▁Ri pton , ▁Verm ont , ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁Middle bury ▁on ▁a ▁plate au ▁within ▁sight ▁of ▁B read ▁Lo af ▁Mountain . ▁Between ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁Joseph ▁Batt ell ▁acquired ▁vast ▁tract s ▁of ▁land ▁and ▁left ▁ ▁to ▁Middle bury ▁College ▁upon ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁The ▁College ▁sold ▁nearly ▁all ▁property ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁core ▁of ▁the ▁Green ▁Mountain ▁National ▁Forest ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁but ▁retained ▁the ▁mountain ▁campus ▁and ▁the ▁rust ic ▁summer ▁resort ▁Batt ell ▁developed . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁hosting ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁English ▁and ▁the ▁B read ▁Lo af ▁Writ ers ' ▁Conference , ▁the ▁mountain ▁campus ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁Middle bury ▁College ' s ▁R ik ert ▁Ski ▁Tour ing ▁Center ▁during ▁the ▁winter ▁months . ▁ ▁The ▁campus ▁consists ▁of ▁two - do zen ▁cla p board ▁buildings ▁serving ▁as ▁d orm itories , ▁class rooms , ▁and ▁social ▁space . ▁An ▁additional ▁seven ▁c ott ages ▁are ▁located ▁within ▁one ▁mile ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁campus . ▁The ▁B read ▁Lo af ▁Inn , ▁which ▁now ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁d orm itory ▁and ▁d ining ▁hall , ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁and ▁subsequently ▁expanded ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Empire ▁style . ▁The ▁campus ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁distinct ive ▁must ard - color ed ▁buildings ▁d ating ▁from ▁Batt ell ' s ▁era