Dummerston, Vermont

Dummerston, Vermont
Town
West Dummerston Covered Bridge
Dummerston, Vermont
Dummerston, Vermont Location in the United States
Coordinates: 42°55′21″N 72°34′40″W / 42.92250°N 72.57778°W / 42.92250; -72.57778Coordinates: 42°55′21″N 72°34′40″W / 42.92250°N 72.57778°W / 42.92250; -72.57778
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Windham
Chartered	1753
Area
• Total	30.8 sq mi (79.8 km²)
• Land	30.6 sq mi (79.2 km²)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
Elevation	814 ft (248 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	1,915
• Density	62.6/sq mi (24.2/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	05301
Area code(s)	802
FIPS code	50-18325^[1]
GNIS feature ID	1462084^[2]

Dummerston is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,915 at the 2000 census. It is home to the longest covered bridge still in use in Vermont. Its borders include three main villages: Dummerston Center, West Dummerston, and East Dummerston.

History

East Dummerston in 1913

Dummerston was part of the Equivalent lands, part of a large tract of land given to settlers at the turn of the century. It lies on a tract given to the Connecticut Colony about 1715 by the Province of Massachusetts Bay as compensation for land mistakenly awarded by the latter to its settlers. In 1716, the town was auctioned to a consortium (which included William Dummer, lieutenant governor of Massachusetts), and named Dummerston. On December 26, 1753, the town was chartered as a New Hampshire grant and renamed Fulham by Governor Benning Wentworth. But when the grant was renegotiated, it reverted to Dummerston.^[3]

The many brooks and streams flowing into the West River provided the area with water power. Dummerston had five gristmills, five sawmills, one slate manufacturer, and one shop for making rakes. Raising sheep across the many hills was an important occupation.^[4] By 1859, the town had a population of 1,645. The Vermont Valley Railroad passed through Dummerston.^[3]

A house built in Dummerston in 1892, Naulakha, was home to author Rudyard Kipling. This is where he wrote several of his novels, including The Jungle Books and Captains Courageous.^[5]

There was a covered bridge that was built in 1812, and it moved to Old Sturbridge Village in 1946.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 30.8 square miles (79.8 km²), of which 30.6 square miles (79.2 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.6 km²) (0.71%) is water. Dummerston is bounded by the Connecticut River, and the West River flows through the town.^[6]

The town is crossed by Interstate 91, U. S. Route 5 and Vermont Route 30. It is bordered by Brattleboro to the south, Marlboro and Newfane to the west, with Putney and Brookline to the north. Chesterfield, New Hampshire lies across the Connecticut River from it.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	1,501		—
1800	1,692		12.7%
1810	1,704		0.7%
1820	1,658		−2.7%
1830	1,592		−4.0%
1840	1,263		−20.7%
1850	1,645		30.2%
1860	1,021		−37.9%
1870	916		−10.3%
1880	816		−10.9%
1890	860		5.4%
1900	726		−15.6%
1910	643		−11.4%
1920	570		−11.4%
1930	604		6.0%
1940	615		1.8%
1950	790		28.5%
1960	872		10.4%
1970	1,295		48.5%
1980	1,574		21.5%
1990	1,863		18.4%
2000	1,915		2.8%
2010	1,864		−2.7%
Est. 2014	1,829	^[7]	−1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[8]

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 1,915 people, 796 households, and 543 families residing in the town. The population density was 62.6 people per square mile (24.2/km²). There were 893 housing units at an average density of 29.2 per square mile (11.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.33% White, 0.05% African American, 0.63% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.

There were 796 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. Of all households 25.4% were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the town, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,121, and the median income for a family was $53,375. Males had a median income of $35,664 versus $26,174 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,742. About 1.1% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Politics and government

Dummerston, like many New England counties and localities, uses a board of selectmen as its executive body and Town Meeting for legislative functions. In 2014, it had five selectmen forming up its selectboard.^[9] One of its most famous selectmen was Motel 6 spokesmodel and author Tom Bodett, who served on the selectboard as of 2013.^[10]

Sites of interest

Built in 1872, the West Dummerston Covered Bridge has a floor length of 267 feet (81 m)

Dummerston has several interesting sites within its borders.

The longest covered bridge that is still in use in the state of Vermont is the West Dummerston Covered Bridge. Built in two spans which rest on a central pier, the bridge boasts a combined length of 267 feet along the floor. The gable ends overhang the floor at each end of the bridge by two feet; therefore, along the top of the trusses, the bridge is 271 feet long.^[11]

Dummerston is home to the 1,009 acre Black Mountain Conservation Area. Black Mountain rises abruptly from the West River into a horseshoe-shaped ridge. The mountain has a summit of 1,280 feet.^[12]

Author Rudyard Kipling made Dummerston home, building a house that he named Naulakha. It was there that he wrote his famous story, The Jungle Book, and invented the sport of Snow Golf. Naulakha is now a museum available for overnight stays. The house is a National Historic Landmark.^[13]

The Dummerston Grange periodically hosts the Vermont Theatre Company.^[14]

Notable people

George Aiken, US senator and 64th governor of Vermont
Tom Bodett, author and spokesman
Robert J. Flaherty, husband of Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Frances H. Flaherty and filmmaker and producer
Frances H. Flaherty, Academy Award–nominated screenwriter
Rudyard Kipling, author and inventor of snow golf
Charles Sweetser, US congressman

References

1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
1 2 Coolidge, Austin J.; John B. Mansfield (1859). A History and Description of New England. Boston, Massachusetts. pp. 792–795.
↑ Hayward's New England Gazetteer of 1839
↑ Virtual Vermont – Dummerston, Vermont
↑ DeLorme (1996). Vermont Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-016-9
↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
↑ http://selectboard.dummerston.org/
↑ Tom Bodett
↑ West Dummerston Covered Bridge
↑ Black Mountain Natural Area
↑ Naulakha – the Rudyard Kipling home
↑ Dummerston Grange – Vermont Theatre Company

External links

Adjacent places of Dummerston, Vermont

Newfane

Brookline and Putney

Westmoreland, New Hampshire

Dummerston

Marlboro

Brattleboro

Chesterfield, New Hampshire

Municipalities and communities of Windham County, Vermont, United States
Shire town: Newfane
Towns	Athens Brattleboro Brookline Dover Dummerston Grafton Guilford Halifax Jamaica Londonderry Marlboro Newfane Putney Rockingham Somerset‡ Stratton Townshend Vernon Wardsboro Westminster Whitingham Wilmington Windham
Villages	Bellows Falls Jacksonville Newfane Saxtons River Westminster
CDPs	Brattleboro North Westminster Putney West Brattleboro Wilmington
Other communities	Algiers Cambridgeport East Dover South Newfane West Dummerston West Halifax West Wardsboro Williamsville
Footnotes	‡ Disincorporated

Connecticut River watershed
Tributaries	Ammonoosuc River Ashuelot River Black River Black Hall River Blow-me-down Brook Burnshirt River Chapel Brook Chicopee River Cold River Cranberry River Deerfield River East Brookfield River Eightmile River Fall River Farmington River Five Mile River Green River Halls Stream Hockanum River Hubbard River Indian Stream Israel River Johns River Little Sugar River Manhan River Mascoma River Mattabesset River Mill River (Northampton) Mill River (Springfield) Millers River Mink Brook Mirey Brook Mohawk River North Branch Millers River North Branch Westfield River North River Nulhegan River Oliverian Brook Ompompanoosuc River Ottauquechee River Otter River Park River Partridge Brook Passumpsic River Perry Stream Quaboag River Salmon River Saxtons River Scantic River Seven Mile River Simms Stream Sugar River Tarbell Brook Upper Ammonoosuc River Waits River Ware River Wells River West River Westfield River Whetstone Brook White River Williams River
Lakes	Ashuelot Pond Back Lake Ball Mountain Lake Barkhamsted Reservoir Lake Beseck Brooks Pond Canaan Street Lake Cedar Pond Christine Lake Comerford Reservoir Connecticut Lakes Crystal Lake Dublin Pond Eastman Pond Echo Lake Lake Francis (Murphy Dam) Goose Pond Grafton Pond Granite Lake Harriman Reservoir Harvey Lake Lake Hayward Lakes of the Clouds Little Sunapee Lake Mascoma Lake McIndoes Reservoir Lake Monomonac Moore Reservoir North Hartland Lake Pearly Lake Pocotopaug Lake Quabbin Reservoir Lake Rescue Silver Lake Spofford Lake Lake Sunapee Surry Mountain Lake Lake Tarleton Townshend Lake Lake Wyola
Major cities (>100k)	Hartford, Connecticut Springfield, Massachusetts
Smaller cities and towns (<100k)	Agawam Ascutney Barnet Bath Beecher Falls Bellows Falls Bloomfield Bradford Brattleboro Brunswick Canaan Charlestown Chester Chesterfield Chicopee Claremont Clarksville Colebrook Columbia Concord Cornish Cromwell Dalton Deep River Deerfield Dummerston East Haddam East Hampton East Hartford East Hereford East Windsor Easthampton Enfield Essex Fairlee Gill Gilman Glastonbury Greenfield Groveton Guildhall Haddam Hadley Hanover Hartford VT Hartland Hatfield Haverhill Higganum Hinsdale Holyoke Lancaster Lebanon Lemington Littleton Longmeadow Lunenburg Lyme CT Lyme NH Maidstone Middletown Millers Falls Monroe Montague Moodus Newbury Northampton Northfield Northumberland Norwich Old Lyme Old Saybrook Orford Piermont Pittsburg Plainfield Portland Putney Rockingham Rocky Hill Ryegate South Hadley South Windsor Springfield VT Stewartstown Stratford Suffield Sunderland Thetford Thompsonville Turners Falls Vernon Walpole Waterford Weathersfield Wells River West Lebanon West Springfield Westminster Westmoreland Wethersfield Whately White River Junction Wilder Windsor CT Windsor VT Windsor Locks Woodsville
Crossings	Amtrak Old Saybrook – Old Lyme Bridge Arch Bridge Bulkeley Bridge Calvin Coolidge Bridge Canalside Rail Trail Bridge Cheshire Bridge Columbia Bridge Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge Dexter Coffin Bridge French King Bridge Gill–Montague Bridge Janice Peaslee Bridge Ledyard Bridge Morey Memorial Bridge Mount Orne Covered Bridge Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge Piermont Bridge Pittsburg–Clarksville Covered Bridge Ranger Bridge Raymond E. Baldwin Bridge Sunderland Bridge Wells River Bridge

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