THE COMMUNITIES OF THE SHIRES
NORTH BENNINGTON
North Bennington is a charming village , with beautiful Lake Paran open for fishing with a Vermont license and swimming for a modest fee .
Waterpower built the town . Picnic by the old millpond or try a scenic lunch on the terrace of the Pangaea Lounge by the falls .
The annual Outdoor Sculpture Show turns the village into a gallery from July through October , and the Halloween parade and bonfire is a colorful town tradition .
North Bennington was writer Shirley Jackson ’ s home for the latter half of her life ; she wrote “ The Lottery ” and “ The Haunting of Hill House ” here .
The 1865 Park McCullough Historic Governor ’ s Mansion is a grand and popular spot for visiting , trail-walking , theater-going , and getting married . It ’ s one of the best preserved Victorian mansions in all of New England .
Park McCullough House Photo by Lorianna Weathers Photography
PERU
When the producers of the 1987 Diane Keaton comedy “ Baby Boom ” needed a charming Vermont mountain town to shoot in , they chose Peru .
The “ fixer-upper ” that Keaton ’ s character bought ( without realizing that it was one ) is still there , as is the J . J . Hapgood Store , in which Country Baby gourmet applesauce made its commercial debut for the camera .
These days the town offers four-season fun and relaxation . Hapgood Pond features camping , swimming , and non-motorized boating in summer .
The old-time Peru Fair crowns fall foliage season . In winter there ’ s great skiing for the whole family nearby .
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