Brattleboro hugs the shore of New Englands largest river, the historic highway to the north country: the Connecticut River. Near present day downtown, Fort Dummer was built in 1724. Because the growing populace was subject to frequent Indian raids, the English built a fort on the future site of Brattleboro. It became both a secure position and a trading center for the English settlers. More settlers came to the outpost and cleared 200 acres surrounding Fort Dummer in 1752. The town was chartered the next year in the name of the title owner, William Brattle, Jr. A well known Boston resident, he was a Harvard graduate, a preacher, lawyer, doctor and legislator. Following his military duty, Brattle died in Nova Scotia in 1776 having never visited the town named after him.
In the remaining years of the 18th century, Brattleboros population continued to flourish in the new America. A gristmill and sawmill were built on the Whetstone Brook in the center of town. A post office opened in 1784 at the Arms Tavern near the Retreat Meadows. The town was at the natural intersection of traffic coming up the Connecticut and out from the mountains and the north country. Brattleboro benefited from the trade and transport of grain, lumber, turpentine, tallow and pork.
In the 1800s the Vermont Valley railroad ran directly through town providing a vital link north. The current design of Main Street is a result of goods being unloaded from river and rail traffic next to the shoreline of the Connecticut. In the 1840s Brattleboro developed a reputation as a resort town. The pure springs discovered along the Whetstone Brook by Dr. Robert Wesselhoeft became the Brattleboro Hydropathic Establishment, or the water cure, in 1846. Wealthy patrons from the United States and abroad came to Brattleboro for treatments which included plunges in the cold springs, healthful food, but no alcohol or tobacco. The water cure operated until 1871. Around this time the photographic record of the town begins in earnest. If you would like to see some of the collection, take a look at the Brattleboro Historical Society website.
Not long after the establishment of the water spa, the Estey Organ Company was founded. It employed more than 500 people at one time and marketed its reed organs worldwide. The prosperity of the Estey family also funded other enterprises in town and its slate-sided factory buildings can still be seen on Birge Street, much as they were in their heyday.
The town entered the 20th century as a vital regional center with a bustling Main Street. In the early years of this century, the town built a trolly which travelled the length of Main Street and out Western Avenue to West Brattleboro. At its peak, there were thousands of riders per day! Movie theaters, department stores and restaurants lined Main Street as they do today. The downtown was - and is - a busy center of commerce and social interaction.
Today Brattleboro is more than Main Street. Its allure and character extend to the surrounding communities of Dummerston, Putney, Newfane, Townshend and Marlboro. On their own, each is a rich community of friendly folks whose character is tied to the land. Together, they combine with Brattleboro to make a region of exceptional beauty - both man-made and natural. The history of Brattleboro and Vermont is written by longtime residents and new comers alike. But throughout its history, the state and town are tied to the beautiful land and the hard working people who have struggled to ultimately create one of Americas great treasures of culture and landscape. And those of us who live in southern Vermont are privileged to be your host. We hope you will return many times.