New innkeepers take over the Old Stagecoach Inn

Oct. 22, 2022  |  By Ingrid Jonas  |  Correspondent 

John Barwick takes a moment behind the bar at the Old Stagecoach Inn. Photo by Gordon Miller

In the winter of 2014, before Andy and Lavinia LaBonte had married, they ventured up to Vermont from their homes in Massachusetts in pursuit of The Alchemist’s renowned craft beer. At 4 a.m. on an icy Interstate 89, driving without snow tires, they had a harrowing close call when the car spun 360 degrees.

They made it to Waterbury and bought the beloved beer, but decided to wait for better weather before heading home.  That’s when they found the Old Stagecoach Inn where owner Jack Barwick welcomed them.

“He was a really nice man who greeted us with a big smile and he had one room left for the night,” Lavinia LaBonte said during the couple’s recent return visit to the Old Stagecoach. “He had charm, like, ‘when you’re here, you’re family.’ And he wanted to make sure we were safe.”

Now married, the LaBontes have since made regular visits to the Waterbury inn. While playing chess at the Old Stagecoach bar one evening during their recent stay, they talked about one of their favorite features of the inn – the chatty resident 30-year-old African grey parrot, Sophie, who rewards their affection.  “She lets me scratch her head, ” Andy LaBonte said with a grin.

As Airbnb and other online vacation platforms have siphoned business from traditional inns and bed-and-breakfasts, the Old Stagecoach has stayed the course with a steady stream of loyal guests like the LaBontes. The nearly 200-year-old inn offers a relaxed atmosphere, breakfasts cooked to order, and a strong sense of history that includes an occasional glimpse of a ghost, according to some of the inn’s enthusiasts. 

Now the Old Stagecoach, which dates to 1826, is entering its next chapter with a new owner as the busy winter ski season approaches. Christa Bowdish, a former Marine Corps pilot, has purchased the inn located at 18 North Main Street from Barwick, the longtime owner and chef who is retiring. 

The sale of the property, inn and its contents was completed on Oct. 14 for $1.525 million, according to real estate records filed afterward with the town.  

While Airbnb recently listed 35 possible lodgings in Waterbury, the Old Stagecoach is the only traditional inn in town. It’s typically booked for foliage season, holidays and most weekends. In the summer, Barwick said, he hosts through-hikers on the Long Trail and guests in town for events. 

The inn’s architecture and decor hail from a bygone era in Waterbury and create an old-fashioned, comfortable environment at this fixture on North Main Street. Its prominent outside wrap-around porches have comfortable chairs. Inside, there’s a cozy parlor with a fireplace, a petite library bar with games and antiques, and a bustling kitchen – as well as the popular, attention-grabbing Sophie. Its 12 guest rooms each have unique decor.

It’s common for guests to regularly return. 

“I’ve developed friendships with repeat guests over many years, and I’ll miss those interactions,” Barwick said. “The rhythm of the inn is something I’ve gotten used to.” 

From traveler to innkeeper

Longtime Old Stagecoach Inn owner John Barwick hands over the keys to the historic inn's new keeper, Christa Bowdish. Photo by Gordon Miller

Bowdish picks up the Old Stagecoach after a career in the Marine Corps and corporate life. She said she was among the first three female Marines to fly the F-18 fighter jet, when combat restrictions were lifted for women. She served from 1995 to 2004 and achieved the rank of captain.

In the Marines, she said, she embraced the ethos of mission and commitment and learned leadership skills to make things run well. While traveling during deployments, she loved to explore and would immerse herself into the culture, avoiding the role of tourist. 

That practice sparked her interest in innkeeping – to help other travelers have authentic experiences – “whether that be outdoors or the best antiquing spot or the best place to get maple syrup,” she said during a recent interview before the real estate closing last Friday.

After leaving the Corps and spending the last 20 years in Nashville, Bowdish began to consider a career change “to actually live someplace that I would want to vacation,” she said. 

She took webinars, did research, and joined innkeeping associations. Last summer, she worked at an inn in Montana to do the day-to-day work. Then, Vermont’s mountains, water and cooler temperatures called her to Waterbury, with its “Hallmark-town feel.” 

Bowdish sees Waterbury as a place to “get involved, put down some roots and become a part of the community,” she said. “For a town as small as it is population-wise, you’ve got the concerts in the park and the farmers market, multiple good restaurants and art shows.”

She continued, “The business community is doing a lot of good work to make the community attractive both to the residents and people passing through.”  

The ghost comes free

In the 19th century, the Old Stagecoach served as both a hotel and the home of the prominent Henry family. Margaret Annette Henry, known as Nettie, was one of eight Henry children. She married Albert Spencer, who owned several factories in Ohio and properties in Burlington.

Nettie is described in Waterbury history as a high-spirited millionaire with a penchant for automobiles. She and her husband added the third level to the building.  She died in 1947 and was laid to rest in a mausoleum in Hope Cemetery near the inn.  Over the years, some guests have written in the inn’s guest book about friendly visits from a ghost – possibly that of Nettie Spencer, according to Barwick’s retelling of the stories.  

Barwick bought the Old Stagecoach with his father, Jack, 29 years ago, when they moved to Waterbury from Westport, Connecticut. Jack died in 2017 but was the guiding force in their endeavor.

“Dad was going to run the inn, and I had some experience at age 19 when I was a short-order breakfast cook at the Circle Deli in Boston,” Barwick said.

Once a corporate trainer who played guitar in a friend’s Boston band, he channeled that initial kitchen experience into Vermont country cooking with a focus on seasonal fare for guest breakfasts. When he gets some downtime, he still plays one of the many guitars he owns.

The inn’s bar and parlor display photos of Jack Barwick and copies of his book, about his time serving as an “underage ensign” in the Navy. 

“I have enjoyed continuing the tradition set by my dad, and I was so happy we could create a space where he could live out the end of his life in a way that was rewarding to him,” Barwick said. “I hope the inn remains an important part of Waterbury’s landscape.” 

It has remained an important part of the LaBontes’ life. As they left the Old Stagecoach after their recent stay, they had already booked their favorite room for the same weekend next year.  

Ingrid Jonas is a local freelance writer who works a part-time shift each week at the Old Stagecoach Inn and adds to the parrot Sophie’s vocabulary.