Vermont foliage and historic charm abound in Wilmington
A small resort town in Southern Vermont, Wilmington has scenic mountain trails, recreational lakes and a historic downtown district. Home to slightly more than 2,000 full-time residents, this Windham County area is predominantly a second-home community. But those whose primary residence is somewhere else are still very involved with the local community. “The second-homeowner population really sees this as their home away from home, which you don’t see in other resort areas,” says Patrice Schneider, a local Realtor with Southern Vermont Realty Group. “They’re very much embedded in the community and seem to use their properties all year long, maybe because of how gorgeous Vermont is in the summer.” The town’s mountainous and wooded landscape offers several hiking trails, while the surrounding lakes provide additional eye-catching escapes. Residents can become members of The Hermitage Club, an exclusive ski resort, or visit Mount Snow Resort, located in the neighboring town of Dover. The Wilmington Village Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, is perched at the junction of Vermont Route 100 and Vermont Route 9. The 18th century saw this intersection as a milling industrial center, and today the district features 59 historically significant Georgian-style buildings that have been transformed into museums, boutiques and eateries.
Local skiers can join The Hermitage Club or visit Mount Snow Resort
Wilmington is home to The Hermitage Club, a private ski resort atop Haystack Mountain of the Green Mountains. Dotted with New England white birch trees, the resort features a 90,000-square-foot clubhouse lodge with a luxury restaurant and bar, as well as a family center with a 50-seat movie theater and bowling alley. Outside the lodge, members can ski or snowboard down a 1,400-foot slope with the help of four chairlifts, one with heated seats.
About 4 miles north of the Hermitage Club, Mount Snow Resort is another ski retreat that’s open to the public. In addition to wintertime skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing, Mount Snow provides summertime recreation. The resort's bike park has terrain surfaces for different mountain biking levels, and the Bluebird Express offers chairlift rides to the scenic summit. The resort also hosts a summer concert series, held each Saturday night at the Snow Barn.
Scenic hikes up Haystack Mountain and summer swims in the lakes
Residents who want to spend some time outdoors can choose from an abundance of hiking trails, including Mount Haystack Trail. The well-marked 4-mile trail leads to the top of Haystack Mountain, where hikers can appreciate South Vermont’s vibrant fall foliage. Near the trail’s entrance, Haystack Golf Course is a public 18-hole course with The Stack Restaurant, an Italian steakhouse. “There’s also the Valley Trail, a 14-mile walking and biking path that goes from Wilmington all the way up to Mount Snow,” Schneider says. “People don’t usually hike the whole thing, but they can hike bits and pieces.”
Summertime recreation continues at either Lake Whitingham, located on the town’s west side, or Lake Raponda, on Wilmington’s east side. Both lakes are popular for swimming and boating, offering sandy beach areas and boat launches. Part of Lake Raponda is reserved for town residents only. But the recreational opportunities on the lake don’t end when the snow starts to fall. “Lake Whitingham freezes up in the winter, so you have ice fishing, too,” Schneider adds.
Cozy cottages and sprawling chalets make up the ski resort town
The residential layout in Wilmington highlights a myriad of cottages and cabins of varying sizes. “It’s definitely a ski community and not suburban at all,” says Betsy Wadsworth, an associate broker with Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty. “There’s a significant inventory of high-end homes around The Hermitage Club, older chalets built in the 1950s and ‘60s, and a couple of condos added in the ‘80s. But there’s also a mix of Mountain Modern timber frame homes and historical farmhouses, since Deerfield Valley started in the 1800s.” Buyers can find smaller chalets with shingle siding and New England Colonial-style homes in the form of Revival, saltbox and Cape Cod. These single-family homes typically sit on a half-acre to three acres, offering anywhere from 1,200 to 3,500 square feet of space. Price tags start around $320,000 and rise to about $600,000. Contemporary log cabins with ski slope views and historic farmhouses on multiple acres might feature detached garages and wrap-around porches or balconies. Buyers can expect to pay from around $625,000 for a 2,000-square-foot property on an acre to nearly $4 million for a 3,500-square-foot home with acreage near the private club. There are also a handful of townhomes and condominium units available near Haystack Golf Course for around $425,000.
Wilmington has farm markets, downtown eateries and boutiques
The two-lane Vermont Route 100 features a few fresh country markets as it winds its way south through Deerfield Valley. The shelves of River Valley Market are stocked with meats, seafood, fresh produce and other items. About 2 miles south of there, Farmhouse Market offers organic and locally sourced foods in a rustic cabin. For more comprehensive grocery options, Shaw’s is the town’s supermarket.
Downtown Wilmington is lined with local cafes, eateries, pubs and shops. Dot’s is an American breakfast and lunch diner in a former New England-style home overlooking the Deerfield River. The Anchor serves seafood in a tavern-style setting, and Wilmington Village Pub offers cocktails and draft beer on a cozy patio next to the river. Nearby, 1836 Country Store is a historic-themed niche gift shop with apparel, maple syrup and home goods. Also located on Main Street, Our Lady of Fatima is a Roman Catholic Church with an A-frame wooden design that features specially designed energy-saving stained-glass windows.
Main Street hosts annual Vermont wine and beer festivals
Crowds flock to Wilmington for different festivals throughout the year. The Vermont Wine & Harvest Festival in September is a weekend-long event with a Wine Stroll & Soup Contest that leads attendees through Historic Downtown Wilmington. The Vermont Craft Beer & Chili Stroll in March has a similar set-up, allowing visitors to stop in different shops, markets and eateries for a taste of beer accompanied by samples of chili. “The Arthouse hosts paint-and-sip classes in a historic church with a crooked steeple,” Schneider says. “And our local acting troupe, the Deerfield Valley players, perform at Memorial Hall, built by the famous Stanford White.”
Twin Valley public schools offer career programs and dual enrollment
Students living in Wilmington can begin at Twin Valley Elementary School, which receives a B-plus rating from Niche and serves around 180 learners. Students can then advance to the C-rated Twin Valley Middle High School, a combined middle and high school with about 190 students. “The boys’ basketball and soccer teams traditionally do really well, frequently getting to the championships and winning their divisions,” Schneider says. “High schoolers can go to the Windham Regional Career Center at Brattleboro High School beginning their junior year. They can also take dual enrollment courses through the Community College of Vermont,” she adds.
Two-lane routes through New England and Wilmington’s crime rate
Because of its relatively secluded location, Wilmington is a car-dependent community, though there is limited mass transit available in the area. Vermont Route 100 weaves north-south through town and meets Vermont Route 9, which runs east-west, in the small downtown section of Wilmington. The two highways connect residents to larger New England cities, including Boston, 130 miles east, Albany, 60 miles west, and Hartford, 90 miles south. For farther destinations, locals can use the international airports in any of the three surrounding cities. The MOOver is a free shuttle bus service with routes through southern Vermont.
According to data submitted to the FBI, Wilmington’s crime rate is generally lower than both the state and national averages. However, crime rates related to aggravated assault trend higher than the state average.
Written By
Mary Beth Greene
