"This
is a shire town. The principal stream in Rutland is Otter Creek, which
enters the town about the middle of the south line, and leaves it about
the middle of the north line, cutting it into two nearly equal parallelograms.
Tributary to this are West River, rising in Tinmouth, and East Creek, one
of whose branches rises in Chittenden, and the other in Mendon . . . Rutland
is divided into two parishes, denominated East and West parish. Rutland
Village, situated in the East Parish, is the most important place.
It is handsomely situated, principally in a street running north and south
and contains many beautiful buildings. In the West Parish are two small
villages, called West Rutland and Gookin's Falls . . . The village was
incorporated in 1847. . . This town was chartered in 1761. During
the war of the revolution, it was, for some time, a frontier town, and
was subject to all the commotions and inconveniences incident to its situation.
Through it lay the only military road from Charlestown, N.H. to Ticonderoga
and Crown Point, on Lake Champlain. During the war, the Vermont troops,
or Green Mountain Boys, erected here two small picket forts, sufficient
to contain about 100 men each. One of them was situated on the ground occupied
by the present village in the East Parish, about twelve rods from the spot
where the court house now stands. The other fort was situated at the head
of the falls in Otter Creek, then called Mead's Falls. As a means of checking
the incursions of the enemy, and of facilitating the communications between
the eastern part of the State and Lake Champlain, these forts were found
to be very useful."
Gazetteer
of Vermont, Hayward, 1849.
 |
Childs'
History of the Town of Rutland, Rutland County, VT., 1881-82 |
|
Childs'
Business Directory of the Town of Rutland, Rutland County, VT., 1881-82 |
|
Childs'
Business Directory of the Town of Rutland Outside of Corporation, Rutland
County, VT., 1881-82 |
|
