Chester, Vermont

The town was originally chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth as Flamstead in 1754.{{cite web|url= http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/vt/Windsor/districts.htmlhttp://www.chester.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/%7B30E95ABF-6909-4E09-90E8-DB5C3B0781B0%7D/uploads/%7BF526C530-2543-4091-ABF4-F782F308B741%7D.PDF|title= History of Chester|publisher= Chester.gov|access-date= March 3, 2014}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The terms of the charter were not met and the town was re-chartered as New Flamstead in 1761.{{cite book|last=Aldrich|first=Lewis Cass and Holmes, Frank R.|title=History of Windsor County, Vermont|date=1891|publisher=D. Mason & Company|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_2JtQAAAAYAAJ/page/n33 33]|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_2JtQAAAAYAAJ|quote=chester vt re-chartered as New Flamstead.}} In 1766, a patent was issued by New York that changed the name of the town to Chester, after George Augustus Frederick, the Earl of Chester and the eldest son of King George III.{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=25105|title= Profile for Chester, Vermont, VT|publisher =ePodunk|access-date= March 3, 2014}}{{cite web|url= https://www.yourplaceinvermont.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/There-Goes-the-Neighborhood.pdf|title= There Goes the Neighborhood: A Walking Tour of Chester and {{sic|It|’s|nolink=y}} Historic Stone Village|publisher= Your Place in Vermont|access-date= March 3, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140804130116/https://www.yourplaceinvermont.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/There-Goes-the-Neighborhood.pdf|archive-date= August 4, 2014|url-status=dead}} Later, the governing authority of Chester reverted to the 1761 charter by an act of the Vermont legislature, although it left the name "Chester" in place. 2011 was thus the 250th anniversary of the town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|144.9|sqkm|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|144.2|sqkm|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.7|sqkm|disp=flip}}, or 0.46%, is water.{{Cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212221153/http://factfinder.census.gov/main.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Chester town, Windsor County, Vermont |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder |access-date=July 30, 2012 }}

A prominent geological feature of the town is the Williams River, a tributary of the Connecticut River, whose three branches come together as a central river and run through Chester.{{Cite web|url=http://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wsm/mapp/docs/mp_williamsriver.pdf|title=The Williams River and its Watershed|publisher=Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation|date=October 2014|access-date=November 23, 2019}} Residents use it extensively for recreation; especially fishing and swimming. The banks, covered bridges, waters and nearby homes suffered major damage during Hurricane Irene in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31082016/five-years-after-hurricane-irene-2011-effects-flooding-vermont-damage-resilience-climate-change|title=Five Years After Hurricane Irene, Vermont Still Striving for Resilience|last=PIERRE-LOUIS|first=Kendra}} The flooding was caused by Irene's rains coupled with the basin having poor drainage in the rugged, hilly land with steep slopes.

{{US Census population

|1790= 981

|1800= 1878

|1810= 2370

|1820= 2493

|1830= 2320

|1840= 2305

|1850= 2001

|1860= 2126

|1870= 2052

|1880= 1901

|1890= 1787

|1900= 1775

|1910= 1784

|1920= 1633

|1930= 1666

|1940= 1740

|1950= 1981

|1960= 2318

|1970= 2371

|1980= 2791

|1990= 2832

|2000= 3044

|2010= 3154

|2020= 3005

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |archive-date=April 26, 2015 }}

}}

As of the census of 2010, 3,154 people resided in Chester, with 1,793 housing units.{{cite web|url=http://www.chestertelegraph.org/2012/01/13/chester-in-2010-a-snapshot/|title=Chester in 2010: A Snapshot - The Chester Telegraph|website=The Chester Telegraph}} In 2010, Chester had 510 residents 14 years old and younger; 205 15 to 19; 277 20 to 29; 298 ages 30 to 39; and 418 ages 40 to 49. Our 0-49 age group makes up 53.2% of the Chester population. Of the entire population, 17.6% is 50 to 59 years old, 13.1% is 60 to 69; 7.6% is between 70 and 79 and 5.2% is 80 and older.

As in 2000, the majority of town residents in 2010 are female (1,638 to 1,516 male today compared to 1,574 to 1,470 10 years ago). In 2010, 1,262 of the women and 1,117 of the men are older than 19.

Chester is 97.5% white (down slightly from 98.8%) while Vermont as a whole is 95.3% white. Chester's non-Caucasian population, however, has more than doubled, from 38 residents in 2000 to 78 in 2010.

The Native America/Alaskan population has risen from 3 in 2000 to 16 in 2010, while Chester's Asian population has risen from 7 to 15 and its Hispanic populace grew from 21 in 2000 to 35 in 2010. In the meantime, the number of African-American residents dropped from 10 in 2000 to 7 in 2010. And the number of residents claiming more than one race more than doubled, from 17 in 2000 to 37 in 2010.

As of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the town was $39,417, and the median income for a family was $47,083. Males had a median income of $32,744 versus $26,114 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,661. About 3.8% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

File:Chester, Vermont train station.jpg

Chester is served by Vermont routes 10, 11, 35 and 103. Although Interstate 91 does not pass through the town, Chester is served by exit 6 in nearby Rockingham.

Chester hosts The Chester Fall Festival on the Green in September,{{cite web|url= http://www.foliage-vermont.com/fall_festivals.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070921073626/http://www.foliage-vermont.com/fall_festivals.htm|url-status= usurped|archive-date= September 21, 2007|title= A list of Vermont Fall Foliage Events Festivals for the 2013 Season|publisher =Foliage Vermont|access-date= March 3, 2014}}{{cite web|url= http://chesterfallfestival.org/|title= Chester Fall Festival

|publisher = Chester Fall Festival |access-date= March 3, 2014}} and the Winter Carnival in February.{{cite web|url= https://www.yourplaceinvermont.com/event/chester-winter-carnival-2014-2/|title= Chester, Vermont Winter Carnival 2014|publisher =Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce|access-date= March 3, 2014}}

Chester is famous for its Stone Village Historic District and Chester Village Historic District. Both districts are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.{{cite web|url= http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/vt/Windsor/districts.html|title= VERMONT - Windsor County - Historic Districts|publisher =National Register of Historic Places|access-date= March 3, 2014}} The Stone Village section is located along Vermont Route 103 in North Chester, across the Williams River from Chester Center. It is known for the many houses made of local granite. The Chester Factory Village has homes that were built between 1750 and 1924, and includes Victorian, Colonial Revival and Federal style architecture. Both areas are popular tourist destinations.{{cite web|url= http://www.chestervermont.org/about-chester|title= About Chester|publisher= Chester Vermont|access-date= March 3, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140302072150/http://www.chestervermont.org/about-chester|archive-date= March 2, 2014|url-status= dead}}

Registered historic sites:

• Chester Village Historic District – Roughly bounded by Lovers Lane Brook, Maple St., Williams River, Middle Branch & Lovers Lane (added September 8, 1985)
• Greenwood House – VT 103 (added December 1, 1985)
• Jeffrey House – North St. (added July 13, 1974)
• Stone Village Historic District – Both sides of VT 103 (added June 17, 1974)

The Chester Telegraph, an online newspaper, is based in Chester, and was founded in 2011. It grew out of the website www.chestervermont.org, which was funded by USDA Rural Development. The Telegraph focuses on local news in Chester and the surrounding towns of Andover, Grafton, Londonderry, and Weston.{{cite web|url= http://chestertelegraph.org/chester-telegraph-home/|title= About The Telegraph|work =The Chester Telegraph|access-date= March 3, 2014}}{{cite web|url= http://chestertelegraph.org/chester-telegraph-home/|title= Chester Vermont|work =The Chester Telegraph|access-date= March 3, 2014}}

• Clarence Adams, politician and serial burglar{{cite news |last=Citro |first=Joseph |title=The man who played detective |url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/cover-story-the-man-who-played-detective/article_6da6eca3-1b4e-5f40-aa42-1ad9a0efb15b.html |access-date=19 June 2024 |work=The Rutland Herald |date=May 25, 2002}}
• Robert Alden (a.k.a. Edwin Hyde Alden), clergyman commemorated in the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder{{cite web |url=http://laurasprairiehouse.com/family-friends/reverend-edwin-hyde-alden-biography/ |title=Reverend Edwin Hyde Alden Biography |website=Definitive Guide: Laura Ingalls Wilder & the Little House Books |access-date=January 3, 2021}}
• Melvin Baldwin, U.S. Representative from Minnesota.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000094|title=BALDWIN, Melvin Riley, (1838 - 1901)|dictionary=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= February 23, 2014}}
• Fernando C. Beaman, US congressman from Michigan{{cite encyclopedia|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000275|title=BEAMAN, Fernando Cortez, (1814 - 1882) |dictionary= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= February 23, 2014}}
• Paul Bremer, Director of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq{{cite news | url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/05/former-iraq-administrator-bremer-now-a-painter/ | publisher=CNN | title=Former Iraq administrator Bremer now a painter | date=March 5, 2009 | access-date=May 11, 2011 | archive-date=January 5, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105145526/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/05/former-iraq-administrator-bremer-now-a-painter/ | url-status=dead }}
• Thomas Chandler Jr., a founder of Chester who served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and was Vermont's first Secretary of State{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Benjamin Homer |date=1865 |title=History of Eastern Vermont |volume=II |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ViZRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA638 |location=Albany, NY |publisher=J. Munsell |pages=638–639 |via=Google Books}}
• John Royston Coleman, president of Haverford College{{cite news |last=Schudel |first=Matt |date=September 10, 2016 |title=John R. Coleman, college president who walked in others' shoes, dies at 95 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/john-r-coleman-college-president-who-walked-in-others-shoes-dies-at-95/2016/09/10/9fad3b12-76a2-11e6-b786-19d0cb1ed06c_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, DC}}
• Donald J. Cram, Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 1987{{cite web|url= https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1987/cram-facts.html|title= Donald J. Cram - Facts|publisher =Nobelprprize.org|access-date= March 3, 2014}}
• Anna Dewdney, children's book author; lived in Chester until her death in September 2016{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/burlingtonfreepress/obituary.aspx?n=anna-dewdney&pid=181312637 |title=Anna Dewdney |website=Legacy.com |access-date=September 6, 2016}}
• Franklin Edson, mayor of New York City{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Robert C. |date=2001 |title=On This Day: December 1, 1883; A Thanksgiving Croker |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/harp/1201.html |work=The New York Times |location=New York, NY}}
• Merritt A. Edson, Marine Corps general{{cite book|last=Keller|first=Scott|title=Marine Pride: A Salute to America's Elite Fighting Force|date=2004|publisher=Citadel Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/marinepridesalut0000kell/page/217 217]|url=https://archive.org/details/marinepridesalut0000kell|url-access=registration}}
• James Robinson Graves, Baptist preacher, publisher, and author{{cite book|last=Patterson|first=James A.|title=James Robinson Graves: Staking the Boundaries of Baptist Identity|date=2012|publisher=B&H Publishing Group|page=7|isbn=9781433671661 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HpaGWDeiCRoC&pg=PA7}}
• Albert David Hager, geologist, historian, and librarian{{cite book |last=Andreas |first=Alfred Theodore |date=1886 |title=History of Chicago |volume=II |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=THd5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA414 |location=Chicago, IL |publisher=A. T. Andreas Company |page=414 |via=Google Books}}
• Albert W. Harvey, United States Marshal for the District of Vermont{{cite news |date=January 4, 1956 |title=A. W. Harvey, Chester, Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60010169/a-w-harvey/ |work=Rutland Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• Hugh H. Henry, United States Marshal for Vermont{{cite news |date=December 21, 1869 |title=The Late Hugh H. Henry |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42532411/late_hugh_henry/ |work=Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"The Late Hugh H. Henry"}}}}
• Aaron Leland, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont{{cite book |last=Hayes |first=Lyman Simpson |date=1907 |title=History of the Town of Rockingham, Vermont |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ULmlDG8KLjYC&pg=PA157 |location=Bellows Falls, VT |publisher=Town of Rockingham, Vermont |page=157 |via=Google Books}}
• Thomas B. Marsh, Latter Day Saint leader, original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles{{cite web |url=http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/TBMarsh.html |title=Thomas Baldwin Marsh, 1799-1866 |last=Marsh |first=Thomas B. |date=1857 |website=Book of Abraham Project |publisher=Brigham Young University |location=Provo, UT |access-date=December 24, 2020}}
• Hannah Maynard Thompson Pickard (1812–1844), school teacher, preceptress, author{{cite book |last=Otheman |first=Edward |date=1845 |title=Memoir and Writings of Mrs. Hannah Maynard Pickard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7sEEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13 |location=Boston, MA |publisher=David H. Ela |page=13 |via=Google Books}}
• Waitstill R. Ranney, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont{{cite book |last=Adams |first=Charles Collard |date=1908 |title=Middletown Upper Houses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7MHzIbJo2HcC&pg=PA250 |location=New York, NY |publisher=The Grafton Press |page=250 |isbn=9780598994349 |via=Google Books}}
• Charles B. Stoughton, Union Army officer who attained the rank of brigadier general by brevet{{cite book |last=Ellis |first=William Arba |date=1898 |title=Norwich University: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJgaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA390 |location=Concord, NH |publisher=The Rumford Press |page=390 |via=Google Books}}

In 2011 and 2012, Chester residents gained notoriety for their fight against a proposed Dollar General store. The Chester Telegraph covered the issue, which was also picked up statewide by Vermont Public Radio and outside Vermont by The New York Times.{{cite web|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/us/dollar-store-plans-divide-vermont-residents.html|title= Vermont Towns Have an Image, and They Say Dollar Stores Aren't Part of It |work =The New York Times|access-date= March 3, 2014}} In February 2014, the Vermont Environmental Court ruled that a Dollar General could be built in Chester.{{cite web|url= http://chestertelegraph.org/2014/02/18/environmental-court-oks-dollar-general-with-conditions/|title= Environmental Court OK's Dollar General with conditions|work =The Chester Telegraph|access-date= March 3, 2014}}{{cite web|url= http://chestertelegraph.org/2014/02/12/drb-upholds-dollar-general-ok-clarifies-findings/|title= DRB upholds Dollar General OK, clarifies findings|work =The Chester Telegraph|access-date= March 3, 2014}}

Image:Stone Village, Chester, Vermont.jpg|Stone Village

Image:Yosemite Engine Company, Chester, Vermont.jpg|Yosemite Engine Company

• A season 4 episode of the Discovery Channel series A Haunting, called Echos of the Past, takes place in Chester in 2005–2006.

{{reflist|30em}}

{{commons category|Chester, Vermont}}

• [http://chestervt.gov/ Town of Chester official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110317014153/http://www.chestervermont.org/ Chester community website]
• [http://www.chestertelegraph.org The Chester Telegraph], online newspaper
• [https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/sets/72157624691264104/with/4877003689/ 2010–2011 photos of town, houses and buildings (61)]
• [https://chesterhouseinn.com/ Chester House Inn]

{{Windsor County, Vermont}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns in Vermont

Category:Towns in Windsor County, Vermont