The Crown Point Road Association Blog

Sanborn Partridge

He was born on April 30, 1915, in Proctor, Vermont, to Frank C. Partridge and Sarah Sanborn Partridge.

He graduated from Westminster School, Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College in 1936, and in 1939 he earned one of few combined degrees ever granted by Yale Law School and Harvard Business School.

During the next three years he practiced law in Rutland, was Town Grand Juror and got his private pilot license. From 1942 through 1945, he was in the Army Air Corps and the Army Air Force, becoming a first lieutenant in the intelligence section.

He did graduate work in geology at Yale from 1946 to 1950, and then taught geology first at the University of Kansas and then at Amherst College, and did extensive field work in Utah. He then returned to Vermont and became an expert in oriental rugs and old coins, especially Vermont coins, and was able to give a set of these to the Fleming Museum and another set to the American Numismatic Society.

From 1961 to 1970, he served in the Vermont General Assembly, and 1970 to 1981 in the Senate. (See the State of Vermont, House & Senate Resolution H.C.R. 23 in commemoration to Sanborn Partridge at: 2013 Vermont House & Senate Joint Resolution). He was a part of the “Young Turks,” a group of Republicans and Democrats who worked together on many projects for the good of Vermont including the highway sign bill, and reapportionment. He was a member of the executive board of the University of Vermont, serving as Chairman for one year. He also served on the boards for the Proctor, Rutland and Vermont Historical Societies, several library boards, the Rutland Hospital, the Red Cross and the Union Church of Proctor. He led over 25 canoe trips with the youth groups of the Union Church, and later even two trips from Wake Robin.

He was active with the Boy Scouts, serving as a scoutmaster, as President of the Green Mountain Council, on the Region One Executive Board, and the International Committee of the BSA’s National Board. He attended many international jamborees and was awarded the Silver Beaver, the Silver Antelope and the Order of the Arrow.

Sanborn Partridge spent his last years happily at Wake Robin, with his siblings. He was predeceased by his sister Frances Coulter and brother Charles, and is survived by his sister Ruth, brother David and sister-in-law Dee, eight nieces and nephews, 15 grandnieces and nephews, and 5 great-grandnieces and nephews.

His family cherishes their memories of his love of camping and the out-of-doors, and of his devotion to Vermont and its history. His family is grateful for the presence of Wake Robin and especially to the staff at Linden for the great care and support he received in his last five years. Donations in his memory may be sent to the Green Mountain Boy Scout Council or the Vermont Historical Society. (From: Rutland Herald Obituary)

Sanborn, always challenging himself even at the age of 92, attended the CPRA 2008 season opening event at Fort Ticonderoga. It was a lovely warm spring day in May and CPRA attendees had the Fort all to themselves. It was a memorable event and we were glad to be able to share this day with him.

Sanborn was a great supporter and friend of the Crown Point Road Association; serving as researcher, hike leader, officer and historian. In 1992, when it became apparent that the old guide book (published 1965) was out-of-date, Sanborn took to the road recording directions and calibrating mileages from marker to marker across the state. He compiled and edited the new marker book, including detailed maps and commentaries from early CPRA historians Flora Weeks and Martin Howe. The guide has since been re-printed three times with only minor revisions.

My Personal Remembrance:
Sanborn Partridge was a well respected geologist who possessed an extensive knowledge of the geology of New England, the Appalachian Mountains, and Atlantic Canada. I recall attending a Vermont Geological Society field trip in the late 1990′s which involved a hike up Mount Philo in Ferrisburgh. My Father Ellery and Sanborn were both along for the trip. I had just returned from a drilling project in Newfoundland the day before and when Sanborn heard of where I had been working (thanks to my Dad) he rolled right into an almost unbelievable story of his experience as a research geologist in Newfoundland (maybe when he was at Amherst College?). I don’t recall all the details, but the long and short of the story was that Sanborn and his colleagues had arrived on the island by ship and while exploring the geology of the highlands near what is now the Gros Morne Provincial Park, they stood on a remote peak high above the sea and watched their ship sink at it’s mooring! How the group got home from what was then, and what still is today, remote and exceedingly rugged terrain in Newfoundland I do not recall. I do, however, recall the smile on Sanborn’s face as he related this experience. The situation likely put his research group into quite a predicament, but my sense was that, for Sanborn, this was exactly the type of challenging experience that served to enrich his life – well lived.

R.I.P. Sanborn
Jim Purdy (Admin)

Posted by Admin. for Becky Tucker

Carmine Guica, CPRA Historian Emeritus Examines the Small Round Shot Discovered in Plymouth

Jim Rowe, CPRA President, was the hike leader for the day’s activities in the Town of Cavendish. The group gathered outside the Cavendish Historical Society before departing on a two mile hike along an original section of the 1759 Crown Point Road. Attendees were very much pleased to visit with Carmine Guica, Historian Emeritus of the CPRA, at the Cavendish Historical Society building.
Additional color was added to the day’s activities by the attendance of two reenactors from Fort No. 4 (also members of the CPRA). The reenactors weighed in on the discussion of the artifacts that were examined before departing on the hike. The small round shot was of particular interest to all as it was recently discovered near Goldmine Brook in Plymouth last year after tropical storm Irene flooding.

Fort No. 4 Reenactors Attend the September 15th CPRA Event in Cavendish.

The reenactors correctly commented that someone would have to measure and weigh the cannon ball in order to determine whether it was French or English ordinance.

The course of the hike brought the group to a very well preserved (19th?) Century stone foundation near the Twenty Mile Stream Road in Cavendish. The stone walls are thought to be the foundation of a shed for farm vehicles. A number of metal artifacts, most likely related to agriculture, were located on-site along with a tea kettle. The area is considered to be a portion of a mill operated by a Mr. Ordway.

Well Preserved Foundation Explored Near the Twenty Mile Stream Road.

After the turn off of the Twenty Mile Stream Road at a bed and breakfast, the group hiked about one half mile up the hill to visit the site of what was thought to  be a cattle pen site as determined by former CPRA explorer Al Ransom (R.I.P.).

Hiking to the Cavendish Cattle Pen Site

Today, the area has been naturally reclaimed as woodlands, but the general consensus of the group was that this location would have been flat enough to hold cattle overnight as they were driven north to feed the troops at Crown Point.

Although the new Champlain Bridge was opened for traffic in the Fall of 2011, the official Grand Celebration took place on May 19 – 20, 2012. This Celebration also included the re-opening of the State of Vermont, Chimney Point Historic Site which had been closed since the bridge construction commenced. The Crown Point Road Association set-up at Chimney Point in order to take part in this historic event.

Crown Point Road Association President Jim Rowe Mans the Association Booth Set-up at the Chimney Point, Vermont State Historic Site

The Replica Canal Boat Schooner Lois McClure Under Full Sail Passes Beneath the new Crown Point Bridge

Becky Tucker captured some really great photos of the event which took place during perfect weekend weather. My favorite is this photo of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum replica schooner Lois McClure at the new bridge crossing under full sail.

Historic Site Marker for Old Deerfield

On June 30th the non-profit Crown Point Road Association is sponsoring an affordable motor coach daytrip to a western Massachusetts village that is rich in pre-Revolutionary American heritage.

Historic Deerfield is a museum of history, art and architecture located along a mile-long street laid out in 1671 and still lined with 18th- and 19th-century houses on their original sites.  Historic Deerfield’s eleven museum houses range in date from the 1730s to the 1840s and most are shown on the hour during guided tours that last approximately one-half hour each.  Inside visitors find one of the best public collections of art and antiques in America while exploring the lifestyle of early New England in a working village of endless beauty.  An orientation film is shown throughout the day at the Visitor Center at Hall Tavern. For a map of Old Deerfield see: 

http://www.historic-deerfield.org/files/hd/docs/visitor-map.pdf

Mr. Brook Aldrich of Florence, Vermont has agreed to provide his personal insights as an introduction to our day in Deerfield, customized for Vermonters.

Reserving a seat on the motor coach costs $36.00 per person or $70 per couple.  The price of each seat includes round-trip transportation and a general admission ticket to Historic Deerfield. To reserve your seat(s), please send full payment payable to the Crown Point Road Association at the following address:

Jim Rowe, 7926 Main Road, Huntington VT 05462

If you have any questions, please call Jim Rowe at (802)434-7415 or email mtnsidemaple@gmavt.net

Pickup Locations: Rutland Town Municipal Office, 181 Business Rte 4, Center Rutland, VT, Departs 8:00 a.m. (sharp)

Park & Ride, Springfield, VT; US 5 & VT 11, near Exit 7, Interstate 91, Departs 9:05 a.m. to Deerfield 

Water, soda, and light snacks will be available for free on the motor coach.   Lunch is not included, but riders are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at Deerfield.  In addition, vending machines for soda and snacks are located behind the Hall Tavern Visitor Center in the Harry Brown Barn.  The charming Deerfield Inn at the center of the village includes Champney’s Restaurant and Tavern where lunch is served from Noon until 2:30 p.m.

The work of the all-volunteer Crown Point Road Association keeps alive the heritage of the military road that was built to connect 18^th century forts on Lake Champlain to New England forts on the Connecticut River.           

A Depiction of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield, Massacusetts (Lippincott)

The Raid on Deerfield occurred during Queen Anne’s War on February 29, 1704, when French and Native American forces under the command of Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville attacked the English settlement just before dawn, burning part of the town and killing 56 villagers.  A portion of the original village of Deerfield has been preserved as a living history museum; among its relics is a door bearing tomahawk marks from the 1704 raid.