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Importance of a Main Tributariy of the Connecticut River Beginning in the 1760's, much of the settlement of the Upper Valley was in the plains and hills along the Connecticut River. The earliest settlers were subsistence farmers. In those very first years they lived off what they could grow as crops, and also wild game and food, while they cleared their plot of land and began to build a crude log dwelling. These first settlers laid the groundwork for generations to come. 1837 White River Watershed The confluence of a main tributary river with the Connecticut River became a very important location for settlement, commerce and transportation. Places like West Lebanon, (Mascoma River), Claremont, (Sugar River), and White River Junction became increasingly vital. During the early years in the Upper Valley, saw mills and grist mills were built along the rivers and streams that fed the Connecticut River and its tributaries. Crude log cabins gave way to wood frame structures, using boards cut at the local mill. Within a couple of generations, children that had grown up in the area, began looking for new areas to settle and farm. Naturally, many traveled upstream, into the foothills of the Green and White Mountains, along the increasingly narrower valleys. Let's take a look at the White River valley. As you can see in the map above, its tributaries reach deep into the back country, up into the the Green Mountains. The streams become narrower there, and the elevation becomes higher, steeper and rockier Many inland tributaries contribute fresh, icy cold water from melting snow each Spring, to the wider valleys below. Sources of the White River in Ripton, Granville, Hancock and Rochester, Vermont. USGS Topography from 1915. Robert Frost Cabin, Ripton, Vermont While the Upper Valley townships along the Connecticut River were settled in the early 1760's, places like Rochester, Hancock, Granville and Ripton near the headwaters of the White River weren't settled until the 1780's, a full generation later. Moss Glen Falls, Granville VT From 1780 - 1810, there was a boom in population in Vermont. During these thirty years, the population of the state of Vermont increased dramatically, from 30,000 to 217,000. Like today, people needed a good place to call home, and many of them moved up into the White River Valley. Settlement was limited by the mountains, and steep slopes, but the river valleys provided beautiful land and fertile soil; a place to create a homestead. Towns like Rochester, Bethel, Royalton and Sharon developed along promising locations in the White River valley. Dawn at Bethel Mountain Here are some interesting facts about the White River's watershed, courtesy of Whiteriverpartnership.org "The White River watershed encompasses 710 square miles, draining portions of Addison, Orange, Rutland, Washington and Windsor Counties, including 50,000 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest. The White River originates in the Town of Ripton on the slopes of Battell Mountain, then flows southerly and easterly before merging with the Connecticut River in the Town of Hartford." The tributaries of the White River are many, but the main branch begins at the highest point, at about 3700 feet in elevation. Alder Meadow Brook, near Granville Notch, and Patterson Brook, and Clarke Brook also feed into the White River in the high country, not far from the source of the Mad River, as the crow flies. The source of the White River flows east into Granville, and then south from there, through the town of Hancock and then through Rochester, where the West Branch joins the main branch. Hancock Vermont, Near Route 100 The West Branch of the White River joins the Main Branch in Rochester, Vermont. Main Street, Rochester Vermont, 1912 Below Rochester, the Tweed River flows in from Pittsfield and joins the main branch of the White River in Stockbridge. The Tweed River in Pittsfield and Stockbridge, a significant tributary of the White River Stockbridge, Vermont From Stockbridge the White River generally flows east, into Bethel, where the Third Branch joins the Main Branch of the White River. The third branch flows down in a southerly direction through places like Braintree, and Randolph, on its way to Bethel. Bethel Vermont, Confluence of the White River with its Third Branch Bethel, Vermont. Photo courtesy of cinematreasures.org. After connecting with the Third Branch, the White River continues on, eventually joining the Second Branch of the White River. The Second Branch of the White River flows down from the southern portion of Williamstown, meandering through Brookfield, and East Randolph near Vermont Route 14, on it's way to its confluence with the Main Branch in North Royalton. Route from Bethel to North Royalton, where the Second Branch joins the White River Royalton Academy building in Royalton Vermont A little further east, the Main Branch of the White River flows through historic Royalton Vermont, and is joined by the First Branch at South Royalton. The First Branch begins high above Chelsea in Washington VT. Flowing through Chelsea and Tunbridge, along Vermont Route 110, the First Branch valley is a particularly picturesque area. White River, 2nd Branch at North Royalton, First Branch at South Royalton. Village of South Royalton Vermont East of South Royalton, the White River, now strengthened by its branches and tributaries, flows in a southeasterly direction through the town of Sharon. Sharon, Vermont Topography, circa 1894 Sharon, VT Postcard from 1906. The photo above shows Sharon, Vermont in 1906. The building to the left is the Sharon Trading Post, still thriving today. White River flowing through Sharon, and Hartford, emptying into the Connecticut River at White River Junction Vermont After Sharon, the White River flows past the northeast corner of Pomfret, and through the villages of West Hartford, and then Hartford Vermont. Hartford Historical Society, Hartford, Vermont And from Hartford village, it's just a short trip to the Connecticut River. White River Junction, Vermont The location of the confluence of the White River with the Connecticut River, has historically been very important. White River Junction was a transportation and commerce center before the railroads came in the mid-1800's. In the early 1800's, Elias Lyman III ran a ferry and flatboat service in White River Junction and a toll bridge across the Connecticut River. And before that, the area was important to native populations. Lyman Point, White River Junction Vermont. The Confluence of the White River and the Connecticut River. Railroad bridge from WRJ to West Lebanon, New Hampshire in background. Photo by Bob Totz. Thanks for winding along on "Old Roads, Rivers and Rails".
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AuthorI'm Bob Totz, retired VT postmaster, and historical geographer ARCHIVES:
October 2021
EXPANDED ARCHIVES: AUGUST 2021 1858 Johnson Map of North America MAY 2021 1795 - "Road Over the Mountain" - Part Two Historic Toll House For Sale 1795 - "Road Over the Mountain" Part One OCTOBER 2020 Finding That Special Peaceful Place AUGUST 2020 Kayaking on the Pompy JULY 2020 Pt. 2: What the Heck Are These Things? JUNE 2020 Bob's Bio... What the Heck Are These Things? Pt. 1 MAY 2020 Stone Walls and Spirits The View APRIL 2020 Sunny Brook Farm Relics: Pt 2. Sunny Brook Farm Relics: Pt 1. MARCH 2020 Signs of Norwich Pt. 2 COVID-19 Tracking Map Centertown and Valleyquest Signs of Norwich Pt. 1 "Imperfect Union" - Book Review Historic Centertown FEBRUARY 2020 King's Hwy Pt. 2 WRJ Museum at Post Mills Airport Chatauguay Vermont The Independent Farmer poem Traveling Along the King's Highway - Lebanon NH JANUARY 2020 Finding Parkhurst Cemetery In Search of Parkhurst Cemetery Affordable Housing The Old Stone Grill Two Rivers Trail-Kmart License and Registration, Please! Prohibition, Murder and Dr. Seuss Peace, Paris, & P.O. DECEMBER 2019 BLOGGER'S LINKS Welcome to Old Roads Love-Quail Hollow fun Dartmouth Cemetery SEPTEMBER 2019 E. Thetford Cemetery JUNE 2019
Taps: Meetinghouse Cemetery 4-Corners Borders Quest Old Iron Gate Stumbling Upon History Sunrise Walk MAY 2019 4 Corners Cemetery Strafford's Abandoned Foundations Art in Old Stonework APRIL 2019 Strafford Tpke Pt 2 Strafford Tpke Pt 1 White River Valley FEBRUARY 2019 Learning from Historic Maps of the Upper Valley Change in Lewiston VT JANUARY 2019 A Vermont Ski Waltz John Ledyard 1773 What is the Upper Valley? DECEMBER 2018 Dartmouth Green Music Video: Sometimes Music Video: Montreal Express Railway Disaster of 1887 |