Vermont has no shortage of historic sites – after all, we’ve been a state since 1791. One place in Vermont that has particular significance as a historic site is Chimney Point State Historic Site. The small peninsula in Addison has important history from three different cultures: Native American, French, and colonial American.

Chimney Point State Historic Site is located on the tip of the Chimney Point peninsula in Addison. The peninsula juts out into Lake Champlain.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
People have occupied the land at Chimney Point for over 7,500 years. Many Native American artifacts have been found there, including tools and ceramic pots.
Mike Peryer/Google Maps
In 1609, the French settled in the area, calling it Pointe-à-la-Chevelure. They developed farms and homes on both sides of the lake.
KristiLyn Arredondo/Google Maps
This was one of the earliest French settlements in the area.

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By the time of the Revolutionary War, the area was largely made up of American colonials. The Chimney Point Tavern was famously visited by future presidents James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
Don Shall/Flickr
Today, the tavern has been restored as a museum. Its taproom is one of the earliest remaining taprooms in the United States.
The original bridge that connected Chimney Point to the mainland was built in 1928. It had to be destroyed after structural deficits were discovered, and a new bridge opened in 2011.
Zeph77/Wikimedia Commons
The tavern has now been converted into a museum that displays artifacts from Native American, colonial French, and colonial American cultures.
Rachel B/Google Maps

Interestingly, Chimney Point is home to yearly atlatl competitions. Atlatl is a Native American spear used in spear-throwing competitions. The museum regularly hosts workshops on atlatl construction and flint making.

The site is so beautiful and has so much history to it! Have you visited Chimney Point? Tell us about your experiences in the comments!

For more information, check out the Vermont States Historic Site website.

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Chimney Point, Addison, VT 05491, USA