How Middlebury is knit together across a river

Pananoramic from the park on the left bank, looking back toward Main Street.

Middlebury, Vermont, is situated around the Otter Creek.  In an unusual move, the creek takes a sharp left, right after a set of falls which provided power for mills in the 18th and 19th centuries.  This strange left turn creates a broad sweep of space in the middle of the town.   This makes a challenging for knitting the city, a task ably fulfilled by a beautiful park and accompanying landscaping on both sides of the creek.  It is elegant, complete and satisfying in the way it wraps the water into the daily life of the city.  With two bridges, a number of stairs and small alleys, then a sweep of vista made into an amphitheater, it has complexity and charm that are a delight to find.

From Google Maps--Check out the sharp turn the Creek makes