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Joshua Carnes

@landmarksofbrattleboro

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History and photo nerd doing my part to showcase quirky landmarks in Brattleboro, Vermont. BHS trustee. Thanks for joining me.
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Meadowlark Inn, 13 Gibson Road, built 1875 The former McVeigh Farm at 13-15 Gibson Road was built in 1875 on a plot overlooking the West River and Connecticut River valleys. Prior to this, the site was home to a blacksmith named Thomas Cook, who was among the earliest settlers in Brattleboro in the 1770s, and later home to Dr. Lemuel Dickerman, who is buried nearby at Meeting House Hill.  It was purchased by the Miller family in the early 20th century and converted into a summer retreat in the days before air conditioning. Its location atop a hill overlooking the rivers was ideal for frequent cool summer breezes.  An advertisement from its heyday notes "Brattleboro is noted for its pleasant drives and beautiful scenery, and is only five hours on through trains from New York, and four hours from Boston. It is the aim of the management of the McVeigh Farm to offer an opportunity to those wishing to board in the real country to enjoy the same in a quiet farm home at prices consistent with service and board. Rural free delivery of mail and telephone connection; trains met by appointment; accommodations limited to ten people."  Today, the McVeigh Farm is known as the Meadowlark Inn Bed & Breakfast (as far as I can tell; the internet is a bit unclear about their current status), run by Innkeepers Lucia Osiecki and  Deborah Jones, and is still attracting guests from all over who wish for a taste of the slow-paced, bucolic country life.  📅 October 2026 📷 Leica M8 🔍 21mm Voightlander Color-Skopar #brattleboro #vermont #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Vermont Maple Museum, 1991 Marlboro Road, built 1949 A beloved West Bratt landmark along the historic Molly Stark Trail, the old Vermont Maple Museum has been celebrating Vermont's storied maple sugaring heritage since 1949. Originally built as a roadside attraction by Raymond S. Roberts on land once part of the Hamilton Farm, the museum boasts a gift shop, a sugarhouse, and an engaging glimpse into the history of maple sugaring in southern Vermont. Over the years, it has passed through the hands of various dedicated owners, with Phyllis Khun (pronounced like “Kyoon”) at the helm since 1977. Phyllis, a local icon and AKC-recognized breeder of champion Scottish Terriers, has infused her vibrant personality into the museum, running it alongside her daughter, April. Together, they have delighted tourists and locals for decades with a curated selection of maple products and Vermont-themed merchandise. Known for her warm hospitality and a steadfast commitment to quality, Phyllis has become as legendary as the sweet syrup her museum celebrates. Still nestled into its scenic hillside location, the Vermont Maple Museum continues to thrive, offering a quaint slice of history to all who visit. 📅 October 2026 📷 Leica M8 🔍 21mm Voightlander Color-Skopar  #brattleboro #vermont #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Weekend hike. Love this time of year! 📅 October 2026 📷 Fujifilm GFX 50R 🔍 210mm Mamiya-Sekor #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Old Episcopal Rectory, 29 Tyler Street, built 1871 This house originally served as a rectory to house clergy members for St. Michael's Episcopal Church, which was located at 185 Main Street at the time. However, in 1953, the church (building and all) was relocated to its present location at 16 Bradley Avenue. The church’s new grounds were much more spacious, and as a result, the house was put up for sale. It was purchased by the Stearns family, who resided there until the early 1960s, before selling it to the Carnahan family.  John and Mary Carnahan, known for their active community engagement, played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Brattleboro Historical Society in 1982, and were instrumental in securing the Society’s headquarters in the old science classroom on the 3rd floor of the Municipal Center (formerly the Brattleboro High School).  The Carnahan family maintained ownership of the house until 2015. Today, it blends right in with the rest of the historic neighborhood. Like most of its neighbors, it’s got a story to tell. 📅 September 2026 📷 Leica M8  🔍 21mm Voightlander Color-Skopar  #brattleboro #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Harry L. Emerson House, 21 Howard Street, built 1887 Sumner Brooks Emerson purchased this land from the former Chapin Estate in January 1887. By December of that year, two houses (now 72 Oak Street and 21 Howard Street) and a barn were built on the plot. Sumner occupied the Oak Street house and his son, Harry Leon Emerson, the Howard Street house.  The pair were founders of the firm Emerson & Son in 1881 in Milford, NH. In 1885, they expanded into Brattleboro, first taking up shop in the Wilder Block on Main Street.  In 1893, Sumner retired and sold his holdings in the company to Harry, who in turn sold off the New Hampshire portion of the business to solely focus on Brattleboro. In 1914, they fully moved into the building bearing their name on Elliot Street, which is still in business today as Emerson’s Furniture. Sumner died in 1930 and is buried at Morningside Cemetery. In addition to the furniture business, Harry was also a real estate developer and avid bicyclist. He became the first President of the Vermont Wheel Club in 1885, and in later years helped develop the Belmont Avenue neighborhood. In 1903, he became the 2nd person in Brattleboro to own an automobile. By 1910, he outgrew his Howard Street home and moved to the large estate at 202 Putney Road. In 1919, this house was sold to Vermont Attorney General H. G. Barber, who moved to town from Montpelier that year. Harry continued running the business until his death in 1945. He is also buried at the Emerson family plot at Morningside Cemetery. The house has been owned by several families in the decades since, including the Clarks, Wagners, and Steidles, but still maintains its Victorian era elegance, remaining largely unchanged on the exterior. The house was even featured in the 1894 book “Picturesque Brattleboro.” 📅 October 2026 📷 Leica M8 🔍 21mm Voightlander f/4 #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
This view is always a pleasure. I'm working on a few new posts in the background as always. Life always seems to be busier than usual this time of year, but we're still kicking. 📅 October 2026 📷 Fujifilm GFX 50R 🔍 Fuji GF 35-70mm #brattleboro #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Union Block, 101-105 Main Street, built 1864 The Union Block was completed in 1864 for Cyrus Wyman (a local grocer and advocate for women’s rights and prohibition) and Seth Herrick (a West Brattleboro farm boy turned politician). The building's name reflects their pride for the Union cause during the Civil War. In 1917, the building was purchased by Amedeo DeAngelis, an Italian immigrant who arrived in Brattleboro at 15 and established a successful shoe repair business. DeAngelis expanded his ventures to include property ownership and left a legacy of entrepreneurship. Upon his death in 1951, his sons, Anthony and John (who’d been running the family business since returning home from World War II), installed the large plaque in honor of their father’s legacy. The plaque was so substantial, it required structural analyses to check if it could withstand the changes in the building’s load-bearing capacity. Today the building is home to Burrows Specialized Sports, Wheel Good Bike Shop, Main Street Hair Shop, the Artists’ Loft, and others. The Brattleboro Reformer wrote an incredible article on the building’s history in October 2019, which is well worth the read. 📅 July 2026 📷 Leica M2 🔍 90mm Wetzlar 🎞️ UFO-2476 50 🧪 Rodinal stand development #brattleboro #leicam2 #film #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
United States Navy Seabees Bridge (left, built 2003), and the Justice Harlan Fiske Stone Bridge (right, built 1937). Prior to construction of the first Chesterfield bridge in 1888, river crossings were provided by ferry between Old Ferry Road(s) in Brattleboro and Chesterfield. The original bridge at this location was a cable suspension span built in 1888-89, accessed via what’s now known as Justin Holden Drive. This span was destroyed by the hurricane which struck Long Island and New England in 1936. In 1937, the first steel arch bridge, originally called Gulf Bridge (now known as the Justice Harlan Fiske Stone Bridge), was completed. It still stands today as a pedestrian promenade and impromptu skatepark. In 2003, the present-day Seabees Bridge was completed directly adjacent to the old span, alleviating safety concerns about the aging structure. The modern span implemented classical design elements aiming to compliment the old bridge and blend more seamlessly into the landscape, as opposed to one with a completely contrasting design. 📅 November 2023 📷 Fujifilm GFX 50R #brattleboro #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Vernon Town Forest, 366 Basin Road, est. 1973 The J. Maynard Miller Municipal Forest in Vernon is home to a rare ecological treasure: several stands of ancient black gum trees (Nyssa sylvatica). Typically found much further south, where they are commonly known as tupelo or black tupelo, these trees represent the only known population of their species in the entire state of Vermont. Within the municipal forest, there are at least seven distinct swamp areas covering 28 acres, with additional trees located on nearby private property and within the Roaring Brook Wildlife Management Area. Scientists believe these isolated stands survived because a warmer climate period 3,000 to 5,000 years ago pushed the species' historical range northward, allowing them to persist in protected pockets. These black gum trees are remarkably resilient and ancient. One specimen in the Vernon forest was measured to be 435 years old, while another in southern New Hampshire reached 562 years old, making them not only some of the oldest trees in New England but potentially the oldest broadleaf deciduous trees anywhere in North America. Visitors can easily identify them by their thick, alligator-like bark and their jagged crowns, which are the result of centuries of brittle branches breaking off during ice storms and subsequently re-growing. In 2016, the State of Vermont proposed designating these rare swamps as a Class I wetland to grant them the highest level of environmental protection, though the town ultimately declined to pursue that classification. The permanent protection of this vital tract is largely thanks to J. Maynard Miller (1905–1998), a local dairy farmer and civic leader. In the early 1970s, Miller recognized the immense ecological importance of the black gum swamps and successfully persuaded the town to purchase the property to safeguard it from development in 1973. As a tribute to his passion for conservation and his decades of service to Vernon, including serving as a selectboard member and the first president of the Vernon Seniors, the town named the municipal forest in his honor. #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Paramount Building, 165-169 Main Street, built 1849 / 1937 Originally built in 1849 as the Williston Block for Nathan Birdseye Williston, a local merchant. He moved to Brattleboro in 1810 at the age of 12 and worked for Ezra Clark, who ran a drugstore in town. Williston built the first iteration of this building in 1849, and by 1856, he became president of the Windham County Bank, which later merged with the First National Bank in 1864. He would continue in this position until retiring in 1879. He died in 1883 and is buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery. The building would also come to be known as the Stone Block. It was eventually significantly renovated and expanded, and reopened as the Paramount Theater on October 20th, 1937, its debut film was “High, Wide, and Handsome,” starring Irene Dunne. The north (left) storefront was always retail space, and the south (right) storefront where Brattleboro Bicycle is today served as the main entrance to the theater. “Dances With Wolves” was the final title to adorn the marquee, as a massive fire gutted the theater on April 30th, 1991, ending its 54-year run as a cinema. Some structural components of the building were salvaged but the entire interior had to be reconstructed. Its original 1850 facade was restored and remains mostly unchanged. 📅 September 2026 📷 Leica M2 🔍 Voightlander 35mm 🎞️ Kentmere 200 🧪 Rodinal stand development #brattleboro #leicam2 #vermont #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
Martin and Anna Austin House, 73 Chapin Street, built 1888 Built as a speculative property by developer Edward C. Crosby, this home subtly blends elements of the Victorian and Stick architectural styles. It was sold in 1888 to George E. Selleck, who briefly transferred ownership to recently widowed Emily H. Emerson in 1901. Emerson almost immediately sold the house back to the Sellecks. Neither Emerson nor the Sellecks ever resided on the property, using it exclusively as a rental investment. In the following years, the home’s primary residents were long-term tenants Martin and Anna Austin, who finally purchased the property outright from the Sellecks in July 1924. Martin Austin began his career at the E. P. Carpenter Organ Company following his 1884 graduation from Brattleboro High School. Rising through the ranks, he served as the firm's treasurer and general manager until its dissolution in 1917. He subsequently joined competitor Estey Organ until 1932, when he was elected Vice President of the Vermont Savings Bank; a post he held until his retirement in 1956. Deeply involved in the community, Martin served seven years on the Brattleboro Selectboard, was Exalted Ruler of the local Elks Lodge, a trustee of the Knights of Columbus, and president and treasurer of the Vermont Wheel Club. Anna (Hanley) Austin moved to Brattleboro from Oswego, New York, in 1889 to work for the Carpenter Organ Company, where she met Martin. Equally active in local civic life, she was involved with the Brattleboro Woman's Club, the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and the Daughters of Isabella. Tragically, in September 1936, the couple was involved in a head-on automobile accident in Whately, Massachusetts. Anna succumbed to her injuries at Franklin County Hospital in Greenfield and was laid to rest at St. Michael’s Cemetery. Martin continued to live in the house until 1957, when he sold the property and moved to the Hill-Crest Rest Home. He passed away in 1961 and rests alongside Anna. 📅 August 2026 📷 Pixel 10 #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro
First Congregational Church, 880 Western Avenue, built 1845 The First Congregational Church was home to the first purpose-built church building in the settlement of Brattleborough, originally a wooden structure completed in 1768. This building was replaced with a more permanent one in 1785, which was destroyed by fire in 1845. Later that year, the current building was built in its place. The 1845 Greek Revival frame church underwent extensive renovations in 1886, resulting in its current Italianate style. The church now features a three-tiered bell and clock tower on one corner and a smaller tower on the opposite corner. The front facade has a gable design, with a central projecting gable pavilion that connects to the asymmetrical towers. These elements are adorned with decorative moldings, cornices, and friezes, creating a distinct visual contrast against the main block. The original construction included a smaller central belfry and spire with classical details, but this was replaced in 1886. Around 1905, the church underwent further changes, including the addition of a rear one-story structure for a "ladies parlor," pastor's study, and kitchen. A pipe organ was also installed on the west side. Although the walls and foundation were preserved, the rest of the church was extensively renewed, with a completely new front facade featuring Italianate towers. The interior was remodeled, shifting the pulpit to the west side and replacing the front-facing pews with a semicircular arrangement. In 1928, the ceiling was lowered during further interior renovations. In 1949, the rear addition was expanded, raising the roof to match the main church roof and creating additional usable space in the basement for a furnace, auditorium, and Sunday School rooms. The last major addition took place in 1962, with the construction of a rear wing for a Sunday school classroom. The church stands today as an inclusive congregational church, and is partnered with sister churches in Brattleboro, Guilford, and Dummerston. 📅 September 2026 📷 Leica M2 🔍 35mm Voightlander 🎞️ Kentmere 200 🧪 Rodinal stand development #landmarksofbrattleboro by @landmarksofbrattleboro

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