The Hill Town Quest Newark, Vermont Created by Newark Street School, Grades 3,4 &5.

Transcription

1 The Hill Town Quest Newark, Vermont Created by Newark Street School, Grades 3,4 &5. Difficulty: Easy Walking Conditions: Paved and off trail Type of Quest: Historical 45 minutes, you may want to bring a compass. To get there: Take I-91 North to Exit 24. Take a left at the stop sign at the end of the ramp onto Route 122 South. Proceed about 3 miles to traffic signal and turn left onto Route 5 North. In next town, West Burke, bear right onto Route 5A; proceed north for.6 mile, then turn right onto Newark Street which rises steeply. In 3.6 miles, you will arrive at the Newark Street School on the right just before leaving the village. Park your car at the Newark Street School parking lot Newark Street Newark, Vermont 1. Stand in this place and look around, Start our quest: District 2 of town. Down the road from old fields of hop, Way back then twas a cash crop. 2. Many times over a family farm, No trace now, not even a barn. At top lot search for a ringer, From old school to new came this dinger. 3. Go where kids play on the swings, They stay here until the bell rings. Now you ll spy hint of old farms, It s as straight as our-stretched arms. A line of trees a wall they hide, Two old farm fields the rocks divide. 4. Go to Old Glory, it s red, white and blue, Head southwest to blacktop for next clue. Cut through first two maples, cross the street, A Greek Revival house is at your feet.

2 5. This house was a post office, now it s a home, Long ago, a farm that the Lowell s owned. They planted apple trees in back yard, Maples in the front, they worked very hard. Off to the right a barn once stood, Now just a jumble of metal and wood. 6. From mailbox head south 37 paces, End where the lovely silver maple s base is. 7. This house the Austins used to be, The milk truck driver was a she. Mrs. Austin drove from farm to farm, Gathering milk from the farmers barns. To Lyndonville Creamery she d go, With all of Newark s milk in tow. 8. Walk to where naughty sharp shooters took aim, And liberated letters from old weathervane. Before you stands a house of prayer, To hoist the bell, they used a mare. Four faith groups spread lots of care, They worked together, one building to share. There used to be a 10-horse shed out back, No need for it now, horses we lack. Where flames from lanterns used to shine, Hangs a globe lit by a power line. 9. Past house with fir, to four corners go, View orchard trees, three in a row. That fruit once pared, sliced, strung to dry, For many a winter apple pie. A lilac d home once graced this space, With house just passed, it was replaced. 10. Turn to the East and cross The Street, This place s story is truly neat. 11. Old red house has been here a while, Well cared for so it s not in a pile. The lawn ornaments leave the clues, Some kids played here without their shoes. Eleven schools there used to be, District 2 kids would go here, you see. In the beginning this school had no bell, So boxed lunches Flora Ball did sell.

3 In the 1950 s play equipment was lean, Bingo game profits supplied the means. 12. From the flag pole so mighty and high, Go down schoolhouse Road, hedge by your side. Stop at the house before the hill Look at the porch and the model water mill. 13. Twas farm and store back in the day, To get goods, bartering was O.K. No pigs, no cows, not even a horse, Replaced today with a golf course. 14. Follow road uphill to the east, Find many town folk resting in peace. Dolloff, Johnson, Garfield and Ball, Names of District 2 settlers all. One dear grave is very new, Loved teacher, Ms. Weirich, rests here too. 15. Now down to four corners return, This house once a store, too, we learn. Where children penny candy could buy, Or gift for Dad: a ten-cent tie! 16. Had north back up Newark Street, Stop at next building, small and neat. 17. Here you will find town history notes, Come over here and cast your votes. Our small town spins on the axis, We all come here to pay our taxes. And if some boundary line s unclear, Joan will settle that for you here. 18. As you continue up the street, You ll come to a place where many did meet. 19. Here is where town meetings were held. And stories say that many yelled. Also kitchen junkets were had, And the ladies cookies were not bad. There was an L that held a Grange Hall, Below that a library for all. Many uses were through this door, Now recycling and nothing more.

4 20. Walk north pass the fences, into the field. You ll soon find the treasure that s sealed. 21. The Old Home Day celebration is here, The last Saturday of July every year. Notice six sugar maples all in a row, Along the field that past farmers did mow. One, two, three. Look inside the third tree, That is where the treasure will be. Cool Facts In the past, Newark was divided into 13 districts. Children went to the closest school in their district. We are in old District 2. The Crosses, the Moultons and the Kings were names of some of the families who lived in the farm located where the new school is today. We learned how to read the landscape such as the tall trees that now hide an old stonewall that once divided two farms. During our research we learned about architecture by looking at the styles of the buildings. We learned how to identify trees. Later, when the post office closed, the mailman from West Burke would board his horse and buggy in a barn. He would drive here every day and transfer the mail into his buggy and deliver the mail to the residents of Newark. We no longer have services in the church. Occasionally, graduations, Christmas concerts, funerals and weddings are held there. Through the years, the house that used to stand across from the old red schoolhouse was inhabited by the Doloffs, the Webbs, the Blakes and the Beals. Bill Blake ran a bobbin and lumber mill. Almost everyone had an apple orchard. Newark was a famous place for people to come and pick berries. Most everyone grew blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. The women would dry most of them. Newark Street was once known as The Street. Flora Ball, a schoolteacher from the past, organized Boxed Socials to raise money for the school bell. Boxed Socials were fun events where women would make a special lunch and bring it in a fancy, decorated box. The men would then bid on their favorite box. The lucky winner of each box would then join the girl for a picnic. What is now the Chase house with the golf course used to be an active farm and store where people would come and barter for the supplies they needed. At the cemetery everyone was able to find several names of residents from District 2 on the map of They money for the wrought iron fence was also

5 raised by Flora Ball. She organized dances in the old Town Hall which is now the recycling center. Amy Lane was once the proprietor of the store on the four corners. An interesting record we found was of picture of special cuts in the livestock s ears that were used to identify them should they wander off. The population of Newark stared to decline when the railroads came through, but didn t come through Newark. It is now increasing because people like to live in this kind of environment. There were several hop yards at one time. Hops are plants used in brewing beer.

6