Brattleboro (town), Vermont
Encyclopedia
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, 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 12,046 at the 2010 census
. It is situated along the Connecticut River
, at the mouth of the West River
.
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.
and the Connecticut River
. The West River
was called Wantastiquet in the Abenaki language, a word meaning 'river which leads to the west', and is marked by Mount Wantastiquet at its mouth and the Wantastiquet Ponds at its source. The Abenaki would transit this area annually between Missisquoi, their summer hunting grounds in northwestern Vermont, and Squakheag, their winter settlements near what is now Northfield, Massachusetts
. The band of Abenaki who frequented this area were called Sokoki, which means 'people who go their own way' or 'people of the lonely way'. The Abenaki vigorously defended their land 'Ndakinna' against European settlement in the 17th and 18th centuries, including during Gray Lock
's War, also known as Dummer's War
. When most Abenaki sided with the French in the mid-1700s, many or most of them were driven north into Quebec
, opening the way for untrammeled English, and later United States, settlements northward into what is now Vermont
.
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.
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
.
With hostilities ceased, Brattleboro 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. 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, two years after the Brattleboro Hydropathic Establishment was opened by Dr. Robert Wesselboeft in 1843-1844. This was the third water cure establishment in the country. Pure spring
water was discovered near Whetstone Brook, and until "The Water Cure" closed in 1871, the town was a curative health resort.
s, 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 melodeon
s, two machine shops, a flour
mill, a carriage
factory, and four printing
establishments. Connected by the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad and the Vermont Valley Railroad
, the town prospered from the trade
of grain
, lumber
, turpentine
, tallow
and pork
. 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.
, 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 had drawn national attention when nudists made 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. 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. On December 4, 2007 the ban was made permanent, however. ,
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?"
The town council issued a statement on the petition, which the town voted on as a town meeting article on March 4, and passed.
, Hartford
, Boston, and Concord
than to its own state capital, Montpelier
.
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 mile (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
.
In 2007, Brattleboro passed a resolution designating itself a Fair Trade Town, becoming the second Fairtrade certified town in the nation after Media
, Pennsylvania
.
The town's densely populated center
is at the very bottom of the Connecticut river 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 here until moving them to Keene
, New Hampshire
in 2005; however, because of close proximity to Interstate 91
, C&S has kept large shipping and warehouse 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 Holstein
Association.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 12,005 people, 5,364 households, and 2,880 families residing in the town. Almost all of the population is concentrated in two census-designated place
s identified in the town: Brattleboro
and West Brattleboro.
The population density
of the town was 375.3 people per square mile (144.9/km2). There were 5,686 housing units at an average density of 177.7 per square mile (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.
local government, wherein its citizens are represented at-large by a Select Board of five members, and by several dozen Town Representatives elected from three municipal districts. The Select Board is considered the 'executive branch' of town government; its five members are elected to fill three one-year positions and two three-year positions. In turn, the Select Board hires and supervises a Town Manager. The town's three districts also each elect a representative to the Vermont State Legislature.
, the national passenger rail system, operates its Vermonter
service daily through Brattleboro, between Washington, D.C.
and St. Albans
, Vermont
.
and the Moover, also run daily between Brattleboro and Bellows Falls
, between Brattleboro and Whitingham
, and along Vermont Route 30 to the northwest. In addition, Brattleboro is serviced daily by the national bus service Greyhound
, which stops at a franchised terminal on 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.
Vermont Route 30
, considered one of the most scenic roads in Vermont, runs to the northwest along the southern bank of the West River
. It has its southern terminus in Brattleboro at the intersection of Park Place and Linden Street, and exits Brattleboro at its border with Dummerston. Route 30's local names within Brattleboro are Linden Street and West River Road.
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.
, a daily newspaper with a circulation of about 11,000, and the Commons, a nonprofit community weekly newspaper with a circulation of 5,900. The Parent Express, a community newspaper circulates in Brattleboro, Keene, New Hampshire
, and throughout Windham County, Vermont
and Cheshire County, New Hampshire
.
web sites, iBrattleboro.com, providing local news and information written by residents.
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:
was printed in the town, in 1812. The Brattleboro Literary Festival has been held every fall since 2001. Brattleboro was the site of the first U.S. printing of the first Harry Potter book. For several years, Brattleboro was also the home of the world-famous writer Rudyard Kipling, who married a young woman from the Town and built a home called Naulakha on its northern border with the Town of Dummerston.
Windham County, Vermont
Windham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 44,513. Its shire town is Newfane.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, United States
United States
The 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 Hampshire
New Hampshire
New 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 is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. It is situated along the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, at the mouth of the West River
West River (Vermont)
The West River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, about 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"...
.
Brattleboro is the oldest town in the state, and noted for its vibrant arts community, as well as the renowned Brattleboro Retreat
Brattleboro Retreat
The Brattleboro Retreat is a private, not-for-profit mental health and addictions hospital that provides comprehensive inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults....
, a psychiatric hospital and convalescent center.
Abenaki Land
Once known as Wantastiquet, the area now known as Brattleboro lies at the confluence of the West RiverWest River
-Rivers:Canada*West River in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia*West River in Pictou County, Nova Scotia*West River in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia...
and the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. The West River
West River
-Rivers:Canada*West River in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia*West River in Pictou County, Nova Scotia*West River in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia...
was called Wantastiquet in the Abenaki language, a word meaning 'river which leads to the west', and is marked by Mount Wantastiquet at its mouth and the Wantastiquet Ponds at its source. The Abenaki would transit this area annually between Missisquoi, their summer hunting grounds in northwestern Vermont, and Squakheag, their winter settlements near what is now Northfield, Massachusetts
Northfield, Massachusetts
Northfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,951 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The band of Abenaki who frequented this area were called Sokoki, which means 'people who go their own way' or 'people of the lonely way'. The Abenaki vigorously defended their land 'Ndakinna' against European settlement in the 17th and 18th centuries, including during Gray Lock
Gray Lock
Chief Gray Lock , was a Western Abenaki Missisquoi chief of Woronoco/Pocumtuck ancestry. Gray Lock was born near Westfield, Massachusetts, around 1670...
's War, also known as Dummer's War
Dummer's War
Dummer's War , also known as Lovewell's War, Father Rale's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the 4th Indian War or the Wabanaki-New England War of 1722–1725, was a series of battles between British settlers of the three northernmost British colonies of North America of the time and the...
. When most Abenaki sided with the French in the mid-1700s, many or most of them were driven north into Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, opening the way for untrammeled English, and later United States, settlements northward into what is now Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
Frontier fort
To defend MassachusettsProvince of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
during the French and Indian Wars
French and Indian Wars
The French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts lasting 74 years in North America that represented colonial events related to the European dynastic wars...
, the General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The 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 blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
and stockade
Stockade
A 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 Dummer
William Dummer
William Dummer was Acting Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1723 to 1728.-Family:Dummer was born in Boston and died in Newbury, Massachusetts, the son of Jeremiah Dummer, the first American born silversmith, and Anna Atwater...
signed the measure, so construction of Fort Dummer
Fort Dummer
Fort 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 French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
attacked the fort and killed some soldiers, but left before reinforcements could arrive.
In 1725, Dummer's War
Dummer's War
Dummer's War , also known as Lovewell's War, Father Rale's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the 4th Indian War or the Wabanaki-New England War of 1722–1725, was a series of battles between British settlers of the three northernmost British colonies of North America of the time and the...
ended, so in 1728 the fort was converted into a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
for lucrative commerce with friendly Indians. But in 1744, King George's War
King George's War
King George's War is the name given to the operations in North America that formed part of the War of the Austrian Succession . It was the third of the four French and Indian Wars. It took place primarily in the British provinces of New York, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia...
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
New Hampshire Grants
The 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 Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
and named Brattleborough after Colonel William Brattle, Jr. of Boston, a principal proprietor. Settlement was tentative until after the 1763 Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
, when France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
abandoned New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
.
With hostilities ceased, Brattleboro 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
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of 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 River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
to Hinsdale
Hinsdale, New Hampshire
Hinsdale is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,046 at the 2010 census. Hinsdale is home to part of Pisgah State Park in the northeast, and part of Wantastiquet Mountain State Forest in the northwest....
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New 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 is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in 1804. In 1834, the Brattleboro Retreat
Brattleboro Retreat
The Brattleboro Retreat is a private, not-for-profit mental health and addictions hospital that provides comprehensive inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults....
for the mentally ill was founded by bequest
Bequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
of Anna Marsh
Anna Marsh
Anna Marsh established the Vermont Asylum of the Insane in 1834.-Biography:Marsh was born and raised in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. She was the widow of physician Perley Marsh....
. The postmaster
Postmaster
A 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, two years after the Brattleboro Hydropathic Establishment was opened by Dr. Robert Wesselboeft in 1843-1844. This was the third water cure establishment in the country. Pure spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
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 watermillWatermill
A 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 .- History :...
s, beginning with a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
and gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
. By 1859, when the population had reached 3,816, Brattleboro had a woolen
Woolen
Woolen or woollen is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn...
textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
mill, a paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
, a manufacturer of papermaking
Papermaking
Papermaking is the process of making paper, a substance which is used universally today for writing and packaging.In papermaking a dilute suspension of fibres in water is drained through a screen, so that a mat of randomly interwoven fibres is laid down. Water is removed from this mat of fibres by...
machinery, a factory making melodeon
Melodeon (organ)
A melodeon is a type of 19th century reed organ with a foot-operated vacuum bellows, and a piano keyboard. It differs from the related harmonium, which uses a pressure bellows. Melodeons were manufactured in the United States sometime after 1812 until the Civil War era...
s, two machine shops, a flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
mill, a carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are 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 light,...
factory, and four printing
Printing
Printing 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....
establishments. Connected by the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad and the Vermont Valley Railroad
Vermont Valley Railroad
The 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 trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
of grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
, lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
, turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine 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...
, tallow
Tallow
Tallow 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.In industry,...
and pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
. 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
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
benefit check, issued on January 31, 1940 was Ida May Fuller
Ida May Fuller
Ida May Fuller was the first American 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
Public 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. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
, 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 had drawn national attention when nudists made 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. 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. On December 4, 2007 the ban was made permanent, however. ,
Petition against Bush and Cheney
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The 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 Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
for crimes against the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. 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 42°51′15"N 72°33′31"W. Due to its location in the southernmost part of Vermont, the town is actually geographically closer to the state capitals of AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Boston, and Concord
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
than to its own state capital, Montpelier
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier is a city in the U.S. state of Vermont that serves as the state capital and the shire town of Washington County. As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. The population was 7,855 at the 2010...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The 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...
, 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 mile (1.2 km2, 1.42%) is water. Brattleboro is drained by the West River
West River (Vermont)
The West River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, about 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"...
, 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
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. Hills and mountains surround the town.
Brattleboro is crossed by
Interstate 91Interstate 91
Interstate 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
U.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
Vermont Route 30 is a north–south state highway in Vermont, United States. Considered one of Vermont's most scenic roadways, it runs from Brattleboro, Vermont in the south to Middlebury, Vermont in the north...
.
Development
Brattleboro, being the first major town from the Massachusetts 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 a resolution designating itself a Fair Trade Town, becoming the second Fairtrade certified town in the nation after Media
Media, Pennsylvania
The 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. Its school district is the Rose Tree Media School District...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
The town's densely populated center
Brattleboro (CDP), Vermont
Brattleboro is a census-designated place corresponding to the densely populated core of the town of Brattleboro in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 8,289 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
is at the very bottom of the Connecticut river 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
U.S. Route 5
U.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 Grocers
C&S Wholesale Grocers
C&S Wholesale Grocers is a wholesale distributor of food and grocery store items. With its headquarters in Keene, New Hampshire, C&S is the twelfth-largest privately held company in the United States, as listed in 2008 by Forbes. , they are the eighth-largest such company...
made its headquarters here until moving them to Keene
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New 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 is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in 2005; however, because of close proximity to Interstate 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 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 large shipping and warehouse 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 Holstein
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
Association.
Demographics
Census
A 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. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 12,005 people, 5,364 households, and 2,880 families residing in the town. Almost all of the population is concentrated in two census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s identified in the town: Brattleboro
Brattleboro (CDP), Vermont
Brattleboro is a census-designated place corresponding to the densely populated core of the town of Brattleboro in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 8,289 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and West Brattleboro.
The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of the town was 375.3 people per square mile (144.9/km2). There were 5,686 housing units at an average density of 177.7 per square mile (68.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.06% White, 1.13% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, 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 races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, 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 couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 employs a Representative Town MeetingRepresentative town meeting
A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....
local government, wherein its citizens are represented at-large by a Select Board of five members, and by several dozen Town Representatives elected from three municipal districts. The Select Board is considered the 'executive branch' of town government; its five members are elected to fill three one-year positions and two three-year positions. In turn, the Select Board hires and supervises a Town Manager. The town's three districts also each elect a representative to the Vermont State Legislature.
Rail
AmtrakAmtrak
The 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 portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, operates its Vermonter
Vermonter
Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , 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.
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. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and St. Albans
St. Albans (town), Vermont
St. Albans is a town in Franklin County, Vermont. The population was 6,392 at the 2010 census. The town completely surrounds the city of St. Albans, which was separated from the town and incorporated in 1902. References to "St. Albans" prior to this date generally refer to the town center, which...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
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 street map of the town. Bus services, including the CurrentCurrent
- Science and Mathematics :* Electric current* Current , including** Ocean currents** Air currents** Current - currents in rivers and streams* Current density, mathematical concept unifying electric current, fluid current, and others...
and the Moover, also run daily between Brattleboro and Bellows Falls
Bellows Falls, Vermont
Bellows 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...
, between Brattleboro and Whitingham
Whitingham, Vermont
Whitingham is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Nathan Whiting, a landholder. The population was 1,298 at the 2000 census. Whitingham is the birthplace of Brigham Young, the second President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and founder of...
, and along Vermont Route 30 to the northwest. In addition, Brattleboro is serviced daily by the national bus service Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
, which stops at a franchised terminal on Route 5.
Highway
Brattleboro is served by three highways and one Interstate route. Vermont 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
U.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 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 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 5
U.S. Route 5
U.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 Guilford
Guilford, Vermont
Guilford is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford. The population was 2,046 at the 2000 census.- Geography :...
and runs northerly, through downtown, and eventually exits Brattleboro at its border with Dummerston
Dummerston, Vermont
Dummerston 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:...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. 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.
Vermont Route 30
Vermont Route 30
Vermont Route 30 is a north–south state highway in Vermont, United States. Considered one of Vermont's most scenic roadways, it runs from Brattleboro, Vermont in the south to Middlebury, Vermont in the north...
, considered one of the most scenic roads in Vermont, runs to the northwest along the southern bank of the West River
West River
-Rivers:Canada*West River in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia*West River in Pictou County, Nova Scotia*West River in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia...
. It has its southern terminus in Brattleboro at the intersection of Park Place and Linden Street, and exits Brattleboro at its border with Dummerston. Route 30's local names within Brattleboro are Linden Street and West River Road.
Interstate 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 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 ReformerBrattleboro Reformer
The 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 weekly newspaper with a circulation of 5,900. The Parent Express, a community newspaper circulates in Brattleboro, Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, and throughout Windham County, Vermont
Windham County, Vermont
Windham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 44,513. Its shire town is Newfane.-Geography:According to the U.S...
and Cheshire County, New Hampshire
Cheshire County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 73,825 people, 28,299 households, and 18,790 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 31,876 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile...
.
Online media
Brattleboro has one of the country's oldest citizen journalismCitizen journalism
Citizen journalism is the concept of members of the public "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information," according to the seminal 2003 report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information...
web sites, iBrattleboro.com, providing local news and information written by residents.
FM
- WKVT-FMWKVT-FMWKVT-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. - WRSIWRSIWRSI is a radio station licensed to serve Turners Falls, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Saga Communications and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC. It airs an Album Adult Alternative music format.-History:...
101.5 (repeater station at MarlboroMarlboro, VermontMarlboro is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 978 at the 2000 census. The town is home to both the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum and Marlboro College, which each summer hosts the Marlboro Music School and Festival....
, VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
of station broadcasting from DeerfieldDeerfield, MassachusettsDeerfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,750 as of the 2000 census. Deerfield is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area in Western Massachusetts, lying only north of the city of Springfield.Deerfield includes the...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. 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. As of the 2010...
on 93.9, with studios in NorthamptonNorthampton, MassachusettsThe city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. 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. As of the 2010...
). - WTSA-FMWTSA-FMWTSA-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Brattleboro, Vermont. It first signed on in 1975. 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. http://www.womensfilmfestival.org/
- 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 the first weekend 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 FestivalBrattleboro Free Folk FestivalThe 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 has an important literary history. Brattleboro's first bookstore opened in 1795. The first Bible to be printed in VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
was printed in the town, in 1812. The Brattleboro Literary Festival has been held every fall since 2001. Brattleboro was the site of the first U.S. printing of the first Harry Potter book. For several years, Brattleboro was also the home of the world-famous writer Rudyard Kipling, who married a young woman from the Town and built a home called Naulakha on its northern border with the Town of Dummerston.
Cultural references
- Brattleboro is the setting for much of H. P. LovecraftH. P. LovecraftHoward Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
's story The Whisperer in DarknessThe 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 WallaceDavid Foster WallaceDavid 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 JestInfinite Jest is a 1996 novel by David Foster Wallace. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a semi-parodic future version of North America, and touches on tennis, substance addiction and recovery programs, depression, child abuse, family relationships, advertising and popular entertainment,...
. - The popular Joe GuntherJoe GuntherJoe 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 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 CousinOur American CousinOur American Cousin is an 1858 play in three acts by English playwright Tom Taylor. The play is a farce whose plot is based on the introduction of an awkward, boorish but honest American, Asa Trenchard, to his aristocratic English relatives when he goes to England to claim the family estate...
meets his English relatives, leading to his trip to England where the events of the play take place. - In the comedy movie Super TroopersSuper TroopersSuper Troopers is a 2001 crime-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group . Marisa Coughlan, Daniel von Bargen and Brian Cox co-star while Lynda Carter has a cameo appearance...
, Lieutenant Arcot "Thorny" Ramathorn suggests that Brattleboro would be a good town to move to since his station is going to be shut down. - The psychiatric hospital in the 2011 action movie Sucker PunchSucker Punch (film)Sucker Punch is a 2011 action-fantasy thriller film, directed by Zack Snyder and co-written by him and Steve Shibuya. It is Snyder's first film based on an original script. The film stars Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, and Oscar Isaac...
is located in Brattleboro.
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
- New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA)
- Strolling of the Heifers
See also
- List of people from Brattleboro, Vermont
- Marlboro College Graduate SchoolMarlboro College Graduate SchoolMarlboro College Graduate School was founded in 1997 by Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont. It is accredited with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and located at 28 Vernon Street in Downtown Brattleboro, Vermont, approximately 12 miles from Marlboro College...
- School for International TrainingSchool for International TrainingSIT Graduate Institute is the accredited college program of World Learning in Brattleboro, Vermont. The president and CEO is Adam Weinberg.History=SIT Graduate Institute began as the Experiment for International Living...
- Union Institute & UniversityUnion Institute & UniversityUnion Institute & University is a non-profit private college, specializing in limited residence and distance learning programs. With the main campus in Cincinnati, Union Institute & University operates -from Ohio- "satellite campuses" located in Montpelier, Vermont; Brattleboro, Vermont; North...