Vermont’s slate industry transformed Poultney in the last half of the 19th century. An agrarian community populated principally by Yankees …read more
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1777 – First Grist Mill Erected
Nehemiah Howe built the first grist-mill in Poultney, which was erected at the falls, where the east village now is, some little time before 1777. Prior to that, for the first few years settlers had to go to Manchester to mill, some thirty miles distant.
1771 – First Settlers Arrive
The first settlers, who had come in April, 1771, and built shanties near the present-day main intersection in Poultney, were Ebenezer Allen, a cousin of Ethan, and Thomas Ashley, an Allen in-law.
1772 – Ethan Allen Elected Proprietor’s Clerk
At the last annual proprietors meeting in Connecticut, in February, 1772, Ethan Allen was elected Proprietors’ Clerk, and the meeting was adjourned until April to the Poultney home of Heber Allen, Ethan’s brother.
1761 – Poultney Chartered
Poultney was chartered in 1761 when Royal Governor Benning Wentworth, in the name of King George the Third, granted 61 proprietors equal shares in a township six miles square “for the due encouragement of settling a new plantation within Our said Province (of New Hampshire).” more…
Poultney Walking and Driving Tours
The Society has won two awards for its historical Audio Walking and Driving Tours of Poultney hosted by Vermont’s master storyteller Willem Lange.
The Rise of the Village and Downtown Poultney
The 19th century saw the emergence of West Poultney as the center of town. The construction of Green Mountain College, Route 30 and later the railroad from Rutland to Albany assured the rise of the village and downtown area. The last half the 19th century was a period of economic growth for Poultney spearheading a […]
1761 – 1777 Colonial Times to Independence
Poultney was chartered in 1761 when Royal Governor Benning Wentworth, in the name of King George the Third, granted 61 proprietors equal shares in a township six miles square "for the due encouragement of settling a new plantation within Our said Province (of New Hampshire)." Governor Wentworth had made 16 of these "New Hampshire Grants" […]
How We Are Preserving the History of Poultney VT
The Poultney Historical Society was founded in 1935 and over the years has acquired three historic buildings in East Poultney. Volunteers have received and collected artifacts of local, regional and statewide interest during this time period. The Challenges A small but enthusiastic group of volunteers has been addressing many issues critical to the long-term preservation […]
About the Poultney Historical Society
The Poultney Historical Society, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1935, preserves and interprets the history of the Town of Poultney. An all-volunteer association supported through memberships and contributions from community members and visitors, the Society owns three historic buildings on-the-green in East Poultney, the Victorian Schoolhouse (1896), the Melodeon Factory (1854), and the Union […]