Brattleboro

Brattleboro, Vermont
—  Town  —
View of downtown Brattleboro from Mount Wantastiquet in New Hampshire
Location in Vermont
Coordinates: 42°51′0″N 72°34′56″W / 42.85°N 72.58222°W / 42.85; -72.58222Coordinates: 42°51′0″N 72°34′56″W / 42.85°N 72.58222°W / 42.85; -72.58222
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Windham
Chartered	1753
Area
- Total	32.4 sq mi (84.0 km2)
- Land	32.0 sq mi (82.9 km2)
- Water	0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2)
Elevation	633 ft (193 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	12,005
- Density	375.3/sq mi (144.9/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	05301-05304
Area code(s)	802
FIPS code	50-07900[1]
GNIS feature ID	1462049[2]

Brattleboro is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,005 at the 2000 census. It is situated along the Connecticut River, at the mouth of the West River.^[3]

Brattleboro is the oldest town in the state, and noted for its vibrant arts community, as well as the renowned Brattleboro Retreat, a psychiatric hospital and convalescent center.

History

Frontier fort

Bird's-eye view in 1905

To defend Massachusetts during the French and Indian Wars, the General Court voted on December 27, 1723 to build a blockhouse and stockade at what would become Brattleboro. Lieutenant-governor William Dummer signed the measure, so construction of Fort Dummer began on February 3, 1724 and was completed before summer. On October 11, the French attacked the fort and killed some soldiers, but left before reinforcements could arrive.^[4]

In 1725, Dummer's War ended, so in 1728 the fort was converted into a trading post for lucrative commerce with friendly Indians. But in 1744, King George's War broke out and lasted until 1748. Massachusetts kept a small body of troops at the fort until 1750, after which it was considered unnecessary. The township became one of the New Hampshire grants, chartered on December 26, 1753 by Governor Benning Wentworth and named Brattleborough after Colonel William Brattle, Jr. of Boston, a principal proprietor. Settlement was tentative until after the 1763 Treaty of Paris, when France abandoned New France.^[4]

With hostilities ceased, Brattleborough developed quickly, and soon was second to none in the state for business and wealth. In 1771, Stephen Greenleaf opened Vermont's first store in the east village, and in 1784, a post office was established. A bridge was built across the Connecticut River to Hinsdale, New Hampshire in 1804.^[5] In 1834, the Brattleboro Retreat for the mentally ill was founded by bequest of Anna Marsh. The postmaster issued the first postal stamps in the United States in 1846, the year the Brattleboro Hydropathic Establishment opened. Pure spring water was discovered near Whetstone Brook, and until "The Water Cure" closed in 1871, the town was a curative health resort.^[6]

Mill town

Whetstone Falls in 1907

Whetstone Falls provided water power for watermills, beginning with a sawmill and gristmill. By 1859, when the population had reached 3,816, Brattleboro had a woolen textile mill, a paper mill, a manufacturer of papermaking machinery, a factory making melodeons, two machine shops, a flour mill, a carriage factory, and four printing establishments.^[4] Connected by the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad and the Vermont Valley Railroad, the town prospered from the trade of grain, lumber, turpentine, tallow and pork.^[7] In 1888, postal authorities decided that all towns ending in borough should be shortened to boro, and Vermont complied. The first person ever to receive a Social Security benefit check, issued on January 31, 1940 was Ida May Fuller from Brattleboro. Her check number was 00-000-001 and it was for $22.54.^[8]

Public nudity

Public nudity, although not always welcomed by the denizens of the town, was not forbidden by any Vermont statute or Brattleboro ordinance until July 17, 2007. The town has drawn national attention when nudists make a visit to take advantage of the situation.^[9][10] On July 17, 2007, Brattleboro town officials passed an emergency rule by a 3–2 margin, temporarily "banning nudity on the main roads and within 250 feet of any school or place of worship, among other places" due to a number of complaints.^[11][12]

Petition against Bush and Cheney

On January 25, 2008, the town council by a 3-2 vote approved a petition to be placed on a March 4 ballot, calling for the indictment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for crimes against the United States Constitution. The petition reads: "Shall the Selectboard instruct the Town Attorney to draft indictments against President Bush and Vice President Cheney for crimes against our Constitution, and publish said indictments for consideration by other authorities and shall it be the law of the Town of Brattleboro that the Brattleboro Police, pursuant to the above-mentioned indictments, arrest and detain George Bush and Richard Cheney in Brattleboro if they are not duly impeached, and prosecute or extradite them to other authorities that may reasonably contend to prosecute them?"^[13]

The town council issued a statement on the petition, which the town voted on as a town meeting article on March 4, and passed.^[14]

Geography

Brattleboro landscape

Brattleboro is located at 42°51′15″N 72°33′31″W / 42.85417°N 72.55861°W / 42.85417; -72.55861.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 32.5 square miles (84.0 km²), of which, 32.0 square miles (82.9 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km², 1.42%) is water. Brattleboro is drained by the West River, Ames Hill Brook and Whetstone Brook. The town is in the Connecticut River Valley; the eastern boundary (and Vermont state line) is the western bank of the Connecticut River. Hills and mountains surround the town.

Brattleboro is crossed by Interstate 91, U.S. Route 5, Vermont Route 9 and Vermont Route 30.

Development

Brattleboro, being the first major town over the Vermont border on Interstate 91, offers a mix of a rural atmosphere and urban amenities such as a large number of hotels. Brattleboro is a host to a number of art galleries and stores.

In 2007, Brattleboro passed the Fairtrade town resolution, clearing the way to become the second Fairtrade certified town in the nation, joining Media, Pennsylvania.^{[citation needed]}

The town's densely populated center is at the very bottom of the valley. Because of the area's hilly terrain, and relatively little flat land, many buildings are on steep grades, closely bunched together; the topography has helped to create an semi-urban atmosphere.

Since the 1950s, there was suburban development outside of the traditional downtown in the west, south, and north of the township. The southern section of the town is predominantly one or two family houses with a mix of triple deckers. Commercial and industrial operations are concentrated on the U.S. Route 5/Canal Street artery that cuts through the area. The town's high school and the Regional Career Center are located in this section.

The western section of town, which formally became a village in 2005, is mostly residential, with the state's largest mobile home park and several large planned developments.

The northern section of Brattleboro developed in the 1960s and 1970s. The area has little residential development and is dominated by large commercial and industrial establishments along Putney Road, including about seven hotels located within a short distance of each other. C&S Wholesale Grocers made its headquarters in this section until moving to Keene, New Hampshire in 2005; because of close proximity to Interstate 91, C&S has kept shipping operations in Brattleboro.

The outskirts of Brattleboro have a decidedly rural feel, with little housing development and boasting the last farms left in Brattleboro after the collapse of the dairy industry in the 1970s. At its peak, the area had over 170 farms; there are now only nine left.^{[citation needed]} Brattleboro is also the headquarters of the Holstein Association.

Demographics

Downtown Brattleboro, as seen from across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 12,005 people, 5,364 households, and 2,880 families residing in the town. The population density was 375.3 people per square mile (144.9/km²). There were 5,686 housing units at an average density of 177.7/sq mi (68.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.06% White, 1.13% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.67% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 5,364 households out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,997, and the median income for a family was $44,267. Males had a median income of $31,001 versus $25,329 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,554. About 9.2% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Brattleboro's citizens are represented by a Select Board and Town Manager. Five members are elected to fill three one-year positions and two three-year positions. The Select Board, in cooperation with the Town Manager, are in responsible for addressing town issues brought to them. In the "town manager" form of government the Town Manager is appointed by the Selectboard.^[15] The town has three districts and representatives from those districts gather on Town Meeting Day to discuss and vote on issues.

Transportation

Amtrak train in Brattleboro

Rail

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, operates its Vermonter service daily through Brattleboro, between Washington, D.C. and St. Albans, Vermont.

Bus

The Brattleboro BeeLine operates throughout the town between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and is composed of the Red Line and Blue Line buses, which work in conjunction with each other to move residents throughout the T shaped layout of town. Bus services also run daily between Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, and between Brattleboro and Whitingham. In addition, Brattleboro is serviced daily by the national bus service Greyhound, which operates out of its terminal just south of the exit three interchange.

Highway

Brattleboro is served by two highways and one Interstate route. New England Interstate Route 9 runs from the New York border with Vermont, west of Bennington, traveling east through downtown Brattleboro, then running north to the New Hampshire border. Route 9's local names within Brattleboro include Molly Stark Trail, Marlboro Road, Western Avenue, High Street, Main Street, and Putney Road. Route 9 runs concurrently with U.S. Route 5 from the intersection of Main and High Streets north to meet Interstate 91 Exit 3.

U.S. Route 5 enters Brattleboro at its border with the town of Guilford and runs northerly, through downtown, and eventually exits Brattleboro at its border with Dummerston, Vermont. Route 5's local names are as follows (from beginning to end in Brattleboro) Canal Street, Main Street, Putney Road. Southbound, Route 5 also runs along Park Place and a part of Linden Street, following a one-way triangle at the north end of Main Street.

Interstate 91, originating in Connecticut and terminating at the Canadian border, runs through town in a semi-circumferential north-south manner around the town center. Exit one serves the southern part of town; exit two serves the western section of town connecting to local ski areas via Route 9; exit three serves the northern section of town and New Hampshire.

Culture

Print media

The town is home to the Brattleboro Reformer, a daily newspaper with a circulation of about 11,000, and the Commons, a nonprofit community monthly newspaper with a circulation of 5,000. The Parent Express, a community newspaper circulates in Brattleboro, Keene, New Hampshire, and throughout Windham County, Vermont and Cheshire County, New Hampshire.^[16]

Online media

Brattleboro has one of the country's oldest citizen journalism web sites, iBrattleboro.com, providing local news and information written by residents.

Radio

There are several radio stations which broadcast in Brattleboro.

FM

• WKVT-FM 92.7.^[17]
• WRSI 101.5 (repeater station at Brattleboro and Northampton, Massachusetts).^[18]
• WTSA-FM 96.7.^[19]
• WVEW-LP 107.7 (community-supported low power station).^[20]

AM

• WKVT 1490.^[17]
• WTSA 1450.^[19]

Arts and events

Harris Hill, ski jumping venue

A contestant airborne

Brattleboro has a thriving arts community. The town is listed in John Villani’s book The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America, in which it ranks number nine among towns with a population of 30,000 or under.^{[citation needed]}

On the first Friday of every month, an event known as the Gallery Walk^[21] is held, in which galleries, artists, and arts organizations open their doors to the public to display new work or hold performances. Included in the organizations that participate are the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center,^[22] the Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery,^[23] the In-Sight Photography Project,^[24] River Gallery School,^[25] Through the Music,^[26] and the Windham Art Gallery.^[27]

Other notable arts organizations in Brattleboro include the Brattleboro Music Center,^[28] the Vermont Theatre Company,^[29] the New England Youth Theater,^[30] the Brattleboro Women's Chorus,^[31] the Brattleboro School of Dance,^[32] Luminz Studio dance and performing arts center,^[33] and the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA).^[34]

Annual events in Brattleboro include:

• The Winter Carnival in February.^[35]
• Harris Hill ski-jumping competition in February.^[36]
• Women's Film Festival in March.^[37]
• Easter Egg Hunt in April (for residents only).
• Maple Open House Weekend in March.^[38]
• River Gallery School benefit auction in March.^[39]
• Taste of the Town in May.^[40]
• Strolling of the Heifers in June.^[41]
• Brattleboro Fest music festival in mid-June.^{[citation needed]}
• Vermont Theatre Company's Shakespeare-in-the-Park in June and July.^[42]
• Brattleboro Animation Festival on the first Friday in July.^{[citation needed]}
• Brattleboro Free Folk Festival, begun in 2003.^{[citation needed]}
• Brattleboro Literary Festival in September.^[43]
• World Solstice Celebration in December.^{[citation needed]}

Literary

Brattleboro's first bookstore opened in 1795. The first Bible to be printed in Vermont was printed in the town, in 1812.^{[citation needed]} The Brattleboro Literary Festival has been held every fall since 2001.^{[citation needed]}

Cultural references

• Brattleboro is the setting for much of H. P. Lovecraft's story The Whisperer in Darkness.^{[citation needed]}
• Brattleboro is mentioned repeatedly in David Foster Wallace's novel Infinite Jest.^[44]
• The popular Joe Gunther mystery series written by Archer Mayor is largely set in Brattleboro.^{[citation needed]}
• Brattleboro is where the title character in Tom Taylor's play Our American Cousin meets his English relatives, leading to his trip to England where the events of the play take place.^{[citation needed]}

On August 22, 2007, the Brattleboro Selectboard decided not to make the ban on nudity permanent, once again allowing nudity in the town when the temporary statute ran out in September.^[45] However, on December 4, 2007 the Selectboard made the ban permanent. Nudity is now banned, and one faces a $100 charge if cited.^[46]

Sites of interest

• Brattleboro Historical Society & Museum
• Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
• Fort Dummer State Park
• Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery
• New England Youth Theatre
• Vermont Theatre Company

Notable residents

Main Street Bridge over Whetstone Brook

United States Navy Seabees Bridge over the Connecticut River

• Will Ackerman, music producer and guitarist
• Sam Amidon, folk artist
• Brad Baker, baseball player
• Tony Barrand, musician
• H. H. Bennett, photographer
• Alonzo S. Church, college president
• Ezra Clark, Jr., congressman
• William Bullock Clark, geologist
• Douglas Cox, violin maker
• Chris Duffy, baseball player
• Jacob Estey, reed organ maker
• Edwin Brant Frost, astonomer
• Ida May Fuller, first recipient of Social Security check
• Levi K. Fuller, governor of Vermont
• James Galanes, cross-country skier
• Theodore P. Greene, rear-admiral
• Abram A. Hammond, governor of Indiana
• Kittredge Haskins, congressman
• Karen Hesse, children's author
• Frederick Holbrook, governor of Vermont
• Jonathan Hunt; bank president and congressman
• Leavitt Hunt, photography pioneer and attorney
• Richard Morris Hunt, architect
• William Morris Hunt, painter
• Ernie Johnson, baseball player
• Wolf Kahn, painter
• Bill Koch, skier
• Ki Longfellow, novelist, playwright and screenwriter
• Joanna Noëlle Levesque, singer and actor
• William Rutherford Mead, architect
• Blanche Honegger Moyse, choral conductor
• Marcel Moyse, flute player
• John Humphrey Noyes, utopian socialist
• Harvey Putnam, congressman
• Bing Russell, film actor
• James Manning Tyler, congressman
• Royall Tyler, playwright
• Kit Watkins, musician
• William Willard, school founder
• Jody Williams, teacher and aid worker
• Claude Williamson, musician
• Stu Williamson, musician

See also

Vermont portal

• School for International Training
• Union Institute & University

References

External links

• Town website
• Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce
• Brattleboro, Vermont at the Open Directory Project

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