Vernon's Little River Wanasquatok

Principal Streams (Vernon, VT) : "Broad Brook, Upper and lower Salmon Brook, Island Meadow Brook and Belding's Brook are the principal streams and all are small." - The Towns of Windham County, Volume 5

"The Squakheags lay to the north of the lands held by the Pacomptocks, and took in both sides of the Connecticut river. Its north bound was, "The little river called Wanasquatok" (Broad brook) which empties into the Connecticut near the north line of the town of Vernon VT...The name of a place was always descriptive of the leading feature or production, or use, or tradition of the location -History of  Northfield The River Indians pp 29-31

"We are now aware that evidence of Abanaki presence has been found all over this area, which is known to the Indigenous people as Wantastegok" - Native American Past in Brattleboro

"1761 They (Guilford settlers) came into town by the way of Broad Brook. Beginning at the mouth of that stream on the Connecticut river in Vernon and passing up on its banks, they found their way into Guilford."- History of Eastern Vermont pp 111

"...Broad Brook and tributaries each contain's trout...suckers, dace and shiners."- Fish Commissioners of the State of Vermont June 30, 1892


Some days  when driving home to Vernon after visiting Brattleboro, instead of turning left at the lights towards the high school I continue past Exit One into Guilford with a particular route in mind. It seems difficult to maintain the sluggish pace of 35 miles an hour through the town center - Algiers but only because I am eager to slow down even more on Broad Brook road. Broad Brook road is a winding narrow dirt road just left  after the bridge. It  passes under Interstate 91 and connects Route 5 on the Guilford side to 142 on the Vernon side. "This road, although the only one by which the town could be reached, was impassable with teams..." -History of Eastern Vermont pp 111

I always power down my windows on the road so that I can hear the Broad Brook which is noisy and refreshing after being in town doing necessary things that aren't necessarily enjoyable. I don't really know why I never start on the Vernon side like the Guilford settlers had;  but I suppose it's because the day is ahead of me when going into Brattleboro and 142 is a fast 40 mph to Cotton Mill Hill. On my way home now, I creep along rubber necking for a spot to pull off and breath. Many of the shallow pull offs are posted or simply have large rocks placed in the way. There is a larger pull off closer towards Guilford after the interstate underpass and before the bridge. This is near where Fort Dummer State Park ends; although I'm not sure how to access the park from here. This is where the Broad Brook Falls are and the spot I asked Wayne to pull off today. From the falls only about one mile of the Broad Brook remains on its destination to the Quinetucket - the Long River (Connecticut River), so if you watch the water tumble through, you can sit there long enough for those same droplets to reach the river. - Norma Manning

Wayne at Broad Brook in Vernon VT