To The Editor:
I recently read about a committee that has been formed to look into the Benjamin Wait house’s needs and future life. I applaud this effort given that this most historical structure is in dire need of maintenance and an upgrade. It seems little attention is brought forth to one of Waitsfield’s oldest structures originally built, owned and lived in by the town’s founder, Benjamin Wait. The single-story original building was located off the Loop Road (Old County Road) behind the former Eugene Moulton home. In the early 1800s it was moved to its present site and a second story was added.
I suggest that great efforts be put into restoring the building and using it for purposes directly associated with Waitsfield’s historical affairs; a museum, if you will, for the storage and displaying of the town’s history of writings, photos, tools, et al. Too many know so little of historical Waitsfield and the rest of the Mad River Valley for that matter. It has become a piece of heaven for those who have decided to settle here over the years.
I was fortunate to see the older ways of The Valley. I also witnessed its transition from an agricultural base to a tourist destination, second homes and bedroom communities. When I grew up in the 50s and into the 60s, one actually knew all the names of the residents. One may not have known them personally, but they knew of them. That, of course, has changed for myriad reasons and life goes on.
But, wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to have a center where a person could become acquainted with historical roots and a way of life gone by? I’m more in love with The Valley because I know a great deal of its history, with emphasis on Waitsfield and Warren, my maternal and paternal ancestry. Let’s bring this priceless entity (the Wait House) into a Waitsfield show piece.
Kevin Eurich, former Waitsfield resident, now of South Carolina
