WOODSTOCK, Vt. -- Vermont in early winter is like a beach in the rain -- leafless, snowless, bleak, bare. But on a recent drive to Woodstock, the dreary landscape suddenly receded, and I found myself in a historic town alive with charm and vitality.
Old stone walls meandered along hillsides. Vintage brick homesteads raised their double chimneys over lawns that sloped past gazebos to the rippling waters of the Ottauquechee River. Mountains loomed over minuscule parks and covered bridges.
I was irresistibly drawn to Central Street and Elm, the commercial hub. On the corner is Cabot Block with its timeless stone facade. At street level, it is a window-shopper's paradise. Boutiques stretch in every direction, among them art galleries, bookstores, and stores specializing in jewelry, glass, even flannel pajamas. Across the street is F.H. Gillingham and Sons, one of Vermont's oldest (and most upscale) general stores. In rooms that link like a crossword puzzle, anything might appear: English stout, Norwegian sweaters, French majolica, espresso makers, nails, guitars.
