Vermont

Thursday, we went 3 hours north to Sharon, VT to see the birthplace of Joseph Smith, Jr.

We had the unusual experience of seeing it with local cousins, Gary and Gail. We learned a lot of local history that most people don't hear. For example, the 'Holy KFC' in Lebanon is the site where the Smith family lived when Joseph underwent his leg operation. We also saw Dartmouth, where the doctor came from.

But what made the tour most unique is that Gail is the local pastor of 2 churches.

We toured both of them also.
This is the only steeple in the world with a pineapple on the top of it. Someone volunteered to build the steeple if they could top it with a jug. A few years later the ladies of the church deemed it inappropriate and added the pineapple affects.

We found the area to be very hilly and rocky - hard to farm. The year the Smith family left they had a 'year with no summer.' The area's population was much higher then with many less trees. When news of flat farmlands in Iowa came, most farmers left Vermont for the midwest.

It's a very beautiful place with yummy maple syrup!