The Stone Tower is one of Brattleboro's most unusual structures. The tower was completed in 1870 by patients of the facility that was then known as the Vermont Asylum for the Insane, as a form of therapeutic manual labor. The tower was situated on a steep hillside above the campus and was reachable by foot paths and carriage trails. It was thought that it would be a pleasant destination for patients. However, tales of suicides and other tragedies have turned the tower into a supernatural structure.
The 65-foot tall tower was constructed of granite from the land below the site, as well as quarries in Dummerston. The tower interior is no longer opened to the public but anyone can hike here on public trails. (Daytime only, please, or beware of ghosts!)
Trail access can be made from several directions on foot or by bicycle. The best parking if traveling by car is at the ski jump trailhead on Cedar Street. Cross the street to access the tower trail network -- follow the Tower Road trail less than 1/2 a mile to the top of the hill.
A trail map is available here or at trailhead kiosks. Trail Map
Since this is a virtual cache, there is no physical container to find. In order to qualify to log this cache, you must visit the site and answer some questions to prove you have visited. Please send me the answers to the questions below in a Geocaching message through my profile. Please do not post your answers in your online log. Go ahead and log your find when you have a chance.
1. The top of the tower is built in the style of a castle battlement. Each of the ten uprights originally had a granite cap. One remains. How many caps (whole or partial) do you see on the ground?
2. You can't see these all at once. How many window openings are on the tower?
3. Optional: Post a picture of you (face not required) or a personal geocaching item with the tower in the background. Get creative with the angles! (Please don't post spoilers for the answers.)
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.