Newport Vermont: At the Very Top

The Northern Star cruise boat takes evening and weekends cruises on Lake Mephremagog in Newport Vermont. Max Hartshorne photos.
The Northern Star cruise boat takes evening and weekends cruises on Lake Mephremagog in Newport Vermont. Max Hartshorne photos.

Newport, VT: A City on the Verge

By Max Hartshorne

These six old buildings Newport will be razed for a new five story complex.
These six old buildings Newport will be razed for a new five story complex downtown. Now they are gone but the development planned for Newport has been cancelled, due to the fraud case.

Editor’s Note: In 2016, a massive fraud was discovered relating to the EB5 funding referred to in this story. At this writing, none of the expected developments in Newport that were described to the author in 2014 will actually ever take place. 

As a summer’s day came to a close and the sun began to sink over Lake Memphremagog, the captain’s voice came over the loudspeaker aboard the Northern Star, a small cruise boat that takes evening cruises on this big lake separating Vermont and Canada.

“We’re just about to cross the border into Canada,” he said, noting the floating markers across the lake. “But we won’t be needing our passports because we’re not going much farther.”

The US and Canada border.
The US and Canada border.

At each side of the lake the border was marked by clear cut trees, a clean ribbon denoting our national border.

If we had kept traveling north another 20 miles we would have been in a thriving tourist city, Magog, in Quebec.

Newport Vermont has ambitions to be as vibrant and to draw almost as many tourists as Magog, and today, six decrepit buildings await the wrecking ball as a plan envisioned by local business leader Bill Stenger plays out.

EB5 Funding is the Key

A reindeer at the Vermont Reindeer Farm in northern VT.
A reindeer at the Vermont Reindeer Farm in northern VT.

The plan is modeled after the successful funding of $200 million for a water park, ice rink, and three new lodging buildings at nearby Jay Peak Resort using the EB5 program. This federal program allows foreigners to invest in certain qualifying job-creating projects in the US in exchange for green cards for them and their families to live in the US.

Locally, there is a mix of skepticism and excitement for Stenger’s idea of tearing down the big chunk of Main Street and replacing it with a five-story mix of swank retail shops and apartments. The small town of 5000 residents has seen and heard plenty of talk over the years.

But Stenger’s vision for Newport goes further. For example, who ever thought to have a supermarket’s ugly dumpster and parking area face a scenic lake? He wants to raze the market and build a hotel, conference center and marina to make the lakefront the city’s jewel.

Today in Newport, even though millions have been spent lakeside on a city building and a bike trail as well as the new Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, there are stubborn locals who balk at the idea of turning the sleepy town into someplace exciting. But as Stemple grinds on and meets deadlines locals and transplants alike are beginning to believe that someday Newport can become a popular tourist destination.

Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center

Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in downtown Newport.
Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in downtown Newport.

One exciting project that’s already been built in a unique partnership is the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, in a former two-story department store downtown. The old store was converted into a thriving restaurant and a selection of stalls offering tastes of Vermont-grown produce, meats, wines and other local products.

Inside the high ceilinged tasting area, friendly vendors share samples of their cheeses, maple syrup products and charcuterie. There is also a bakery that relocated from the condemned houses across the street.

The Brown Dog Bistro is the anchor restaurant on the main floor, and here we tasted some of the local meats and beers while hearing about the exciting plans afoot with new owners in nearby Burke Mountain and the ongoing developments at Jay Peak.

“Trains used to bring people here from Boston back in the day,” said Rob Hodgkins, Director of Resort Sales at Jay Peak. “Newport was definitely on the tourist map, and it can get that way again.”

Brian cook of Kingdom Brewing in Newport VT.
Brian cook of Kingdom Brewing in Newport VT.

Winter Fun

Every winter locals make use of the big lake when it freezes. Besides a colony of ice-fishing shacks, they plow a path for miles of ice skating and some people travel all the way to Canada!Just outside of Newport, past a collection of rusting snow cats is Kingdom Brewing, where Jenn Cook and her husband Brian brew beer using a geothermal system and a wood burning furnace.

Jenn is one of only two female brewers in Vermont, and Brian is the tinkerer who built their 15 barrel system next to their farm, where they raise angus beef cattle.A highlight of their herd’s day is when Brian loads up a bucket full of spent mash that makes the cows run for their feeding station. They LOVE the mash with its sweet liquid, non-alcoholic by-products of the beer making process.

Visitors flock to the brewery’s cozy tasting room for the newest brews and they like to watch the angus slurping up their hoppy feed.

It’s all a part of the Kingdom Brewing Experience!

Newport bike path by the lake.
Newport bike path by the lake.

In this part of Vermont, local beers are revered, said Cook. For instance, when the Hill Farmland Brewery releases one of their rare brews, fans follow the trucks just to get a taste.

At Kingdom Brewing, Jenn makes one beer using maple sap instead of water. She also experiments with different tastes, like using spruce tips in place of hops. We tried their pumpkin Imperial IPA and a 16% alcohol drink they make called The Taste of the Kingdom, which is aged in oak barrels. Delicious!

Clyde River Paddling

Kayaking the Clyde River.
Kayaking the Clyde River, near Newport VT.

There are a lot of fun things to do in this part of Vermont, thanks to the gorgeous green surroundings and abundant natural attractions.

A highlight for us was a leisurely paddle down the Clyde River in rented kayaks. For only $18 each, we were suited up with kayaks, life jackets and given a ride ten miles up river.

There we joined a legion of others who meandered down the winding river, enjoying the natural beauty and a nice steady water flow. Contact Clyde River Recreation at 802-895-4400 in West Charleston VT.

Vermont Reindeer Farm

Pauline Broe at her Reindeer farm near Newport.
Pauline Broe at her Reindeer farm near Newport.

We drove the scenic farm roads, stopping at farmstands and looking at bric-a-brac on our way to the state’s only reindeer farm, operated by a former school teacher, Pauline Broe, who really knows how to create attractions that kids enjoy.

A tour of her small farm starts with various animals like donkeys and ducks in a small pen and then goes into the barn for some hands-on patting of goats, bunnies, and other animals.

Comet the reindeer at Vermont Reindeer farm.
Comet the reindeer at Vermont Reindeer farm.

There is a nature trail that is easy to navigate with kids and of course, the star attractions–Comet and Prancer and Blixen.

These rescued reindeer, who come from all over the country, have soft velvet antlers and the same face as a cow. They are a treat to see up close. Once they lived in Disneyland in California, and now they live in a more suitable climate in Newport. Find out more about visiting the reindeer at the Vermont Reindeer Farm, 3108 Chilafoux Rd West Charleston. 802-754-9583

Girls in downtown Newport Vermont, they all got the same memo about leather and jeans!
Girls in downtown Newport Vermont, they all got the same memo about leather and jeans!

Farmers Here Are Rock Stars

Vermont, more than any other eastern state, is prouder of its farmers than just about anyone else. There are many young farmers making a good living in the Green Mountain State, and to the locals they are the rock stars!

Visiting farms brings you close to their products and they love sharing their stories. Not all farms want visitors from the flatlands, but if you call ahead, you can often set up a family visit.

Moving the fences for the cows at Butterworks farm.
Moving the fences for the cows at Butterworks farm.

Butterworks Farm

In Westfield, outside of Newport, is one of the state’s oldest organic farms, that began producing cheeses, cream and yogurt in 1979.They don’t use any antibiotics or hormones, relying on the natural, nutrient rich soils and grass to sustain their cows.

Jack and Christine Lazor and their family have a herd of happy Jersey cows.They’re probably so happy because they get to graze a beautiful new swath of green grass every week, while their owners move the fences to move to greener pastures to feed their ravenous appetites.

During the winter, they live in a solar barn where fresh bedding is added twice a day from November to May so they don’t have to go outside into the cold. During the summer they spend most of their time munching all of that abundant Vermont grass and timothy.You’ll find Butterwork’s products such as their yogurt in stores like Whole Foods.

Rosemary Croizet of Berry Creek farm in Westfield VT.
Rosemary Croizet of Berry Creek farm in Westfield VT.

Berry Creek’s farm store here offers homemade jams, maple syrup, honey, salad dressings, hanging baskets and of course a large selection of organic produce. You can tour the farm and see where each of their delicious veggies comes from!

Happy cows at Butterworks farm, Westfield Vermont.
Happy cows at Butterworks farm, Westfield Vermont.

Find out more about visiting Newport at their website, Discover Newport.

Find our more about vacations all around Vermont at VermontVacation.com.

For information about Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, visit www.travelthekingdom.com 

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