Journal of an Excursion to Manchester, By a Party of Norwich Cadets, 1823
Sept. 19. Rose this morning 5 and proceeded on our journey to Manchester having determined to reach that place to breakfast 6-}. miles dist. we arrived at % before 7 A. M., found the Capt. and the rest of the party just sitting down to breakfast and without further ceremony we joined them having gained a keen appetite by travelling 6 or 7 miles. The road from Winhall is winding but smooth. Immediately before us is a range of Mountains about 6 miles W. of the Green Mountain range, there are no high hills in this range if we except the object of our visit.
The village of Manchester is situated between these two ranges of mountains about 5 miles from the main range. It is built on one main street which runs E. and W. and contains 30 or 40 houses some of which are very neat, a Brick Court House, a meeting House and a fine Tavern. Here is a pleasant and neat village and a place of some trade. The courts for the County are held alternately here and at Bennington. The Township contains 1502 inhabitants—At 1 o’clock P. M. we were prepared to ascend the mountain being accompanied by His Exy. and 20 of the inhabitants of Manchester making a party of about 50. Our guides being well armed and prepared we left the village at 1 P. M. and proceeded about a mile before we began to ascend then it came very rough and difficult of ascent—it is very steep indeed so much so that we had to hold on trees, or what ever came in our way to prevent our falling backward—We reached the summit at 3 P. M. On our way up we frequently saw the tracks of bears, it is frequented by bears, foxes, etc. and formerly wolves descended into the village and committed depredations on the stock but none have been seen lately. We stopt here long enough to make an observation and to record our names on the trees and began to descend in about I} an hour. The summit is covered with trees; after descending about {- of a mile we came to an open place where was the most elegant view I ever saw, all around as far as the eye could see were mountains which gave it a very romantic appearance. To the S. W. the little town of Bennington (famous for its battle during the Revolutionary war) could be seen through a defile in the mountains, to the N. was Killington Peak—although the country below us was quite hilly and uneven still from this great height it all appeared like a perfect plain and Manchester could be just discerned appearing as a speck being 2903 feet below us.
This view alone I consider as a full compensation for the trouble it was to get here. None but those who have been witnesses of such a scene can have any idea of its grandeur.
This mountain is 3706 above Tide Water by our calculations. The descent of this mountain was more difficult than the ascent as we were in danger of falling; we got back to the Tavern about 6 o’clock P. M. pretty well fatigued but highly gratified with our expedition.
In the evening we rec’d. a polite invitation from Gov. Skinner to take tea with him but declined as our numbers were large for a Tea Party, we however spent the evening at His Exys. were all separately introduced to him by our Capt. we spent the evening here very agreeably and had a fine treat of fruit, etc. which was to us a treat indeed. Gov. S. is a very pleasant, agreeable gentleman. He has since resigned his office of Gov. and appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State.
Sept. 20. It being now Saturday we had indulged ourselves with the hope of staying here today and tomorrow but our Capt. thought it best for us to proceed homeward. At first it was thought best to go the same way we came but we pressed the Capt. so hard to return by the way of Rutland that finally he consented and we left Manchester about 9 A. M. The road is quite smooth and we travelled on at a. quick rate, during the day we passed Dorset, Vt. celebrated for its natural cave, crossed the Otter Creek River 4 times which is very winding and arrived at Rutland at -} past 7 P. M. This is a very neat village situated on a high and commanding hill. It contains a Court House, 2 Meeting Houses, and an Academy and has some trade. Pipe clay is found in this Town in considerable quantities, 2 Weekly papers are published here. The Township contains 2397 inhabitants and borders on the Otter Creek River 55 miles from its mouth. We travelled 34 miles this day of course did not have much time to look about.