Bingham Falls - Conserved 2001

Imagine a place that hasn’t changed since the year 1800 – a  place with a cold, clear mountain stream that has carved channels through rock for thousands of years; a pristine 40-foot waterfall that cascades into a clear pool; and tall hemlocks enveloping the stream banks.  Now imagine this same place lined with inviting swimming holes and trails that are preserved in perpetuity for public use.  Although it sounds like a fantasy, this place is real – it is Bingham Falls.

Bingham Falls was privately owned from 1880 until 2000.  The McSweeneys, the former owners, allowed public access and Bingham Falls became a favorite recreation spot in Stowe as both locals and tourists visited the falls to dip into the numerous refreshing swimming holes.  Besides the obvious recreational attributes of Bingham Falls, there are important ecological values to this property as well.  The Bingham Falls parcel contains the upper reaches of the Waterbury River Watershed, and was also identified by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources as a critical bear corridor.   

Realizing the inherent threat to such a beautiful area, especially considering its proximity to the Stowe Mountain Resort, conservation groups began attempting to conserve the property in 1990.  No deal was ever established that was satisfactory to the owners and the conservationists.  In 2000, Bingham Falls was sold to a Massachusetts developer who planned to build a spa/resort on the property and to use the falls as a focal point for the resort.  Public access would have likely been discontinued and many people in Vermont were devastated by the sale and the likely consequences. “Now the danger is it will become a spot that only the most wealthy can enjoy,” said Jeff Meyers, executive director of the Vermont River Conservancy, a non-profit land conservation group based in Burlington, Vermont.

The threat to Bingham Falls galvanized rather than discouraged conservationists.  Shortly after the sale, representatives from Stowe Land Trust and Vermont River Conservancy began meeting with the developer to discuss purchase options.  In April 2001 the developer agreed to sell Stowe Land Trust 72 acres at Bingham Falls for $1 million.

Funding for the purchase of Bingham Falls came from a number of sources, including an anonymous donation of $500,000 and a grant of $265,000 from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB).  At Town Meeting Day, Stowe residents voted in favor of using a Town Bond of $235,000 for the remaining purchase costs.  Grants from the Lintilhac Foundation and the Oakland Foundation and private contributions covered closing costs.  After the purchase, SLT, VHCB, and the Vermont Land Trust placed a conservation easement on the property and transferred the title to the State of Vermont.  The conservation easement protects public access and swimming rights while restricting all development and subdivision of the property.

The preservation of Bingham Falls was an important victory for both the Town of Stowe and the State of Vermont.  Said Kathleen Fitzgerald, former Executive Director of Stowe Land Trust, “Thanks to the support of Stowe residents and several generous donors, generations to come will always have the opportunity to witness the raging falls, observe the changing of the seasons at Bingham Falls, and engage in a unique, natural area.  We are fortunate."