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

Vernon in the 802

When Wayne and I moved to the Low Country I decided that I should continue my education at the College of Charleston. Now anyone who has ever attempted to transfer credits from one institution to another soon discovers that each has their own requirements and often credits from one school does not satisfy those of another. For me, it was my history credits that lacked the required pedigree.  I took U.S history at Keene and then UVM required World. Imagine my dismay when I was informed that the history of Charleston would be required. To be very clear, even if I had the history of S.C. under my belt, it wouldn't have satisfied their requirement and I wasn't even a history major. 

As we all have to learn at some point, sometimes you just gotta jump through hoops. Here's the irony however, I've never regretted meeting that history requirement as it has over time gone a long way to helping me to understand and appreciate the people there.  Now there is always a flipside to every album, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I've lived in nine states including Vermont where I have lived in four different municipalities. During that span, I have encountered this level of stringent hometown importance exactly twice. I'm not talking about whether or not someone is a sixth generation native Vermonter here, I'm talking about whether or not someone is a multi generational "Vernon" Vermonter.

My brother likes to joke(?) that if you haven't lived in Vermont for 15 years he won't talk to you. It's nice to be on speaking terms with my brother again. Much to his anguish, Wayne who was born and raised in BF lost his VT drivers license when we moved to Hinsdale after the Navy. When our place grew too small I began searching for a new place. I took a liking to Northfield and looked at a few places with a realtor. When I had finally decided on a piece of land Wayne informed me that he would never move to MA.  With that, we settled in Vernon and slowly began to notice that I weren't from around here.

I used to tell Wayne that there was an iron curtain down the center of the CT River and as it turns out I wasn't really that far off in that judgment; however the curtain actually is located at the low water mark on the western bank of the river.  There is quite an involved history as to how in 1624 King James the sixth established that border and how for hundreds of years that boundary was pushed around and wouldn't be definitively settled until 1934 with Bellows Falls, VT being the center of that decision. As with many good stories in history, the border decision regarding the International Paper Company began with a tax dispute.

So there you have it, in 1779 what was Hinsdale, VT and now Vernon, VT was claimed by four states; NY, MA, NH and VT. I encourage you to read the provided links for in them you will find how three miles (1/2 mile in width) of Fall Town Township MA came to be Vernon's. History can be a dangerous thing and not for all of the obvious cliche's.

To accuse a Vermonter of being a flatlander / being from away is to rile up hundreds of years of fight. Never assume that because you pay property taxes in VT that you are a Vermonter -yet. When a Vermonter tells you he won't live in MA, take him at his word even if the history says otherwise; and when an old Vernon family member casually comments that the Broad Brook is at the border of Vernon take their word for it but check your history book to see why it is so.   I'd like to talk more about all of this in person with you, but I'm only 16 years in this town and I can't risk it. - Norma Manning

 The west bank of the CT river and the Vernon Dam