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This book is a visual history of the many recreational amenities that sprang up in Chittenden County, Vermont starting with the dawn of the car culture in the 1930s. It spans five decades of snack bars, drive-in movie theaters, motels, stores, roller skating rinks, bowling alleys, and other places where several generations of locals, college students, and visitors went to have a good time. With a few exceptions, the 120 places covered in the book are all gone, so the book provides a nostalgic look back for those old enough to have enjoyed them. For younger readers it will provide a window back in time showing some of the places where their parents or grandparents may have gone to have fun. There is a short history of each place, and at least one photograph, many of which have not been seen before.
About the author
Bob Blanchard was born and raised in the South End of Burlington, Vermont. He was educated in Burlington Catholic schools, and graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in history. After a 35 year career with the U.S. Customs Service in Vermont and New York, he took up local history as a serious hobby. His Burlington Area History Facebook group has a found a large audience for its daily postings. That experience has taught him two main things: that people love historic photographs, and that nostalgia postings get far more reaction than history postings. Bygone Attractions of Chittenden County was written with both of those things in mind. After having several articles published, he published his first book, Lost Burlington, Vermont, in 2023. He currently resides in St. Albans, Vermont with his wife Linda.
