What We Choose To See
For years, conversations about the future of rural Vermont have tended to begin with what we do not have — not enough workers, not enough young people, not enough housing, not enough population growth. Those challenges are real, and we should not pretend otherwise. But lately I have been thinking about how differently the Northeast Kingdom looks when we start the conversation from a place of abundance rather than scarcity, because we actually have a remarkable amount to work with.
The Towns That Built a Country
The Northeast Kingdom is full of towns like Kirby: small communities, mostly without stoplights, run by people who do the work without compensation, or close to it, because someone has to and they happen to live there. When you drive through Vermont in July and see a flag on a porch, a parade lining up on Main Street, a chicken barbecue at the church, or a historical society opening its doors for the afternoon, you are not seeing nostalgia.
Summer Business and Community Momentum
At the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, we talk often about the importance of regional momentum. That phrase can sound big and abstract, but in practice, it is quite simple. Momentum is what happens when many people, businesses, organizations, and communities begin moving in a shared direction.
Visitor Season Belongs to All of Us
But tourism also works best when it feels authentic. The Northeast Kingdom does not need to become something else to attract people. Our strength is in our variety: the wildness of Essex County, the lakes and villages of Orleans County, the historic downtowns of Caledonia County, and all the hills, farms, and gathering places in between.