As Vermont sees more changes on the horizon this legislative session a bit of Yankee history. No matter what the change, or benefit of progress there’s always someone who isn’t helped. I guess the balance politicians face is weighing the two.
I grew up thinking how great the interstate was for this side of the state. How lucky we were that it cut through Putney. Now I’m not so sure. I think it really did cut Putney. It severed it from its traditions of rural heritage and flung it into an accessible piece of real estate.
So many farms were culled and Rte 5 businesses shuttered for this asphalt snake. It brings speeding tourists to out-of-state owned ski areas, opiates and sex trafficking, and a never ending stream of imported food and supplies to big box stores.
There’s of course the benefit of connectivity and zipping from Putney to the airport and all that. It’s just more of a somber drive for me now when I think about all the farms and lives changed.
“He had a wonderful twinkle in his eye...Romaine was born on the farm and spent his life there. He loved his family: his many brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces. He loved his animals. He was a happy man–until his farm was destroyed to build Interstate 91.”
Read the article from Yankee Magazine by clicking here
https://newengland.com/yankee-magazine/living/new-england-environment/eminent-domain-romaine-tenney-farm/?fbclid=IwAR3i8eV59TO6aRTRNLYBxzq6VmuH4r7GKQEju3DlJSSQl3Sz8n3cM7jrdWw
