Hello, Friends!
2026 · VOL. 11
Welcome to the Summer and Fall 2026 seasons in the Manchester, VT region.
C. E. O.
Jen Kane Paterson
And welcome to the first issue of Manchester Life Magazine under the ownership of Jen Kane Paterson and John Paterson of Green Mountain Media Group( see page 10).
PRESIDENT- GROUP PUBLISHER John Paterson
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Megan Demarest megand @ greenmountainmg. com
ADVERTISING SALES TEAM
VP MARKETING & ADVERTISING Kim Jones kimj @ greenmountainmg. com
ADVERTISING AND OPERATIONS MANAGER Donna Burgess donnab @ greenmountainmg. com
ART & DIGITAL TEAM
VP CREATIVE DIRECTOR Leonard Kenyon lenk @ greenmountainmg. com
ART DIRECTOR Jen Hathaway
DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Craig Light
As my team and I collaborate on sharing the stories of our area season after season, it’ s clear we are building upon a history that has been present in the Shires for centuries. Jen and John are now the stewards of our publications, and that is a fitting word to use for this issue, which is all about history and heritage. The 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is enhancing it all, serving as a throughline for events throughout the season.
We celebrate the Northshire Bookstore’ s 50th Anniversary and its legacy( page 14) as the beloved independent bookstore now holding court in the historic Colburn House, which was built in 1872 and served as an inn for over a century.
We applaud innkeepers Maryann and Jack Orlando of the INN at Ormsby Hill, who have carried forward the careful stewardship of this beautiful, historic estate built in 1764 for ten years now( page 40).
Just behind Ormsby Hill, we meet up with Craig Gemmell, the new president of Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home( page 28) to learn a little about him and his vision for the future of the museum. Hildene, the Manchester estate of Abraham Lincoln’ s son, Robert, and his family, was built in 1905.
As always, the Summer cultural scene is literally bursting with dynamic and fun experiences, including something for literally every taste( page 77). Be sure to flip to our Shout Out( page 4) for more arts and culture events, along with a whole page devoted to local 250th Anniversary happenings.
As much as we are looking to the past and its preservation, we’ re always looking forward, too. Our New in Town section introduces recently opened businesses to our readers( page 32). Some you may have already discovered, and some are still waiting to be explored!
Don’ t forget to check out a gorgeous renovation by Kitchens of Vermont( page 65), which is the perfect example of a modern design aesthetic applied to an historic structure.
NICK BURCHARD mailing address: PO Box 82
Arlington, VT 05250
Manchester Life Magazine is published twice a year by Green Mountain Media Group, LLC. Copyright © 2026 by Green Mountain Media Group. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced in any manner without prior written consent from the publisher.
As you’ ll see across all our publications this season, we are highlighting Vermont’ s equestrian heritage in honor of our new CEO, Jen Paterson, and her own personal equestrian background. Daphne Markcrow’ s personal story( page 60), is a beautiful tribute to a local mother and daughter who have devoted themselves to the equestrian lifestyle.
Thank you for joining us in celebrating the rich past and vibrant present of our community— here’ s to making new memories together this season! We hope you enjoy reading all these stories as much as we’ ve enjoyed sharing them with you.
2 manchester life | manchesterlifemagazine. com