Chester

Chester. . , Our History , Our town dates back to 1754, when a group of men petitioned the Governor of New Hampshire for a charter for a town in the wilderness west of the Connecticut River. It was to be called Flamstead, but the ongoing French Indian War hostilities effectively halted their project. In with the war winding down, interest in land in what would eventually become Vermont boomed. Many towns were chartered in "the Grants," including New Flamstead in the former Flamstead bounds. Among the men pushing forward at the edge of the frontier were Thomas Chandler and Jabez Sargent, who began preparing cabin sites in 1763. Other families soon joined them, and settlement was progressing well. A dispute arose between the Colonies of New York and New Hampshire concerning which entity had authority over the lands in what would become Vermont. This dispute threatened the early settlers' title to their property, and the issue was resolved in New York's favor. In 1766, Thomas Chandler led a party of his neighbors to meet with New York authorities seeking to secure title to their lands in New Flamstead by securing a New York Charter. They came away with a clear title and a new name for our town - Chester. The town grew quickly, more families arrived, churches and schools were established, shops serving the needs of the people sprang up, family farms produced crops and livestock, and water-powered mills provided employment and goods to sell near and far. The natural resources of timber and mineral deposits augmented the local economy and provided employment for many. Chester was located at the junction of important early roads, which made the town a hub of trading and transportation that was only magnified when rail service arrived in 1849. Chester became very much a part of the wider regional economy and shared the many changes in Vermont that came - especially after the Civil War., Over generations the beauty of this countryside has asserted itself anew. Those who live here and those who visit appreciate the way of life, the natural beauty that surrounds us, and the historic architecture that is a visual testament to days gone by., Welcome to Chester , As you stroll our Main Street, view our historic buildings, visit our over 200 year-old cemetery, and read the names on the old stones, think of those that came to this community early on. Chester's strength is and always has been in its people. It is through their vision and efforts over 260 years that we enjoy this town as we know it today., [Photo Captions, top to bottom ]: , - Civil War Veterans gather for a photo in front of the monument erected in 1885 to honor those who served., - The District 20 Chester Central School was built in 1881. For 90 years it served the educational needs of area students as a high school, a grammar school, and a junior high school., - The first train station building burned in 1871, and this replacement was constructed later the same year., - The first town Fire District was organized in 1861. In the following decade a firehouse was built and apparatus purchased for Chester's volunteer firemen to battle blazes., - The "Green" in Chester has been anchored by an Inn since the early days. The first two inns that occupied the site were lost to fires in 1858 and 1888. This photo is of the third inn, which also succumbed to flames in 1920., - In 1921, the fourth inn to occupy the central portion of the "Green" was constructed. Financed in large part by the Fullerton family of Chester, the inn was named in their honor and has served residents and visitors alike ever since.