Moretown Vermont

Moretown Public Library // c.1845

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This 1840s Greek Revival home turned library, sits on the main street in the charming rural town of Moretown, Vermont. The quaint village never had a public library, but that changed starting in 1904, when residents and the town established a fund for purchasing books for the town’s citizens. In 1923, the library trustees purchased this residence which would serve as a stand-alone library for the village. Resident Lilla Haylett was instrumental in the accession and conversion of the home for use as a library from the estate of Ellen J. Palmer, who lived there until her death in 1923. The opening and celebration was short-lived however, as in 1927, elevated levels of the Mad River flooded much of the town. Water levels were well over the first floor of the building and nearly all books were lost. The Moretown Memorial Library was nearly lost, but the town rebuilt over years. The library remains today as a testament to the desire for learning and it serves as a landmark for the charming rural village.

Belding Homestead // c.1820

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David Belding (1785-1860) was born in Swanzey, NH and at 25 years old, moved to Moretown, Vermont in 1810, marrying an eighteen-year-old Florinda Freeman a year later. The couple built a farmhouse on the outskirts of town near a brook. David worked as a farmer and would later officiate as a justice of the peace, the town lister, selectman, and represented the town in the State Legislature for two terms. From his enhanced wealth, David appears to have expanded his farmhouse in the 1820s or 30s with this vernacular Federal and Greek Revival style residence. The Belding Homestead would remain in the family for decades and eventually became the Belding House Bed & Breakfast.

Moretown Town Hall // 1835

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The township of Moretown, Vermont was chartered on June 7, 1763 by Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. The original charter contained approximately 23,040 acres of land to be divided into about 65 shares of proprietors. Active settlement did not occur until after the Revolutionary War with early buildings constructed on the Winooski River (the northern boundary of the town) and subsequent development along the Mad River (which cuts through the middle of town). Saw and grist mills were built and the town developed as a rural farming and industrial community on the rivers. The Moretown Town Hall was erected in 1835 in the Greek Revival style. It has a pedimented portico with Doric columns that support a large pedimented gable peak in imitation of a Greek temple. Like most buildings in the Mad River Valley, the building is unapologetically Vernacular which means it relies on local materials, local builders, and not on architect-designed finishes. This is an aspect of Vermont architecture that makes the state so charming.