Vermont's Northland Journal

12/14/2025

The February issue is going to include articles about snowmobiling, and snowmobile racing in the border region in the 1960s and 1970s. If any of you have newspaper articles about snowmobile racing in the region, including in Beebe, Quebec, from that time period, please let me know. As for this photo, Bill Worth, who will share his racing memories in the February issue, is seen on the front right.

Thank you,

Scott Wheeler/Publisher VT's Northland Journal

12/14/2025

When I’m going through old newspapers, sometimes I find out things about people still alive that shock me, including skeletons they’d probably prefer kept buried (which I usually do). However, then there is the story I recently found about the dapper, silver tongued preacher, John Genco, who has preached in Orleans County for decades, including in Derby, Morgan, and Holland. No, I didn’t uncover anything scandalous about the good preacher, but I did find something that I can’t seem to reconcile in my brain with the refined white-haired gentleman of today. In the pages of a 1970 Hardwick Gazette is an article about Rev. Genco, who was totally new to snowmobiling at the time, who participated in his first endurance snowmobile race (three hours). At the time, he was living and preaching in Randolph, Vermont. For some reason I can't seem to imagine this scenario.

The following is a segment of that article:

We visited with the 34-year-old pastor at the races.
“How long have you been training? we wondered.
The answer is that Genco not only hadn’t been in training for the grueling endurance race, he hadn’t even planned on driving a racing sled.

New Breed

Due, perhaps, to a working lifetime (so far) spent observing government people, we’re more familiar with politicians than with pastors. Genco seems more representative of the new breed of clergymen. Like most he seems to be a practicing Christian, an activist seeking to help people instead of raising funds to build cathedrals.

It was fascinating to watch this new breed of minister, there on the mountain-top area overlooking Lake Winnisquam. He walked toward the racers’ pit when he waved so long, made a stop at the portable men’s room nearby, then headed toward a gleaming black snowmobile powered by a 292 cc engine.

A white-suited race official briefed him on his assigned position in the lineup, wished him luck, then walked aways Genco swung a leg over the saddle and sat down, adjusted his helmet and googles, both borrowed, then reached forward and pulled the starter rope.
Grueling Course

The engine crackled then snarled, easing the sled toward to starting lineup. We noticed the flash of his teeth as Genco smile over something that came to mind. It was the last smile we saw for more than three hours, at least until the race was over.

The oval course was more pitted and scarred than a sinner’s soul. Yet Genco hung in there like a Christian bearding a lion in the Coliseum. (Honestly, when I read that last phrase, I thought it was a typo, but it isn’t. More or less it means to confront a lion, including when people were thrown to the lions in the Roman Coliseum).
When the checkered flag dropped, Lakes Region Open officials had pegged him 15th in the field. It was well out of the money for the New York City native, but his friends and new racing acquaintance applauded him for his guts. “”

As the February issue of Vermont Northland Journal will including a good bit about snowmobiling back in the day, I hope to include this 1969 article, and to see if I can learn more about Rev. Genco’s snowmobile racing career – or was this his only trip into the wild world of snowmobile racing.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher VT’s Northland Journal

Photo: This is a photo of Rev. Genco, his wife, Ruth, and their three children Lisa, Lori Jo, and Stephen. I suspect it is from the 70s.

12/13/2025

As he does most mornings, this morning Andre Bourdeau posted a treasure trove of photos of Vermont during an earlier time, including this one of the Darling Inn on Depot Street after it was transformed into a retirement home.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher

12/13/2025

This jump was located on the River Road in North Troy. It was built in 1939 or 1940. For a time, it was the site of winter carnivals which included ski jumping, ski racing, and dog sledding. However, come World War II and men of the community being drafted into the military, many fun and festive events, including ski jumping and the winter carnivals, came to an end. Over the years I've captured the stories of some of the people who had first hand memories of the jump, with a couple of them having flown off it.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher VT's Northland Journal

12/11/2025

Here is the evolving cover of the February issue of the Northland Journal. The Journal makes for a great gift! Also, we are always looking for advertisers to help keep this 24 year mission alive - a mission to share and preserve the history of the Northeast Kingdom alive.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher VT's Northland Journal

12/11/2025

An upcoming issue of Vermont’s Northland Journal will include an article told and written by Col. Craig Birchard (U.S. Army Retired), a 1967 graduate of Lyndon Institute. Craig now lives in Germany, but he hasn’t forgotten his NEK roots, including being an accomplished high school ski jumper. Among the jumps he flew off was the 40-meter jump off Pinehurst Street in Lyndon. He’ll also write a bit about skiing on the Institute’s ski team, and about skiing at the Lyndon Outing Club.

If you have stories about growing up in the Northeast Kingdom during an earlier time, feel free to do just like Craig is doing – put your memories into writing and submit to the Journal for possible publication. Plus contact me if you are interested in doing so.

The Journal is a monthly print magazine dedicated to sharing and preserving the history of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, often through the words of people who lived it. It is delivered to subscribers in almost all 50 states.

Click here to learn how to subscribe to the Journal: northlandjournal.com/store

Scott Wheeler/Publisher Vermont’s Northland Journal

Photo 1:
Craig is seen in one photo flying through the air after launching off the 40-meter jump on Pinehurst Street in Lyndon.

Photo 2:
The jump seen in one photo is that of the one which was found on Pine Hurst Street.

Photo 3:
This is a picture of Craig Birchard (left), Jumping Winner ; Dan Gibson (middle), Slalom Winner, and Paul Sears X-C Winner. They were the district champs in their categories in 1967.

12/10/2025

This photo was taken in 1975 when this young man was 25 years old. Fast forward - the fella is now 75 years old. He is Bill Worth who now lives in Newport Center. Bill will be featured in the February issue of VT's Northland Journal. He'll look back on his snowmobile racing years in the 1970s, and I suspect we'll also touch upon when he also dabbled in racing cars.

Click here to learn how to subscribe: northlandjournal.com/store/

Scott Wheeler/Publisher

12/10/2025

Check out these photos. Using a combination of AI and his artistic eye, my friend - local photographer (the owner of Northern Dreams Photography), Rick Desrochers, has transformed some old black and white photos into pieces of colorful artwork, which look like paintings. I love the black and white photos, but I find Rick's rendition fascinating.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher VT's Northland Journal
northlandjournal.com/store/

12/10/2025

If you have somebody in your life who loves Newport, you might want to consider gifting these two books to them for Christmas.

https://northlandjournal.com/store/Special-Book-Deal-On-Two-Newport-Books-p473989711

Scott Wheeler/Publisher VT's Northland Journal

The city of Newport has a rich, proud history. Northeast Kingdom author Scott Wheeler, publisher of Vermont’s Northland Journal , understands the value of preserving that community’s history. You can now buy two different books he has written about the history of Newport for one great price. Des...

12/09/2025

Up until about the mid-1930s, come winter, many people in the Kingdom stored their automobiles for the winter and turned to horse-powered transportation. That was because back then most of the winter roads were rolled by massive horse drawn snow rollers. Unlike plows which throws the snow to the roadsides, rollers packed the snow in the road, creating a surface that allowed for horse drawn transportation, but not so much for motor vehicles. By the 1920s, though, some people were fitting their motor vehicles with skis and a track system. This is a photo of the late Dr. Templeton of Irasburg and his car. Note it has skis on the front (at least in this photo it didn't have tracks). The doctor used the car to do house calls, including to deliver babies. Dr. Templeton began practicing in Irasburg in the early years of the 20th century, and he died in 1947.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher

northlandjournal.com/store/

12/09/2025

A couple days ago the community of Danville voted not to close its high school. On the same day, Andre Bourdeau posted - as he does most mornings - a batch of Vermont history photos, including this one of Danville students (obviously not high school students though). I don't know what year it was taken in, or where it was taken - any thoughts?

Scott Wheeler/Publisher

12/09/2025

Morning Ramble – Being Old Continues to Elude Me, At Least In My Mind

I’ve been recording oral histories of the Northeast Kingdom for upwards of 30 years, the last 24 with my magazine, Vermont’s Northland Journal. The funny thing is, 30 years ago I thought 60 was in the early stages of “old”. Now that I am 60 I realize I miscalculated – 60 is still young, and possibly 80 is the beginning of old – but I’ll tell you if that is true when I reach 80.

Scott Wheeler/Publisher