Monday, June 10, 2024, Vermont State Capitol, Montpelier, VT

From Magog, Joani noticed it was a reasonable drive to reach Montpelier, the Capital of Vermont. We jumped at the chance to check it off our list even if it did involve an international border crossing. It was a breeze entering the United States after just a few questions. The roads were nice with little traffic. As we neared our destination there were no suburbs and nothing I would have labeled "outskirts". I wondered "Where was the city?" I was unaware of how small Montpelier was. Their population in 2024 was 7,477 making it the least populated state capital in the United States.

The Capitol might have been the smallest we have visited. The one officer greeted us. There was no scanner, inspection, or even an information desk.

Instead of the typical rotunda with a massive and elaborate domed ceiling, there was a lobby with a few meeting rooms adjoining.

I did not see an elevator in the building although there must have been one. The stairwells could have been in a large upscale home.

The Senate Chambers were modest seating the 30 senators from 16 districts. The House Chambers were larger seating 150 representatives.

We were the only visitors so we sat for a bit.

The highlight of our visit to Montpelier was dining at Sarducci's, an Italian eatery along the Winooski River. It was highly rated and the food was excellent. The restaurant locale had us wondering as we parked in what seemed to be an alleyway and passed this graffiti-adorned car on the siding across the street from the front door.