dana house

We stopped in at the Dana house while we had some time to kill, and it is an amazing museum of Vermont and Woodstock history. We were lucky to get a guided tour by one of the Dana descendants, which made the visit all the more interesting. The house has an truly unbelievable collection of maps and documents from Vermont's founding, including the original charter for Woodstock and Windsor County dating from before the Revolution and tons of maps from the 1700s. The house also has a terrific room of Civil War artifacts, all displayed in a way that makes it seem accessible. The house is furnished in either the original items from the Dana family or from donations to the museum, but it succeeds in showing how one lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. To say the museum is chock-full with items is a vast understatement. The gardens are very nice too. We walked behind the house and spent a long rest on the bench by the river, just taking in the Vermont sunlight and scenery. This is a hidden gem.

We had a wonderful guide whose knowledge vastly added to our visit. Easily missed but shouldn't be! Just off the Main Street next to the history society.

We went around back to see the grounds which go right to the river with a perfect view of the covered bridge.

If you want to see how people lived, worked, and played in early 19th century New England then tour this house. Very friendly and informative guides. All the furnishings and artifacts are originals from the actual families who lived there or were from the town of Woodstock in which the home is located. The town of Woodstock itself is a delight too. I wish I had allowed more time to see it.