Putney is a town in
Windham County, Vermont
Windham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,905. The shire town ( county seat) is Newfane, and the largest municipality is the town of Brattleboro.
History
Fort Bridgman, Ve ...
, United States. The population was 2,617 at the
2020 census.
The town's historic core makes up the
Putney Village Historic District, which is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
History
On December 26, 1753, Colonel Josiah Willard led a proprietors' petition for a Putney charter to be established in the
Equivalent Lands. The charter was issued that day by Governor
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the List of colonial governors of New Hampshire, governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. While serving as governor, W ...
– issuer of the
New Hampshire Grants under the authority of
King George II of Great Britain. Significant settlement of Putney did not begin until after the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...
ended in 1760.
The town arose in a large plain on the west side of the
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Islan ...
, above the mouth of Sacketts Brook. A falls on the brook provided water power for early mills, and it is around that point that the main village was formed. Because the town did not have abundant sources of water power, it was largely bypassed by the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
of the mid-19th century, and remained largely rural in character. The village's character is defined by the
Federal and
Greek Revival
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but a ...
styles popular during its most significant period of growth, the late 18th to mid-19th century.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the town has a total area of 26.8 square miles (69.4 km
2), of which 26.76 square miles (69.4 km
2) is land and 0.04% is water. Putney Mountain is the highest point in the town, rising 1,657 ft above sea level.
Putney is bordered by
Dummerston to the south,
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...
to the north, and
Brookline
Brookline may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Brookline, Massachusetts, a town near Boston
* Brookline, Missouri
* Brookline, New Hampshire
* Brookline (Pittsburgh), a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Brookline, Vermont
See ...
to the west. The
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Islan ...
serves as the eastern border of Putney, separating the town from
Westmoreland, NH.
Putney village is in the southern part of the town, along
U.S. Route 5
U.S. Route 5 (US 5) is a north–south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springf ...
and Sacketts Brook. Putney is approximately north of
Brattleboro and northwest of
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in, and the seat of Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,047 at the 2020 census, down from 23,409 at the 2010 census.
Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England. I ...
.
Transportation
U.S. Route 5
U.S. Route 5 (US 5) is a north–south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springf ...
and
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. The Interstate generally follows the course of the Connec ...
both pass through Putney, which is accessible from Interstate 91 at Exit 4 on the border of Putney and Dummerston.
The
New England Central Railroad
The New England Central Railroad is a regional railroad in the New England region of the United States. It began operations in 1995, as the successor of the Central Vermont Railway (CV). The company was originally a subsidiary of holding comp ...
has track rights through the town.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...
's ''
Vermonter'' passenger rail line runs through Putney but does not stop in town. The closest stations are
Bellows Falls
Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,747 at the 2020 census. Bellows Falls is home to the Green Mountain Railroad, a heritage railroad; the ...
to the north and
Brattleboro to the south.
Demographics
As of the 2000
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
there were 2,634 people, 958 households, and 603 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 98.3 people per square mile (37.9/km
2). There were 1,049 housing units at an average density of 39.1 per square mile (15.1/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.63%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 1.03%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.49%
Native American, 0.76%
Asian, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.30% from
other races, and 1.75% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.
There were 958 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 16.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,346, and the median income for a family was $50,170. Males had a median income of $29,922 versus $25,217 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $18,576. About 6.2% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
*The Grammar School is an independent day school serving Preschool through Grade 8 with an emphasis on nature-based curriculum.
*
The Putney School
The Putney School is an independent high school in Putney, Vermont. The school was founded in 1935 by Carmelita Hinton on the principles of the Progressive Education movement and the teachings of its principal exponent, John Dewey. It is a co-edu ...
is a private independent co-educational boarding and day high school.
*
Landmark College is the first college exclusively for learning disabled students.
*
The Greenwood School Greenwood School or The Greenwood School may refer to:
* Greenwood School (Greenwood, Arkansas), recognized by Arkansas as historic site in Greenwood, Arkansas, at least nominated if not yet listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP ...
is a boarding school for boys in grades 6–12 who have been diagnosed with dyslexia and/or related language-based learning disabilities.
*Putney Central School is the town's public school for Pre-K through grade 8
Notable people
*
George Aiken
George David Aiken (August 20, 1892November 19, 1984) was an American politician and horticulturist. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 64th governor of Vermont (1937–1941) before serving in the United States Senate for 34 years, ...
, US Senator and 64th
Governor of Vermont
The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...
*
Pete Bernhard, musician, member of the band
The Devil Makes Three
*
George M. Darrow, horticulturalist and authority on small fruit and
strawberries
The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...
*
Fernando Gerassi
Fernando Gerassi (October 5, 1899 – 1974) was a Sephardic Jew born in Turkey. He was an accomplished artist who exhibited alongside Picasso before volunteering to fight in the Spanish Civil War.
Personal life
In 1922 Gerassi met Stephania ...
, painter
*
Bob Gray, Olympic skier
*
William B. Gray
William B. Gray (February 14, 1942 – March 22, 1994) was an American attorney and political figure from Vermont. He is best known for his service as United States Attorney for the District of Vermont from 1977 to 1981, managing the successful ...
, United States Attorney for Vermont
*
William Haile, merchant, manufacturer and politician
*
Carmelita Hinton
Carmelita Hinton (née Chase, April 20, 1890 - January 16, 1983) was an American progressive educator. She is best known as the founder in 1935 of The Putney School, a progressive boarding school in Vermont.
Early life
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, H ...
, progressive educator and founder of The Putney School
*
Reid Hoffman
Reid Garrett Hoffman (born August 5, 1967) is an American internet entrepreneur, venture capitalist, podcaster, and author. Hoffman was the co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn, a business-oriented social network used primarily for prof ...
, entrepreneur, founder of
LinkedIn
LinkedIn () is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. Launched on May 5, 2003, the platform is primarily used for professional networking and career development, and allows job se ...
, venture capitalist, graduate of The Putney School
*
John Irving
John Winslow Irving (born John Wallace Blunt Jr.; March 2, 1942) is an American-Canadian novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter.
Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of ''The World According to ...
, author,
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
winner, taught at
Windham College
Windham College was a liberal arts college located in Putney, Vermont, on the campus of what is now Landmark College.
History
Windham was founded in by Walter F. Hendricks as the Vermont Institute of Special Studies. The school's initial aim was ...
while he wrote his first novel
*
Manon Kahle
Manon Kahle (born August 10, 1980 in Vermont, USA) is an American actress. She lives and works in Berlin, Germany as an actress, voice-over artist and illustrator.
Kahle earned her BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Theater and French between 1998 and 20 ...
, actress
*
Melissa Leo, actress
*
Prescott Metcalf (1813–1891), was a prominent businessman and the eighth mayor of
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
*
Errol Morris
Errol Mark Morris (born February 5, 1948) is an American film director known for documentaries that interrogate the epistemology of its subjects. In 2003, his documentary film '' The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNama ...
, documentary filmmaker,
MacArthur Fellowship
The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and commonly but unofficially known as the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation typically to between 20 and 30 indi ...
recipient, Academy Award winner, graduate of The Putney School
*
John Humphrey Noyes, American
utopian socialist
Utopian socialism is the term often used to describe the first current of modern socialism and socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, Étienne Cabet, and Robert Owen. Utopian socialism is often de ...
*
Peter Shumlin
Peter Elliott Shumlin (born March 24, 1956) is an American politician from Vermont. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the List of governors of Vermont, 81st governor of Vermont from 2011 to 2017.
He ...
, 81st
Governor of Vermont
The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...
from 2011 to 2017
*
Cyndy Szekeres, children's book author and illustrator who has lived in Putney since 1974
*
Jody Williams, 1997
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolo ...
laureate
[NobelPrize.org](_blank)
, The Nobel Prize in Peace 1997, International Campaign to Ban Landmines , Jody Williams
*
John Henry Williams, only son of baseball legend
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...
Notable places
*
Theophilus Crawford House, a historic house dating from , added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1995
*
East Putney Brook Stone Arch Bridge, built in 1902, added to the NRHP in 1976 (East Putney)
*
Putney Village Historic District, the historic core of Putney Village, added to the NRHP in 1986
*
Sabin-Wheat Farm, a farmstead establish , added to the NRHP in 2004
*
Sacketts Brook Stone Arch Bridge, known locally as the Hi-Lo Biddy Stone Arch Bridge, built in 1905, added to the NRHP in 1976
File:PutneyVT TheophilusCrawfordHouse.jpg, Theophilus Crawford House
File:PutneyVT SabinWheatFarm.jpg, Sabin-Wheat Farm
File:PutneyVT SackettsBrookStoneArchBridge.jpg, Sacketts Brook Stone Arch Bridge
Putney Village Historic District">
File:120 Main Street, Putney, Vermont.jpg, 120 Main Street was built in the Greek Revival style
File:Next Stage, former Putney Federated Church, Putney, Vermont.jpg, The former Putney Federated Church, built in 1841,[Historical marker on building] now houses Next Stage Arts and the Putney Historical Society
File:Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church, Putney, Vermont.jpg, Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church, formerly the Putney Methodist Church, built in 1842
File:Putney Town Hall.jpg, Putney Town Hall, built in 1871
File:Putney Community Center, Putney, Vermont.jpg, Putney Community Center, built in 1884 as the Putney Baptist Church
File:Putney General Store.jpg, Putney General Store, built 1840–1900
File:79 Main Street, Putney, Vermont.jpg, 79 Main Street was built
File:Sandglass Theater, Putney, Vermont.jpg, Sandglass Puppet Theater was built in 1915 as a livery stable
See also
*
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Vermont
References
External links
Official websitePutney Historical Society websitePutney.netiPutney.com – local news and events
{{authority control
Towns in Vermont
Vermont populated places on the Connecticut River
Towns in Windham County, Vermont