Betty, Hope you learn why an elopement to VT was attractive back then. My grandparents eloped to NH in 1900 and I've never learned why as they both were over 21. Bellows Falls, VT, is not far above the MA border, on the CT River and definitely is in southern VT. White River Junction is pretty far up, albeit south of Burlington and Montpelier. It is at the junction of the White River and the CT River. It became a significant rail junction and, although a small community, all trains stopped there. WRJ is pretty much opposite, Hanover, NH, and was the RR station for Dartmouth College. Perhaps a Vermonter will tell us whether it is considered to be in northern VT. Jack

Hi Jack, When I mentioned this a couple years ago, I was told that it would have been fairly easy to get on a train in Boston, MA, and head up to White River Junction, VT. But, now that I have been reminded of Bellows Falls, I'll have to think about this more. If my imagination is working this morning, I could think of a few reasons to "elope" to another state. A vacation which turns into a marriage. A relative in another state and they went to visit him or her. A place they always wanted to visit. (Niagara Falls, for instance) (The White Mountains, for instance.) Betty (near Lowell, MA) (I'm still trying to figure out why my great-grandfather in Stoneham, MA, wanted to spend the last months of his life in Center Sandwich, NH. This was 1923 and he was a "newspaperman." And, he and his wife were from Liverpool, England, and didn't have relatives in New England. He is buried there. His children started visiting that town after his passing, and living there. Did he go there on a business trip? Did he need "paper supplies" for his newspaper business? Etc.) ----- Original Message ----- From: <Jackbowk@aol.com> To: <vermont@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:49 PM Subject: [VERMONT] Bellows Falls/White River Junction > Betty, > > Hope you learn why an elopement to VT was attractive back then. My > grandparents eloped to NH in 1900 and I've never learned why as they both > were over > 21. > > Bellows Falls, VT, is not far above the MA border, on the CT River and > definitely is in southern VT. White River Junction is pretty far up, > albeit south > of Burlington and Montpelier. It is at the junction of the White River > and > the CT River. It became a significant rail junction and, although a > small > community, all trains stopped there. WRJ is pretty much opposite, > Hanover, NH, > and was the RR station for Dartmouth College. > > Perhaps a Vermonter will tell us whether it is considered to be in > northern > VT. > > Jack > >

When I first read this thread, I was immediately reminded of the old Mount Washington Hotel - built around early 1900s (?) by rail tycoon Stickney. Now called Breton Woods, I believe. There is something about warm springs (?)  I have a recollection of learning this tidbit from some school project on the famous and not-so-famous visiting places where the trains brought them. Bellows Falls was very popular - home to Hetty Green - as was Charlestown NH (the Connecticut River separates). There were several inns in Charlestown and elaborate steps cut into the river banks.  Don't know if this is helpful, but one never knows! I, for one, have found info I never even thought I was looking for by reading EVERYTHING! --- On Fri, 2/20/09, Betty <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> wrote: From: Betty <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> Subject: Re: [VERMONT] Bellows Falls/White River Junction To: vermont@rootsweb.com Date: Friday, February 20, 2009, 4:38 AM Hi Jack, When I mentioned this a couple years ago, I was told that it would have been fairly easy to get on a train in Boston, MA, and head up to White River Junction, VT. But, now that I have been reminded of Bellows Falls, I'll have to think about this more. If my imagination is working this morning, I could think of a few reasons to "elope" to another state. A vacation which turns into a marriage. A relative in another state and they went to visit him or her. A place they always wanted to visit. (Niagara Falls, for instance) (The White Mountains, for instance.) Betty (near Lowell, MA) (I'm still trying to figure out why my great-grandfather in Stoneham, MA, wanted to spend the last months of his life in Center Sandwich, NH. This was 1923 and he was a "newspaperman." And, he and his wife were from Liverpool, England, and didn't have relatives in New England. He is buried there. His children started visiting that town after his passing, and living there. Did he go there on a business trip? Did he need "paper supplies" for his newspaper business? Etc.) ----- Original Message ----- From: <Jackbowk@aol.com> To: <vermont@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:49 PM Subject: [VERMONT] Bellows Falls/White River Junction > Betty, > > Hope you learn why an elopement to VT was attractive back then. My > grandparents eloped to NH in 1900 and I've never learned why as they both > were over > 21. > > Bellows Falls, VT, is not far above the MA border, on the CT River and > definitely is in southern VT. White River Junction is pretty far up, > albeit south > of Burlington and Montpelier. It is at the junction of the White River > and > the CT River. It became a significant rail junction and, although a > small > community, all trains stopped there. WRJ is pretty much opposite, > Hanover, NH, > and was the RR station for Dartmouth College. > > Perhaps a Vermonter will tell us whether it is considered to be in > northern > VT. > > Jack > > ************************************************* List Guidelines: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vermont/VermontWelcome.html Visit the Gateway to Vermont Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vermont/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VERMONT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message