Hyde Manor.......... Sudbury

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
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Ozarks
http://www.prydein.com/house/manor.html

Wouldnt this be a great place to hunt if permission could be obtained?


researched by
Aron Garceau
Hyde Manor, Sudbury, Vermont
along rte. 30


Hyde Manor, this historic vacation destination was popular around the late
19th century up until the middle of the 20th century with its heyday from 1890
to 1940. Now dilapidated, probably beyond repair, this old tourist attraction
now sits off to the side of Route 30 staring at the passers-by with it's glassless
windows and collapsed porch, an enormous structure that was one of the most
beautiful in its day.


From "Pictorial History of Sudbury" I quote the following; "Sudbury's most famous hotel would no doubt be
Hyde Manor. Built in the late 1700's and purchased by Pitt W. Hyde in 1801, it grew to become one
of the most celebrated in New England. Situated on the Stage Route between Canada and Northern Vermont,
and Whitehall and Rutland, it became a favorite resting place for many. Mr. Hyde came to Sudbury as an
innkeeper from Hyde Park, Vermont. A son, James, took over the inn upon his father's death in 1823 and
under him it became known for it's excellence of fare and for the cheerful and friendly welcome it extended
to all of it's guests. James Hyde also served as Town Clerk for thirty years, as justice of the peace for thirty-
four years, he represented the town of Sudbury in the General Assembly, was a Senator from Rutland County
in 1850-51 and was Assistant Judge of the Rutland County Court."



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-1862 the hotel was destroyed by fire and the present building was erected by James Hyde in 1865. His son, A.W. Hyde then took over the new hotel, which would accomodate two hundred guests and became the perfect resort for families with children. James K. Hyde was later born to A.W. in 1874 and he grew to be the fourth generation to carry on the business and himself produced the fifth and last generation to own the inn. On March 27, 1944 one of the most spectacular fires to ever take place in Sudbury occurred when the 70 room annex of Hyde Manor burned. No official estimates of the loss was at hand, but it was thought to be a $75,000 loss (in 1944). The annex was built with the best materials; built entirely of clear wood with no knots and tremendously solid. The floor josits were three by twelve inches in dimension and set at a distance of 10 inches on all floors. The central building, barns and the Hyde Cottages to the North were undamaged by the fire."

In the 1960's the Hyde Manor changed hands and for the first time in over 150 years was no longer in the Hyde family. For a short while it was run as a hotel called the Top of the Seasons but with the change in times, so came the change in leisure and it did not do as well as in its prime time. It was (is?) owned by Ed Dlhos who started the Green Mountain Spring Water business using the famous natural springs on the property but that too was short lived as was an attempt to ressurect the golf course on the land. Everything now lies abandoned, rotting and all but forgotten.



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Excerpt From A Letter Published in 1915

Between the two ranges lies the long lake, and at its southernmost tip is old Ticonderoga, a fort on the alert for three centuries and now, alas! sleeping lazily through the Sabbath day.

It is dangerous to have this generally known, for any one of the enemy Indian, French, American, or Briton, to name the besiegers in their turn could seize the fort, single-handed, as it snoozes through a Sunday.

We did not learn this until we had turned south at Sudbury and descended at Hyde Manor for luncheon. It was Mr. Hyde who told us. From father to son for over a century this fine old house has been open to guests. It is far enough from the centre of things now to satisfy a Thoreau or John Burroughs, but once it was the main posting inn on the highway leading up from Albany.

Summer boarders are now entertained there summer boarders with "references" the only chilling thought to be associated with a place of so much evident good cheer. By assuming our best manner we remained for an hour or two without creating distrust, and so far as I am concerned I could have put off our trip indefinitely to sit by the side of the present Boniface and learn of Fort Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Skenesborough, and all those acres round about, which had been fought over from the wars of the seventeenth century to the last battle on the lake in 1814.

In the writing-room of the Manor there is a high black marble mantelpiece. We were accustomed to smaller affairs of this Victorian mould in our houses of the Middle West. But this generously proportioned specimen had been made for a Southern plantation in 1860, and the Civil War, enforcing camp-fires for warm hearths, had so curtailed the orders that Vermont house-holders had been able to buyÑno doubt at a bargainÑthe extravagances of their enemy.

There was a scrap of a fire in the grate, and comfortable chairs of an earlier period drawn up before the blaze, and there is no more comfort-able way of acquiring knowledge than to sit in one of these chairs and listen to Mr. Hyde as he sits in another. Mr. Hyde's father was one of those who carried a gun when he attended service on Sunday, and he knew what he was talking about. But I did not always agree with him, although I did not say so, mindful that we had no "references" with us and must be circumspect in our behaviour.
 

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JOe L

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Yes Mame, Looks like a place where some good finds would be.... So many places like that up here in NY and neighboring Vermont. Getting to hunt them, that's a horse of a different color........ always wanted to use that term...
 

Midnightrider08

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Mar 9, 2008
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This got me thinking about The Governors Mansion that use to sit up on the Hill by Hardack Ski Hill in St.Albans , Vt. It may have even been the mansion talked about in the St.Albans Raid as well. It no longer stands at all but the earth is still in it's place and I remember when they tore it down they hauled it away instead of burying it. I do not know if anything has been rebuilt in it's place but there hadn't as of a yr ago.

If ever in Sudbury I'll give this place a try. Once I get a new machine.
 

JonAndDani

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Nov 7, 2008
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Gypsy, did you ever end up MDing this area? I'm pretty curious on what you may have found if you did.

-Jon
 

KinjoVT

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Unfortunately there has been a few houses constructed at the site of the Governors Inn. One of the mansions is right next to and is still standing. The other mansions are in the area, and are private homes or buisnesses. There are more slated to be built on the site of where the inn used to be this year. When I saw that construction was being started a few years ago I spoke to the foreman who was very friendly, but told me to contact the landowner. I spoke with the owner who was not into the idea, and more or less told me and my friend where to go! Oh well it is a shame to because I would have liked to go around that old stone garden wall that was out in the back. Part of it still stands but is on other private property.

Midnightrider08 said:
This got me thinking about The Governors Mansion that use to sit up on the Hill by Hardack Ski Hill in St.Albans , Vt. It may have even been the mansion talked about in the St.Albans Raid as well. It no longer stands at all but the earth is still in it's place and I remember when they tore it down they hauled it away instead of burying it. I do not know if anything has been rebuilt in it's place but there hadn't as of a yr ago.

If ever in Sudbury I'll give this place a try. Once I get a new machine.
 

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