The French Second Empire style was popular in Montpelier in the 1860s through the 1890s and was used for some of the city’s fancier homes. The attractive building at 132 Main Street was built around 1865 by James French, a wealthy Montpelier businessman. French owned a clothing store at the northeast corner of State and Main (see The Bridge, Nov. 2, 2022), served as postmaster, and built the brick French block on the west side of Main Street after the 1875 fires downtown destroyed three of ...| The Montpelier Bridge
Those heady months of May and June, with intoxicating apple blossoms, then early, mid, and late lilacs, wild grape flowers, peonies, roses, and now … what is that sweetness in the air? … Last week it was basswood trees flowering, and now milkweed blossoms and bedstraw, these last two perhaps the most fragrant of them all, mysteriously perfuming the air currents until their seeds begin to form and they all get down to the business of providing the next generation of plants.| The Montpelier Bridge
By Josette Chun Ask any Vermonter to share favorite summer memories, and chances are you’ll hear the words “swimming hole.” Thanks to the miracles of 500 million years of geologic change, Vermont’s pools and cascades are graced with a kaleidoscope of pebbles, pools, riffles, and deep potholes. Unfortunately, every year, these same places claim the lives of Vermonters. During late June’s record-breaking heat wave, three young men lost their lives in Vermont’s lakes and rivers. Ov...| The Montpelier Bridge
In mid-summer of 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic changed anything that might be considered routine, a friend and I crossed into Canada at Beebe Plain on what would be the last of several annual bicycle tours on the excellent rail trails and bike routes created by our neighbor to the north. We hadn’t pedaled too many kilometers when we noticed that something had dramatically changed since the previous year: E-bikes were everywhere and in abundance. When we stopped in a bike shop in S...| The Montpelier Bridge
Ticks flourish across Vermont. These tiny pests can carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites and cause at least a dozen human diseases, including Lyme. Unfortunately, we are years away from vaccinating against or curing tick-borne diseases, and recent federal funding cuts have dealt tick science a setback. It’s key to avoid getting bitten if you can. Here’s what Vermonters should know. Tick Habitat Global warming means ticks are traveling north, and peak tick season is longer, extending ear...| The Montpelier Bridge
City officials and city councilors — who just formed an Economic Development Subcommittee — all say they would like to see Montpelier’s tax base grow, something it has not been doing. Montpelier’s high municipal property tax bills are a function of both city expenses and the tax base. Expenses have been rising, but the city’s tax base has not changed much, which the city’s Finance Department says puts pressure on tax rates. The city’s 2025 grand list rose $913,448 from the year ...| The Montpelier Bridge
Whether relocating inventory farther from the floor or having plans in place to move it up and out of basements at a moment’s notice, after multiple rounds of flooding, Montpelier businesses are preparing for the event of future flooding. During a recent emergency planning workshop for businesses held by the Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience and Montpelier Alive, it became clear to the commission’s executive director, Jon Copans, that having been through the 2023 flood ...| The Montpelier Bridge
Two years after the devastating July 2023 flood, Montpelier continues to come together, rebuild, and grow stronger. On Thursday, July 10, join Montpelier Alive, the Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience, and the Montpelier Neighbor Net for an evening dedicated to community resilience, learning, and celebration. The evening begins with a walking tour with Michele Braun of Friends of the Winooski from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., starting at the Langdon Street Bridge. This free guided tour al...| The Montpelier Bridge
In the second of its “Facing the Water” workshop series, Barre Up, a long-term recovery organization in Barre City, taught residents how to use flood-related tools and machines at the Aldrich Library on June 30, less than two weeks from the anniversary of the two floods that hit the region in 2023 and 2024. The first “Facing the Water” event in May walked residents through the various steps of flood recovery and helped them determine how they would best fit into future relief and re...| The Montpelier Bridge
Piggy Banks Stand in for Federal Food Bank Cuts The pigs have returned to Montpelier. If you’ve noticed large, metal, colorfully painted piggy banks throughout downtown Montpelier and wondered what they were about, wonder no more. Unlike stereotypical porkers, they’re not great eaters. In fact, their job is to provide food for hungry humans. The three structures were created from found materials by local artist Aaron Ingham of Bent Nails Studio. Like traditional piggy banks, they have slo...| The Montpelier Bridge
