Yesterday, after the Hillsboro walk and our wonderful lunch at John’s house (thanks again for having us over), I went up Big Hollow Road to talk with Emma Lou. Her house is all natural hardwood, with herbs and onion sets drying from the handsawn beams. One of her neighbors was over watching football (he doesn’t get television at his house up the road), so Emma Lou took me on a walk up Brown Hill. We walked and talked, but it was windy, so the interview quality is terrible. She showed me two cellars of dry stonework, still intact, on the way up to Clifford Pond. When Emma Lou first moved to Starksboro (in the early 70s), the houses were still standing. I got to hear some of the history of the place on the way up, including a tragic drowning, Stony Mason’s work, old timers carrying hundred pound bags of flour up the mtn, and the damming of the stream.
All of our speculation about how beautiful the place is was justified. It was a perfect day to visit, as well, clear and cool following a big storm. Because we’d had so much rain the night before, all of the streams and springs were full and spilling into the glen. It’s a cleared hollow in the hill, with various waterfalls built up into mossy spillways feeding the pond. Up on a small bluff, the Clifford’s have built a small cabin from wood harvested on the land. The care that went into the construction shows everywhere, and into the decoration, as well. There are two beautifully stripped and laquered burl logs to hold water beneath the eaves, and a sturdy swing overlooking the pond. It is a special spot. Emma Lou and I spent about an hour on the swings, discussing her understanding of the place, and her varied life experiences, from growing up in “rural Stowe” to running the campaign for a New Mexican astronaut-cum-governor and living for a few years in DC. What an interesting woman! After chatting with her, I can fully understand her reluctance to publish information about Clifford Pond, but hope that whoever interviews Art and Suzy get a chance to explore up there!
The location and wind made it impossible to make a good recording, but following are a few of the themes that came out of the conversation. Emma Lou also invited us back anytime to get more information or opinions.
Emma Lou is the head of the Starksboro Historical Society, and has a great handle on the oral histories and underlying landscapes of the town. I got from her a list of everyone buried in the Hillsboro cemetery, which will be very useful, and her house is filled with records of that sort. If you’re looking for historical information, try talking with either Emma Lou or Gerald Hefernan; those two have Starksboro’s past pretty well licked. Someone asked about the Stony Mason interview; she does have it, though she says that his responses are not extremely verbose.
We talked a bit about the history of her house, and about development along Big Hollow Road. When Emma Lou moved in, there were only two houses between hers and RT 116 – now there are perhaps 20. As we walked up to the pond, she and I talked about the Hillsboro area, and the succession of forest over the old houses. She showed me two old sites along the road, and we discussed the viability of small-plot, subsistence farming up on the hill.
She told me that 95 percent of people who come up to Clifford Pond respect it and take care, while the other 5 percent have had some destructive parties and disrespectful activity up there. Because its only a mile or so from her house, Emma Lou acts like a community caretaker when Art and Suzy aren’t up to check on things.
We also discussed the political/planning process in Starksboro, and she told me about her experience as selectboard member. I’m off to class right now, but if anybody has any questions about what we discussed or needs any information from or about Emma Lou, let me know! See you all tomorrow!
Christian