Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-06-11
ONE OF VERMONT'S
OLDEST HOUSES
Interesting Dispute Over
First Dwelling in Green
Mountain State

The first settlement in the state O
Vermont is claimed to have been a
the site of Fort hummer in the tow
of Brattleboro, about one mile soutl
Of the present village, in 1924, say
the Brattleboro letter in the Spring
field Sunday Republican. The claim
however, has been disputed by abl
writer's in the north part of the stat,
who say that the first settlement wa
in Isle La Motto in the county O
Grand Isle. However it may be Ger
tain it is that the first settlement il
the town of Brattleboro and in south
| ern Vermont was at the place frs
mentioned. 1t is fact not generally
known that the first settlement in
Brattleboro outside the limits of For,
hummer were made on property now
owned by hhc Brattleboro Retreat
In 1757 Benjamin Moore erected ;
dwelling on the present site of the
Retreat farm house. Soon after its
erection he was killed by Indians ant
his wife and children carried captive
to Canada.
Five years later John Arms OF
Dcerfeld who later became one OF
Brattleboro's leading and most in
fluential citizens and who was Brat
tleboro's first postmaster, establish
ed a tavern on the same site which
became one of the most famous hos
telries in southern Vermont. Col
Ethan Allen when he came to this
part of the state to inform the inhab-
itants of Brattleboro and Guilford
which were strong Tory towns, that
"unless they peaceably submitted to
the authority of Vermont that their
territory would be made as descfate
as Sodom and Gomorrah," made Coy
Arms tavern his headquarters and
later Gen. John Stark was guest of
the house just before the battle of
Bennington. Maj. Arms was killed
by kick of horse in ITO, and
widow and son continued the busi-
ness for several years afterwards.
When repairs were being made on the
farm house some 20 years ago several
relics were dug up included in which
was a broken rusty sword consisting
of hilt and 18 inches Of blade all of
which was hand made, and an old
fashioned iron door knocker.
The second settlement in this part
hyr ny
Wells who also come from Deerfield
and later became both colonel and
judge. He at first built a log house
west of what is now known as Linden
Lodge and about 10 years later built
a substantial and commodious three
story house which now forms the
front part of Linden Lodge, one room
of which at the present time show
the massive timbers and their original
design. Much care evidently was
taken to protect against outside invas-
ion. Although Linden Lodge has
been remodeled several times undoub-
tedly it can claim to be in part the
oldest house now standing and in use
in the town of Brattleboro. Linden
Lodge was widely known at one time
as the former location of Burnside
academy and at present is
charming home for voluntary patients
of the Brattleboro Retreat. 1t is To-
Gated near a ravine in which is found
what is known far and wide as the
"Cold Spring." The approach to this
spring is faced with cobbles and the
wall of the walk leading to
the steps is Of immense boulders. A
few years ago the flow of water was
much diminished and extensive eXca-
vations were made and it was found
that the subsoil was composed entire
|y of quicksand to depth of five feet
This was all removed down to bed
Of rock and disclosed the fact that the
water gushed forth from the extensive
edge concealed in the embankment
rising above the spring.
During the days of the old water
cure establishment in Brattleboro GER
ain patients were required to visit
his spring before breakfast each
morning and drink literally of the
cool, sparkling water which was then
Is now, strongly impregnated with
ron. DR.. Kane, the celebrated Arctic
explorer, was at one time patient
If the watercure establishment and
vas enthusiastic in his praise of the
spring and declared that in all his
ravels he had neverfound such wond-
,rful, invigorating water. The white
oine tree under which DR.. Kane used
o spend much of his time during his
'tay in Brattleboro, is located about
,ne-half mile westerly of the cold
pring. Here he built rustic seats and
.arved his name and owing to these
circumstances the tree is known as
he Kane pine. Branches of the tree
we're in earlier years sent to the New
York historical society as memen-
oes of the doctors visit to Brattle-
,oro.
Many other dwellings have since
,een built on the Retreat grounds but
lone possess so much historical
'alue as do the ones previously men
ioned. 1t is source of much regret
hat the Connecticut river dam built :
t Vernon has caused the flooding of
What for so many years has been
nown as the Asylum or Retreat mea-