Richard Travers, known as Trav, originally created and designed the Elm stove and co-founded Vermont Iron Stove Works. After moving to Vermont in 1971 during the energy crisis, Trav, along with Duncan Syme and David Sellers, explored woodstove designs. Duncan formed Vermont Castings, while Trav and Dave founded Vermont Iron Stove Works with their Maple stove.
Trav, tasked with the Maple stove project, found it complex, leading to the creation of the Elm stove in 1976. He produced and sold the Elm stove, eventually partnering with Steve Slatter, who helped expand production. The company moved to Waterbury, Vermont in 1979, producing nearly ten thousand stoves over a decade. The Elm stove was refined over the years, including the introduction of the Catalytic Elm in 1982 to meet new EPA air quality standards.
The woodstove industry fluctuated, and by 1986, the business was sold and later closed. Steve Slatter maintained the Elm stove patterns and parts until 2022 when Rich and Kathy Franklin acquired them. They continue to provide replacement parts and maintain the Elm stove legacy.
