Dog Chapel

In the “shire town” of St. Johnsbury, you’ll find Dog Mountain, where “all creeds, all breeds, no dogmas” are welcome. This precious chapel was created by artist and woodworker Stephen Huneck as a loving testament to our canine companions.

Well before the chapel was built, Huneck became so severely ill that he fell into a coma. Defying all expectations, he awoke, but had to relearn how to walk, write, and carve wood. Throughout that challenging span, he mused on his renewed gratitude for life and our rituals surrounding death. One evening, as he was using his walker to cross a threshold between rooms, an unconventional idea sprang to mind: Build a dog chapel. Though he was instantly filled with new ambition, his medical bills had put him in the kind of debt that would prevent him from buying supplies for even a birdhouse. Still, he clung to the dream.

Refusing to be dissuaded by his lack of capital, Huneck put a call out to friends that he was on the hunt for stained-glass windows. Not long after, he got a call from a guy who had found the perfect windows and was ready to sell them for a cool six thousand dollars— money Huneck certainly didn’t have. After he hung up, an older couple who had been eavesdropping asked him about the curious conversation, and he described his idea for a dog chapel.

These fellow Vermonters were also dog lovers and generously offered Huneck a deal. If he carved them a six-foot custom table, they’d loan him the necessary funds. He agreed with gusto. The windows were perfect an —once ornamented with pup motifs—were ready for their new home. Three years later, the Dog Chapel was complete.

The wooden building, steeple, and those stainedglass windows suggest a traditional New England chapel. But upon entering, you will receive no hushed reminder to bow your head solemnly. A favorite feature of the space looks like an ongoing mood board but is actually a profoundly touching memorial wall, where visitors leave notes, photos, and mementos honoring their precious furry friends. There’s also a visitors’ book, where people share stories of those who once wagged their tails beside them. The space is complemented by Huneck’s dog-focused paintings, sculptures, and woodcut prints, all on display in the gift shop. Entry remains free and, thankfully, so do the necessary tissues.

P.S. If you’re in a hurry, avoid the nearby Great Vermont Corn Maze promoted as “24 acres of cornfusion.”

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