About Us
The 1828 Reunion House exists today because of a tight bond among family, friends and a love of winter sports.
In 1996, Matthew Fitzgerald, of Maryland, now an owner, was working in Stowe, Vermont on an Advisory Panel to the State’s Medicaid Program. As a seasoned skier, Matthew had a love for winter sports and particularly the Green Mountains. With the collaborative work project keeping him from home, Matthew and his wife Peg decided to take a week rental and introduce their five children to the splendors of a real snow filled winter. Brother Christian Fitzgerald joined the group and a tradition was born.
Fast forward, a few years to Christian, Matthew and Peg day dreaming about “renting a place for the entire winter season.“ With Matthew working in Stowe, the search for a season rental ensued. Enter the 1828 House, a lovely farmhouse owned by Jane and David Thrailkill which was currently for rent. Located a short distance from Okemo Mountain Ski Resort, the farmhouse offered plenty of room for families and friends to congregate. The Fitzgerald’s pursued their dream, gathered together six other family-partners and called the first year of renting the Thrailkill home ‘The Experiment.’ Indeed, it truly was an experiment in communal ski house living!
Brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, friends from long ago, it was as if the 1828 House had a magnetic pull to reunite folks of all ages. A casual comment made one evening to the housekeeper about “buying the place” resulted in a call from owner Mr. David Thrailkill to Christian Fitzgerald.
Today, in our 11th season we can truly say that the ‘The Experiment’ has been a success. Three families, Matthew and Peg Fitzgerald, Christian Fitzgerald and Joe and Kathy Zulty, co-own the house. The positive collaboration has brought the 1828 Reunion House into the 21st century while retaining the 19th century charm. The Trail Thrill Ski Club, calls the 1828 Reunion House home, with the clever name taken from the original owners of the farmhouse.
The magical appeal of the house attracts guests from every walk of life. Weddings, reunions, family gatherings, corporate retreats, the 1828 Reunion House is the stage for memories in the making. With a roaring fire in the winter, a libation at one’s side and an old friend to share a tale, the 1828 continues to comfort, re-energize and provide laughter for those who rest amongst its cozy rooms.
Come and take a step back into time, stroll along the country road that follows the Williams River, climb the Green Mountains of Vermont. The fresh air will do you good …and who knows you may find yourself starting your own tradition, as an ‘Experiment!’