Woodstock is the shire

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

(

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

) of Windsor County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 3,005. It includes the villages of

Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...

, South Woodstock, Taftsville, and West Woodstock.

History

Chartered by New Hampshire Governor

Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant, landowner and colonial administrator who served as the List of colonial governors of New Hampshire, governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. He is best known ...

on July 10, 1761, the town was a New Hampshire grant to David Page and 61 others. It was named after

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, England, as a homage to both Blenheim Palace and its owner, George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough. The town was first settled in 1768 by James Sanderson and his family. In 1776, Joab Hoisington built a

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...

, followed by a

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

, on the south branch of the Ottauquechee River.A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England''; Boston, Massachusetts 1859
/ref> The town was incorporated in 1837. Although the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

slowed settlement, Woodstock developed rapidly once the war ended in 1783. The Vermont General Assembly met here in 1807 before moving the next year to the new capital at Montpelier. Waterfalls in the Ottauquechee River provided water power to operate mills. Factories made

scythe A scythe (, rhyming with ''writhe'') is an agriculture, agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or Harvest, harvesting Crop, crops. It was historically used to cut down or reaping, reap edible grain, grains before they underwent the process of ...

s and axes, carding machines, and woolens. There was a machine shop and gunsmith shop. Manufacturers also produced furniture, wooden wares, window sashes and blinds. Carriages, horse harnesses, saddles, luggage trunks and leather goods were also manufactured. By 1859, the population was 3,041. The Woodstock Railroad opened to White River Junction on September 29, 1875, carrying freight and tourists. The Woodstock Inn opened in 1892. The

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...

helped the town grow prosperous. The economy is now largely driven by

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

. Woodstock has the 20th highest per-capita income of Vermont towns as reported by the United States Census, and a high percentage of homes owned by non-residents. The town's central square, called the Green, is bordered by restored late Georgian, Federal Style, and

Greek Revival Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...

houses. The cost of real estate in the district adjoining the Green is among the highest in the state. The seasonal presence of wealthy second-home owners from cities such as

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

and New York has contributed to the town's economic vitality and livelihood, while at the same time diminished its accessibility to native Vermonters. The town maintains a free (paid for through taxation) community wi-fi internet service that covers most of the village of Woodstock, dubbed "Wireless Woodstock". File:Woodstock, Vermont from Mount Tom.jpg, Village from Mount Tom in 1913 File:The Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, VT.jpg, Norman Williams Public Library , built in 1883–1884 File:Old Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, VT.jpg, Original Woodstock Inn in 1907, open from 1892 to the late 1960s File:Store Front early 1900's.jpg, F. H. Gillingham & Sons, Elm Street, early 1900s

Layout and design

In his ''City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World'', Canadian author and architect Witold Rybczynski extensively analyzes the layout of the town and the informal and unwritten rules which determined it. According to Rybczynski: The author goes on to explicate some of the informal rules, such as that buildings stand close to the sidewalk, in the case of businesses, or ten to fourteen feet behind for homes; that plots are generally deep and narrow, keeping street frontages roughly equivalent; commercial buildings stand side by side, with only important buildings with a public function—the library or courthouse, for instance—being free-standing objects. Rybczynsk points out that there is no zoning in Woodstock, and "buildings with different functions sat—and still sit today—side by side on the same streets", with practical exceptions such as the slaughterhouse and the gasworks. The Rockefellers have had an enormous impact on the overall character of the town as it exists today. They helped preserve the 19th century architecture and the rural feel. In the late 1960s they tore down the landmark Woodstock Inn, a Victorian treasure reconstructed in 1892 from the old Eagle Hotel, which served as a center point for the town, and built a charming neo-colonial edifice farther back from the street. Laurance and Mary French Rockefeller also had the village's power lines buried underground. To protect their ridgeline views, the town adopted an ordinance creating a Scenic Ridgeline District in order to protect the aesthetics and the views of the town. It was updated in 2007. Woodstock was named "The Prettiest Small Town in America" by the '' Ladies Home Journal'' magazine, and in 2011, North and South Park Street and one block of Elm Street won an award for great streetscape by the

American Planning Association The American Planning Association (APA) is a professional organization representing the field of urban planning in the United States. APA was formed in 1978, when two separate professional planning organizations, the American Institute of Pla ...

's "Great Places in America" program. APA looks at street form and composition, street character and personality and the overall street environment and sustainable practices. File:Ottauquechee Bank, Woodstock, VT.jpg, Town center File:Street Scene, Woodstock, VT.jpg, Street scene in 1906 File:Woodstock-Wolcott-snowy-night.jpeg, Snowy night in 1940

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.63%, is water. The Ottauquechee River flows through the town. Woodstock is crossed by U.S. Route 4,

Vermont Route 12 Vermont Route 12 (VT 12) is a north-south state highway in Vermont that runs from Weathersfield, Vermont, Weathersfield to Morrisville, Vermont, Morrisville. Route 12 is one of the Vermont roads on which moose are most often encountered. ...

and Vermont Route 106. Interstate 89 does not pass through the town, it is served by exit 1 in nearby Quechee. It is bordered by the town of Pomfret to the north,

Hartford Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

to the northeast, Hartland to the east,

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

to the south, and Bridgewater to the west. Woodstock is a three-hour drive from

and is away from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. It is easily accessible via car or plane to

Rutland Rutland is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Leicestershire to the north and west, Lincolnshire to the north-east, and Northamptonshire to the south-west. Oakham is the largest town and county town. Rutland has a ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

Airports. Vermont Translines operates a daily intercity bus route between Rutland and Lebanon, stopping in Woodstock along the way. The closest regular public transportation hubs are in White River Junction ( east) and Rutland ( west).

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Woodstock has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 3,048 people, 1,388 households, and 877 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was 72.6 people per square mile (28.0/km²). There were 1,775 housing units at an average density of 39.9 per square mile (15.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.40%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.22% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population. There were 1,388 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were couples living together and joined in either

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, primarily created to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage, with ch ...

, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.79. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.7% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $47,143, and the median income for a family was $57,330. Males had a median income of $33,229 versus $26,769 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $28,326. About 4.3% of families and 6.4% 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 8.3% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

* The annual Bookstock literary festival is held in June on and around the central village green and features regional, national and international authors and poets. Past speakers include

Julia Alvarez Julia Alvarez (born March 27, 1950) is an American New Formalist poet, novelist, and essayist. She rose to prominence with the novels '' How the García Girls Lost Their Accents'' (1991), ''In the Time of the Butterflies'' (1994), and ''Yo! ...

, Richard Blanco, Billy Collins, Ed Koren, Sy Montgomery, Valerie Plame, Richard Russo, Ocean Vuong. * The annual Harvest Weekend at the Billings Farm and Museum is held in October and includes a husking bee, barn dance, and 19th century harvest activities. * The annual Wassail Weekend is held in early December.

Tourism

The Billings Farm & Museum is a local tourist attraction. The land and farmhouse were owned by Laurance Rockefeller and his wife Mary French Rockefeller. The farm and museum include an operating dairy farm and a restored 1890 farm house. F. H. Gillingham & Sons, a

general store A general merchant store (also known as general merchandise store, general dealer, village shop, or country store) is a rural or small-town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, someti ...

located in its original building at 16 Elm Street, is another local tourist attraction. The store was established in 1886 by Frank Henry Gillingham.

Parks and recreation

The

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park The George Perkins Marsh Boyhood Home, also known as the Marsh-Billings House or Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Mansion, is the architectural centerpiece of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, a National Historical Park in Woodstock ( ...

is located in Woodstock, and is the only unit of the United States National Park System in Vermont (except for the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...

). The park preserves the site where Frederick Billings established a managed forest and a progressive dairy farm.

Education

Woodstock is served by Woodstock Elementary School, The Prosper Valley School, and Woodstock Union High School & Middle School. The schools are part of th
Mountain Views Supervisory Union

Local government

File:Woodstock Court House.jpg, Windsor County Courthouse

Notable people

* Fred C. Ainsworth, U.S. Army surgeon and Adjutant General * Ivan Albright, artist * Benjamin Allen, politician * Nicholas Baylies, Associate Justice of the

Vermont Supreme Court The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court. The court ...

* Franklin S. Billings, 60th Governor of Vermont * Franklin S. Billings Jr., Chief Justice

& United States District Court for the District of Vermont * Franklin Noble Billings, businessman and brother of Frederick H. Billings * Frederick H. Billings, lawyer, financier and President of the

Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...

* Keegan Bradley,

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...

golfer * Richard M. Brett, conservationist and author * Isaac Bullard (Vermont religious leader) * Frank H. Chapman, US Marshal for Vermont * Sylvester Churchill, journalist * Jacob Collamer, politician * Philip Cummings, lecturer on world affairs * Thomas M. Debevoise, Vermont Attorney General, Dean of Vermont Law School * George Dewey, admiral * Maud Durbin, actress and wife of Otis Skinner * Harold "Duke" Eaton Jr., Supreme Court Justice, State of Vermont * Elon Farnsworth (Michigan Attorney General), Elon Farnsworth, Attorney General of Michigan * Robert Hager, television journalist * Benjamin Tyler Henry, gunsmith and manufacturer * Rebecca Hammond Lard, poet from Indiana * Charles Marsh (American politician), Charles Marsh, U.S. congressman * George Perkins Marsh, environmentalist * Joseph A. Mower, general * Hiram Powers, sculptor * Origen D. Richardson, politician * Laurance Rockefeller, American businessman, financier, philanthropist and major conservationist. Financier of the Woodstock Inn & Resort * Otis Skinner, actor * Benjamin Swan (Vermont politician), Benjamin Swan, longest serving Vermont State Treasurer * Andrew Tracy, U.S. congressman * Gwen Verdon, dancer and actress * Peter T. Washburn, 31st Governor of Vermont * Hezekiah Williams, U.S. congressman * Norman Williams (politician), Norman Williams, Vermont Auditor of Accounts and Secretary of State of Vermont * Paul Watson, Conservationist, author and television star * Daphne Zuniga, film and television actress

In popular culture

* Several movies have been filmed in or around Woodstock, including ''Dr. Cook's Garden'' (1971), ''Ghost Story (1981 film), Ghost Story'' (1981) and ''Funny Farm (film), Funny Farm'' (1988).

Sites of interest

* Billings Farm & Museum * Lincoln Covered Bridge, built in 1877 *

* F. H. Gillingham & Sons * Middle Covered Bridge, built in 1969 * Taftsville Covered Bridge, built in 1836 * First Congregational Church of Woodstock, Vermont * Town Hall Theatre * Woodstock Historical Society & Dana House Museum

* ''Woodstock Observer'' * Woodstock Railway * Billings Library, University of Vermont

References

External links

Town of Woodstock official website

Norman Williams Public Library

Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce

The ''Vermont Standard''
local newspaper
ePodunk
{{Authority control Woodstock, Vermont, Towns in Vermont County seats in Vermont Towns in Windsor County, Vermont Populated places established in 1761 1761 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies