The last two Take Me Back articles were about bicentennials around here. I figured out that Waitsfield received a charter to be a town in 1784 and General Wait built the first permanent dwelling in 1789. But it was confusing that Vermont didn’t become a state until 1791. I had to learn that Vermont was getting farms settled but New York and New Hampshire wanted the land. That tussle didn’t end until 1791 when Vermont became the 14th state. I admit I was feeling pretty smug. I should have known better. That kind of overconfidence never works out well for me in the history arena.
One of my favorite places to go for long walks is on the Waitsfield Common Road. The views are spectacular, and I like imagining what it was like when the historic families of our community had their farms there. Some remain but not all. I knew that there was a historic marker across from the cemetery and convinced my walking partner to stop and look at it. It read The Site of the Original Settlement Circa 1794.
I thought, “Oh no!”
Wasn’t the original settlement down near the Wait House that was originally built just behind our doctor’s office? History shows General Wait had church services in his barn and political events at his house. There are maps showing that other members of his family had farms that abutted his. Isn’t that a town center?
I did what I often do when I’m overwhelmed by trying to figure out the what’s what of local history — I wrote to friends whose families go back many generations. At this point I’m afraid they know how bent out of shape I get trying to find information — thankfully they tend to write back quickly.
The first response came from Randy Graves:
I’d make the assumption that the date for the “Original Settlement” verified by the National Register is accurate. I know that they have pretty strict standards and their own definitions. In other words -- while these dates read as being contradictory, it may just be possible that all can be correct.
1st: Couldn’t it be possible that the apparent contradiction in dates revolves around the National Register’s definition of “original settlement”?
2nd: The very definition of “circa” indicates an approximation when no actual or verifiable records exist.
So -- When VT became a state is easily verifiable and I’d assume the actual Charter. A “dwelling” versus “original settlement” are different. I know (or at least I think I do) that the Common had a Meeting House serving as church , school, etc. All combined, maybe what appears to be contradictory dates may be simply vague and or differing definitions?
Just my $0.02 over AM coffee.
RG
A close second was the email from Kevin Eurich:
Waitsfield Common was certainly a viable living community at one time, albeit small. The church sat between Shinny Graves’ home and the cemetery. Stories handed down to me that there was indeed a store there. I have an old photo taken from my grandparents’ farm (Baird) looking north and the church is visible. I’ll attach it just FYI. Much of my genealogy research brought me to the various town clerks’ offices to go over deed history and I found it fascinating. It is possible one might find land records with dates in this area to bring more to light. I’m told the Common was once in the mix for the location of Vermont’s capitol, but never made the cut. Imagine if that had happened.
Another email from Randy Graves followed:
Uncle (Great Uncle) Shinney would frequently talk to us about the history of the Common. If I remember correctly he also told of some of the large foundation stones from the original buildings, he used for his house – which, of course, has since burned.
I have just incredibly great memories of playing various games “up on the Common” joined by neighborhood kids most of whom were older than me, more Joanie and Karen’s schoolmates: Everett, Nelda, and Maurice Graves (all second cousins), Owen Jr. and Donnie Wimble, the Jamieson's and Staffords. Summer games of pick-up baseball and scary evening massive hide-and-go-seek in the cemetery. In the winter we’d have great games of “Fox and Geese” in the center triangle.
Back to Kevin Eurich:
I’m a firm believer in using Matt Jones’ history of Waitsfield as a very accurate resource. The dates and their meaning you gave below are correct according to any history I’ve looked at. As far as The Common, it became more of an interesting site after Waitsfield was charted and VT became a state. So, I think it reasonable that 1794 was when it became a real entity. I believe the Congressional Church built there was about 1809; that date being what comes to mind.
At that point I went to find the website for the National Register of Historic Places and see what they could teach me:
The Waitsfield Common area was first settled in the 1790s, its hilltop setting typical of a number of other Vermont communities. The common, originally rectangular and now two triangles, was laid out in 1798, and the cemetery on its north side was established by 1797. The town's first church was built on land now part of the cemetery and was torn down in the 1870s. The center's location was not well suited to the needs of 19th-century commerce, and the present Waitsfield Village was by 1841 eclipsing the center in importance. It has remained an essentially rural agricultural village since then, although there has been some new construction in the late 20th century, as the area became more attractive to tourists and skiers.
The historic district is centered on the four-way intersection of Joslin Hill, Common, East, and North Roads. The two triangular sections of the common are set northeast and southwest of this junction, with the cemetery and former church site to the northwest. Historic houses line the southern part of the common, and old stone walls line some of the roads. The district has an acreage of 237 acres (96 ha) and includes open fields that descend to the west and south. There are seven historic houses in all, with a number of non-historic houses set in sympathetic scale and setback.
Mary Kathleen Mehuron and writes novels. Contact her at
