The Legend of “Boots Berry” a Stowe, Vermont Ghost Story
Any self respecting Vermont Inn has a resident ghost or two. The Green Mountain Inn located in Stowe is no exception. As a matter of fact, they have a very unique tap dancing ghost.
The Green Mountain Inn's doors first opened in 1833, welcoming generations of guests both famous and unknown—and by all accounts, the inn remains home to a restless spirit, a figure whose captivating story has become inseparable from Stowe's mythic history. During that time, it has welcomed a variety of guests from famous celebrities to the rowdiest of individuals.
The spirit is said to be that of Boots Berry, whose life ended on the grounds of the historic Inn.
The Roots of a Vermont Ghost Story Begin
Boots was the son of the Inn’s horseman and chambermaid. He was actually born at the Inn – Room 302 in 1840. During that time the room was located on the third floor as part of the servant’s quarters. He grew up in and around the building and took over his father’s work there in his twenties.
He became known as a respected horseman and caretaker of the Inn’s horses. He was also responsible for providing fresh horses for the daily stagecoach. On one particular morning, the stagecoach team bolted and began to runaway with passengers on board. Boots was quick to react and stopped the runaway stage, saving the lives of the passengers inside. He was awarded a medal for heroism and he became well known and popular throughout the county.
Unfortunately, his new found popularity also led to his downfall. He became unreliable and took to drinking and women, in perhaps an excessive amount of both. He eventually lost his job at the Inn.
After that, he traveled the country and wound up in a New Orleans jail, where he learned to tap dance from a fellow prisoner.
A Vermont Ghost Story with a Brave Twist of Misfortune
At the beginning of 1902, Boots found his way back to Stowe. He was broke and only carried the tattered clothes on his back. Shortly after he arrived, there was a severe snowstorm which trapped a little girl on the roof of the Inn.
Boots found his way to the roof and lowered the little girl to safety. Just as she was safe on the ground, Boots lost his footing on the ice covered roof and fell to his death. The roof he was on was directly above Room 302, where he was born. On stormy days, it is said that you can hear Boots Berry tap dancing on the roof.
Echoes from Stowe's Past
In the years following that devastating incident, those who work and stay at the Green Mountain Inn have encountered unexplainable moments, most commonly during winter storms. The telltale click-clack of tap dancing reverberates from above, frequently heard on the roof's surface—particularly over the third-floor area where Boots's life came to its sudden close.
If you are a guest staying on the top floor of the Green Mountain Inn, you might just hear the sounds of someone (or something) dancing and footsteps walking back and forth across the roof. Perhaps that would be Boots Berry, dancing his way through the afterlife!
Want to learn more about the ghostly legend of Boots Berry? Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger visit the Green Mountain Inn in Stowe, Vermont, in search of the tap dancing ghost of Boots Berry. This is a story of heroism, a fall from grace, and a return to glory with a tragic ending that still haunts the 1833 Inn.
Welcoming the Unexplained
In present times, the Green Mountain Inn has fully incorporated its ghostly tenant into the experience, turning Room 302 into one of the inn's most popular reservations. Curious guests pursuing their own brush with the supernatural typically receive advice to visit when snow blankets the region, as these conditions seem to coax out appearances from Stowe's celebrated tapping specter.
- D'Agostino, Thomas (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages – 07/29/2011 (Publication Date) – Schiffer (Publisher)
- Alexander, William M. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 74 Pages – 08/26/2018 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Stansfield Jr., Charles A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 131 Pages – 06/11/2007 (Publication Date) – Stackpole Books (Publisher)
- Lewis, Thea (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 128 Pages – 08/26/2014 (Publication Date) – The History Press (Publisher)
- Simard, Tim (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 204 Pages – 12/16/2025 (Publication Date) – Publishingworks (Publisher)
- This book lists places in Vermont that are haunted
- Some places may not be open to the public
- Some stories may contain graphic content
- Zwicker, Roxie J. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages – 09/25/2023 (Publication Date) – The History Press (Publisher)
- We bring some ghostly tales surrounding the Green Mountains to the lights, whether it's by candle or campfire
- We tackle interviews with different variety of people that have Encountered, Created within the Mysterious World
- Together, We Can Learn
- Publication, Raate Press (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 120 Pages – 07/31/2022 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Martin, Louise (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 08/01/2023 (Publication Date) – Hometown World (Publisher)
Thank you for visiting Vermonter.com! Please subscribe to our email list for the latest articles!
