Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
The Center, Washington County, Vermont
This place is the geographical centre of the town, and has always been known by the name of the Centre. James Morse, Esq., from Barre, Mass., made the first settlement in 1789, where Henry Hill's house stands. Esq. Morse built his first log-house. He was moderator of the first town meeting, first justice of the peace; to him nearly all the business of this office fell for quite a number of years.
At a later day he opened the first hotel in town, in a small log-house. The bar was in the square room, and a bed in the same room. This was in the early days of hotel keeping.
The next house was built by Oliver Walbridge, where G. Noyes now lives. In 1790 Major Hitchcock, Capt. Jesse Levenworth and Asa Douglas, Esq., presented the town 8 acres of land for public use. 3 years after, 4 acres were cleared for a common, and a school-house built on it, and two years later the seat of government removed from the Plain to this place.
There was a store opened by Luther Wheatley, who after a short time was succeeded by Hector McLean, and the second pound was built at this place, which was liberally patronized in the olden time.
It was expected this would be a village of considerable size, and prosperous farmers, as once before at the Plain, invested in village lots, and here, as at the Plain before them, their hopes were disappointed, and already this place where public business was so long done is now desolate.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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