles east on Panton Road. Primary Care – Vergennes offers routine medical care services, and the nearest hospital is Porter Medical Center in Middlebury, 18 miles south. U.S. Route 7 leads 20 miles north to Shelburne and nearly 30 miles north to Burlington. New York is across Lake Champlain, and drivers can use Vermont Route 17 to cross the Lake Champlain Bridge into Crown Point, New York. Panton Community Church is the only place of worship in town.
Taking the bus to Vergennes schools
Panton is in the Addison Northwest School District, so children attend preschool through sixth-grade classes at Vergennes Union Elementary School, which earns a B-minus from Niche. Vergennes Union Middle & High School gets a B-plus. The district offers bus routes that extend to Panton. Also in Vergennes, the private Valley Christian School is currently unrated by Niche and teaches kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
Occasional severe weather and the nation’s first microgrid
Having Lake Champlain to the west and Dead Creek flowing through the area can lead to some flooding. Winter storms and severe thunderstorms have caused power outages, so some residents have backup generators. Panton is the site of Vermont’s and the nation’s first solar microgrid — a system that aims to prevent electricity blackouts during severe weather. The microgrid serves less than 100 residents, but Green Mountain Power has plans to expand access.
