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                                Spring?!

And still snow on the ground!  Some say it's still winter around here, but not according to the calendar.  Oh well, pick a season and go with it.  Come on over and visit us to get in a little more winter playtime or just relax in the country and enjoy the scent of maple in the air.  Visit the slopes or the sugarhouse - or both!
 Events & Activities
  
 
This month we celebrate mud!!  That's right, melting snow and sunny skies means muddy roads so why not have a bike race?  The Rasputitsa Bike Race is April 11th and traverses over 40 miles of gravel roads.  Hundreds of hardy bikers will be in the area toughing it out on the roads and getting a little mud splattered as they head to the finish line and an Apres Velo party.  It's all for a great cause, though.  100% of the proceeds benefit the HALO Foundation which helps local families dealing with cancer. 
  
Other events this month include...
  
April 24th - Tuckermans Tour on Mt. Washington with NorthWoods Center

April 25th - St. Johnsbury World Maple Festival
  
Ongoing...

Live Music, Karaoke, Open Mic and Comedy Shows almost every night of the week at The Stage Food & Music
!
  
Deal of the Month
  
Time to put away the winter duds and gear up for summer!  There are always tons of great deals to be found at Simon the Tanner in Island Pond and friendly staff to help you find what you need.  Head on over for great prices on brands like Woolrich, Darn Tough, Sorel, Dansko and more.  Need shoes, boots, camping gear, backpacks?  It's all there and then some!  Definitely head to the bargain basement for even bigger deals!
In This Issue

  

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     Burke Wins Big!

Check out all the Burke Winners in the Vermont Sports 2015 Black Diamond Awards!


      JohnnyJet.com features Burke & St. J!


Read all about it...Ten Things To Do in Winter in the Northeast Kingdom! 

 

 

 

 


  

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Unpack & Unwind
  
Whether you're planning a little R&R for April or getting ready for summer fun, lodging choices abound in the area.
  
St. Johnsbury offers lots to do all seasons and the Fairbanks Inn is walking distance to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, movies, shows and gallery exhibits at Catamount Arts, lots of local shops and restaurants and more.  Efficiency suites, honeymoon suites and pet friendly rooms are available.
  
The Lyndon Motor Lodge is just a quick drive to Lyndon State College, country shops and the local diner. You can bring the dog and drive right up to a clean and cozy room.  Rates start at only $60 per night.
  
Burke Cottage Rentals and Campground offers comfy cottages with kitchens and room for up to four people.  Soon, the campground will be open featuring 25 family tent sites, a picnic area, fire pit and great location just a quick drive to Kingdom Trails or Lake Willoughby. 
  
Vintage Burke

Burke is an area rich with history and while much has changed in over 200 years, the respect both residents and visitors have for the land and natural resources has remained intact. Burke was chartered in 1782 and consisted of 20,200 acres including, for a brief time, a gore called Burke Tongue which was later incorporated into the town of Kirby.

According to
The Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, VT; 1764-1887: "The surface of the town is uneven, rising between the rivers into high ridges, three in number, running in a northerly and southerly direction
through the town, and mostly covered with a growth of hard wood, among which a large portion of sugar maple abounds. .. Generally, the soil is well adapted to grazing, and some of the finest cattle and sheep found in market are raised in this town. ..At the southeastern extremity of the township is a mountain bearing the name of Burke Mountain, lying partly in Burke, and partly in Victory, the line, between the towns crossing near the summit. The summit of this mountain towers nearly 3,000 feet above the bed of Passumpsic River."

Today, of course, Burke Mountain is home to a thriving ski resort, bike park, restaurants, slopeside condos and by the start of the 2015 ski season, a 116 room hotel. The mountain was originally purchased by Elmer Darling in 1904 who gifted the land for use as a park. A carriage road was built in 1910 which later became an auto road to the summit. By 1932, the Civilian Conservation Corps began clearing ski trails which were used by local skiers for various events, mostly sponsored by the Lyndon Outing Club. In 1953, 13 area men formed a corporation which began the development of the Burke Mountain Ski Area which brought tourists and vacation homeowners to the community. Since then, it has had several owners and is now known as Q Burke Mountain Resort

In 1970, a young ski racer named Martha Coughlin approached coach Warren Witherell seeking year-round training to help her achieve her dream of being named to the U.S. Ski Team. Thus,
Burke Mountain Academy was born. The school was the first ski academy of its kind in the United States and 35 Olympic Athletes have trained on the slopes of Burke including Mikaela Shiffrin who brought home gold last year.
 
The first settlers arrived to Burke in 1792 and "In 1880, Burke had a population of 1,252 souls. In 1886, the town had eleven school districts and ten common schools, employing two male and twenty female teachers, to whom was paid an average weekly salary, including board, of $8.35 to the males, and $5.24 to the females." The area consisting of East Burke, West Burke and Burke Hollow was alive with saw-mills, grist-mills, blacksmith shops, a harness shop, dry goods shops, several hotels, grocery stores, drug stores and a post office.

The 1887-1888 Business Directory includes many interesting listings including:  
  
Davis Fred C. H., (W. Burke) r 11, barber and horse trainer.
Dean George A., (W. Burke) r 11, prop. grist-mill.
Farmer Alonzo C., (E. Burke) r 63, live stock breeder and dealer, 30 head of thoroughbred Jersey cattle, breeder of Brown Leghorn, Plymouth Rocks, Bronze turkeys, Morgan horses, Poland China hogs, 1,400 sugar trees, farmer 200, served as sergeant in Co. E, 15th Vt. Vols. 
 
Fullerton John W., r 28, manuf. of liniment kidney cure and cough medicines, and peddler, leases h of W. Fletcher.
Humphrey Charles T. A., (E. Burke) off r 51, retired merchant, overseer of the poor, town agent, three houses and lots, farm 351, and in Sutton 100.
Humphrey Erastus, (E. Burke) r 42, oldest man in town, aged 90, April, 1886, owns farms 240.
Phippen Lucius A, (E. Burke) r 50, dealer in caskets, wagon repair shop, owns shop, h and 3 acres.
Powers Harley M., (W. Burke) r 12, bridge builder on Pass. R. R.
Sleeper Mortimer L., (W. Burke) r 12, allo. physician and surgeon.
Watchie John B., (W. Burke) r 11, blacksmith, and manuf. of wagons and buggies, h and lot.
Tabor Emily Mrs., (E. Burke) r 50, dressmaker.
Way & Son, (Erastus W. and Emerson A. W.) dealers in crockery, stoves and hardware, manufs. of tinware, own h and lot, and in Sutton 100 acres.
Whipple George B., (W. Burke) r 47, manuf. of butter tubs, and farmer 100.
  
Many of the names on that old directory are still present in the area today belonging to the second, third and fourth generation family members who call Burke home. Today, Burke has a population of just over 1,700 and while we don't have a manufacturer of liniment kidney cures, there are quite a few farmers, loggers, artists and entrepreneurial folks in these parts including proprietors of Mom & Pop shops like the East Burke Market, Mike's Gas and Kerrigan's.  East Burke Village is still home to the old country store, once called Baileys & Burke and now simply the Northeast Kingdom Country Store. The village is a hub for the many skiers, bikers and working folks who live and/or visit the area with East Burke Sports stocked up on outdoor gear and RubyLee's ready for ice cream filled summers. Way back when (and even as far back as 2013), no one would have guessed there would even be a Tiki Bar here!  And we still have a dressmaker! Tara Lynn Scheidet creates eco-friendly and gorgeous wedding gowns and fashions at Tara Lynn Bridal in neighboring Sutton.

If a directory of the sort existed for 2015, one would still find many a mention of head of cattle, horses, town agents and the like, but it's also a good assumption that another description following many names would be "Kingdom Trails Passholder!" Over 55 of those names would also have "Kingdom Trails Landowner" next to them since that's how many folks graciously allow use of their property for all to enjoy the year round trails.

The picturesque Darling Hill Road is a mile or so of history all in itself and was home to Elmer Darling and his kin. His Burklyn Mansion still stands high atop the hill and it's hard to drive or bike more than a few hundred yards on the road without catching sight of a Morgan horse, Galloway cattle or an onerous donkey grazing about. Many farm animals have even found their own idyllic retirement setting at the Inn at Mountain View Farm Animal Sanctuary.

A great resource to learn more about the history of Burke and the Darling Family can be found right in the village at the East Burke Community Library. Stop in and take a step back in time next time you're in Burke.
 
  
 
   Burke Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 347
East Burke, VT  05832
802-626-4124