Blueberry
Hill Inn - Biography
Tony Clark’s parents lived in Bordeaux, France. They were evacuated during WWII in 1940, the last Brits to leave on a Red Cross ship to Plymouth, England. The Clarks then relocated to Wales where, in 1945, Anthony (“Tony”) Clark was born. In 1946, the family moved again to Bordeaux where Clark attended French school. He then went to Victoria College in the Channel Islands. Clark returned to France in 1962.
He purchased a £65 Fly Now, Pay Later ticket on Pan Am to Boston, there to visit his brother, who was studying for his doctorate at Harvard University. It was during this visit that Clark was offered—and happily accepted—a green card to stay in the US. As holder of a US resident alien (i.e., green) card, Clark was called for duty in the US armed forces and got as far as his induction physical, at which time his knees earned him a 1-Y rating, excusing him permanently from active service.
Clark was offered a position at Englebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts, teaching French and coaching soccer. During this time, he met Martha Covert, who later became his wife. Martha’s husband, an avid rock climber, was one of Clark’s dearest friends. Tragically, he was killed in a rock fall in Colorado. Clark’s succor turned to caring and then romance.
Martha fell in love with Goshen—and Clark—and they moved here in 1967, during the “hippy movement’s” heyday. They bought Blueberry Hill Farm on 100 acres in 1967 for $30,000. The $180 mortgage payment purchased the 100 acres and a building which ended at the present-day kitchen. The greenhouse was a barn, which had been empty for three years, and which was in deplorable condition.
During the early 1970s, Clark represented a line of Norwegian skis during the cross-country ski “craze.” Then, inspired by Johannes von Trapp of Stowe, he borrowed the funds to open a cross-country ski center across from Blueberry Hill Farm, motivated by two things: the gas crisis inspired travelers to seek alternatives to alpine skiing (which was quite expensive relative to cross country skiing) and the “get fit” craze.
Thrilled at finally having his cross country ski center, Clark only later realized that his skiers were skiing on Green Mountain National Forest land. Working closely with the National Forest, he secured the very first permit allowing civilians to ski on national land—a true milestone!
In 1978, Clark returned from a trip to Murmansk, Russia (where he was leading a Sports Illustrated trip) to learn that his wife had taken a fancy to an Inn guest and ran off with him, leaving with most of the Inn’s furniture. Licking his wounds, Clark went back to the bank and completely redecorated the Inn.
In the mid-1980s, cross country skiing fell out of vogue, due, in part, to the ski areas’ heavily marketing efforts. Clark ‘discovered’ weddings. These are done with tremendous panache and distinction at Blueberry Hill. So much so, that Clark limits these to ten annually, regularly dazzling everyone.
One day, a guest named Shari Brown stayed at the Inn while backpacking “inn to inn” with her aunt. Clark and Brown were simpatico and an enamored Clark told Shari “If you ever wanted a job, you have one at Blueberry Hill.” Clark left for a three-week trip to Asia and, upon returning, he found new employee Shari Brown firmly ensconced as assistant innkeeper. The pair later married and the couple has two children: Britta and Oliver.
In 1997, Tony Clark became the Vermont innkeeper with the longest tenure—three decades at Blueberry Hill. Time for reflection. Clark, inspired by former Vermont Governor Kuhnin’s land stewardship initiatives, formed the Moosalamoo Association, a land trust partnership between the Green Mountain National Forest and local partners in which cost sharing and public funding helped preserve the Moosalamoo region of the Green Mountains. This initiative will be Clark’s legacy for Blueberry Hill. This year, the Association received a grant from the US government to execute land clearing (forest is not an ideal wildlife habitat), bird monitoring and encourage the return of formerly indigenous wild blueberries. A field cleared in 1999 had three reported sightings of moose in the first half of 2000. Success!
Clark is an active innkeeper, and one will always find him at the core of ‘what’s happening’ in state and regional tourism and innkeeping industries. He is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and an outspoken supporter of land conservation and the environment. Last year, Blueberry Hill was designated a Vermont Green Inn, recognition for the Inn’s many environmentally-friendly contributions to the state of Vermont.
As Blueberry Hill’s acclaim grows, so does Clark’s modesty. Ever one to hand off recognition to staff or others, Clark’s contributions to New England’s tourism industry, innkeeping and to Vermont’s ecological health themselves comprise a sizeable legacy. Moosalamoo, however, remains at the core of what Clark feels is his most important contribution. Blueberry Hill is a veritable ‘Shangri-la’ in the heart of the Green Mountains, surrounded by the Forest which Clark has endeavored for decades to protect and defend. He speaks of the land as if it were his own progeny and, in a way, it truly is, for its rebirth is today being effected through his efforts.
Blueberry Hill sits in a time warp. Time stands still and ‘the good life’ of yore is still lived here in full measure. Tony Clark presides over this land, even as he endeavors mightily to preserve its character and beauty for future generations. Clark is keeping the green in the Green Mountains.
Michael Patrick Destinations & Communications
396 Main Street, Suite #3
Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts 02601-3900
508-790-0566/Fax 508-790-0565
e-mail: info@mpdcltd.com
