Top Stories for Tuesday August 19, 2008

Twenty Years of Memories And Faith With Pastor Tim Taylor
By Cookie Steponaitis
    When Pastor Tim Taylor arrived in the Champlain Valley on August 17, 1988, to accept his role as Head Pastor of a new church he knew he was a person who, “ …by nature liked roots,” but did not know twenty years would quickly pass and that his church and congregation would achieve many milestones and stages of growth. “When we first arrived,” he commented, “there were about thirty people in the congregation. The church had an apartment, and had formerly been an old antique shop and a blacksmithing forge. Heat was provided by two or three wood stoves and there was even a For Sale sign posted on the front yard of the property. What was clear was that there was an excellent core of people who were committed to the Lord and the church. They caught a vision of what could be.”
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Sharing Memories With The Foster Family
By Staff Writers
Sharing Memories with Howard Foster
By Mike Cameron
    Howard was born in Middlebury 89 years ago and has a remarkable memory of life on the farm as a boy and how farming has changed throughout his life.  “The Robert Frost homestead was my grandmother's homestead at one time,” Mr. Foster recalls as he sits in an easy chair fielding questions as quickly as they are asked, displaying wit, wisdom and a great sense of humor.
    “Yes I was born in Middlebury on Creek Road.  I've had people asked me if I lived here in Middlebury all my life and I tell them not yet,” he quips with a little smile.   [ more ]

Around and About Addison County - Waltham
By M. Stuart Parks
    It may surprise many Waltham residents to learn that their town almost didn't come into existence.  Waltham never had its own Charter but came about through an unusual set of circumstances.  The city of Vergennes was made up of acreage that was taken from three towns; Panton, Ferrisburgh and New Haven.  It was given 1200 acres.  Some Vergennes folks didn't think that was enough land so New Haven gave about three square miles more to Vergennes.   But since you can't please all of the people and others protested this move, the acreage was taken away from Vergennes and formed the basis of the town of Waltham.  The town was incorporated in 1791.  In 1804 another piece of land was taken from Addison and added to Waltham which makes its area 5,910 acres or 9.23 square miles.  [ more ]