The cultural life of St. Johnsbury has been greatly influenced by the generosity

of the Fairbanks family. The Fairbanks family founded both the Fairbanks Museum and the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, a National Historic Landmark. The Athenaeum houses a valuable art collection and the Fairbanks Museum has a planetarium as well as a plethora of historical collections, including outstanding dioramas.

Artists and writers flock to St. Johnsbury, lured by the tranquility and beautiful vistas in the town and surrounding areas. The Artisan's Guild shop on Railroad Street showcases the artwork of many area artists in its Backroom Gallery. Catamount Arts has several art galleries with exhibits by Vermont artists that change frequently. The late artist Stephen Huneck founded Dog Mountain in St. Johnsbury, which contains the world's only Dog Chapel. Writers from the local area include Reeve Lindbergh, Nathaniel Tripp, Howard Frank Mosher, and Don Bredes. We have compiled a directory of local writers and artists, as well as links to their work.

Poetry is thriving in St. Johnsbury, which houses the unique poetry collection of Beth Kanell. Beth is a writer who also mentors many other poets. You can read about her thoughts on poetry and other subjects on her Kingdom Books blog. Notable poets from the local area include Pulitzer Prize winner Galway Kinnell and famed poet Sydney Lea.

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