Vermonters seem to be a dying breed or at least an evolving one. People from out of state view Vermonters as quaint, sarcastic, isolated people like the quirky folks in the Chevy Chase "Funny Farm" movie that was made in Vermont a few years ago. Truth be told, there really are some of these Vermonters here but you're most likely to find them in the less populated areas of the state. Maybe even a few within Chittenden County which many native Vermonters jokingly refer to as "not really being in Vermont" or "we don't count Burlington, it ain't really Vermont".

Many visitors and tourists come here to view our picturesque villages, red barns, white picket fences and covered bridges. Many of these things represent a way of life in Vermont that have long since passed and can only be found in a Norman Rockwell painting.
Although many good people have moved to Vermont from places around the world, some of the not so well intentioned denizens of society have also relocated here. Crimes are on the increase in many communities and many small towns have very big drug problems just like our neighbors in Massachussetts and Connecticut.

Williston, VT not too long ago, in the 1980's was rich with fields and farmland. Now it has been transformed into acres of commercial plazas, big box stores and condos. Quite a drastic change in just a few decades. But so goes progress. I have to admit that it's much easier than spending a day driving to Manchester, NH to shop at Best Buy and some of the other big stores that couldn't be found anywhere in Vermont. Unfortunately, all that growth means more people and more housing developments that blight the landscape. if you drive through Williston, Essex or Shelburne village around 5pm on a weekday, it's easy to see that there are now too many people living in Chittenden County. The area is small and was never intended to handle the huge population. Hospital beds at Fletcher Allen are always full and most of the time there is not enough parking so employees have to shuttle in from a remote location. Vermont ain't what it used to be. In some ways that may be a good thing but we've lost a lot of our identity.

Vermonter.com was established back in the mid-1990's as the Vermont Northeast Kingdom Guide. It was a showcase for businesses and stories in and around the Northeast Kingdom. Over time, it expanded and evolved (much like the State if Vermont itself) to include more of a general Vermont view. The main objective is to find and publish stories that show what life in Vermont for previous generations was really like, good or bad. Along with that, we hope to entertain or even stir up people a bit with some good old Vermont sarcasm and non-politically correct nonsense. Vermonters are an independent lot. That doesn't mean that we're always right, because we often aren't. Many of us are downright pig-headed and stubborn but we also respect the rights of others to have their own opinions (because as most old-time Vermonters will say "we know they're wrong anyway!")\

Vermonter.com is not a Chamber of Commerce. Phone calls come in every now & then asking for brochures, company info,etc. A lady who called wanted some Vermont video DVD'ss sent to her. She was directed to a local Chamber of Commerce and her comment was "you have a terrible customer service department!". My associate is a fat, orange tiger cat and his customer service skills are terrible. She did have a point. Requests come in for permission to use photos, articles, etc. and most of the time, they are approved. Vermonter.com is a resource for others to share, as long as it's tasteful.

Vermonters are human and we make mistakes. Sometimes our independent, stubborn attitudes get us into trouble but we're not ogres. We're quick to apologize for stepping on the cat's tail or whatever transgression we may have incurred. You're sure to find spelling and grammar errors here and there, within Vermonter.com or an article that has not been "rewritten enough". If so, just let us know and we'll fix it.

Vermonters are not Hobbits...most aren't anyway. Awhile back there was a newspaper article comparing Vermonters to Hobbits. Boy, did the guy who wrote that fine piece get a wrong number. There may be a few cuddly, nebbish Vermonters out there but obviously the guy who wrote the article never paid a visit to the fabled Northeast Kingdom. If he were to venture to the rural communities of northeast Vermont, he would encounter burly, tall woodsmen, rugged building contractors and the like. Not even close to being cuddly Hobbit types.