The cultural landscape of Williamstown has been strongly influenced by the settlers who traveled far and wide to get there. Originally, a large number of Scots, French Canadians, and Italian craftsmen were lured to the west hills of Vermont to take advantage of the promising granite quarries. Williamstown used many of its natural resources to develop into a small, thriving community.
Today, the village still has its classic white churches and small stores where residents once gathered with their neighbors to socialize and share local news. The expanded rural areas outside the village have retained much of what they once had, including historic farmhouses, open fields, stone walls, and Ainsworth State Park in the Williamstown Gulf.
Highlights of Williamstown:
• Settlement moves to the valley
• Travel and transportation
• Houses and housing styles
• Industrial development
• Tourism and the romantic era
• Celebrations, customs and fun
Doreen Chambers, former chair of the Williamstown Planning Commission, resides in a traditional white farmhouse located on Hebert Road. Doreen has her master’s of science in administration from St. Michael’s College, has served in a variety of positions for the State of Vermont, and served her community in numerous ways. Images in Williamstown were culled from the archives of the Williamstown Historical Society.
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
