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Visiting with Neighbors
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Gerald Pease (above left) ran a Middlesex dairy farm for almost 50 years.
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Gerald Pease
Gerald Pease and his sister Ellen have lived on Culver Hill Road since 1937, after moving from Shady Rill Road where their ancestors, the Cummings, built the large barn that is currently being restored. The Cummings originally settled in the area in 1824 by clearing a patch of wilderness, after putting all their belongings into a wagon and following a logging road. Gerald Pease ran a dairy farm on the property for almost fifty years.
“Number 80. The 6th oldest Grange in Vermont,” said Garold Pease, dressed in blue farming overalls, as he leaned his chair against a window overlooking the snowy hills. Gerald described how the Shady Rill Church was “raised up” and what they called the “little room” was built underneath to serve as a Grange Hall. “The Grange was organized [after that] and I joined in 1931 with a good many neighbors.”
“We met two times a month, on Fridays,” added Ellen. “We talked about most anything. We had programs, usually, and held charities. I joined when I was 14 and [later] was lecturer and secretary while Gerald was master, presiding over the house and moderating.”
“The Grange closed in 1972,” Gerald continued. “People got other things to do, can’t bother to come to the Grange. Too bad because the Grange is good for you.”
During Vermont’s long agricultural history, Granges have served as a forum where rural residents can meet, lead or participate in community service projects, and socialize. Although the Grange does not currently have a presence in Middlesex, a number of other organizations bring residents together around projects and ideas. Check out this “Operator’s Manual” under your special areas of interest for information on groups that are looking for you to participate.
Interview by Kelly Ault, 2002.
Gerald Pease passed away in the fall of 2003.
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Russell and Ada Alger
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Russell and Ada Alger
Russell and Ada Alger bought their house on Church Street in 1947. “I used to say it was a place to hang my hat,” says Russell. Ada had lived in the village since she was 18, when her dad moved the family so he could work in the Green Mountain Power plant, built on the banks of the Winooski to harness the energy from the water falling over the Middlesex Gorge.
Things changed pretty quickly after the Algers moved in, especially once the Interstate was begun in the late ‘50s. The Algers’ son, Stephen, and a cousin, built a four-wheel vehicle and took it out where they were building the road. But for other Middlesex residents, the highway project wasn’t a source of play. Slicing through Middlesex, it forced the abandonment and destruction of houses and farms beyond what is now the dead-end “Old Brook Road.” The Interstate also took out some houses behind where Gallagher Lumber is today, and caused a complete reconfiguration of the Village. Back then, the lumber buildings housed a grain company, where Russell and Ada would buy feed for their cow and a pig. In fact, many farmers in town bought their grain there.
In the center of the Village sat Miles’ Store, an “old fashioned general store” that Russell recollects had a “little of anything” from local farm produce to hardware goods. Middlesex even had a post office in the Village until 1968. The bus from Montpelier and Waterbury stopped right at the curb, depositing those in search of lemonade and a deli sandwich at Sticky Fingers, a hamburger joint across the street. This was a busy, busy place.
Middlesex may have only a few business storefronts today but it is still full of commerce. Check out the Business & Service Directory section of this website for a list of over 70 retail and home-based businesses and services in Middlesex. By patronizing these businesses, you are supporting your neighbors’ livelihood and getting to know who else lives on these back roads.
Interview by Kelly Ault, 2002.
Russell Alger passed away in the fall of 2005.
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Marcie Andres and Larry Mandell enjoy a moment at her retirement party. Marcie taught for 25 years at the Rumney School.
Photo by Neely Washington.
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Marcie Andres
Marcie Andres was a Rumney School teacher from 1977-2002 and taught reading for almost every grade. Her children Bekah and Jeffrey went to school at Rumney and U-32.
“My son recently called me from Spain where he is spending his junior year in a study abroad program,” she recalled, sitting in her home on Wood Road. “Kids from all over the world were describing how bad their schools were and he was thinking, ‘My education was free and public, and it was great.’
“Rumney has been good for my children, and the school provides connections with Middlesex in unique ways,” she noted. “There is tremendous talent in these woods—symphony [composers], writers, quilters—and they are willing to share with the school and the kids. One time, we didn’t have an art teacher and [a local artist], came in to teach class once a week for the six years his child was in school.
“Middlesex has changed since we moved here in 1976. Less farms, more houses on the road. I miss having Town Meeting during the day, rather than in the evening. More people would come and not be as rushed. There was more time to see people and discuss the issues. Even if you didn’t agree, you understood where someone was coming from.
“It is good to have classroom teachers teaching civic duties and responsibilities in a democratic society. The 4th grade history class at Rumney has interviewed the Planning Commission and Selectboard, and a year ago kids met at the Legislature to pass [mock] resolutions.
“I don’t want to lose Town Meeting, and I see opportunities for direct participation by high school kids. They can phone [voters] and arrange rides for seniors. By cherishing civic responsibility and supporting our community, everyone is richer.”
Interview by Kelly Ault, 2002.
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