Rutland, Vermont

The City of Rutland is located in central Vermont close by the beautiful Green Mountains on Otter Creek. Rutland may not have that ole charm that many expect from a New England town, but it has an appealing small city atmosphere that is unmistakable. The beauty of the wide valley with the backdrop of the mountains is enough to draw visitors to this quiet yet second fastest growing city in all of Vermont.

Rutland was built on the marble trade. Rutland was settled in 1770 when they discovered that the area was a great location for mining marble. During this time most marble was brought to the US from European especially Italy, so this was a wonderful and marvelous find. Settlers came in groves and began working in the marble quarries in Proctor and West Rutland. By 1880, Rutland was declared “Marble City” and was proud of its population, which was larger than Burlington. Rutland was incorporated as a city in 1892.

Many of the homes built during this marble boom can still be seen throughout Rutland. If you love historical buildings then you are sure to enjoy walking down the street in Rutland’s historic downtown area. The detail of the marblework is unlike any other in the US. You can marvel at the detail on several buildings including the Opera House and the Gryphan’s Building and several more along Merchant’s Row. Be sure to visit the Chittenden Savings Bank in Merchant’s Row for a treat of the exquisite marble exterior. More exquisite and beautiful homes in the Queen Anne style can be found near south Main Street.

Rutland has so much to offer visitors besides the beautiful architectural designs. It has the personality of days gone by with a new generation of improvements on the rise. Along with the many quaint shops along Main Street, you can also visit a strip mall, which seems quite out of place in comparison to the beauty and magnitude of the marblework buildings.

Many people flock to Rutland, Vermont in the Autumn and Winter to view the breath-taking foliage that dots the countryside and of course for the many winter sports available. Skiing is of course one of the most popular activities at the Pico Mountain. Pico Mountain is located on U.S. Route 4, nine miles east of Rutland and two miles west of Killington Road.

Pico was one of the first mountain resorts in Vermont, which opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1937. Today, it is one of the most popular terrains for skiing and snowboarding. Not only is Pico, one of the first resorts to open but it is also one of Vermont’s largest mountains.

After a day on Pico Mountain, you will enjoy the large variety of delectable meals awaiting you at the many restaurants of Rutland. Just take a stroll and you will find restaurants serving a variety of exquisite dishes such as Italian, Thai, Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese, not to mention the good ole American favorites.

If shopping is one of your favorite pastimes while on vacation then you will absolutely love all the variety that Rutland has to offer in the heart of downtown such as jewelry, decorator items, art supplies, clothing for children and adults, candy, organic foods, and books. The quaint shops will give you many ideas for gifts to take back home to family and friends or as souvenirs for yourself.

If you love trying the wares at a Farmer Market then you must visit Rutland from May through October to check out their Farm Market. Here you will enjoy the beauty and the taste of many locally grown fruits and vegetables such as salad greens, squashes, herbs, tomatoes and peppers, and sweet corn. Plus many other wonderful items such as frozen organic meat, bedding plants, potted plants, flower bouquets, wooden bowls, yarn, jams, jellies, colorful fleece toys, cotton hats, fresh baked breads, pies, and cheeses. Not only will you love the various items that will tempt your palate but also you are sure to enjoy the live music.

Rutland has many famous natives that once called this beautiful area home. Some of them include John Deere, founder of Deere & Company; Merritt A. Edson, general in the United States Marine Corps; James E. Burke, former CEO of Johnson & Johnson; Jim Jeffords, U.S. senator from Vermont; Robert Stafford, politician who served as the Governor, U.S. Congressman, and U.S. Senator from Vermont; John Martin Thomas, twelfth President of Rutgers University; William Marks, early figure in RLDS; Martin Henry Freeman, first black President of a U.S. college; Steve Wisniewski, offensive guard in the NFL; Cephas Washburn, noted Christian missionary and educator; Joy Hakim, history writer; Cherilee Taylor, TV and movie actress;

Suzy Chaffee, Olympic skier and actress; Julia Caroline Dorr, author who published both prose and poetry; Peter Gallo, artist; William Henry Jackson, painter, photographer and explorer; Aaron Lewis, lead singer of the band Staind; and Dan Tyminski, bluegrass composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist.