Travel Guide: Cornish NH and Windsor VT

Travel Guide to the Cornish Windsor Area

Separated by the Connecticut River but joined by the longest wooden covered bridge in America, the Cornish, NH and Windsor, VT are provides a lot of authentic attractions for the tourist interested in history, beautiful rural landscape and local artisan food.

The Cornish-Windsor bridge is the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. It is interesting to note that Cornish comes first in the name because New Hamphire’s state line extends all the way across the river to the shoreline of Vermont and has to maintain the bridges on the Connecticut River.

This old train station in Windsor, Vermont on Depot Road was restored in the late 1970s and later converted into a restaurant.

The Blow-Me-Down Mill in Cornish, NH was used by the artist colony community as a grist mill until its close in 1920, Now, only the restored building remains, along with a nice mill pond, wet land and a waterfall.

Things to Do in the Cornish, New Hampshire/Windsor, Vermont Area

Discover the home, studios and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America’s greatest sculptors at the Saint-Gaudens Historic Site. https://www.nps.gov/saga/index.htm
Find and discover at least four of New Hampshire’s 54 covered bridges in the area. Even more if you travel a little bit farther.
Learn about manufacturing’s original “silicon valley” or known than as “the precision valley” at The American Precision Museum, housed in the original Robbins & Lawrence Armory, it holds the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation. https://www.americanprecision.org/
Check out the Paths of Life sculpture garden in Windsor.
Grab a brew, lunch and a brewery tour at the The Harpoon Riverbend Taps and Beer Garden and factory.
Watch pottery and glass being blown at the Simon Pearce factories http://www.simonpearce.com/pages/windsor-vermont
Tour Windsor the birthplace of Vermont – Windsor offers a self guided walking tour featuring over 40 historic structures throughout the community. The tour is supported by a comprehensive guide, available through the library, Historic Windsor’s offices in the Windsor House or Welcome Center.
Hike, paddle, bike, fish, snowshoe and ride in Mt. Ascuteny State Park.
Artisans Park – Located just minutes from Exit 9 off of I-91 you will find a brewery, distillery, cheese shop, sculpture garden, glass factory, pottery and river outfitter. The Artisans Park has something for everyone and is unlike any other attraction in New England.
Visit the annual Cornish Fair, held each year the third weekend in August.
Tour the Old Constitution House located at Windsor in the U.S. state of Vermont is the birthplace of the Vermont Republic and the Constitution of the State of Vermont.

Did you know?

Famous recluse and revered author of Catcher In The Rye, J. D. Salinger hid out from the world in Cornish, NH.
The Saint-Gaudens Historic Site is one of the least visited parks in the entire National Park system? Truly a hidden gem!

One of the many “hidden” covered bridges in the Cornish area located off the beaten path. Look for them on the map or watch for the handy signs along the road. Some of them are still in use.

Some are closed to traffic but can be crossed on foot. Finding all of the covered bridges in the area makes a great treasure hunt for kids and adults.

One of the building to explore at the Saint-Gaudens Historic Site. The grounds are free to explore in the off season and less than $10 to visit in the summer. Be sure to take one of the informative guided tours.

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Note on the photographs: All of the photographs in this article on the Cornish-Windsor region of the Upper Valley are by Edward M. Fielding and can be purchase as postcards, prints, framed art, canvas prints and more via http://edward-fielding.pixels.com/