Waitsfield’s General Wait House Commission wants to know what community members feel is the highest and best use of the General Wait carriage and dairy barn.
The two outbuildings on the General Wait House property are currently underused and in need of upgrades. Commissioners are seeking practical concepts to guide next steps in preservation, programming, and improvements.
Community members are encouraged to submit specific, actionable ideas, such as:
- Community gathering space and meeting rentals (seasonal or expanded year-round)
- History and heritage interpretation (exhibits, demonstrations, school programs)
- Arts and culture (workshops, performances, maker space, artist residencies)
- Food and agriculture connections (farm-history programming, community events, educational kitchens/foodways demonstrations)
- Small events that support town vitality (lectures, civic forums, celebrations)
- Storage, operations, or shared nonprofit support space
- Creative partnerships that strengthen sustainability and protect the character
Ideas will be most helpful if they address:
- Community benefit: Who will use the space and how often?
- Historic preservation: How would the idea protect the buildings’ historic character?
- Feasibility: What level of renovation, equipment, or staffing might be needed?
- Seasonality and access: Is the use three-season or year-round?
- What accessibility needs should be considered?
- Financial sustainability: Can the concept be supported through rentals, grants, partnerships, or earned revenue?
- Compatibility: How will the use work with existing activity on the property?
Submit community comments by June 24. Comments can be emailed to
The June 24 meeting takes place at the Wait House carriage and dairy barn at 4063 Main Street in Waitsfield and features free pizza and beverages at 5 p.m. The meeting gets underway at 5:30 p.m.
Submissions will be compiled and reviewed to identify recurring themes, feasibility, and partnership opportunities. A summary of community input will be shared publicly, along with next steps for evaluation and implementation, including potential fundraising, grant opportunities, and phased improvements.
“The General Wait barns should be preserved not simply as an old structure, but as a living connection to the people, commerce, and traditions that shaped our community. Restored and reused as a public asset, they can bring people together, strengthen local identity, and preserve a tangible piece of shared history for generations,” said Fred R. Messer, president of the Waitsfield Historical Society.
The General Wait House, home of Waitsfield’s founder, General Benjamin Wait, was built in 1793 and moved to its present site in the 1830s. The town purchased and restored the property in the 1990s to support public use. The Waitsfield Historical Society has helped steward programming and improvements over time, including work to make the carriage barn a three-season community space.
