In a past article, This Old House – Intriguing Discoveries, I’ve written about some of the treasures we’ve discovered on our historic property, but my latest find gave me pause. While investigating how to construct new doors and windows in the barn, I reached up onto a high beam and found something unexpected: a stash of pipe tobacco and a small jackknife. The tobacco was labeled Burley and Bright — “A Cargo of Contentment in the Bowl of Any Pipe!” My first thought was, Who stashed it there? And when? I also wondered about the age-old warning: Never smoke in…

In our last article, The Spaulding Homestead, we touched upon the rich history of the Spaulding family, who settled in Panton in 1767. As promised, here’s more of their story. Before we dive in, I want to acknowledge the source of much of the information shared below. While researching the history of Panton and its earliest settlers, I was fortunate to discover History of Addison County, Vermont, edited by H.P. Smith and published by D. Mason & Co. in Syracuse, NY, in 1886. This detailed and fascinating work has provided invaluable insight into the region’s past. Much of the text…