Photo: Library of Congress
Photo: Library of Congress
Photo: Library of Congress
Photo: Library of Congress
Photo: Library of Congress
Photo: Library of Congress
Photo: Library of Congress
Woodstock, Vermont looks placid enough today, but in the early 1800s it hummed with industrial activity. Woolens, farm implements, & even paper were produced by mills made possible by Waterfalls on the nearby Ottauquechee River. Yankee fortunes were made in the booming town & one such fortune was procured by Lyman Mower. To display his new found wealth Lyman Mower purchased a plot on the town green occupied by the former Windsor County Courthouse. He demolished the redundant courthouse & in 1823 erected a new Federal style brick mansion in its place. Reflecting the spartan spirit of the young Republic, the design opted for quality materials & gracious proportions over showy ornamental displays. Both a barn & carriage house were attached to the rear of the home as was regional custom.
In the century following the construction of the General Lyman Mower House, scenic tourism overtook industry as the primary economic driver in the surrounding town. In 1875 the railroad arrive, and in 1892 the Woodstock Inn opened to cater to the corresponding influx of visitors. Woodstock has remained one of the most desirable vacationing locales & Lyman Mower’s house now sits on some of the most costly real estate in Vermont. Best bits? Those brick eaves! Also, that picket fence!
Recent photos of the General Lyman Mower House here.
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