October 5, 2023
HILDENE
1005 Hildene Rd, Manchester, VT 05250
“Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home is the former summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln and his wife Mary Harlan Lincoln, located at 1005 Hildene Road in Manchester Center, Vermont.” - Wikipedia
I visited Hildene in 2017 while driving through the area, so when I knew I would be back in Vermont I put it on y list of places I wanted to visit on this trip. Robert, the President’s son, made quite a name for himself as a lawyer, military officer, businessman and politician. He became quite wealthy as the president of the Pullman Railroad Car company. Robert visited Vermont and decided he really like the area, so he build Hildene as his summer home.
Today, the mansion, which was quite palatial in its time is open for self-guided tours. One can visit the gardens, an observatory, and a Pullman railroad car. One can also visit Hildene’s dairy goat operation and a working farm with several different kinds of livestock.
I enjoyed the two-plus hours I spent at Hildene on a gorgeous fall morning/afternoon, however, be aware it can be very busy during the fall season with busloads of tourists.
The Formal Gardens as seen through an upstairs window.
No Lincoln historic site would be complete without a stove-pipe hat.
Robert had this brick outline put in front of the house...the outline is the size of the log cabin his father grew up in.
A view of the farm from near the observatory.
Stained glass in the Pullman car.
An homage to the men who worked on the railroad cars.
Inside the Pullman railroad car.
There are several walking trails. This one goes to the dairy goat operation.
The dairy goat barn
The milking room
Bee hives. One can buy honey in the gift shop.
One of the llamas.
The observatory as seen from the farm at the bottom of the hill.
Schoolhouse
I had never seen desks on the sides of the room in a one-room schoolhouse.
I believe that is Mt. Equinox as seen from the front of the mansion.