Landstory
Lessons from the cultural and natural history of this place
The entire Farm comprises a vast and free, outdoor museum that utilizes interpretive signage and installations to reveal the rich cultural and natural history of this place and convey lessons for living well with the land and environment today and in the future.
Wantastegok
At the River Where Something is Lost
The Wantastegok marker is the first installation in a series of pathways and interpretive signs that will share the long history of the lands of Retreat Farm with the public.
Located on the water’s edge of the Retreat Meadows, the marker honors the Abenaki presence within this remarkable landscape and recognizes a space in which we can better understand the continuing relationships between this Place and its Indigenous People.
Visit the marker to view this special place with fresh eyes.
Historic Farmstead Pathway
Explore the unique history of each historic barn through this interpretive trail.
Developed by Jan Albers, award-winning historian and author of Hands on the Land: A History of the Vermont Landscape, this interpretive pathway shares the history of this iconic Vermont farmstead. Founded as a model farm for an innovative hospital in 1837 by the Brattleboro Retreat, the Farm has many stories to tell us about Vermont farmers' changing relationship with the land.
What animals had a home here? How much meat, milk, fruits, and vegetables could a farm this size produce? How did they store their bounty? How many people could the land feed?
Come visit to find out the answers to these questions and more.