When the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) decided to relocate its statewide office, it had options. It chose to leave Burlington and move to a 120-year-old schoolhouse in the Mad River Valley — and the reason is pretty simple: the trail runs right up the road.
That proximity isn’t just convenient. It reflects something intentional about what the Number Nine Schoolhouse is becoming. CTA joins the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), which already occupies part of the lower level, as a long-term anchor tenant. Together, they bring the spirit of Vermont’s great outdoors directly into the building — and provide the kind of stable, mission-aligned tenancy that makes the schoolhouse’s long-term sustainability possible.
Having two established nonprofits with statewide reach as full occupants of the lower level is significant. Their presence generates reliable rental income that offsets operating costs, which in turn gives FNNS the breathing room to focus on what comes next: renovating the upper classroom and opening it to community programs and events beginning in fall 2026.
There’s also something fitting about the pairing. Both CTA and NFCT embody the values at the heart of the FNNS mission — service, connection to place, and bringing people together outdoors. The natural setting along the Mill Brook and at the gateway to the Green Mountains isn’t just a backdrop; it’s part of what draws organizations like these here.
The schoolhouse is quietly becoming what we always hoped it would be: a hub where organizations with shared values can gather, collaborate, and do good work in the Valley.
To see what else is in store, take a look at The Plan — and if you’d like to support the restoration, we’d be grateful.
Related Reading
- Community Nonprofit Will Preserve Fayston Landmark with Help From Burley Family, Valley Reporter
- The Confluence of Recreation, Arts, and Culture, Along the Mill Brook