2024 was a banner year at Vermont State Historic Sites. New data released Dec. 3 by the Vermont Dept. of Housing and Community Development’s Division for Historic Preservation shows 80,678 people spent $512,053 at seven Vermont State Historic Sites during the 2024 season. Spending is the result of admission fees (charged at six sites) and sales at six gift shops.
“I’m grateful to all Vermonters and visitors who spent time at our State Historic Sites this year,” said Governor Phil Scott. “These sites are a good way to explore our beautiful state and I encourage everyone to visit them and learn more about what makes Vermont such a special place.”
The seven Vermont State Historic Sites accepting visitors during 2024 were:
Bennington Battle Monument
Mount Independence in Orwell
Chimney Point in Addison
Senator Justin Morrill in Strafford
President Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth Notch
President Chester A. Arthur in Fairfield
Hubbardton Battlefield
Two historic sites have been closed to the public since Covid: The Old Constitution House in Windsor is scheduled to reopen in 2027 in time to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Vermont Constitution that was written there and the Eureka Schoolhouse in Springfield could reopen as soon as next year.
“We are thrilled with this year’s attendance and sales,” said Vermont’s Historic Preservation Officer Laura V. Trieschmann. “We have hard-working, dedicated staff who are passionate about sharing Vermont’s story with our visitors and that is reflected in the success of the 2024 season.”
State historic sites haven’t seen more than 80,000 visitors in a year since the 2002 season. The greatest attendance on record was 93,365 in 1998, but back then there were 12 historic sites open to the public compared to today’s nine. The low for attendance was during the Covid pandemic with just 18,214 visitors in 2020.
Most sites have permanent exhibitions featuring their unique history, as well as regularly changing displays that focus on specialized subjects.
Vermont historic sites will begin receiving visitors again in the spring of 2025.
