Brattleboro is a town in
Windham CountyWindham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2000, the population was 44,216. Its shire town is Newfane.-Geography:According to the U.S...
,
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
. The population was 12,005 at the
2000 censusThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. It is situated along the
Connecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
, at the mouth of the
West RiverThe West River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, about 50 mi long, in southern Vermont in the United States. According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as "Wantastiquet" and as "Waters of the Lonely Way ."The West River rises in the Green...
.
Brattleboro is the oldest town in the state, and noted for its vibrant arts community, as well as the renowned
Brattleboro RetreatThe Brattleboro Retreat is a private, non-profit psychiatric hospital that pioneered mental health care in the United States. It is located on over of land between the Connecticut River and downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. It treats all psychiatric issues through every modern modality, from...
, a psychiatric hospital and convalescent center.
Frontier fort
To defend
MassachusettsThe Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony chartered October 7, 1691 in British America by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland...
during the
French and Indian WarsThe French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts in North America that represented the actions there that accompanied the European dynastic wars. In Quebec, the wars are generally referred to as the Intercolonial Wars...
, the
General CourtThe Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
voted on December 27, 1723 to build a
blockhouseIn military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It is intended to serve as a defensive strongpoint against any enemy which does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
and
stockadeA stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.- Stockade as a security fence :...
at what would become Brattleboro. Lieutenant-governor
William DummerWilliam Dummer was Acting Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1723 to 1728.Dummer was born and died in Newbury, Massachusetts. He married Catherine Dudley on April 26, 1714. For a time Dummer lived in Plymouth, England, where he served as a Commissioner, and it was from here that he was...
signed the measure, so construction of
Fort DummerFort Dummer was a British fort built in 1724 by the colonial militia of the Province of Massachusetts Bay under the command of Lieutenant Timothy Dwight in what is now the Town of Brattleboro in southeastern Vermont. The fort was the first permanent European settlement in Vermont...
began on February 3, 1724 and was completed before summer. On October 11, the
FrenchFrench people can refer to:* The legal residents and citizens of France, regardless of ancestry. For a legal discussion, see French nationality law.* People whose ancestors lived in France or the area that later became France....
attacked the fort and killed some soldiers, but left before reinforcements could arrive.
In 1725,
Dummer's WarDummer's War , was a series of battles between the British and French. The war had little organized leadership, and was mostly a series of skirmishes. Exactly which of these should be considered part of the war remains a matter of dispute...
ended, so in 1728 the fort was converted into a
trading postA trading post is a place where the trading of goods takes place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, is known as a trade route....
for lucrative commerce with friendly Indians. But in 1744,
King George's WarKing George's War is the name given to the operations in North America that formed part of the 1740–1748 War of the Austrian Succession. It was the third of the four French and Indian Wars....
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 grantsThe New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 , were made on land claimed by New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, territory that was also...
, chartered on December 26, 1753 by Governor
Benning WentworthBenning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. The son of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His nephew John Wentworth succeeded him. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715 and married...
and named Brattleborough after Colonel William Brattle, Jr. of Boston, a principal proprietor. Settlement was tentative until after the 1763
Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the Seven Years' War. The treaty marked the beginning of an extensive period of British dominance...
, when
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
abandoned
New FranceNew France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River, by Jacques Cartier in 1534, to the cession of New France to Spain and Britain in 1763...
.
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 officeA post office is a facility authorised by a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail. Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established. A bridge was built across the
Connecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
to
HinsdaleHinsdale is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,082 at the 2000 census. Hinsdale is home to part of Pisgah State Park in the northeast, and part of Wantastiquet Mountain State Forest in the northwest...
,
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
in 1804. In 1834, the
Brattleboro RetreatThe Brattleboro Retreat is a private, non-profit psychiatric hospital that pioneered mental health care in the United States. It is located on over of land between the Connecticut River and downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. It treats all psychiatric issues through every modern modality, from...
for the mentally ill was founded by
bequestA bequest is the act of receiving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. It means the same thing as bequeath in legal terminology....
of
Anna MarshAnna Marsh established the Vermont Asylum of the Insane in 1834.Marsh was born and raised in Hinsdale, New Hampshire...
. The
postmasterA postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
issued the first postal stamps in the United States in 1846, the year the Brattleboro Hydropathic Establishment opened. Pure
springA spring is any natural occurrence where water flows on to the surface of the earth from below the surface, and is thus where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface.- Formation :...
water was discovered near Whetstone Brook, and until "The Water Cure" closed in 1871, the town was a curative health resort.
Mill town
Whetstone Falls provided water power for
watermillA watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping...
s, beginning with a
sawmillA sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of 100 years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
and
gristmillA gristmill or grist mill is a building in which grain is ground into flour, or the grinding mechanism itself. In many countries these are referred to as corn mills or flour mills.- Early history :...
. By 1859, when the population had reached 3,816, Brattleboro had a
woolenWoollen is the name of a yarn and cloth usually made from wool. Woollen yarn is known for being light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn...
textileA textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw wool fibres, linen, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel to produce long strands...
mill, a
paper millA paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from wood pulp and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier Machine or similar apparatus.A website that collects and distributes essay papers on the internet, either free or for a fee is known as "web paper mills"...
, a manufacturer of
papermakingPapermaking is the process of making paper, a substance which is used ubiquitously today for writing and packaging.In papermaking a dilute suspension of fibers in water is drained through a screen, so that a mat of randomly interwoven fibers is laid down. Water is removed from this mat of fibers by...
machinery, a factory making melodeons, two machine shops, a
flourFlour is a powder made of cereal grains or roots. It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many civilizations, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
mill, a
carriageA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, these being litters or wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be...
factory, and four
printingPrinting is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.-History:...
establishments. Connected by the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad and the
Vermont Valley RailroadThe Vermont Valley Railroad was a 20.8 mile line now called the Connecticut River Line. In 1988, the Interstate Commerce Commission ordered the B&M to sell it to Amtrak, with trackage rights staying with the B&M. Amtrak was allowed to sell it to the Central Vermont Railway, part of the Canadian...
, the town prospered from the
tradeTrade is the voluntary exchange of goods, services, or both. Trade is also called commerce or transaction. A mechanism that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and services. Later one side of the barter were the metals, precious...
of
grainGRAIN is an international non-governmental organization based in Barcelona, Spain, which works toward sustainable agriculture. It was formed upon the realization that the genetic diversity of the world's food crops are being drastically eliminated...
,
lumberLumber or timber is wood that is used in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
,
turpentineTurpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
,
tallowTallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, processed from suet. It is solid at room temperature. Unlike suet, tallow can be stored for extended periods without the need for refrigeration to prevent decomposition, provided it is kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.Rendered fat...
and
porkPork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig . The word pork often denotes specifically the fresh meat of the pig, but can be used as an all-inclusive term which includes cured, smoked, or processed meats It is one of the most-commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig...
. 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 SecuritySocial Security in the United States currently refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program....
benefit check, issued on January 31, 1940 was
Ida May FullerIda May Fuller was the first American citizen to receive a monthly benefit Social Security check. She received the check, amounting to $22.54, on January 31, 1940.Fuller was born on a farm outside Ludlow, Vermont...
from Brattleboro. Her check number was 00-000-001 and it was for $22.54.
Public nudity
Public nudityPublic nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place...
, 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. 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.
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
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
and
Vice PresidentThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a four-year term...
Dick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 in the administration of George W. Bush....
for crimes against the
United States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America and the federal government of the United States...
. 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?"
The town council issued a statement on the petition, which the town voted on as a town meeting article on March 4, and passed.
Geography
Brattleboro is located at .
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the town has a total area of 32.5
square mileThe square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile.
s (84.0 km
2), of which, 32.0 square miles (82.9 km
2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km
2, 1.42%) is water. Brattleboro is drained by the
West RiverThe West River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, about 50 mi long, in southern Vermont in the United States. According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as "Wantastiquet" and as "Waters of the Lonely Way ."The West River rises in the Green...
, Ames Hill Brook and Whetstone Brook. The town is in the
Connecticut River ValleyThe Connecticut River Valley stretches from the New Hampshire and Quebec border to Long Island Sound on the Connecticut coast. Orographically, the Connecticut River Valley stretches beyond the floodplain to encompass some inland towns...
; the eastern boundary (and Vermont state line) is the western bank of the
Connecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
. Hills and mountains surround the town.
Brattleboro is crossed by
Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
,
U.S. Route 5U.S. Route 5 is a north-south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
,
Vermont Route 9 and
Vermont Route 30Vermont Route 30 is a north–south state highway in Vermont, United States. It runs from Brattleboro, Vermont in the south to Middlebury, Vermont in the north. The northern portion from Poultney to its northern terminus was part of New England Interstate Route 30, from which it got its number.-Route...
.
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
MediaThe borough of Media is the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania and is located west of Philadelphia. Media was incorporated in 1850 at the same time that it was named the county seat. The population was 5,533 at the 2000 census...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
.
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 5U.S. Route 5 is a north-south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
/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 GrocersC&S Wholesale Grocers is a wholesale distributor of food and grocery store items. With headquarters in Keene, New Hampshire, C&S is the twelfth largest privately held company in the United States, as listed in 2008 by Forbes....
made its headquarters in this section until moving to
KeeneKeene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 22,955 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 22,834 in 2007, according to the State Data Center...
,
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
in 2005; because of close proximity to
Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, 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. Brattleboro is also the headquarters of the
HolsteinThe Holstein is a breed of dairy cow known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were developed in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
Association.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 12,005 people, 5,364 households, and 2,880 families residing in the town. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 375.3 people per square mile (144.9/km
2). There were 5,686 housing units at an average density of 177.7/sq mi (68.6/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.06% White, 1.13% Black or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.26% Native American, 1.67% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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 couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
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 incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
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. The town has three districts and representatives from those districts gather on Town Meeting Day to discuss and vote on issues.
Rail
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
, the national passenger rail system, operates its
Vermonter|}Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans, Vermont, New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
service daily through Brattleboro, between
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
and
St. AlbansPlaces named St. Albans, Vermont:*St. Albans , Vermont, town in Franklin County, Vermont*St. Albans , Vermont, city in Franklin County, Vermont...
,
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
.
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 FallsBellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,165 at the 2000 census...
, and between Brattleboro and
WhitinghamWhitingham is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,298 at the 2000 census. Whitingham is the birthplace of Brigham Young, the Mormon prophet and founder of Salt Lake City, Utah...
. In addition, Brattleboro is serviced daily by the national bus service
GreyhoundGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, USA, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States and Canada, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and incorporated...
, 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 5U.S. Route 5 is a north-south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
from the intersection of Main and High Streets north to meet
Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
Exit 3.
U.S. Route 5U.S. Route 5 is a north-south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
enters Brattleboro at its border with the town of
GuilfordGuilford is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,046 at the 2000 census.- Geography :According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.0 square miles , of which, 39.9 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of...
and runs northerly, through downtown, and eventually exits Brattleboro at its border with
DummerstonDummerston is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,915 at the 2000 census. Dummerston is home to the longest covered bridge still in use inside the state borders of Vermont.-History:...
,
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
. 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 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, 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.
Print media
The town is home to the
Brattleboro ReformerThe Brattleboro Reformer is the third-largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Vermont. With a weekday circulation of just over 10,000, it is behind the Burlington Free Press and the Rutland Herald, respectively...
, 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 HampshireKeene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 22,955 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 22,834 in 2007, according to the State Data Center...
, and throughout
Windham County, VermontWindham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2000, the population was 44,216. Its shire town is Newfane.-Geography:According to the U.S...
and
Cheshire County, New HampshireCheshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of 2000, the population was 73,825. Its county seat is Keene.Cheshire was one of the five original counties of New Hampshire, and is named for Cheshire in England. It was organized in 1771 at Keene.-Geography:According to...
.
Online media
Brattleboro has one of the country's oldest citizen journalism web sites, iBrattleboro.com, providing local news and information written by residents.
FM
- WKVT-FM
WKVT-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Brattleboro, Vermont. The station is owned by Saga Communications and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC. It airs a Classic Hits music format....
92.7.
- WRSI 101.5 (repeater station at Brattleboro and Northampton
Northampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,978 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hampshire County...
, MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
).
- WTSA-FM
WTSA-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Brattleboro, Vermont. It first signed on in the 1970s. The station airs a Hot adult contemporary music format....
96.7.
- WVEW-LP 107.7 (community-supported low power station).
Arts and events
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.
On the first Friday of every month, an event known as the
Gallery Walk 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, the Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery, the In-Sight Photography Project, River Gallery School, Through the Music, and the Windham Art Gallery.
Other notable arts organizations in Brattleboro include the Brattleboro Music Center, the Vermont Theatre Company, the New England Youth Theater, the Brattleboro Women's Chorus, the Brattleboro School of Dance, Luminz Studio dance and performing arts center, and the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA).
Annual events in Brattleboro include:
- The Winter Carnival in February.
- Harris Hill ski-jumping competition in February.
- Women's Film Festival in March.
- Easter Egg Hunt in April (for residents only).
- Maple Open House Weekend in March.
- River Gallery School benefit auction in March.
- Taste of the Town in May.
- Strolling of the Heifers in June.
- Brattleboro Fest music festival in mid-June.
- Vermont Theatre Company's Shakespeare-in-the-Park in June and July.
- Brattleboro Animation Festival on the first Friday in July.
- Brattleboro Free Folk Festival
The Brattleboro Free Folk Festival is an annual music festival which takes place in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. The festival began in 2003....
, begun in 2003.
- Brattleboro Literary Festival in September.
- World Solstice Celebration in December.
Literary
Brattleboro's first bookstore opened in 1795. The first Bible to be printed in
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
was printed in the town, in 1812. The Brattleboro Literary Festival has been held every fall since 2001.
Cultural references
- Brattleboro is the setting for much of H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American author of horror, fantasy, and science fiction, known then simply as weird fiction....
's story The Whisperer in Darkness"The Whisperer in Darkness" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. Written February-September 1930, it was first published in Weird Tales, August 1931. Similar to "The Colour Out of Space" , it is a blend of horror and science fiction...
.
- Brattleboro is mentioned repeatedly in David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace was an American author of novels, essays and short-stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California...
's novel Infinite JestInfinite Jest is a 1996 novel written by David Foster Wallace. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a semi-parodic future version of North America...
.
- The popular Joe Gunther
Joe Gunther is the hero of Archer Mayor's longrunning mystery novel series set largely in Brattleboro, Vermont. When the series begins, Gunther has already worked as a police officer for thirty years and is an experienced police lieutenant...
mystery series written by Archer MayorArcher Mayor is the author of the Joe Gunther detective series. Archer is a Yale graduate and lives in Newfane, Vermont, USA.Before turning to popular fiction, Mayor held several jobs, both in the US and in France, working as an editor, researcher for TIME LIFE books, photography and journalist...
is largely set in Brattleboro.
- Brattleboro is where the title character in Tom Taylor's play Our American Cousin
Our American Cousin is a play in three acts by Tom Taylor. The play is a farcical comedy whose plot is based on the introduction of an awkward, boorish American to his aristocratic English relatives. It premiered at Laura Keene's Theatre in New York City on October 15, 1858...
meets his English relatives, leading to his trip to England where the events of the play take place.
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. However, on December 4, 2007 the Selectboard made the ban permanent. Nudity is now banned, and one faces a $100 charge if cited.
Sites of interest
Notable residents
- Will Ackerman, music producer and guitarist
- Sam Amidon
Sam Amidon is an American independent folk artist born in Brattleboro, Vermont, June 3, 1981. His parents are folk artists Peter and Mary Alice Amidon, . His younger brother, Stefan Amidon, is a professional drummer who performs with The Sweetback Sisters among other groups. Sam currently lives...
, folk artist
- Brad Baker
Bradley Donald Baker is a former Minor League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. Baker threw a fastball which consistently hit 90 mph, an above-average change and an average curve.- High school :...
, baseball player
- Tony Barrand
Dr. Anthony Grant Barrand is an academic and musician residing in Brattleboro, Vermont. He is Professor of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, where his courses include "Stalking the Wild Mind: The Psychology and Folklore of Extra-Sensory Perception and Psychic...
, musician
- H. H. Bennett
Henry Hamilton Bennett was a photographer famous for his pictures of the Dells of the Wisconsin River and surrounding region taken between 1865 and 1908. The popularity of his photographs helped turn the city of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin into a major tourist destination.-Early life:H. H...
, photographer
- Alonzo S. Church
Alonzo S. Church was the sixth president of the University of Georgia in Athens. He served in that capacity from 1829 until his resignation in 1859....
, college president
- Ezra Clark, Jr.
Ezra Clark, Jr. was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut.Born in Brattleboro, Vermont, Clark moved with his parents to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1819.He attended the public schools....
, congressman
- William Bullock Clark
William Bullock Clark, Ph. D., LL.D , was an American geologist.He was born at Brattleboro, Vermont, and educated at Amherst College and in Munich...
, geologist
- Douglas Cox
Douglas Cox is a contemporary American luthier. He has been building instruments since 1981, and has made over 650 violins, violas and cellos....
, violin maker
- Chris Duffy
Christopher Ellis Duffy is a Major League Baseball outfielder with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.-Amateur career:...
, baseball player
- Jacob Estey
Jacob Estey was born in Hinsdale, New Hampshire and ran away from an orphanage to Worcester, Massachusetts, where he learned the plumbing trade...
, reed organ maker
- Edwin Brant Frost
Edwin Brant Frost II was an American astronomer.-Biography:He was born in Brattleboro, Vermont. His father, Carlton Pennington Frost, was dean of Dartmouth Medical School....
, astonomer
- Ida May Fuller
Ida May Fuller was the first American citizen to receive a monthly benefit Social Security check. She received the check, amounting to $22.54, on January 31, 1940.Fuller was born on a farm outside Ludlow, Vermont...
, first recipient of Social SecuritySocial Security in the United States currently refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program....
check
- Levi K. Fuller
Levi Knight Fuller was the Republican governor of Vermont from 1892 to 1894. Born in Westmoreland, Cheshire County, New Hampshire on February 24, 1841, he attended Brattleboro High School and later apprenticed as a machinist in Boston, also working as telegrapher to finance additional studies in...
, governor of VermontThe Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected biennially in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
- James Galanes
James Barrett Galanes was an American cross country skier who competed from 1980 to 1985. He finished eighth in the 4 x 10 km relay at the 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympics....
, cross-country skier
- Theodore P. Greene
Theodore Phinney Greene , was a US Naval Officer who fought on the side of the Union during the American Civil War.-Early life:Greene was born in Mount Pleasant, Texas, the son of Eli and Patience Green...
, rear-admiral
- Abram A. Hammond
Abram Adams Hammond was twelfth governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. He succeeded to the office upon the death of Governor Ashbel P. Willard and completed the remaining three months of Willard's term.-Early life:...
, governor of Indiana
- Kittredge Haskins
Kittredge Haskins was a U.S. Representative from Vermont.Born in Dover, Vermont, Haskins attended the public schools and received instruction from a private tutor.He studied law....
, congressman
- Karen Hesse
Karen Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings. Her novel Out of the Dust was the winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. In 2002, Hesse was a recipient of the MacArthur...
, children's author
- Frederick Holbrook
Frederick Holbrook was an agriculturist, politician, and war-time governor of Vermont.-Early life:Holbrook was born in East Windsor, Connecticut, son of John and Sara Holbrook. He attended Berkshire Gymnasium, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for two years, then visited Europe in 1833...
, governor of Vermont
- Jonathan Hunt
Jonathan Hunt was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Vernon, Windham County, Vermont, and graduated from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1807. Afterwards, Hunt studied law and was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Brattleboro, Vermont,...
; bank president and congressman
- Leavitt Hunt
Col. Leavitt Hunt was a Harvard-educated attorney and photography pioneer who was one of the first people to photograph the Middle East...
, photography pioneer and attorney
- Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt was an American architect of the nineteenth century and a preeminent figure in the history of American architecture...
, architect
- William Morris Hunt
William Morris Hunt , American painter, was born at Brattleboro, Vermont to Jane Maria Hunt and Jonathan Hunt, who raised one of the preeminent families in American art...
, painter
- Ernie Johnson
Ernest Thorwald Johnson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'4", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the season. He played for the Boston Braves , Milwaukee Braves , and Baltimore Orioles .After serving three years in the U.S...
, baseball player
- Wolf Kahn
Wolf Kahn is a German-born American painter.Kahn is known for his combination of realism and Color Field, and known to work in pastel and oil paint. He studied under Hans Hofmann, and also graduated from the University of Chicago. Kahn is a resident of both New York City and, during the summer and...
, painter
- Bill Koch
Bill Koch is an American skier, the first world-class cross-country skier from the United States.A native of Brattleboro, Vermont, he originally competed in the NIS in the Nordic combined, but later switched to cross country skiing. In 1974 he was the first American to win a medal in international...
, skier
- Ki Longfellow
Ki Longfellow is an American novelist, playwright, theatrical producer, theater director and entrepreneur. In Britain, as the widow of Vivian Stanshall, she is well known as the guardian of his artistic heritage, but elsewhere she is best known for her own work, especially the 2005 novel The...
, novelist, playwright and screenwriter
- Joanna Noëlle Levesque, singer and actor
- William Rutherford Mead
William Rutherford Mead was an American engineer, a part of the McKim, Mead, and White firm.He was born in Brattleboro, Vermont. His sister, Elinor, later married novelist William Dean Howells, and his younger brother Larkin Goldsmith Mead became a sculptor...
, architect
- Blanche Honegger Moyse
Blanche Honegger Moyse is a conductor living in Brattleboro, Vermont. She is particularly admired for her devotion to the choral works of Johann Sebastian Bach and her ability to draw deeply moving performances from both amateur and professional musicians...
, choral conductor
- Marcel Moyse
Marcel Moyse was a famous French flute player, for whom many pieces were written . He was also a gifted flute teacher, and authored many studies and exercises for flute....
, flute player
- John Humphrey Noyes
John Humphrey Noyes was an American utopian socialist. He founded the Oneida Community in 1848. He coined the term "free love".-Early activism:...
, utopian socialist
- Harvey Putnam
Harvey Putnam was a United States House of Representative from New York. Born in Brattleboro, Vermont, he attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1816 and commenced practice in Attica, New York in 1817...
, congressman
- Bing Russell
Bing Russell was an American actor, and was the father of Golden Globe-nominated actor Kurt Russell.-Life:Russell was born Neil Oliver Russell in Brattleboro, Vermont, the son of Ruth , and Warren Russell...
, film actor
- James Manning Tyler
James Manning Tyler was a U.S. Representative from Vermont.Born in Wilmington, Vermont, Tyler attended the Brattleboro Academy and was graduated from the Law University of Albany, New York....
, congressman
- Royall Tyler
Royall Tyler , American jurist and playwright who wrote The Contrast in 1787 and published The Algerine Captive in 1797. He wrote several legal tracts, six plays, a musical drama, two long poems, a semifictional travel narrative, The Yankey in London , and essays...
, playwright
- Kit Watkins
Kit Watkins is an American progressive-ambient-jazz recording artist based in Brattleboro, Vermont.-Beginnings:Born in Virginia to classical piano teachers, Watkins took piano lessons from the age of 5 to 13. As a teenager he began to play keyboards in various amateur bands, first playing Top 40...
, musician
- William Willard
William Willard founded Indiana's school for the deaf in Indianapolis, Indiana, which later became the Indiana School for the Deaf. He was one of the most important deaf persons in the deaf community....
, school founder
- Jody Williams
Jody Williams is an American teacher and aid worker who received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the campaign she worked for, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines...
, teacher and aid worker
- Claude Williamson
Claude Berkeley Williamson is a jazz pianist.He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music before moving to jazz, influenced mainly by Teddy Wilson, then by Al Haig and Bud Powell...
, musician
- Stu Williamson
Stu Williamson was an American jazz trumpeter.Born in Brattleboro, Vermont, Williamson was the younger brother of jazz pianist Claude Williamson. Williamson relocated to Los Angeles in 1949 and became a regular on the West Coast scene, playing with Stan Kenton , Woody Herman , Billy May, and...
, musician
See also
- School for International Training
School for International Training, or SIT, is an accredited college in Brattleboro, Vermont. The president is Carol Bellamy.-History:SIT Graduate Institute, formerly known as the School for International Training, is the accredited educational branch of World Learning, which had its origins in the...
- Union Institute & University
Union Institute & University is a private college specializing in distance learning programs. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the University operates academic centers there as well as in Montpelier and Brattleboro, Vermont; Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; and Sacramento, California. ...
External links