Running a twisty seven miles south from US-4 and Bridgewater, Route 100A passes through beautiful scenery and Plymouth Notch, birthplace of Calvin Coolidge, the only U.S. president born on the 4th of July. The small hilltop clutch of buildings is so little changed by modern times, it’s a wonder there aren’t horses with carriages parked behind the visitors center instead of Subarus. One of the most evocative and simply beautiful historic sites in New England, the Coolidge homestead has been restored to its 1923 appearance when Colonel John Coolidge administered the oath of office to his vacationing son, the vice president, after President Harding died unexpectedly in San Francisco. The house, the general store, and the cheese factory are three of the ten buildings open to the public (daily in summer; $7.50; 802/672-3773). There’s also a mile-long nature trail offering fine views of Plymouth Notch and its Green Mountain surroundings.
