Mount Aeolus (Vermont)
| Mount Aeolus | |
|---|---|
  Mount Aeolus | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,230 ft (980 m) NGVD 29[1] |
| Coordinates | 43°14′26″N 73°02′19″W / 43.2406309°N 73.0387151°WCoordinates: 43°14′26″N 73°02′19″W / 43.2406309°N 73.0387151°W [2] |
| Geography | |
| Location | Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont |
| Parent range | Taconic Range |
| Topo map | USGS Manchester |
Mount Aeolus is a mountain summit in Dorset., Bennington County, Vermont, United States. Mount Aeolus is one of the Taconic Mountains. It lies 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the community of East Dorset.[2]
Name
Its name is derived from Aeolus, the Greek god of the wind. The Board on Geographic Names ruled in favor of the current name in 1986; prior to that time, the mountain had also been referred to as "Mount Eolus."[2]
Mt Aeolus and Bill W
Bill Wilson, the co-founder of AA was born on November 26, 1895, in East Dorset, Vermont, at his parents' home, then known as the Mount Aeolus Inn and Tavern, now the Wilson House. The Mt. Aeolus Inn was owned and operated by his grandfather, William Wilson. The elder Wilson had been an alcoholic and had a sobering experience while hiking on Mount Aeolus, and after that experience, remained sober for the remaining years of his life.
As a young man Bill followed in his grandfather’s footsteps, exploring the Mt. Aeolus hillsides and the trails gave him as much solace as they had for his grandfather.
Later in life, Bill found that the view from Room 6 at the Erdman's Eyrie Motel held the most meaning for him as it allowed to see the vistas that meant the most to him. Looking out the front windows he could see the towering Green Mountains with their "V" notch, which Bill used to walk as he meditated, and the back windows gave him a perfect view of Mount Aeolus - a mountain which held particular meaning for him and his grandfather.[3] When the sun coming over the Green Mountains at dawn shines on the top of Mt. Aeolus, you can see the "halo" surrounding the mountain that was so revered by Bill and Lois Wilson. Today, one can enjoy the view of Mount Aeolus from Erdman's Eyrie which still operates under the name The Aerie Inn of Vermont.[4]
Documentation of Bill Wilson Living at the Aerie Inn of East Dorset Vermont is available on Joyce Erdman YouTube.com It documents Bill and Lois Wilson holding meetings in the Aerie Inn lobby and on its front porch in front of room 6. The Aerie Inn continues to this day as a clean and sober resort due to the owners who purchased the property in 2003. The Wilsons adopted the owners of the resort in the 1960s as their own family since they did not have any children.
References
- ↑ "Mount Aeolus, Vermont". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- 1 2 3 "Mount Aeolus". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Erdman, Charlie & Joyce. "Interview with Mr. & Mrs. Erdman". Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- ↑ Gajdatsy, Carol. "Interview with the Owner of The Aerie Inn, formerly the Erdman's Eyrie". Retrieved 2013-05-20.