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93-842: A horse-drawn railroad from Boston to Brattleboro, Vermont , via Fitchburg was proposed in 1828. The Charlestown Branch Railroad was incorporated April 4, 1835, as a short branch from the Boston and Lowell Railroad near Lechemere Point in Cambridge, across the Miller's River to the Charlestown waterfront, ending at Swett's Wharf (Sweet's Wharf in some sources) right before the Charlestown Navy Yard . It opened in January 1840 with horse-drawn trains. The Fitchburg Railroad

186-569: A spring near the current downtown fire station. Until the water cure closed in 1871, the town was widely known as a curative health resort. Other industries began to appear in the town under the initiation of the businessman John Holbrook , who initiated firms like the Brattleboro Typographic Company . These businesses initiated a decade of very successful printing industry in the town. Whetstone Falls, very close to where Brattleboro's Whetstone Brook flows into

279-502: A Selectboard of five members, and by several dozen town representatives elected from three municipal districts. The Selectboard, meeting on average every week or two, is considered part of the 'executive branch' of town government; its five members being elected to fill three one-year positions and two three-year positions. In turn, the Selectboard hires and supervises a full-time town manager. The town's three districts also each elect

372-753: A branch from Grout's Corner west to Greenfield opened. A short branch to Turner's Falls opened in 1870 or 1871. The original main line north from Miller's Falls was leased to the Rutland Railroad in 1870, which leased itself to the Vermont Central Railroad in 1871, which became the Central Vermont Railroad in 1872. This was a continuation of the New London Northern Railroad , built south from Miller's Falls in 1867 and also leased to

465-732: A connection between the Fitchburg Railroad and the Vermont Central Railroad (via trackage rights over the V&;M east of South Ashburnham). The Cheshire Railroad was merged into the Fitchburg in 1890, becoming the Cheshire Branch. Passenger service ended in 1958, and the line was abandoned in sections, Winchendon north in 1970 (after the bankruptcy of the Rutland RR) and in 1984 for the rest. The Monadnock Railroad

558-572: A dispute between Amtrak and Guilford; the MBTA only owned the trackage to Fitchburg. Service was re-extended to Wachusett station in 2016. Guilford Transportation took over the former B&M in June 1983. The Fitchburg Line west of the old Stony Brook Railroad , which now junctions east of the old Ayer Junction , now serves as part of Pan Am Railways ' main line between Mattawamkeag, Maine , and Mechanicville, New York . The Harvard Branch Railroad

651-557: A large shipping and warehouse facility in Brattleboro near I-91's Exit 3. Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy is headquartered in Brattleboro and operates a dairy processing facility in the town that opened in 2011. New Chapter , an organic vitamin and supplement maker is headquartered in Brattleboro. The town's densely populated center is located near Vermont's lowest elevation point in the Connecticut river valley. Because of

744-412: A major economic force in Brattleboro for many years. In 1871, Thomas P. James, "The Spirit Pen of Dickens", a printer by trade, moved to Brattleboro, where he took a job at The Vermont Farmer and Record. James claimed that the departed spirit of Charles Dickens had given him a communication during at a seance on Oak Street. According to James, Dickens' spirit conveyed that he had chosen James to write down

837-437: A member of the wealthy Salisbury family with ties to Brattleboro's printing and paper making industries. British author Rudyard Kipling settled in Brattleboro after marrying a young Brattleboro woman, Carrie Balestier, in 1892. The couple built a home called Naulakha , just over the town line to the north in neighboring Dummerston . Kipling wrote The Jungle Book and other works there. He also wrote about local life in

930-472: A northwesterly direction towards Commonwealth Avenue beyond Tremont Street. On February 26, Boston television station, WFXT -TV aired an investigative reporting segment showing the incorrect signs and their attempt to track down the source. In the report, Boston transportation officials admitted they had paid a private firm, Jacobs Engineering, to manufacture and put up the signs through a wayfinding improvement grant. The signage errors were caused by problems with

1023-495: A rail trail - the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway. The Lancaster and Sterling Railroad was incorporated in 1846 and immediately merged with the Fitchburg Railroad. It was built from a junction at South Acton roughly southwest to Hudson , opening in 1850. The Marlborough Branch Railroad was incorporated in 1852 and opened in 1855, continuing the line from Hudson south to Marlborough . It was leased by

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1116-571: A representative to the Vermont House of Representatives. Brattleboro is represented at the national level by U.S. senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch , and by Congresswoman Becca Balint , who also represents Vermont's entire at-large federal congressional district. At the state level in Montpelier : Brattleboro has a diverse mix of public and private primary, secondary and post-secondary schools and career centers. Sub-campuses of

1209-472: A trading post for commerce among the colonial settlers and the Indians . But violence flared up from time to time throughout the first half of the 18th century. In 1744, what became known as King George's War broke out, lasting until 1748. During this period a small body of British colonial troops were posted at the fort, but after 1750 this was considered unnecessary. Although the area was originally part of

1302-530: Is also based out of downtown Brattleboro. Massachusetts Route 2A Route 2A is a 98.5-mile-long (158.5 km) east–west state highway in Massachusetts . It exists in several sections, mainly as parts of former Route 2 that have been moved or upgraded. Route 2A runs from Greenfield in the west to Boston in the east. It formerly extended to Shelburne Falls in Buckland in

1395-704: Is one public middle school, the Brattleboro Area Middle School (BAMS), and one public high school, the Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS). The Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, which oversees the public school system in the southeastern corner of Windham County , also administers a dedicated vocational education unit, the Windham Regional Career Center. Oak Meadow , a K–12 homeschool curriculum provider and distance learning school

1488-507: Is the driest. Brattleboro averages 92.58 inches (235 cm) of snow annually. Brattleboro lies in USDA plant hardiness zone 5a. As of the census of 2010, there were 12,046 people, 5,364 households, and 2,880 families residing in the town. Almost all of the population is concentrated in two census-designated places identified in the town: Brattleboro and West Brattleboro . The results of recent censuses indicate very little change in

1581-437: Is the first major town one encounters crossing northward by automobile from Massachusetts on Interstate 91 , and is accessed via Vermont exits 1, 2, and 3 from that thoroughfare. It offers a mix of a rural atmosphere and urban amenities including a number of lodging establishments. Brattleboro also hosts art galleries, stores, and performance spaces, mostly located in the downtown area. In 2007, after meeting qualifying criteria,

1674-627: The Back Bay and South End neighborhoods along Massachusetts Avenue. This extension connected it with several additional numbered routes including the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) by its junction with Boylston Street, Huntington Avenue ( Route 9 ), Columbus Avenue ( Route 28 ), and Massachusetts Avenue Connector (which connects with I-93 / US 1 / Route 3 via I-93 Frontage Road) in Roxbury . Not only did neither

1767-764: The Central Massachusetts Railroad in 1939, and the last passenger traffic to Hudson in 1965 (by then subsidized by the MBTA as the Central Mass Branch ), but it was not abandoned until 1980. Passenger service to Maynard via the Fitchburg mainline in South Acton ceased in 1958. The line was formally abandoned in 1979. It has been converted into the Assabet River Rail Trail . The Peterborough and Shirley Railroad

1860-877: The Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College are located in Brattleboro; in the downtown's newly renovated Brooks House. Brattleboro was also home to the New England Academic Center of Union Institute and University , housed in the Marlboro College Graduate Center building. SIT Graduate Institute , formerly known as the School for International Training , is a private higher education institution in northern Brattleboro. An outgrowth of The Experiment in International Living , which

1953-693: The Dartmouth Outing Club (1909–1910), also establishing the Brattleboro Outing Club (in 1922), contributing to the first North American use of motor-driven ski lifts, and building the Harris Hill olympic-scale ski jumping facility , the site of international competitions every February that still attract daring ski-jumping athletes from all over the world. Brattleboro employs a representative town meeting local government, wherein its citizens are represented at-large by

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2046-589: The Equivalent Lands , the township became one of the New Hampshire grants , and was chartered (founded) as such on December 26, 1753, by Governor Benning Wentworth . It was named Brattleborough, after Brigadier-General William Brattle , Jr. of Boston , a military officer, cleric, slaveholder as well as a principal proprietor. Ironically, there is no record that Brattle ever visited the locality, and settlement activities remained tentative until after

2139-636: The Holstein/Friesian Cattle Association, which houses and maintains the worldwide registries for those two breeds. Brooks Memorial Library houses a town historical archive, fine art paintings, and sculptures. Brattleboro has a thriving arts community. It was listed in John Villani's book The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America , in which it was ranked #9 among 'arts towns' with a population of 30,000 or less. On

2232-637: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) nor the Boston Transportation Department, acknowledge that Route 2A had been extended, they denied knowing who put up the signs, indicating it was the action of an unknown organization. The Route 2A signs themselves had either wrong directional banners (signed as a north-south highway at least once north of Melnea Cass Boulevard) or are signed backwards (east going west and vice versa), as it heads in

2325-642: The Minuteman National Historical Park just south of the Battle Road , the route taken by British troops between the Battles of Lexington and Concord . It then leaves the park, intersecting with I-95 / Route 128 at exit 46 (formerly 30). The road passes south of Lexington's town center before winding into Arlington . In Arlington, the road begins a concurrency with U.S. Route 3 (US 3) which eventually joins

2418-670: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 32.5 square miles (84.0 km ), of which 32.0 square miles (82.9 km ) is land and 0.5 square mile (1.2 km , 1.42%) is water. Brattleboro is drained by the West River , Ames Hill Brook and Whetstone Brook. The town is in the Connecticut River Valley , and its eastern boundary (and the Vermont state line) is

2511-594: The Vermont Jazz Center . The town operates and maintains the Gibson-Aiken Center, a large recreation and community activities facility, located downtown on Main Street, along with a number of parks and outdoor recreation centers, including Living Memorial Park , whose features include an outdoor swimming pool and a municipal skiing facility. There are bicycle lanes on Putney Road in

2604-537: The Vermont Valley Railroad , the town prospered as a regional center for trade in commodities including grain, lumber, turpentine , tallow and pork. In 1888, the spelling of the town's name was shortened to Brattleboro. The Estey Organ company, the largest organ manufacturer in the United States, operated in Brattleboro for about a century beginning in 1852. The company's main factory

2697-499: The Whetstone Brook allowed the development of several mill industries that relied on water power. The town rose to national and international recognition because of several major industries in the town during the 19th century: several bookbinding companies, including Brattleboro Typographic Company which produced bibles, and Estey Organ , one of the largest manufacturers of pipe organs in the world. Both industries shrank in

2790-674: The Wilton Railroad in Milford, New Hampshire . It was merged into the Fitchburg in 1895. The Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad was chartered in 1844 and immediately merged the Brattleborough and Fitchburg Railroad of Vermont into itself. The first section, from Fitchburg to Baldwinville , opened in 1847 and was operated by the Fitchburg Railroad until 1849. Further extensions opened to Athol and Miller's Falls in 1848, and to Brattleboro, Vermont , in 1850. Later in 1850,

2883-979: The Windham Art Gallery . Gallery Walk is a mid-1990s creation of, and continues to be sponsored by, the Arts Council of Windham County . Other arts organizations in Brattleboro include the Brattleboro Music Center , the Vermont Theatre Company , the New England Youth Theater , the Brattleboro Women's Chorus, the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA), the Vermont Performance Lab , and

Fitchburg Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue

2976-416: The 1763 Treaty of Paris , when France abandoned their claims to Vermont, part of the region which they had called New France . Hostilities having ceased, Brattleboro developed quickly in peacetime, and soon was second to no other settlement in the state for business and wealth. In 1771, Stephen Greenleaf opened Vermont's first store in the east village, and in 1784, a post office was established. A bridge

3069-401: The 1960s and 1970s following the construction of Interstate 91, which runs north-south through the town. The area has little residential development and is dominated by larger commercial and industrial establishments and suburban-style shopping areas along Putney Road , including seven chain hotels and motels located within a short distance of each other. Brattleboro is also the headquarters of

3162-506: The BHT&;W in 1882. In 1886 they were consolidated to form the Troy, Saratoga and Northern Railroad . The combined line was built in 1886 and 1887, with a main line from Mechanicville (never built south to Troy ) north and west to Saratoga Springs , and a branch east to Schuylerville . The Fitchburg Railroad leased it in 1887. This list shows all stations and junctions that have existed on

3255-584: The Charlestown Branch opened in August 1844; the Fitchburg Railroad leased the Charlestown Branch itself on September 1, 1845, and outright bought the branch on January 31, 1846. The original Charlestown terminal was southwest of City Square , west of the Warren Bridge ( 42°22′12″N 71°03′47″W  /  42.370°N 71.063°W  / 42.370; -71.063 ). In 1848, the line

3348-782: The Cheshire Railroad at Winchendon. The BB&G leased the Monadnock Railroad in 1874, but reassigned the lease to the Cheshire in 1880. The BB&G was merged into the Fitchburg in 1885. The Troy and Greenfield Railroad was incorporated and chartered in 1848, with a planned line from the Vermont border in Williamstown east through the Hoosac Tunnel to Greenfield . The first section opened from

3441-534: The Connecticut River near the site of what would later become known as Brattleboro. Lieutenant-governor William Dummer signed the measure, and construction of Fort Dummer began on February 3, 1724. It was completed before summer. On October 11 of that year, the French attacked the fort and killed some soldiers. In 1725, Dummer's War ended. By 1728, and in subsequent peaceful periods, the fort served as

3534-512: The Connecticut River on Vernon Road (VT Route 142), at the corner of Cotton Mill Hill. The western section of town, built up around Vermont's east-west Route 9 , was formally designated a village in 2005. It is mostly lower-density residential in character, and features the state's largest mobile home park and several planned housing developments and subdivisions. Away from the Route 9 conduit, other parts of western Brattleboro and some areas north of

3627-435: The Connecticut River, was a handy source of water power for watermills , initially a sawmill and a gristmill . By 1859, when the population had reached 3,816, Brattleboro had a woolen textile mill, a paper mill, a manufacturer of papermaking machinery, a factory making melodeons , two machine shops, a flour mill, a carriage factory, and four printing establishments. Connected by the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad and

3720-430: The Fitchburg Railroad near Walden Pond . Although Thoreau often resented the noisy trains, he found the railroad line itself fascinating: he frequently studied the vegetation growing along the tracks, as well as the soil layers visible in a railroad cut. He often walked along the tracks to reach Concord from Walden Pond. A third track was added between Waltham and Roberts in 1886. The Boston and Maine Railroad leased

3813-755: The Fitchburg Route and the parallel Grand Junction Branch was replaced by a road bridge in 1908–09, followed by Webster Street in 1911. A road bridge carrying Dane Street and an underpass carrying Medford Street were completed in early 1913, leaving only Park Street . Numerous grade crossings were eliminated throughout the state in the 1930s; those on the Fitchburg Route included Boston Post Road ( Route 20 ) at Stony Brook in 1930 and at Beaver Brook in 1936, Mohawk Trail in Littleton in 1932, and Leominster–Shirley Road in Lunenburg around 1936. In 1935,

Fitchburg Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue

3906-560: The Fitchburg for 99 years from July 1, 1900, as its Fitchburg Division. The railroad was originally constructed with a number of level crossings in Somerville. The diamond crossing of the Boston and Lowell Railroad was replaced with the Lowell elevated onto "Red Bridge" in 1857. Washington Street and Prospect Street were raised onto bridges in the 19th century; Sacramento Street and Kane Street were cut (with pedestrian "subways" under

3999-431: The Fitchburg in 1853 and bought outright in 1863. This branch made South Acton a major junction and service point on the Fitchburg Route. A turntable and engine house existed in South Acton to service trains well into the 20th century. Passenger service from Marlborough ceased in 1932, and the section between Maynard and Hudson was abandoned in 1943. The section between Hudson and Marlborough saw its last passenger traffic via

4092-713: The Heifers and the Brattleboro Literary Festival . The location was called Wantastegok or "Wantastiquet" by the indigenous Sokoki band of Abenaki that resided in the area before settlement by Europeans. To defend the Massachusetts Bay Colony against Chief Gray Lock and others during Dummer's War , the Massachusetts General Court voted on December 27, 1723, to build a blockhouse and stockade on

4185-403: The Regional Career Center are also located in this section, as is Fort Dummer State Park, which is named after the first European settlers' 1724 stockade. The original Fort's site, however, was flooded in the early 20th century by a flood-control and hydro-electric dam built just downstream in Vernon, Vermont . An historical marker is located near the Fort's now-underwater site, on the west bank of

4278-499: The Vermont Central in 1871. In 1874 the Fitchburg Railroad leased the rest of the V&M, extending its line west to Greenfield (and beyond via the Troy and Greenfield Railroad - see below). The Ashburnham Railroad was chartered in 1871 and opened in 1874 from the V&M at South Ashburnham to Ashburnham . The Fitchburg bought it in 1885. The Turners Falls Branch connected the main line at Turners Falls Junction to Turners Falls . It opened in 1871. The Cheshire Railroad

4371-447: The Vermont state line towards Bennington . It opened in 1852, continuing as the Western Vermont Railroad (leased by the Troy and Boston from 1857 until it was reorganized into the Bennington and Rutland Railway in 1865). The Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and Western Railway opened in 1879 between the Massachusetts state line and Mechanicville, New York . Its route closely paralleled the Troy and Boston from Johnsonville eastward. The line

4464-434: The West River have a decidedly rural character, with dirt roads, sparse housing, wooded Green Mountains foothills, and the last few farms left in the town following the 1970s' decline of the dairy industry. At its peak, the immediate Brattleboro area had over 170 farms; there are now less than a dozen remaining. The section of Brattleboro north of the West River , formerly farmland, was mostly subdivided and developed during

4557-428: The abandonment of farms. The first person to receive a U.S. Social Security benefit check, issued on January 31, 1940, was Ida May Fuller from Brattleboro. On May 12, 1950, auctioneer Emma Bailey held her first auction in Brattleboro, selling a rocking chair for $ 2.50. She was the first American woman auctioneer, and later became the first woman admitted to the National Auctioneers Association . According to

4650-403: The average family size was 2.84. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males. The median income for a household in the town

4743-1085: The city requested that the Park Street grade crossing be replaced with a bridge as part of a Works Progress Administration -funded grade crossing elimination program. It was not, and the location has continued to see collisions. The tracks were lowered through Waverley Square in 1952 to eliminate a pair of grade crossings there. Service was cut back from Troy to Williamstown on January 19, 1958. Cheshire Branch and Maynard–South Acton service ended on May 18 amid systemwide cuts. Service west of Greenfield ended on December 30, 1958; stops dropped at that time were Williamstown, North Adams, Hoosac Tunnel, Zoar, Charlemont, and Shelburne Falls . On June 14, 1959, seven stops between Greenfield and Fitchburg (Montague, Lake Pleasant, Erving, Royalston, Baldwinville, East Gardner, and South Ashburnham) plus Stony Brook were dropped as part of another round of systemwide cuts. The four daily round trips west of Fitchburg were discontinued on April 23, 1960, ending service to Greenfield , Millers Falls, Athol, Orange, and Gardner . On January 18, 1965, service

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4836-421: The completion of tree clearing, though rails and ties were still in place. In July 2020, the state awarded $ 100,000 for removing tracks and paving the western third of the trail. State funding was awarded in 2022 for construction of a 0.6-mile (0.97 km) segment in Groton. The Brookline and Milford Railroad was incorporated and built in 1892 from the Peterborough and Shirley at Squannacook Junction north to

4929-410: The confluence of Vermont's West River and the Connecticut River . With a 2022 Census population of 12,106, it is the most populous municipality abutting Vermont's eastern border with New Hampshire , which is the Connecticut River . The town has been important to the history of Vermont, acting as a gateway for trade on both the Connecticut River and subsequent road and train infrastructure. Moreover

5022-426: The early 1890s: heavy snowfalls, ox-teams drawing sledges, and people in the small towns beset with what he called a "terrifying intimacy" about each other's lives. He recorded the death of men who had left, going to seek their fortunes in the cities or out west, and the consequent loneliness and depression in the lives of local women; the long length of the workday for farmers, even in winter, often for lack of help; and

5115-467: The early 20th century, relying more on its role as a economic hub for more rural communities and Vermont's tourism industry . There are satellite campuses of two colleges in Brattleboro: Community College of Vermont , and Vermont Technical College . Located in Brattleboro are the New England Center for Circus Arts , Vermont Jazz Center , and the Brattleboro Retreat , a mental health and addictions hospital. Notable annual events include Strolling of

5208-480: The eastbound direction before rejoining Mass Ave east of Putnam Avenue. It then passes by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It intersects the junction of US 3 and Route 3 at Memorial Drive before crossing the Harvard Bridge (also known as the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge) and crossing into Boston , ending at Route 2 and Commonwealth Avenue . In 2013, Route 2A signs were extended 2.2 miles (3.5 km) further into Boston through

5301-470: The end of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", which Dickens had not completed before he died. Dickens' spirit also supposedly told James that it was fine if James made a profit from the book. The book was printed by the same company that owned the Springfield Union, which was the paper that published the first news about James' claims, as well as excerpts from the new chapters of the novel. Newspaper editors from papers around New England who had employed James denounced

5394-407: The entire affair as a well-planned advertising hoax. The book became a sensation, being reviewed in the New York Times and widely promoted in spiritualist magazines of the day. James published the novel on October 31, 1873, and reported that he sold 30,000 copies of it. James left Brattleboro in 1879, abandoning his third wife, and moving to Watertown, Massachusetts, with his fourth wife Lizzie Plummer,

5487-404: The first Friday of every month, an event known as "Gallery Walk" is held, during which galleries, artists, arts organizations, and stores display new art works or hold performances. Included in the organizations that participate are the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center , the Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery , the In-Sight Photography Project , River Gallery School , Through the Music, and

5580-483: The former Whalom Park before crossing into Middlesex County at Shirley . In Shirley, Route 2A passes north of Fort Devens into Ayer , heading into Littleton and crossing I-495 at exit 79 (formerly exit 30). It then turns south through Acton and into Concord before rejoining its parent route once more. As a silent concurrency, it passes south of the historic center of town and north of Walden Pond before splitting again. Route 2A then passes through

5673-496: The former northern terminus of Route 21 , which was truncated to Belchertown after the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir . From Phillipston through Westminster , Route 2A weaves around its parent route, crossing it a total of six times with five exits of access off of Route 2. In Fitchburg the road is shared with several other routes as it passes through the northern half of town. Once in Lunenburg it has another short concurrency with Route 13 just north of

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5766-405: The hands of the Boston and Albany. The Fitchburg took control of the Monadnock in 1890. The Barre and Worcester Railroad was chartered in 1847 and reorganized in 1857 as the Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad. It opened in 1871 between the Worcester and Nashua Railroad at Barber (from which it ran to Worcester via trackage rights) and the V&M in Gardner . An extension in 1874 took it to

5859-448: The local Selectboard passed a resolution designating Brattleboro a Fair Trade Town, becoming the second Fair Trade certified town in the nation after Media, Pennsylvania . C&S Wholesale Grocers , the northeast's largest regional food distributor, made its headquarters here until 2005, when they moved their administrative offices to Keene, New Hampshire ; however, because of close proximity to Interstate 91 , C&S still operates

5952-399: The northern portion of town, on Guilford Street near Living Memorial Park, and on a short segment of Western Avenue in West Brattleboro. Open during the summer months, Fort Dummer State Park is named for, and located near, the original site of a Dummer's War -era stockade. The state park consists of 218 acres of protected forest, featuring hiking trails and a State campground, just south of

6045-412: The original Fitchburg Railroad between Boston and Fitchburg. Minor relocations of stations are not noted. A list of current stations is also available. Brattleboro, Vermont Brattleboro ( / ˈ b r æ t əl b ʌr oʊ / ), originally Brattleborough , is a town in Windham County, Vermont , United States, located about 10 miles (16 km) north of the Massachusetts state line at

6138-567: The overall number of people living in the town. Despite this, Brattleboro remains the most populous town along Vermont's eastern border. The population density of the town was 375.3 people per square mile (144.9/km ). There were 5,686 housing units at an average density of 177.7 per square mile (68.6/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 92.1% White , 1.9% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 2.2% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 0.6% from other races , and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.7% of

6231-458: The plans developed by Jacobs that apparently were not checked for accuracy before they were approved for installation by the city. The city said they were going to take action against the firm to recoup moneys from Jacobs, and would work to fix the signs as soon as possible. Meanwhile, a MassDOT official reiterated that the eastern terminus of Route 2A is at the intersection of Massachusetts and Commonwealth Avenue and that crews would be removing

6324-504: The population center on wooded hills overlooking the Connecticut River. Brattleboro sees a substantial seasonal influx of recreational skiers and snowboarders, many of them bound for the resorts at nearby Mount Snow and Stratton , but it is also a winter sports destination in and of itself. The town played an important role in the development and popularization of the skiing industry as a winter sport, with pioneering Brattleboro native and Dartmouth College alumnus Fred Harris, founder of

6417-409: The population. There were 5,364 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and

6510-417: The route to Massachusetts Avenue (Mass Ave). After US 3 leaves Mass Ave at Alewife Brook Parkway , Route 2A continues through the city of Cambridge , passing by Harvard Yard and through Harvard Square . Due to the one-way circulation patterns of the square, Route 2A follows Mass Ave in the westbound direction and a combination of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street, and Mt. Auburn Street in

6603-404: The state line to the west end of the tunnel at North Adams in 1859. The tunnel itself opened in 1875, before which the Troy and Boston Railroad leased the T&G. The T&G was consolidated into the Fitchburg Railroad in 1887. The Southern Vermont Railroad was chartered in 1848 to connect the T&G across the southwest corner of Vermont to the New York state line. It opened in 1859 and

6696-412: The surrounding steep hills there is very little flat land, and many of its buildings and houses are situated on steep hillsides, necessarily closely bunched together. This concentrated topography and population density have helped to create a semi-urban, cosmopolitan atmosphere in the downtown. Since the 1950s, additional construction and development have expanded outside the concentrated downtown area; in

6789-399: The tracks) in the 1890s. Planning to eliminate the eleven remaining grade crossings in Somerville, five of which were on the Fitchburg Route mainline, began in 1900. In 1906, the city engineer proposed to raise 1.8 miles (2.9 km) of the line between Beacon Street and Somerville Avenue to eliminate the five level crossings, but that scheme was not adopted. The Somerville Avenue crossing of

6882-647: The west, but as of 2007, the route terminates at Interstate 91 (I-91) in Greenfield. Route 2A begins at the rotary intersection with Route 2 at I-91 in Greenfield . It passes through downtown Greenfield before reconnecting to its parent route just west of the Greenfield- Gill town line. After a 12.6-mile (20.3 km) silent concurrency , Route 2A leaves Route 2 once more, passing through Orange and Athol. In Athol it passes

6975-440: The west, south, and north of the township. The southeast quarter of the town, near to and abutting the riverbank, is where its population has historically been the densest, and is composed largely of one- or two-family houses, with apartment buildings such as " triple deckers " interspersed among them. Commercial and industrial operations are concentrated along the north-south Canal Street (Route 5) artery. The town's high school and

7068-562: The western bank of the Connecticut River . Hills and mountains surround the town. Brattleboro experiences a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ) with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. The town can experience snowfall as early as November and as late as April, and in the adjacent mountains and high country as late as May. Nor'easters often come with the potential of dumping a foot or more of snow on Brattleboro when they move through; such storms are not uncommon during

7161-400: The winter months. Summers are warm to hot and generally humid, with abundant sunshine and heavy showers and thunderstorms associated with passing cold fronts . Tornadoes are rare. The record high is 100 °F (38 °C), set in 1955, and the record low is −33 °F (−36 °C), set in 1958. In terms of average annual precipitation , May is typically the wettest month, and February

7254-409: Was $ 31,997, and the median income for a family was $ 44,267. Males had a median income of $ 31,001 versus $ 25,329 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 19,554. About 9.2% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. Both a commercial and touristic gateway for the state of Vermont, Brattleboro

7347-399: Was abandoned in 1960. This split the branch in two. The west side of the branch was mostly abandoned in 2000. The east side of the branch contained only one customer, Newly Weds Foods. The last delivery made was in early 2007, with the last move occurring on the line in early 2008. The entire branch is now either abandoned or out of service, and the east side of the right-of-way was converted to

7440-705: Was built across the Connecticut River to Hinsdale, New Hampshire , in 1804. In 1834, the Brattleboro Retreat, then called the Vermont Asylum for the Insane, was established through a generous bequest by Anna Marsh of Hinsdale, New Hampshire . In 1844, the Brattleboro Hydropathic Establishment was opened by Robert Wesselhoeft; this was the third " water cure " establishment in the country, utilizing waters from

7533-481: Was chartered in New Hampshire in 1844, consolidating with the Winchendon Railroad of Massachusetts (chartered 1845) in 1845. The first section opened in 1847, from the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad at South Ashburnham to Winchendon ; an extension to Troy, New Hampshire , also opened in 1847. Extensions to Keene, New Hampshire , and Bellows Falls, Vermont , opened in 1848 and 1849, forming

7626-474: Was cut back to West Concord , but was restored to Ayer on June 28, 1965. On March 1, 1975, it was cut back to South Acton. The MBTA bought the line from Boston to Fitchburg, along with many other lines, from the B&;M on December 27, 1976. Service was restored to Fitchburg and beyond to Gardner on January 13, 1980. Gardner service was ended on January 1, 1987, when Amtrak took over the MBTA contract, due to

7719-533: Was founded in 1932 in nearby Putney, Vermont , the Graduate Institute offers master's degrees in several internationally oriented concentrations. Its students and faculty hail from all regions of the globe, giving Brattleboro a decidedly eclectic and international flair, and its notable alumni include native Vermonter and 1997 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams . Brattleboro currently has three public K–6 elementary schools. They are: There

7812-542: Was further extended west to Rotterdam Junction in 1884. The Fitchburg obtained stock control of the BHT&W in 1887 and purchased it in 1892. Surveys for a planned extension of the line west to Buffalo, with a branch to Oswego , were instead used by the West Shore Railroad . The Hoosac Tunnel and Saratoga Railway and the Saratoga Lake Railway were both chartered in 1880 and was leased by

7905-545: Was incorporated 1847, first as an independent short line RR, but was quickly taken over by the Fitchburg. It ran from the main line in Cambridge through Watertown to Waltham . It opened in 1851 and was soon the main passenger line between Boston and Waltham and one of the few branch lines to be double tracked. Passenger service on the line ended in 1938. The middle section of the line in the Watertown Square area

7998-480: Was incorporated March 3, 1842, to run from Boston to Fitchburg, and bought land next to the Charlestown Branch in May 1843. Construction began on May 20, and the first section to Waltham opened on December 20, 1843, operated by the Charlestown Branch until May 1, 1844. Further sections opened to Concord June 17, 1844, Acton October 1, 1844, Shirley December 30, 1844, and Fitchburg March 5, 1845. The new track next to

8091-574: Was incorporated and opened in 1849, splitting from the Fitchburg in Somerville and running to Harvard Square . It was never leased or owned by the Fitchburg, and was never successful, closing in 1855. The Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad was chartered in 1845 and opened in 1846 as a branch from the Fitchburg near the present-day Alewife Brook Reservation area (now considered part of North Cambridge ) to Lexington . The Fitchburg operated it from opening, leasing it from 1847 to 1859. In 1868 it

8184-578: Was incorporated in 1845 and opened as a branch from the Fitchburg in Ayer to West Townsend in 1848, continuing to Mason, New Hampshire , in 1849 or 1850. The Fitchburg Railroad leased it in 1847 and bought it in 1860, with an extension to Greenville opening by 1876. The Squannacook River Rail Trail is a 3.7-mile (6.0 km) rail trail between Townsend and the Bertoxxi Wildlife Management Area. The trail opened in 2020 after

8277-527: Was incorporated in 1848, but did not open from Winchendon to Jaffrey, New Hampshire , until December 1870 and to Peterborough in 1871, from which the Peterborough and Hillsborough Railroad continued the line north after 1878. The Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad , running south from Winchendon, leased the Monadnock in 1874, but transferred the lease to the Cheshire Railroad in 1880 to keep it out of

8370-583: Was leased by the Troy and Boston Railroad , but in 1860 the T&;G bought it. The Fitchburg bought the Southern Vermont directly in 1891. The Troy and Boston Railroad was chartered in 1849 to continue the line west to Troy, New York . It was consolidated into the Fitchburg in 1887. The Troy and Bennington Railroad was organized in 1851 to build a branch from the Troy and Boston at Hoosick Junction to

8463-580: Was located southwest of downtown Brattleboro, on the south side of Whetstone Brook between Birge and Organ Streets. At its height, the complex had more than 20 buildings, many of which were interconnected by raised walkways and covered bridges. One of the buildings now houses the Estey Organ Museum. The entire surviving complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, both for its architecture, and for having been

8556-557: Was reorganized as the Lexington and Arlington Railroad and bought by the Boston and Lowell Railroad in 1870. The connection to the Fitchburg was cut (but reopened in 1927). Passenger service ceased in January 1977 due to a blizzard, never to resume. Freight operation ended in 1981, and the line was formally abandoned in 1991 to make way for the Minuteman Commuter Bike Trail . The Watertown Branch Railroad

8649-468: Was rerouted over a new bridge across the Charles River to a downtown Boston terminal on the north side of Causeway Street between Haverhill Street and Beverly Street; the original Charlestown Branch remained in use for freight. North Union Station replaced that terminal in 1893; it remained extant until the 1920s. In 1854, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his work Walden about his skepticism of

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