A Discussion of Agriculture in Townshend, Vermont

Kaitlin O'Shea, October 2009

Historic Preservation Program, University of Vermont

Historical Narrative

    Townshend, Vermont is located in southeastern Vermont in Windham County in the Connecticut River Valley.  On June 20, 1753 the state of New Hampshire chartered Townshend to John Hazelton and sixty-three others.[1] In 1840, Townshend increased by annexing Acton.[2] At that time, Windham County was part of Cumberland County, which was not divided into Windham, Windsor, and Orange counties until February 1871.[3] Typically, four villages are typically included as a part of Townshend: West Townshend, East Townshend (or Townshend Village), Harmonyville, and Simpsonville.  In early gazetteers such as that of James H. Phelps, the town is discussed according to its division of school districts.[4] This is also seen on the F.W. Beers Atlas of Windham County, Vermont, 1869.[5] West River is the main river running through Townshend with several brooks: Acton, Fair, Negro, Joy, Mill, Fletcher, Simpson, and Acton. These water sources provide fresh water for domestic uses and irrigation if necessary.[6] River valleys provide excellent arable land and the hillside provides grazing ground.

Figure 1: A farmstead near Rattle Snake Mountain shows the rugged terrain of Townshend.

Courtesy of the University of Vermont Libraries Special Collections.

    Early surveyors of Townshend discouraged settlers due to the rocky terrain and inhospitable farming land;[7] yet, people moved to Townshend regardless and farming became the primary occupation of the residents. Townshend reached its peak population in 1820 with 1,406 people.[8] Zadock Thompson's A Gazetteer of the State of the Vermont (1824) discusses the early agricultural activities of Townshend, showing that the early farmers found success amongst the mountains and valleys.[9]Thompson writes that industrious farmers are able to have "their barns filled with hay and flax, their granaries with corn, wheat, rye, oats, barleys, peas, and beans and their cellars with the best of cider, potatoes, turnips, beats, onions, and other esculent vegetables."[10] In addition, other notable crops and products included apples, lumber, butter, and cheese.[11] Aside from pure agricultural activities, Townshend was supported by agricultural related activities including blacksmiths, gristmills, furniture makers, tanners, sawmills, a harness shop, and the usual town businesses such as a general store, a hotel, a millinery, a tinsmith, a drug store, and a carriage shop.[12] The first blacksmith, General Fletcher, began operations ca. 1770.[13] Mills represented some of the early businesses, the first one beginning operations in 1782.[14] 

Figure 2: A 1910 postcard of Willard's Mill.

Courtesy of the UVM Libraries Special Collections.

    Little information of the earliest days (late 1770s) of Townshend farming is available; that information would have to be obtained by individually investigating the extant barn structures and perhaps deed records. For instance, structures would have to be examined in order to determine the methods of construction looking for timber framing, hand hewn timbers, and scribe rule markings, which would indicate the late 1700s/early 1800s for building construction.[15] However, Phelps' tables of Grand List Statistics for Townshend (for taxation purposes) address some agricultural activities and other statistics from 1802 – 1841.[16]  Summarized, his calculations demonstrate that with some dips and regeneration, overall, cattle ownership reached its height (between those years) in 1833. Sheep continuously increased, reaching the greatest number in 1841. Overall, sheep farming in Vermont reached its peak in the early 1830s;[17] thus, Townshend saw success longer than most parts of the state.

    Many products harvested or made on family farms could be bartered locally, with some of the earliest exports of maple sugar and wood. Large sheep farms emerged in the 1820s -1830s as did large-scale potato farming.[18]  A few decades later, the 1860 and 1880 U.S. Census of Agriculture reveal that many of the 1820s farming activities, as discussed by Zadock, are still in place. Farmers of Townshend supported themselves and their families primarily from the land, with a few specialized crops or products that would help to support their livelihood. Records of the 1860 and 1880 agricultural census show that the most prevalent crops were Indian corn, Irish potatoes, butter, maple sugar, wool, and orchard products.[19] In both years, farms grew at least one cereal crop, typically oats, wheat, or rye. milch cows, sheep, and oxen outnumbered horses and swine.  Based on the census records, productions appeared steady with few differences. For example, while butter was a very popular dairy product in 1860 and 1880, cheese was much more widespread in 1860.[20]

Figure 3: Oxen pulling felled trees through the village of Townshend, VT, 1913.

Courtesy of UVM Libraries Special Collections.

    The Hamilton Child's Gazetteer provides a helpful look at Townshend agriculture in 1884.  The largest concentrations farms lied along the main roads (today what are VT Routes 30 and 35), with many on the western side of town near Acton Brook and the West River. The most common farm specifications included sugar orchards, sheep, and dairy.[21] Sheep and wool production could be found most commonly in the western half of town while sugar orchards mainly filled the eastern side of town.[22] In Hamilton Child's Gazetteer only a few farmers were listed as owning apple orchards, yet according to the 1880 census most farms had apple trees and produced many bushels of apples that year.[23]

    While trends in Vermont represent a decrease in sheep farming and wool products in the mid 1800s and an increase in dairy farming in the mid to late 1800s,[24] a 1939 Works Progress Administration report analysis found that the number of cows and sheep decreased from 1850 onwards; although after 1880, the number of sheep diminished drastically and the number of dairy cows saw a slow, steady decline.[25] As the market changed, Vermonters focused on a diversity of products that could be sold in the urban areas, which was possible due to the expansion of the railroad. The Rutland Division of the Central Vermont Railroad opened in December 1849 and passed through Windham County, though the railroad faced many construction challenges and the branch from Brattleboro to South Londonderry did not open until 1880.[26]  Products and crops included milk, eggs, potatoes, corn, cereals, and fruits.[27]

    Townshend generally follows the overall agricultural history of Vermont, with some differences. For example, the 1860 and 1880 censuses do not list tobacco or hops, which both made their way into Vermont agriculture.[28] Overall, the agricultural production and land in Townshend reached its peak in 1860, but has since declined. This change can be seen by looking at the number of farms in Townshend in 1860 (183), 1880 (157), 1935 (78), and 1945 (69).[29] Although this decrease in the number of farms can be accounted for by the fact that some farms were combined, thereby increasing the acreage, the overall agricultural activities did decrease[30]  A report on the Agricultural Trends written for the Works Progress Administration in 1939 includes charts that plot the number of farms and livestock in Townshend. Comparing 1850 to 1935, the numbers of milch cows, oxen, other neat stock, horses, hogs, and sheep declined, though hens, unrecorded except in 1880 and 1935, increased from 2,161 to 3,289.[31] This indicates that chicken and egg production became an important part of the agricultural economy. Beyond the 1940s and 1950s, trends across the state of Vermont show a sharp decrease in agriculture, particularly with the development of farming as a corporate big business. Family-owned farms, in the state and across the nation, could not compete.[32]

Figure 4: Dairy cows in the pasture near Townshend, VT, ca. 1930.

Courtesy of UVM Libraries Special Collections.

Modern Townshend

    The modern landscape and built environment of Townshend certainly indicates that the town has an agricultural past; a windshield survey conducted in September - October 2009 of Townshend found approximately 180 properties to have at least one agriculturally related structure, whether a large ground stable barn or a small greenhouse. However, not all of these structures were historic, and some historic structures may have been clad in new siding and meticulously maintained. A windshield survey lacks that depth.  Some historic activities remain visible on the landscape, such as dairy farming. Most noticeably there are small scale diversified or specialized farming activities in Townshend. For instance, farms advertise maple sugar, alpacas, and pumpkins.  One farm appeared as a hobby farm, raising emus.

    Furthermore, while sugar production and growing potatoes were two of the most common agricultural endeavors, very few related structures were seen during the survey. Historic maple sugar houses are no longer in use, many are dilapidated. Some buildings may no longer be standing due to common fires.[33]  Farms advertise maple sugar, which indicates that farmers have new structures or other methods for maple sugar production. 

Figure 5: A dilapidated maple sugar house at Peak Mountain Farm in Townshend, VT.

Photograph by author, October 2009.

    In the case of potato storage, they may have been out of sight from the public road. However, for those barns standing, many appear to be in use, though often the use is currently for storage of belongings or vehicles. Barns in the villages have been converted to antique stores, garages, and in about five visible cases, barns have been rehabilitated into a house or business and office space.

    Townshend, VT remains a primarily rural town as of October 2009 with small villages, Townshend being the largest. The southwestern portion is largely Townshend State Forest, a Vermont State Park. The southeastern portion reveals new development just south of Crane Mountain to the east of Harmonyville.  Comparing historic and modern maps reveals that this area had not seen development.  A 1958 road map shows an unimproved road through the area, though the 2000 map reveals small, short, winding roads.[34] New construction is still occurring. Overall, the farms do not suggest high agricultural activity; there is not evidence for the great quantities of apple orchards from the 1880s. A few large stable barns suggest prior using for sheep and cattle. However, the extant barns reveal a recent link to agricultural and in many cases, residents are maintaining their barns, adapting them for a current use and showing their connection to their heritage.

Figure 6:  A rehabilitated barn converted to a dwelling at 2557 Grafton Road, Townshend, VT.

Photograph by author (October 2009).

Suggestions for Further Research

    Due to the limitations of this project and the vast amount of primary sources available, one avenue for research is to analyze Phelps' discussion of Townshend residents and their properties mentioned.  As Phelps writes of construction dates and alterations to their property, including barns; there is much information to be discovered. Unfortunately, individual properties are identified by occupants in 1877 and not by the modern construct of addresses.[35] Phelps discusses these properties in relation to the districts of the town, similar to the F.W. Beers Atlas. Seeing as Phelps' Gazetteer was published in 1877, many of the names discussed correlate to the Beers Atlas of Windham County of 1869.  Thus, there is invaluable information. Complemented by deed research to trace the property owners' names and matching them to Phelps and Beers would result in an understanding of the individual farms.  Phelps even accounts for properties that have been moved or demolished. This study, given appropriate attention, could accurately place the agricultural activities of Townshend.