Dorset, Vermont
| Dorset, Vermont | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Dorset, Vermont |
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 Dorset, Vermont
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| Coordinates: 43°16′N 73°4′W / 43.267°N 73.067°WCoordinates: 43°16′N 73°4′W / 43.267°N 73.067°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Vermont |
| County | Bennington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 47.9 sq mi (124.0 km2) |
| • Land | 47.8 sq mi (123.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,302 ft (397 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 2,031 |
| • Density | 42/sq mi (16.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 05251 and 05253 |
| Area code | 802 |
| FIPS code | 50-17725 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1462082 |
| Website | dorsetvt |
Dorset is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,031 at the 2010 census. Dorset is famous for being the location of Cephas Kent's Inn, where four meetings of the Convention that signed the Dorset Accords led to the independent Vermont Republic and future statehood. Dorset is home to America's oldest marble quarry and is the birthplace of Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. East Dorset is the site of the Wilson House and the Griffith Library.
The East Dorset marble quarry had been established by Bill W.'s great grandfather and stayed in the family for three generations. Marble from these quarries provided stone for the New York Public Library Main Branch building in New York City. The quarry closed and during the summer months serves as a popular swimming hole.
The Dorset town center is defined as the Dorset census-designated place and had a population of 249 at the 2010 census.
Through a series of treaties, native tribes had surrendered title to large areas of land. Subsequently, the Provincial Governor of New Hampshire had provided land grants west of the Connecticut River in land that was also claimed by the Province of New York. Strife was created by New York attempting to enforce its legitimate claim to government on settlers who had in good faith purchased land titles from New Hampshire. The King upon the advice of the Privy Council decreed a settlement that was not followed by the Governor and Legislature of New York.
Sandwiched between New York and New Hampshire, the area was constantly in dispute and claimed by both. New York claimed it was included in its 1664 grant from Charles II, but had made no effort to settle it. New Hampshire, desiring to expand its frontier to the west, simply expropriated the land and proceeded to grant 131 charters in the territory, which then became known as the New Hampshire Grants. New York retaliated by declaring the Grants null and void and telling the settlers they would have to repurchase the land from New York (at a much higher price) if they wished to stay. The New Hampshire Grantees countered by organizing the "Green Mountain Boys", an informal alliance of civilian soldiers who successfully prevented the settlers from being evicted.
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Wikipedia