Dorset, Vermont
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Dorset is a
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Bennington County Bennington County is a county in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,347. The shire towns (county seats) are jointly Bennington ("The Southshire") and Manchester ("The Northshire"), and the largest municipal ...
,
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, United States. The population was 2,133 at the 2020 census. Dorset is famous for being the location of Cephas Kent's Inn, where four meetings of the Convention that signed the Dorset Accords led to the independent Vermont Republic and future statehood. Dorset is the site of America's oldest
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...
quarry and is the birthplace of Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. East Dorset is the site of the Wilson House and the Griffith Library. The town is named after the English county of
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...
. The East Dorset marble quarry had been established by Bill W.'s great grandfather and stayed in the family for three generations. Marble from these quarries provided stone for the
New York Public Library Main Branch The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, commonly known as the Main Branch, 42nd Street Library or the New York Public Library, is the flagship building in the New York Public Library system in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. ...
building in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. The quarry closed and during the summer months serves as a popular
swimming hole A swimming hole is a place in a river, stream, creek, spring, or similar natural body of water, which is large enough and deep enough for a person to swim in. Common usage usually refers to fresh, moving water and thus not to oceans or lakes. ...
. The Dorset town center is defined as the Dorset census-designated place and had a population of 249 at the 2010 census.


History

Through a series of treaties, native tribes had surrendered title to large areas of land. Subsequently, the Provincial Governor of
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
had provided land grants west of the Connecticut River in land that was also claimed by the
Province of New York The Province of New York (1664–1776) was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony on the northeast coast of North America. As one of the Middle Colonies, New York achieved independence and worked with the others to found the U ...
. Strife was created by New York attempting to enforce its legitimate claim to government on settlers who had in good faith purchased land titles from New Hampshire. The King upon the advice of the Privy Council decreed a settlement that was not followed by the Governor and Legislature of New York. Sandwiched between New York and New Hampshire, the area was constantly in dispute and claimed by both. New York claimed it was included in its 1664 grant from Charles II, but had made no effort to settle it. New Hampshire, desiring to expand its frontier to the west, simply expropriated the land and proceeded to grant 131 charters in the territory, which then became known as the
New Hampshire Grants The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the colonial governor of the Province of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 (including 131 towns), were made o ...
. New York retaliated by declaring the Grants null and void and telling the settlers they would have to repurchase the land from New York (at a much higher price) if they wished to stay. The New Hampshire Grantees countered by organizing the "
Green Mountain Boys The Green Mountain Boys were a militia organization first established in 1770 in the territory between the British provinces of New York and New Hampshire, known as the New Hampshire Grants and later in 1777 as the Vermont Republic (which late ...
", an informal alliance of civilian soldiers who successfully prevented the settlers from being evicted. To protect their investments in the land and improvements, and the health and security of their families, farms and towns, the people of the New Hampshire Grants formed Committees of Safety to coordinate protection of their society. These committees predated those of the 13 colonies formed to protect themselves from the crown by eight years, yet had precedents in similar organizations during 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 ...
. Born in
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, Cephas Kent moved himself and his family to Dorset in 1773. He was a
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...
in a local church. He owned and operated a small tavern, destined to play a part in Vermont's history. By 1775, the land control controversy had reached the point that the Grantees decided to take official action, and they held a general convention in Cephas Kent's tavern. Matters discussed at that meeting were not limited to their internal affairs but also included the general cause of American independence. The Continental Congress had voted to pay the Green Mountain Boys for their services and had asked that a regiment be formed in the New Hampshire Grants. The Grantees wanted to join in the general rebellion but not as a part of New Hampshire and certainly not as a part of New York. So they petitioned the Continental Congress to intervene in their behalf against New York and permit the Grantees to serve independently in the war of rebellion. The Grantees met three more times during the course of the next year, always in Cephas Kent's tavern, and on 25 June 1776 voted "that application be made to the inhabitants of said Grants to form the same into a separate district." Later that day the convention bound itself "to defend by arms the United American States against the hostile attempts of the British fleet and armies until the present unhappy controversy between the two countries shall be settled." This was the first official step toward Vermont's independence. Thus, the future state of Vermont was underway. The town of
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
claims to be the birthplace of Vermont, and, indeed, it was there, on 2 July 1777, that the constitution was adopted and the name chosen. But it was in Dorset at Cephas Kent's tavern that the idea of Vermont was born; and, as Zephine Humphrey put it, "The idea is the dynamic reality and the fact its shadow." In 1790, New York finally relinquished her claims and, on 18 February 1791, Congress admitted Vermont as the fourteenth state. In 1912 the Vermont Society of Colonial Dames erected an historical marker at the site of the Cephas Kent Inn in Dorset. The agreements made at Cephas Kent's tavern are commonly known as the Dorset Accords.


Geography

Dorset is located along the northern border of Bennington County, with Rutland County on the north. The
Taconic Mountains The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range () are a range of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western Vermont. ...
occupy the central and western 3/4 of the town, with the Valley of Vermont on the east side of town separating the Taconics from the
Green Mountains The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Quebec, Canada. The part of the same range that is i ...
to the east. The communities of
East Dorset East Dorset was a local government district in Dorset, England. Its council met in Wimborne Minster between 2016 and 2019. The district (as Wimborne) was formed on 1 April 1974 by merging Wimborne Minster Urban District with Wimborne and Cran ...
, Freedleyville, and North Dorset are all in the Valley of Vermont, along
U.S. Route 7 U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 (I-95) exit 15 ...
, as is
Emerald Lake State Park Emerald Lake State Park is a state park in the town of Dorset, Vermont, United States, north of the village of East Dorset, the park's mailing address. It is the home of Emerald Lake, called such because of its emerald color. Activities inc ...
. Dorset and South Dorset are located in the western and southern parts of the town, respectively, along
Vermont Route 30 Vermont Route 30 (VT 30) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Vermont. VT 30 runs from U.S. Route 5 (US 5) and VT 9 in Brattleboro to US 7 and VT 125 in Middlebury. The northern portion, from P ...
in a valley between two portions of the Taconic Range. Mount Aeolus is located in the southern part of the town between South Dorset and East Dorset. Dorset Mountain rises in the northern part of the town, with its summit (Dorset Peak) located just north of the town line in Danby. A subsidiary peak is located in Dorset proper. 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 t ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.27%, is water. The height of land in the Valley of Vermont between the
Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
and
Lake Champlain Lake Champlain ( ; french: Lac Champlain) is a natural freshwater lake in North America. It mostly lies between the US states of New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. The New York portion of t ...
watersheds is located in Dorset. The
Batten Kill The Batten Kill, Battenkill, or Battenkill River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed October 3, 2011 river rising in Vermont that flows into New York and is a tributary ...
rises just north of East Dorset and flows south into
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, then west to the Hudson in New York. The Otter Creek, one of the longest rivers entirely in Vermont, rises a short distance north of the Batten Kill's source and flows north through Emerald Lake and into Rutland County, eventually reaching Lake Champlain north of Vergennes.


Demographics

At the 2000 census, there were 2,036 people 856 households, and 600 families residing in the town. The population density was 42.6 per square mile (16.4/km2). There were 1,246 housing units at an average density of 26.1 per square mile (10.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.97%
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 o ...
, 0.44%
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 ...
, 0.05% Native American, 0.15%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.10% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.29% 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 forme ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.39% of the population. There were 856 households, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.82. 21.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. The
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...
was $54,219 and the median family income was $62,969. Males had a median income of $40,027 and females $28,167. 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 ...
was $32,956. About 3.0% of families and 5.4% 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 t ...
, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.


Transportation

Dorset is crossed by
US Route 7 U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 (I-95) exit 1 ...
, VT Route 7A, and VT Route 30. Public transportation is provided along US 7 and VT 7A by Marble Valley Regional Transit District's "The Bus" from Monday to Saturday out of Rutland.


Notable people

* William B. Bartlett, Wisconsin state legislator * Lorenzo Hatch, engraver and artist * W.C. Heinz, war correspondent and sports journalist *
James Howe James Howe (born August 2, 1946) is an American children's writer who has written more than 79 juvenile and young adult fiction books. He is best known for the Bunnicula series about a vampire rabbit that sucks the juice out of vegetables. Bi ...
, children's writer known for the
Bunnicula ''Bunnicula'' is a children's novel series. The first installment was written by James and Deborah Howe, and introduced a vampire rabbit named Bunnicula who sucks the juice out of vegetables. After the sudden death of his wife in 1978, Howe con ...
series *
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 ...
, novelist * Elizabeth Payson Prentiss author *
Theresa Rebeck Theresa Rebeck (born February 19, 1958) is an American playwright, television writer, and novelist. Her work has appeared on the Broadway and Off-Broadway stage, in film, and on television. Among her awards are the Mystery Writers of America's ...
, award-winning Broadway/TV playwright * Ellen Stimson, author known for her work on life in Dorset *
William Griffith Wilson William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). AA is an international mutual aid fellowship with about two million members worldwide ...
(1895–1971), aka Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous


Climate

This
climatic Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorological ...
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 is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Dorset 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 freezing ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Dorset, Vermont
/ref>


References


External links

*
Dorset Vermont Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Towns in Vermont Towns in Bennington County, Vermont