Stowe is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

Lamoille County Lamoille County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,945, and it is the third-least populous county in Vermont. Its shire town ( county seat) is the town of Hyde Park, while Morrist ...

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

, United States. The population was 5,223 at the 2020 census. The town lies on Vermont Routes 108 and 100. It is nicknamed "The Ski Capital of the East" and is home to Stowe Mountain Resort, a ski facility with terrain on

Mount Mansfield Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont with a summit that peaks at above sea level. The summit is located within the town of Underhill in Chittenden County; the ridgeline, including some secondary peaks, extends into the town of S ...

and Spruce Peak. 2004-02-25 - 07 - Stowe Town Hall

History

The indigenous people who lived in the area now called Vermont were primarily

Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pre ...

, who spoke Algonquian were forced outside by strategies of displacement after primarily British settlers flooded into the area after the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

. They were the original inhabitants of Stowe. Stowe was chartered on June 8, 1763, by Royal Governor

Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the List of colonial governors of New Hampshire, governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. While serving as governor, W ...

of the

Province of New Hampshire The Province of New Hampshire was a colony of England and later a British province in North America. The name was first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America, and was nam ...

. Grantor Benning Wentworth named Glastonbury Mountain in 1761 for Glastonbury, Somerset, in England.Glastenbury was called by the local people as "the site where four winds meet," according to Vermont folklorist Joe Citro. This allegation appears to be baseless, part of the accumulation of mythology surrounding a location where odd events and inexplicable disappearances have long been reported. There are no surviving names from the original language, which was most likely

Mahican The Mohican ( or , alternate spelling: Mahican) are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe that historically spoke an Algonquian language. As part of the Eastern Algonquian family of tribes, they are related to the neighboring Lenape, w ...

, an Algonquian dialect akin to Abenaki in this case. Vermont did not become a U.S. state until 28 years later, in 1791. As such, despite Stowe being established as a town in 1763, it was in 1793 that more settlers arrived, two years after Vermont joined the original thirteen of the United States of America. By the turn of the nineteenth century, the majority of Stowe's property had been sold. The town's population had risen to 316 at this time. Stowe's early years were dominated by the farm and lumber industries. Over 75 percent of the land in Stowe and most of Vermont used to be open terrain cleared by lumber production and used for agriculture, particularly sheep farming. In those days, up to 8,000 sheep grazed the Stowe hills and valleys. Stowe's agricultural fortunes changed alongside those of the rest of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

. Most of Vermont eventually switched from sheep to dairy farms, with more than 100 farms in Stowe alone. Only nine of these farms are still operational today. This move allowed 75 percent of the cleared area to reforest over time. Unlike much of the rest of Vermont, Stowe's past was not centred solely on agriculture. Stowe had become a well-known summer resort by the mid-nineteenth century, thanks to its mountain scenery. By 1870, the Toll Road to the summit of Mt. Mansfield had been completed; the Summit House on the summit of Mt. Mansfield had been constructed just before the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

broke out, and the 300-room Mansfield House occupied the majority of the settlement. The Mansfield House, often known as the "Big Hotel," burned down in 1889. Behind the "Big Hotel" was a vast stable with over 100 horses, equipment, carriages, and stable hands. In 1953, the barn was demolished due to a fire concern, and several of the original beams were repurposed in the construction of The Whip Bar & Grill. The Depot Building was erected in 1897 as a depot for the Mt. Mansfield Electric Railway and is located next to the Green Mountain Inn. Running the 11 miles between Waterbury and Stowe, this train carried both passengers and freight until 1932. Through the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, summer tourism remained crucial to Stowe's economy. Three Swedish families living in Stowe began walking around town on long wooden boards with upturned ends in 1913, ushering in a new chapter in Stowe's history as skiing went on to become an important part of Stowe's economy and community. Stowe had its inaugural Winter Carnival in 1921, including ski jumping, skating, and a variety of other enjoyable activities. The

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a ...

erected camps and began clearing ski tracks on Mt. Mansfield during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, but downhill skiing did not really take off in Stowe until the 1930s. The Bruce Trail, which ran from the current site of the Octagon to Ranch Camp, was the first built in 1933. The Mt. Mansfield Ski Touring trail system now includes this trail as well. The Nose Dive, the next ski trail, was created in 1934. Skiers used to trek the 2.5 miles to the summit in the early days. Chairlifts, which began with a single chair in 1940, overtook rope tows as the more convenient way. The chair was in service until 1986, when it was replaced with a high-speed detachable quad. The Vermont Ski Museum was founded in 1988. In 2000, it was then relocated to Stowe. The museum contains information and artifacts on the history of skiing and snowboarding in Vermont.

Geography

Stowe is in southern Lamoille County, lying in a broad, fertile valley between

and other peaks of the

Green Mountains The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Quebec, Canada. The part of the same range that is i ...

to the west, and the Worcester Range to the east. The town is bordered by Chittenden County to the west and Washington County to the south and east. The village of Stowe sits in the east-central part of the town, along the Little River where it is joined by its West Branch. The Little River, a tributary of the Winooski, flows southward past the village of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

and into Waterbury Reservoir, a large reservoir created by a flood control dam in Waterbury but which extends north into the Stowe town limits.

Transportation

Vermont Route 100 Vermont Route 100 (VT 100) is a north–south state highway in Vermont in the United States. Running through the center of the state, it travels nearly the entire length of Vermont and is long. VT 100 is the state's longest numbere ...

crosses the town from north to south, passing through the village of Stowe. VT 100 leads north to Morrisville and south to Waterbury. Vermont Route 108 has its southern terminus in Stowe village and leads northwest through

Smugglers Notch Smugglers Notch (alternatively Smugglers' or Smuggler's) is a mountain pass in Lamoille County, Vermont, Lamoille County, Vermont. The notch separates Mount Mansfield, the highest peak of the Green Mountains, from Spruce Peak and the Sterling R ...

to Jeffersonville in the

Lamoille River The Lamoille River is a river which runs through northern Vermont and drains into Lake Champlain. It is about in length, and has a drainage area of around . The river generally flows southwest, and then northwest, from the water divide of the Gre ...

valley. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.23%, are water. By area, it is the second-largest town in the state of Vermont after Chittenden in

Rutland County Rutland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,572, making it the second-most populous county in Vermont. Its county seat and most populous municipality is the city of Rutland ...

Climate

Mount Mansfield

According to the

Trewartha climate classification The Trewartha climate classification (TCC) or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC) is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köppen ...

system, Mount Mansfield has a temperate

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing so ...

(''Dc'') with mild summers (''l''), very cold winters (''c'') and year-around precipitation (''Dclc''). ''Dclc'' climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ , all months with an average mean temperature < and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid on Mount Mansfield, episodes of warmth and moderate humidity can occur with

heat index The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is al ...

values > . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on 07/08/1988, and the highest daily average mean

dew point The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will ...

was on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for

thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...

activity which correlates with the average warmest month of the year. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on 09/16/1999. During the winter months, the

plant hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

is 4a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on 01/27/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with

wind chill Wind chill or windchill (popularly wind chill factor) is the lowering of body temperature due to the passing-flow of lower-temperature air. Wind chill numbers are always lower than the air temperature for values where the formula is valid. When ...

values below .

Ice storm An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on ...

s and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow are frequent from late-fall to early-spring.

The Lodge at Spruce Peak

According to the

system, the Lodge at Spruce Peak has a temperate

(''Dc'') with warm summers (''b''), cold winters (''o'') and year-around precipitation (''Dcbo''). ''Dcbo'' climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ , all months with an average mean temperature < and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid at The Lodge at Spruce Peak, episodes of warmth and moderate humidity can occur with

values > . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on 07/08/1988, and the highest daily average mean

was on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for

activity which correlates with the average warmest month of the year. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on 09/16/1999. During the winter months, the

is 4b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on 01/27/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with

values < .

s and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow are somewhat frequent from December through March.

Stowe village

According to the

system, Stowe village has a temperate

(''Dc'') with warm summers (''b''), cold winters (''o'') and year-around precipitation (''Dcbo''). ''Dcbo'' climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ , four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ , all months with an average mean temperature < and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid at Stowe village, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with

values > . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on 07/09/1988, and the highest daily average mean

was on 07/01/2018. July is the peak month for

activity which correlates with the average warmest month of the year. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on 08/28/2011. During the winter months, the

is 4a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on 01/27/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with

values < .

s and large snowstorms depositing ≥ of snow occur once or twice per winter.

Ecology

Mount Mansfield

According to the

A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 1907–1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system in widespread use in the United States. Some of this database has bec ...

U.S.

potential natural vegetation In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...

types, Mount Mansfield has a dominant vegetation type of Northeast

Spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfam ...

/ Fir (''96'') with a dominant vegetation form of Northern

Conifer forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

(''22''). The peak spring bloom typically occurs in late-May and peak fall color usually occurs in late-September. The

is 4a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of .

The Lodge at Spruce Peak

According to the

U.S.

types, The Lodge at Spruce Peak has a dominant vegetation type of Northeast

/ Fir (''96'') with a dominant vegetation form of Northern

(''22''). The peak spring bloom typically occurs in mid-May and peak fall color usually occurs in late-September. The

is 4b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of .

Stowe village

According to the

U.S.

types, Stowe village has a dominant vegetation type of Northern ardwood/ pruce(''108'') with a dominant vegetation form of Northern

Hardwood Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...

s (''23''). The peak spring bloom typically occurs in early-May and peak fall color usually occurs in late-September. The

is 4a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of .

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 4,339 people, 1,905 households, and 1,129 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 59.7 people per square mile (23.1/km²). There were 2,728 housing units at an average density of 37.5 per square mile (14.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.51%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.28%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.37% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population. There were 1,905 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.83. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

Economy

There has been some manufacturing in Stowe, such as the Tubbs Snowshoe factory, but it closed in 2009 and moved its manufacturing overseas. The median income for a household in the town was $52,378, and the median income for a family was $64,700. Males had a median income of $37,788 versus $31,689 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $35,474. About 3.7% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over. The median house value was $412,183 in 2012.

Points of interest

* Trapp Family Lodge * Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum * Stowe Mountain Resort – Stowe, "The Ski Capital of the East", has long been known for its winter recreation. Its ski area was purchased by Vail Resorts in 2017 for $41 million. It has 117 ski runs spread over Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, and boasts 13 lifts. * Stowe Recreation Path – a recreation trail that runs , and was completed in 1989 at a total cost of $680,000. The path stretches from the Village downtown all the way to the TopNotch Lodge. It has received several awards and honors. * Cady Hill Forest on the western edge of Stowe village was conserved by the Stowe Land Trust in 2012 and transferred to the town of Stowe. It offers more than of hiking and mountain bike trails, with an access point off Route 108 (Mountain Road). The Stowe Mountain Bike Club is currently responsible for maintaining the trail network.

Education

There are three public schools in town: Stowe Elementary School, Stowe Middle School, and Stowe High School. The Mount Mansfield Winter Academy is located in Stowe, which has a focus on snow sport athletes.

Stowe Land Trust

Stowe Land Trust is a local land conservation nonprofit that was founded in 1987 and has conserved 35 properties and over , many of which are available to the public. One is Wiessner Woods, conserved by the trust in 1992 through a donation from the Wiessner family.

Media

The ''Stowe Reporter'', covering local politics, business, arts, and personalities, has been the weekly newspaper of record for the town of Stowe since its founding in 1958. The Vermont Community Newspaper Group, owner of the ''Stowe Reporter'' and four other community weekly newspapers in Vermont, is based in Stowe. Radio station WCVT is licensed to Stowe, and programs a classic hits format.

Notable people

* Walter J. Bigelow, mayor of Burlington *

Jake Burton Carpenter Jake Burton Carpenter (April 29, 1954 – November 20, 2019), occasionally also known as Jake Burton or Jakie, was an American snowboarder founder of Burton Snowboards and one of the inventors of the modern day snowboard. A native of New York ...

, CEO of

Burton Snowboards Burton Snowboards is a privately-owned snowboard manufacturing company that was founded by Jake Burton Carpenter in 1977. The company specializes in products aimed at snowboarders, such as snowboards, bindings, boots, outerwear, and accessorie ...

Rusty DeWees Rusty DeWees (born November 15, 1960) is an American actor, producer and writer. He works regionally in Vermont, Off-Broadway, in television, and films. He is best known for his one-man comedy show, ''The Logger''. Early life Rusty DeWees was bo ...

, comedian, actor, and writer * Joseph Dutton, worked as a missionary with

Father Damien Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. or Saint Damien De Veuster ( nl, Pater Damiaan or '; 3 January 1840 – 15 April 1889), born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sac ...

* William "Billy" Kidd, first American man to earn an Olympic medal in alpine skiing * Joe Kirkwood Sr., golfer * Graham Mink, former right wing for the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...

, now playing for Dornbirner EC of the

Austrian Hockey League The ICE Hockey League (International Central European Hockey League), known as the win2day ICE Hockey League for sponsorship reasons, is a Central European hockey league that also serves as the top-tier ice hockey league in Austria, it currently f ...

(EBEL) * Tiger Shaw, Olympics alpine ski racer and President of U.S.S.A. * Joseph Skinger, artisan * Ken Squier, Lap-by-Lap commentator for

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

* Maria von Trapp, matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers * Ty Walker, youngest member of the 2014 US Olympic Slopestyle Snowboard team * Fritz Wiessner, pioneer of free climbing

Gallery

File:Stowe_Community_Church_2022.jpg, Stowe Community Church File:2004-02-25 - 05 - Main Street, Stowe.jpg, Shaw's General Store lies opposite the Town Hall File:Mount mansfield 20040926.jpg,

is the highest point in the state of Vermont, and home to the Stowe Mountain Resort File:Trapp Family Lodge 2014.jpg, Trapp Family Lodge File:Aaron Draper Shattuck, Stowe, Vermont, 1858, NGA 59823.jpg, Aaron Draper Shattuck. ''Stowe, Vermont''. 1858. Graphite on wove paper; sheet: 28 × 44.3 cm (11 × 17 7/16 in.)

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of ch ...

, Washington. Gift of Paul Magriel. 1980.50.4

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1763 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Populated places established in 1763 Towns in Lamoille County, Vermont Towns in Vermont