Natural beauty abounds in the small rural town of Waltham
One of the smallest towns in Vermont, Waltham spans 9 square miles and is home to less than 500 residents. With no stoplights, the rural community features slim country roads lined with maple, pine and birch trees that punctuate clearings of farm fields and backdrops of the state’s rolling landscape. Chartered in 1791, the town got its name from the Old English ‘walt,’ meaning woods and ‘ham,’ meaning home. Today, the Addison County village fittingly offers its residents a wooded place to call home, with views of both the Green Mountains and the Adirondack Mountains. The town is located on the southern outskirts of Vergennes, a charming and historic city from where Otter Creek flows along the western edge of Waltham. “Most people don’t know where Waltham is. We’re a little hiccup sandwiched between Vergennes and New Haven,” says Cookie Steponaitis, a local with the Waltham town office, which is a no-frills ranch-style building off the side of Maple Street. “When I started here, I asked why there aren’t any signs with our town’s name, and I was told that the people who live in Waltham know where it is, and for the rest, it’s not necessary.”
Secluded cabins and farmhouses along Maple Street’s countryside
Outside of the humble town office, Waltham’s buildings are composed entirely of single-family homes. “There are four streets that make up Waltham: Maple Street and Green Street, which are connected by Route 66, Middlebrook Road and the righthand side of Plank Road,” Steponaitis says. “In total, we have about 13 miles of roads.” These narrow, two-lane roads branch off into short dead ends, some unnamed, where quaint log cabins, colonial-styles and spacious farmhouses dot the countryside. Properties typically feature two-car garages and sit on 5 to 20 acres of land, some on quiet ponds or streams and others with roomy outdoor patio areas that give way to wooded seclusion or mountain views. Price tags can range from $450,000 for a private 1,000-square-foot dwelling with two bedrooms and one bathroom to $650,000 for a 4,500-square-foot house with five bedrooms and four bathrooms.Outside of the humble town office, Waltham is completely made up of single-family homes. “There are four streets that make up Waltham: Maple Street and Green Street, which are connected by Route 66, Middlebrook Road and the righthand side of Plank Road,” Steponaitis says. “In total, we have about 13 miles of roads.” These narrow, two-lane roads branch off into short dead ends, some unnamed, where quaint log cabins, Colonial styles and spacious farmhouses dot the countryside. Properties typically feature two-car garages and sit on 5 to 20 acres of land, some on quiet ponds or streams and others with roomy outdoor patio areas that give way to wooded seclusion or mountain views. Price tags can range from $450,000 for a private 1,000-square-foot dwelling with two bedrooms and one bathroom to $650,000 for a roadside 4,500-square-foot house with five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
Main Street eateries and markets in neighboring Vergennes
There are no retail or dining establishments in rural Waltham, but residents can head to Vergennes to shop and dine out. The city’s small downtown strip of Main Street features eateries, markets and niche boutiques. 3 Squares Cafe puts a modern twist on American breakfast and lunch with outdoor patio seating. For dinner, Black Sheep Bistro offers farm-to-table French food in a dimly lit, intimate atmosphere. Next door, Vergennes Laundry is an upscale cafe and bakery that sells select market items. And for more grocery options, there’s Shaw’s.
Vergennes park spaces and the Addison County fairgrounds
In addition to a lack of industry in Waltham, the countryside town has no public parks or walking trails. However, residents can visit the recreational spots in the neighboring Vergennes. Vergennes City Park has a green with historic memorials and a small bandstand, where the Vergennes Farmers Market is held each Thursday during summer and fall. Vergennes Falls Park is popular for kayaking and fishing during the warmer months, providing views of the city’s three waterfalls that pour into Otter Creek. At night during the fall and part of winter, the waterfalls are illuminated in alternating colors patterns.
Just south of Waltham, the Addison County fairgrounds hosts the annual five-day Addison County Fair & Field Days every summer in late July. The family-friendly event is Vermont’s largest agricultural fair, complete with tractor and pony pulls, carnival rides, a petting zoo, live music and a parade.
School pathways from Vergennes Union to local colleges
Waltham’s kindergarteners through sixth graders can begin their public schooling at Vergennes Union Elementary School, which receives a B-minus rating from Niche. Students can then advance to Vergennes Union Middle & High School, which receives a B-plus. Middle schoolers can take STEM- or Agriculture-focused courses, and high schoolers can elect from a variety of technical programs through the local Hannaford Career Center.
Upon graduation, students can continue their education about 10 miles away at Middlebury College, a private institution renowned for its global studies and language programs. The University of Vermont, about 25 miles north in Burlington, is classified as a Research 1 Doctoral University and is well known for its medical programs.
U.S. Route 7 and country roads serve car-dependent Waltham
The quiet, country roads of Maple Street and Green Street are Waltham's main arteries, and U.S. Route 7 can be accessed from the east side of town. The highway runs less than 10 miles south to Middlebury and about 25 miles north to Burlington. The Burlington International Airport offers flights through United, American, Delta and Breeze. And while the Tri-Valley Transit services the neighboring town of Vergennes, there are no bus stops in the car-dependent community.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
