Vermont

Today we spent the day in Vermont. We went to Rokeby, a home in Ferrisburgh that was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The guide, Stan, told us that for most it wasn't a stop on the railroad but rather a destination. He said that Vermont was the first state to pass laws that restricted the Fugitive Slave Law which said that a fugitive slave had to be returned if caught. He said there was no written information showing that a fugitive slave was ever returned from Vermont. Many runaway slaves moved to Vermont and started their new lives there. The Rokeby farm was a very large working farm raising Merino sheep, chickens and dairy cows. We found the tour at Rokeby to be very informative. The grounds and buildings are well kept up and we toured the outbuildings on our own and then had a guided tour of the house. Well worth the cost of admission.

After Rokeby we went to Essex Junction to a quilt shop named Yankee Pride! Oh my goodness, I thought I had died and gone to quilt shoppers heaven! They had a TON of reproductiton fabrics and great help to boot! We managed to get most of the remaining pieces that we needed. I had made notes on what I still needed but my "clear" notes got a bit confusing so I'm not sure I have 100% of what I need but most of it. The ladies at the shop said they have many quilters who come through the area to go to Keepsake Quilting (located in New Hampshire). When they get to Keepsake Quilting and ask for reproduction fabrics, they are sent to Yankee Pride! Do you think a shop hop that includes Savage, MD, Essex Junction, VT, and then on to New Hampshire would be too far? Let's say ROAD TRIP!!

We drove along Lake Champlain, through the islands and then into Canada. Do you speak French? We don't! Everything is in French!! Yikes!! We stopped for the night just outside of Montreal and the English speaking (thank goodness) hotel desk clerk said we would be in English speaking areas in about an hour drive. Montreal has a beautiful skyline and we were glad not to be driving into it!

We are headed to towns where a lot of runaway slaves settled. Our final destination is Owen Sound about 9 hours from here. We are traveling tomorrow and we'll see how far we get. Kent thinks we'll make it clear to Owen Sound but I think we'll have a bit to go on Sunday.