After eight years of driving by these tourist cabins on Joe’s Pond in West Danville, VT, I finally stopped to snap a few photographs. I figured if I waited any longer, I’d be tempting fate. This collection of tourist cabins is known as “Injunjoe Court”. No, it’s certainly not a name that would be given today. However, it is reportedly named after a St. Francis Indian of the Canadian Coosuck tribe. This site was used for summer hunting grounds, and Old Joe was a scout and guide on the side of the Americans in the Revolutionary War. He protected the builders of the nearby Bailey-Hazen Road. (Source: Vermont Hsitoric Sites and Structures Survey, page 70 of this PDF.)
You will see this sign on your right as you travel eastbound on US Route 2 through West Danville, VT.
View from the Joe’s Pond side of the road.
There are 15 cabins on the property, all slightly different and of varying sizes. Most have novelty siding and a small porch.
Exposed rafter tails, old screen doors, lots of charm.
The office sits up on the hill.
View from the office and upper cabins.
This one has an original window (2nd from left) and fieldstone chimney. Note the window flowerbox, too.
A row of cabins.
Spectacular views from all of the cabins.
Even the cabins closest to the road offer privacy.
An undated postcard. Note the signage. It appears that today’s sign is the same, except for the color and the headdress removed on the left side.
Scroll to Book III, page 70 of this PDF of the Danville Vermont Historic Sites & Structures Survey for a detailed history and architectural description.
From the VHSSS, an undated postcard. The cabin at the road and the entrance gate are no longer extant.
Likely constructed in the earlier decades of the 20th century, the cabins and cottages appear to have changed very little since them. An old brochure (no date, but it is from a 2013 environmental review file) indicates that Injunjoe Court had cabins, cottages, and RV spaces. Guests could borrow canoes, rowboats, and paddleboats for free. Rates included housekeeping, cable tv, heating, refrigerator, microwave, and bathrooms. Some cottages had fully furnished kitchens. Click on the brochure link above to see an interior photo. The distinction between the cabins and cottages was that cabins were smaller (think tourist cabins, no kitchens) and cottages were larger with kitchens and could accommodate four people. At one point the owner was Beth Perreault.
Based on the lack of No/Vacancy signage and the website that is no longer up (injunjoecourt.net), I’d say that Injunjoe Court is not open in 2018. If you know anything about it, please share in the comments.
Preservation in Pink 
It’s truly remarkable when something like this survives, as the motel industry changed rapidly in the 20th century and players who didn’t keep up generally found themselves out of business.
Agreed. These are few and far between!
What is happening to these cottages?
Used to stay there before they were sold a few years back
These. Abi s we’re sold years ago and sadly the buyer did not reopen after modernizing . It just sits there. How I miss the people who owned it as we were regulars there and stayed all year round throughout the year. It saddens me to know they are falling apart
Grace Frost
Hi Grace – I don’t know the latest on these. Last time I drove by they were still sitting there, empty. So sad. Seems like such a fun place to stay. If I find an update, I’ll get back to you.
Thank you. My husband and I would love to rent the house at the end for the summer and the owner will not even answer a call
Does anyone know who bought Injun Joe Court, and if the cabins will be restored? Use to stay there very frequently.
The property was sold to Thomas Lauzon of Barre, Vermont in 2017. The original plan was to tear the cottages down and build condos; however, that has changed and when I interviewed Thom in 2019 for a history book I’m working on about West Danville, he told me that after spending time there he decided to restore the cabins that are worth saving and keep the property pretty much as it is. He is still open to suggestions on how to proceed, but said he will expand the popular RV park, rent cabins for the time being, and said he and his wife, Karen, are “maintaining the property, and hoping to make the best possible plans to retain its charm and historic presence.” The Joe’s Pond community appreciates his efforts. The cabins and RV park are available for rent each summer. –Jane Brown
How can you book a place there and are they still renting at this time?
Tad – thanks for getting in touch. The numbers I have for Thomas Lauzon are his cell, 802-793-1033 and his home phone in Barre, 802-479-2043. I don’t know if he is renting any of the cabins this year; the last I heard, they are all scheduled to come down this fall to be replaced by hookups for travel homes and RVs. If you don’t have any luck reaching him, Point Comfort, across the road, still rents cottages, I believe. Their number is 802-684-3379; or the owner is Joe Turner, 802-684-1010.
Thank you so much for the information, booked a place at point comfort. Never seen that place the 2 times I stayed at injun joe court.
Oh no! They are being removed? That is too sad.
My great-aunt used to own and run this place. My mom used to take me and my sister there in the summer to visit. After I had my kids I took them there for a few days in the summers when they were young. I loved it there. So much charm. And my great-aunt Beth was so nice. She sold it, and then passed away just a short time after. I will always treasure my memories of her and this place.
I have just finished research and writing a history of West Danville and Joe’s Pond for the Danville Historical Society. We expect the book to be published this fall. We did extensive research and interviewed members of the late Beth and Delphis Perreault’s family for the book. They told us Mrs. Perreault sold to a couple who owned it for only three years. It was that couple who put in the present RV campground. Mrs. Perreault took the place back and operated it for another several years until Mr. Lauzon bought it in 2017. He originally intended to have condominiums built there, but has now apparently changed his mind and will install more RV hookups in place of the cabins, for a mostly older adult clientele. I do not know if he intends to keep the name, or some version of it. I expect the only remnants of the original setup may be the main lodge on the hill and the year-around house the Perreaults lived in before Beth built her new home.
Thank you for the information, Jane. I’ll look for the book when it comes out. Congratulations!