We’re catching up with Maria Pelton this week! She shares what brought her here from a very small Vermont town (population 600!), the joys of fixing up a 120+ year old Glens Falls home, and as a dog fanatic, the one thing she’d like to see in the city in the future…
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Maria Pelton and I am a professional wedding officiant and baker. I grew up in a very small town in Southern Vermont (population of roughly 600) where my parents owned the only general store in town and I attended a one-room schoolhouse through 6th grade. I am the youngest of four siblings with my parents having adopted three of us, all of a different nationality than them.
I live here in Glens Falls with my partner of 6 years, Christopher Crowd, and have one daughter, Marlee, who's getting ready to graduate from Ithaca College in a month.
On Life In and Around Glens Falls
My siblings and I grew up coming to Glens Falls as young children. Although we lived in Vermont, my family were members of the Glens Falls YMCA, coming to Glens Falls every Tuesday and Thursday. My sister and I would take swimming lessons while my brothers would be in karate or other various classes, my mom would do nautilus (I still remember when it used to be to the right when you first walked in the front doors), and my dad, John Pelton, would go on long runs with his friends — now often referred to as "The Legend" by his running friends, he was a competitive runner for many years.
When my daughter was 7 years old we landed in Glens Falls to live as I began working for Travelers Insurance, where I was employed for 14 years. I absolutely love this area. We rented for roughly 7 years before I purchased the home that we now live in in 2014. I'm very much a DIY'er and have done a ton of work on our home, which was built in 1900. Painting, and more painting, installing flooring, replacing windows, installing light fixtures, landscaping, you name it! I've always found it exciting to work through the process and see the end result.
Some Glens Falls Favorites
I'd have to say my favorite thing about Glens Falls is the food scene. I went to culinary school and graduated in 1997 from the New England Culinary Institute in Essex Junction, VT. I'm a foodie, and Glens Falls has made a mark on the food scene. From Morgan & Co. to Radici, Mint to Gourmet Cafe; there's something to satisfy most people's taste buds.
A Perfect Glens Falls Day
My ideal day...well, it would definitely begin with a stop at Park & Elm Market for one of their delicious breakfast wraps. Then it would be off to the Shirt Factory to explore the many great businesses that fill such a beautiful structure. A quick stop at Gourmet Cafe to grab one of their delicious sandwiches or salads, and then it's off on a walk through Crandall Park. A before dinner cocktail at Fenimore’s before heading to dinner at Morgan & Co., where we can always be guaranteed a great meal. And perhaps finishing it off with a nightcap at Radici.
On the Past
That would have to be the Civic Center — I just can't get used to calling it the Cool Insuring Arena. When I was younger I remember big names coming to "little" Glens Falls to perform at the Civic Center. I still remember coming to see WWE wrestling with my best friend and her mother. At the time they were big fans, and I had never seen it except on television. What an experience!
On the Future
I do believe that Glens Falls is already looking to the future, but if I could speed things up a bit I'd have to say that I'd love to see a dog park. I am a dog fanatic; and I mean fanatic. And although we don't currently own any dogs of our own, you will often see me walking with a dog around our neighborhood as we watch dogs for friends and family. A dog park could be a great addition to this area.
