The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-26
MOST AGED HOUSE
IN BRATTLEBOR0
Forms Front Part of Linden
Lodge - Built by
Samuel Wells
MASSIVE TIMBERS
IN ORIGINAL FORM

Erected About Year 1772, Owner Com
ing from Decentralization Building
Stood on Present Site of Retreat Farm
House.
The first settlement in the state of Yer
mont is claimed to have been at the site
of Fort Dummer in the town of Bratte-
boro, about one mile south of the present
village, in l724, says the Brattleboro let
ter in the Springfield Sunday Republican
The claim, however, has been disputed by
able writers in the north part of the
state who say that the first settlement
was in Isle La Motto in the county of
Grand Isle. However it may be, certain
it is that the first settlement in the town
OF Brattleboro and in southern Vermont
was at the place first mentioned 1t is a
fact not generally known that the first
settlements in Brattleboro outside the linn
ITS of Fort Dummer were made on proper
ty now owned by the Brattleboro Re
treat. In 1857 Benjamin Moore erected a
dwelling on the present site of the Re
he was killed by Indians and his wife
and children carried captive to Canada
Five years later John Arms of Deer
field who later became one of Brattleboro's
| leading and most influential citizens and
who was Bratteboro's first postmaster,
established a tavern on the same site
which became one of the most famous
| hostelries in southern Vermont. Col
| Ethan Allen when he came to this part of
the state to inform the inhabitants of
| 8rattleboro and Guilford which were
strong Tory towns, that unless they
| peacably submitted to the authority of
! Vermont that their territory would be
made as desolate as Sodom and Gomor-
rah, made Coy Arms's tavern his head
quarters and later Gen John Stark was
guest Of the house just before the bat
tie of Bennington. Mai Arms was killed
| by kick of a horse in l770 and his wild
ow and son continued the business for
several years afterward When repairs
were being made to the farm house some
20 years ago several relics were dug up
| included in which was broken rusty
| sword consisting of hit and Is inches Of
blade all of which was hand made and
an old-fashioned iron door knocker.
! The second settlement in this part oil
the town was in 1852 by Samuel Well.
who also came from Deerfeld and later
became both colonel and Judge. He at
first built a log house west of what il
now known as Linden Lodge and abou
| 10 years later built a substantial and com
modious three-story house which nov
forms the front part of Linden Lodge
one room of which at the present tim
shows the massive timbers and their orig
inal design. Much care evidently wa
taken to protect against outside invasion
Although Linden Lodge has been remod
elcd several times undoubtedly it cal
claim to be in part the oldest house nov
standing and in use in the town of Brat
tleboro. Linden Lodge was widely know
at one time as the former location Q
Burnside military academy and at pres
ent is a charming home for voluntary ia
tients of the Brattleboro Retreat 1t
located near a ravine in which is foun
what is known far and wide as the "Col
spring. The approach to this spring
faced with cobbles and the retaining wa
of the walk leading to the steps is of in
mense boulders. A few years ago the flor
of water was much diminished and exter
sive excavations were made and it wa
found that the subsoil was composed e1
| tirely of quicksand to a depth Of five fee