Being a New Hampshire-ite, I never heard much about St. Johnsbury, Vermont except that my Aunt Mabel Grace once taught music there, and that her sister, Virginia, and her mother (my grandmother), lived there at that time. My father and mother would visit, by all accounts, but that was before my time, as I was not here until the 1950s. When Jim suggested a trip to a museum I had never heard of before, I raised one eyebrow, wondering if it would be worth the trip. Today, we traveled up the road, past evergreens cloaked in white, and lifeless branches to which ice was clinging. In the historic area of St. Johnsbury, flanked by antique homes, is a remarkable museum that first opened its door in 1891.
A large brick building, crafted in Romanesque style, the museum was built in 1889, and occupies three levels. On the first level, glass cases hold examples of taxidermically-stuffed birds and wildlife. There are more than 3,800 birds. For the first time ever, I was able to see a Raven standing next to two Crows. I am amazed at how much larger a Raven is than the largest of Black Crows. As I viewed the many types of Owls, I wondered which ones had been chosen by those Victorian artists who added owls to so many of the designs for Redwork. Many species of Hummingbirds are represented, and I particularly liked the family of Opossums. The bull moose and the bison are both huge animals! Examples of various kinds of Bears, as well as many smaller animals have been collected. On the first level, right now, there is an exhibit of worldwide instruments.
If one climbs a narrow, winding stairwell, intriguing exhibits await. Victorian ephemera, dolls of all sizes, drawings, silk cocoons, an exhibit of Tapa cloth, old crochet hooks, including one created from bending the end of a square headed nail, and Native American items such as beaded boots and an Abenaki basket are on display. Case after case contains something different, including a Mummy! Some memorable and intriguing works were framed and mounted compositions composed of insect parts. One is called “Star” and features 5,280 insects. John Hampson made the piece about 1900. Believe it or not, there were others!
An exhibit of beautiful, framed, Nature photographs were set up, gallery style, with contact information for the artist. The pieces were for sale. A museum shop on the first floor offers mostly items that would appeal to children: stuffed animals, puzzles, and some Christmas ornaments. The museum, the vision of Franklin Fairbanks, is home to Vermont’s only public planetarium.
For anyone who loves birds, animals and the natural world, with some additional points of history included, this museum is a great place to pass a few hours. Since it was a long trip home, and the only restaurant we spotted was McDonald’s, we decided to take a little detour on the way home and visited the “Happy Hour Restaurant” in Wells River, Vermont. The food is dependably good, the service is friendly and the place is comfortable. After a pleasant meal, we headed back to I-93 for the trip south, feeling as though we’d enjoyed our vacation day.
The museum is gearing up for a special event on December 12 from 1-4 p.m. The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium is located at 1302 Main St., St. Johnsbury, VT (802) 748-2372
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
Tags: Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, Vermont
