Lakeside Groton Pond, Vermont Ghost Town

You’ll find the remnants of Vermont’s industrial past at Lakeside Groton Pond, where abandoned 19th-century sawmills and forgotten railroad beds tell the story of a vanished lumber town. The area once bustled with steam-powered mills, logging operations, and the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad that transported both timber and passengers. Today, old sawdust piles, weathered gravestones, and the historic Cross Vermont Trail reveal layers of history waiting to be uncovered.

Table of Contents hide

1 Key Takeaways

2 Origins and Early Settlement

3 Industrial Rise: Logging and Sawmills

4 Railroad’s Role in Development

4.1 Railroad Station Locations

4.2 Lumber Transport Operations

4.3 Seasonal Camp Access Routes

5 Local Culture and Traditions

5.1 Berry Harvesting Traditions

5.2 Native Folklore Tales

5.3 Cold Spring Food Practices

6 From Industry to Recreation

7 Landmarks and Lost Places

8 Natural Heritage and Change

9 Preserving Groton’s Story

10 Frequently Asked Questions

10.1 What Happened to Indian Joe’s Teepee After He Disappeared?

10.2 Were Any Deaths Reported at the Sawmills During Their Operation?

10.3 How Deep Is Groton Pond at Its Maximum Depth?

10.4 Are There Any Original Camp Structures Still Standing Today?

10.5 What Wildlife Species Were Commonly Hunted Around Groton Pond?

11 References

Key Takeaways

Lakeside was a thriving railroad station near Groton Pond that served lumber operations and seasonal camps until industrial decline.
The Montpelier & Wells River Railroad’s Lakeside Station became abandoned after logging operations ceased in the area.

Remnants of sawmills, including Miller and Ayers Mill, can still be found around the former settlement site.
The ghost town’s main features included a railroad stop, lumber processing facilities, and temporary worker housing.
The railroad bed that once served Lakeside has been converted into part of the Cross Vermont Trail system.

Origins and Early Settlement

While indigenous peoples had long maintained a presence around Groton Pond through seasonal fishing camps and temporary settlements, the area’s colonial history began with Vermont’s 1789 charter of Groton.

You’ll find traces of indigenous traditions in the woodland, including the story of “Indian Joe,” who lived in a teepee near the pond and traded with local settlers for wool blankets and canned goods.

The town’s name came from Groton, Massachusetts, where many early settlers originated.

These pioneers quickly established themselves through early agriculture, hunting, and foraging along the shoreline. They gathered wild berries, used natural springs for water, and built the first mills near the pond.

Like many early Vermont communities that relied on mineral springs tourism, the area initially attracted visitors seeking the health benefits of its natural springs.

A devastating forest fire in 1883 burned through 2,000 acres surrounding the pond, significantly impacting the area’s development.

Before the railroad’s arrival in 1873, they reached this remote area via primitive trails and waterways.

Industrial Rise: Logging and Sawmills

The thunder of steam-powered sawmills transformed Groton Pond into a bustling industrial center during the late 19th century.

Steam engines roared across Groton Pond’s shores, turning a tranquil waterway into a powerhouse of industrial progress.

You’d find loggers working through winter months, cutting timber when frozen ground made hauling easier. Their logging methods centered around collecting logs at the eastern shore’s massive log pile. The Wells River Railroad played a vital role in transporting lumber from the mills to distant markets.

Multiple sawmills dotted the landscape, each showcasing evolving sawmill technology. The Miller and Ayers Mill rose from the ashes of a boiler explosion in 1904, while Ricker Mill operated continuously for over a century until 1963.

Peabody’s Mill strategically positioned itself near the railroad, employing a diverse workforce of Portuguese, French, and Yankee laborers. The sawmill operations created dangerous sawdust pile hazards due to their tendency to spontaneously combust.

Steam-powered boats towed logs across the pond throughout summer, though some logs sank, leaving remnants that still rest on the pond’s bottom today.

Railroad’s Role in Development

The railroad’s daily runs between Montpelier and Wells River transported massive quantities of lumber from the area’s sawmills while providing essential access for summer residents and campers heading to their lake properties.

You’ll find evidence of Groton’s railroad infrastructure at two key locations: Lakeside Station near Depot Brook at Lake Groton’s south end, and Rocky Point Flag Stop, which served as vital access points for lumber transport and seasonal camps.

Through these rail connections, you can trace how the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad, constructed in 1873, transformed Lakeside from an isolated pond into a thriving hub of industrial and recreational activity. Like many other Vermont lines that operated as common carriers, this railroad served both industrial logging operations and public transportation needs.

Railroad Station Locations

Along Groton Pond’s historic shoreline, two significant railroad stations served as essential transportation hubs during the late 1800s and early 1900s: Lakeside Station and Rocky Point Flag Stop.

After the devastating 1883 fire, the rebuilt Lakeside Station emerged with unique station architecture that differed from typical railroad designs, featuring accommodations for 30 men, a post office, and a store at the south end near Depot Brook.

You’ll find Lakeside Station’s remains where Lakeside Drive crosses the old railroad bed.

Rocky Point’s converted railway coach served as a waiting area midway along the lake.
The flag stop’s steep, rocky terrain challenged supply transport from the water.
Today’s boulder pile marks Rocky Point’s historic location in railroad history.

Lumber Transport Operations

During the lumber industry’s peak from 1873 to 1956, Montpelier and Wells River Railroad served as an essential artery connecting Central Vermont Railroad to Boston and Maine’s expansive system.

You’d find two daily trains managing lumber logistics, moving both timber and passengers through the rugged Vermont landscape.

The lumber transport operations weren’t without challenges. Rail maintenance crews had to constantly battle steep grades, requiring double-header engines to power uphill.

They’d also need to manage the constant fire hazard from engine sparks, while ensuring enough local wood to fuel the steam locomotives. Immigrant laborers carved out the railbeds, creating switchbacks that wouldn’t exceed 6% grade through difficult terrain.

These engineering feats kept the lumber flowing until the 1950s, when timber resources finally dwindled.

Seasonal Camp Access Routes

The Montpelier & Wells River Railroad’s passenger service transformed Groton Pond into a thriving summer destination between 1873 and 1956.

You’d find two main seasonal transportation hubs: Lakeside Station and the Rocky Point Flag Stop, providing camp access to both sides of Lake Groton.

Double-header steam trains conquered steep terrain to deliver campers and supplies twice daily.
School children relied on specialized commuter routes from lakeside camps to Groton schools.

Social events, like high school swimming excursions, depended on the railroad’s scheduled runs.
Wood-fueled engines integrated passenger service with local logging operations.

Today, only a cellar hole marks where Lakeside Station once stood, but the railroad bed lives on as part of the Cross Vermont Trail, preserving the historic pathway that made seasonal camp life possible.

Local Culture and Traditions

If you’d visited Groton Pond in the early 1900s, you’d have found locals gathering wild berries along the shoreline, a practice that merged with stories of Indian Joe‘s legendary fishing spots and cooking practices.

Native folklore became deeply woven into daily life, with residents adopting Indigenous traditions like digging turtle eggs and using stone-lined fire pits similar to Indian Joe’s outdoor kitchen.

Families developed unique food storage methods around the pond’s natural cold springs, preserving their berry harvests and other perishables through the warmer months.

Berry Harvesting Traditions

Rich in cultural significance, berry harvesting traditions around Lakeside Groton Pond blended indigenous wisdom with European-American practices throughout Vermont’s history.

You’ll find deep connections between Abenaki seasonal rhythms and the local berry picking customs, where respect for the land shaped sustainable gathering methods.

While European settlers brought commercial harvesting with their dawn-to-dusk picking camps and railway shipments, they learned to value the native knowledge of berry preservation and field management. Pickers earned wages through a paid by quart system that required careful accounting and inspection of each basket. Today, a similar tradition continues at Stowe Hollow Nursery, where families gather annually to pick fresh blueberries.

Traditional berry pickers used specialized combs crafted from wood or salmon bones
Seasonal camps near brooks supported families during peak harvest times
Local farms like North Hollow evolved from small nurseries to expansive operations

The Abenaki “Sogalikas” moon guided wild berry gathering timing, ensuring sustainable harvests

Native Folklore Tales

Deep within Vermont’s misty forests and along the shores of Lakeside Groton Pond, Abenaki folklore weaves a rich tapestry of spiritual beings and cautionary tales.

You’ll discover stories of the elusive Manogemassak spirits, river-dwelling little people who’ve left their mark through small clay sculptures and distinctive round stones near waterways. If you venture near the swamps alone, you might hear the haunting cries of swamp creatures echoing through the darkness. Parents traditionally warned their children about straying too close to swampy areas.

These ancient tales have endured through generations of storytelling, connecting modern Abenaki to their ancestral roots. Local Abenaki legends warn you to respect sacred places like Brunswick Springs, where a mother’s curse still protects the healing waters from exploitation.

When you explore these lands, you’ll find geometric markings on rocks indicating Manogemassak dwellings – areas where the spirits maintain their ancient connection to Vermont’s wild places.

Cold Spring Food Practices

Beyond the spiritual tales of the Manogemassak, the shores of Lakeside Groton Pond tell another story through its food traditions. Settlers relied heavily on local ingredients and preservation techniques to survive the harsh Vermont winters, crafting a unique food culture that blended European methods with Native American wisdom. These early settlers established a cherished tradition of farm-to-table dining that continues to define Vermont’s culinary identity today.

You’d find root cellars packed with home-preserved foods: smoked meats, salted fish, and barrels of hard cider made from wild apples.
Community cider mills brought families together each fall, turning harvests into winter sustenance.
The “Three Sisters” garden method – growing corn, beans, and squash together – sustained households through careful crop planning.

Spring’s maple sugaring season marked nature’s sweetest gift, as families gathered sap using techniques learned from the Abenaki.

From Industry to Recreation

While the 19th century saw Groton Pond thrive as a bustling lumber center anchored by operations like Ricker Mill and Miller and Ayers Mill, the area’s industrial identity underwent a dramatic transformation by the mid-20th century.

You’ll find remnants of this economic transformation in the sawdust piles still visible at the old Miller and Ayers site, silent indicators to the area’s industrial past.

As timber resources dwindled, the region adapted. The Wells River Railroad, once essential for lumber transport, began carrying campers instead.

When the State of Vermont acquired the land, establishing Groton State Forest, the area’s focus shifted decisively to outdoor activities.

Today, you’re free to explore the same waters and forests where loggers once toiled, with hiking trails, fishing spots, and campgrounds replacing the industrial operations of yesteryear.

Landmarks and Lost Places

Today, you’ll find scattered remnants of Groton’s past hidden throughout the landscape, from the weathered gravestones of Ricker Cemetery to fragments of old logging roads near Glastenberry Mountain.

Along historic trails that once served as essential transportation routes, nature has slowly reclaimed what was once a bustling community. While most structures have vanished, several landmarks still tell tales of the area’s rich history.

The mysterious Almeron Goodell house near Little River, known for ghostly encounters and land dispute legends

Ricker Cemetery’s solemn grounds, where flood victims and early settlers rest
Kingsland Bay’s Hawley House, with documented paranormal activity
Ancient logging operation remnants near Glastenberry Mountain, marking the town’s industrial heritage

These surviving landmarks offer glimpses into Groton’s fascinating transformation from thriving community to wilderness.

Natural Heritage and Change

Before permanent settlers arrived in the post-Revolutionary period, Groton’s landscape flourished as a pristine wilderness where mountain lions, timberwolves, and lynx prowled through dense forests.

You’d have witnessed Indigenous peoples traversing the intricate network of ponds and brooks, living in harmony with the land’s natural rhythms.

This delicate balance shifted dramatically after 1783 when settlers established mills near pond outlets.

The arrival of the Montpelier and Wells River Railroad in 1873 accelerated environmental changes, enabling extensive logging that fragmented wildlife habitats.

The devastating 1883 fire consumed 2,000 acres, forcing both residents and animals to flee into Groton Pond.

While modern wildlife preservation and ecological restoration efforts aim to heal these historic wounds, you can still find traces of the area’s wild heritage in its springs, seasonal flora, and remaining forest stands.

Preserving Groton’s Story

Through dedicated preservation efforts spanning generations, Groton’s rich historical legacy lives on in its landmark buildings and cultural traditions.

Preserving history through the decades, Groton’s heritage endures in its storied architecture and time-honored community customs.

You’ll discover the town’s story through the Peter Paul House, home of the Groton Historical Society, where over 200 years of artifacts and memories are carefully preserved.

Community engagement thrives during the annual Fall Foliage Celebration, connecting residents with their logging heritage.

The J.R. Darling Store stands eligible for the National Register, embodying the village’s commercial evolution
Historic Methodist and Baptist churches flank Main Street, anchoring religious heritage

The Community Building gym continues Vermont’s Town Meeting tradition
Historical preservation efforts include multimedia presentations and school collaborations, ensuring younger generations understand Groton’s unique past

Frequently Asked Questions

What Happened to Indian Joe’s Teepee After He Disappeared?

You’ll find that Indian Joe’s Legacy lives on, though his teepee was abandoned and never reoccupied. One of Vermont’s great Teepee Mysteries remains – the dwelling became just a landmark for fishermen and children.

Were Any Deaths Reported at the Sawmills During Their Operation?

You’d think sawmill accidents were rare, but historical records only confirm one death – a worker killed in a 1904 boiler explosion at Miller and Ayers Mill. Other fatalities likely went unreported.

How Deep Is Groton Pond at Its Maximum Depth?

You’ll find Groton Pond’s maximum depth reaches 35 feet at its deepest point, while averaging around 13 feet throughout. This Vermont lake’s depth supports both cold-water and warm-water fish species.

Are There Any Original Camp Structures Still Standing Today?

You won’t find any original camp structures standing today – they’re all gone. The camp history reveals only cellar holes, foundational depressions, and stone outlines remain from these historic buildings.

What Wildlife Species Were Commonly Hunted Around Groton Pond?

You’d find abundant white-tailed deer, black bears, and massive northern pike as common game around Groton Pond, with hunters also pursuing moose, waterfowl, and grouse through varied hunting practices.