American portrait and landscape painter James Hope excelled at capturing the beauty of mid-19th century Vermont. He is best known for his five large paintings of the Civil War Battle of Antietam in Maryland, done from sketches made while serving as Captain in the 2nd VT Volunteers. The paintings are displayed at the Antietam Battlefield. Hope built his Gothic Revival style home in 1851, where he painted each summer for twenty years. He taught painting for a time at Castleton Seminary before later moving to Watkins Glen, NY, where he became known for his landscape paintings. He is buried in Watkins Glen.