Hartford's diversity mirrors Vermont's heritage

Vermont Business Magazine, Mar 01, 1998

Whether you are looking to stop at Wilder Dam to see the salmon fish ladder, interested in viewing glass blowing at Simon Pierce in Quechee, or reminiscing of the "railroad days" as you ring the bell of Engine 494 in White River Junction, there is something for everyone in the Town of Hartford.

Situated at the juncture of Interstates 89 and 91 in the Connecticut River Valley, the Town of Hartford is a growing center for business, industry and tourism. Its access to highways and diverse markets make it an ideal place for people and businesses to locate while appreciating the serenity of the Green Mountains and Vermont life.

As one travels around the Town of Hanford, you are reminded of the Vermont tradition of small communities. Founded in 1761, the Town is composed of five villages: White River Junction, Hartford, Wilder, Quechee and West Hartford. Each village has its own unique history and characteristics, which come together to support the quality of life and economic vitality of the Town.

White River Junction, the name usually identified on maps and the interstate, reflects the urban architecture of the 1800s and early 1900s. Its history as the first and largest railroad center in Vermont and New England north of Boston, continues to be celebrated today with the annual "Glory Days of the Railroad" festival sponsored by the Upper Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Starting this spring, residents and visitors also will experience more fully the history of this National Register Historic District as they embark on the new historical walking-tour. Each historic building and landmark will display a sign telling its history and showing how it appeared at the turn of the century through the 1930s.

Through a comprehensive revitalization program, White River Junction is returning as a center of commercial, cultural and governmental activity. In the last 10 years, the Windsor County State District Court building has been constructed near the railroad depot, followed by a comprehensive street and landscaping beautification and improvement effort. The train depot has been renovated, and now is jointly used by Amtrak and a fitness center.

Many new businesses have located to the village, which included restoring the unique features of the buildings. Residents and visitors are enjoying the new culinary experience of Taste of Africa, and an evening at the Briggs Opera House. Northern Stage Productions, a professional theater company, has made its new home at the Briggs Opera House, joining Cabin Fever Production's winter concert series. Future plans include integration of the waterfront with downtown activities, and a farmers market.

Traveling to Sykes Avenue and Route 5 will reveal a newer section of White River Junction. With immediate access to I-89 and I-91, the Vermont Transit bus terminal, the US Post Office regional distribution center, an office park, restaurants and hotels/motels, the area has become a center for retail development, employment and services to residents, employers and the traveling public.

Just around the corner from the Town municipal building is Hartford Village, which is reemerging as a center for community and business activity. Although the textile and grain mills, chair and carriage factories, and lumber mills are gone, the Village retains many of the beautiful homes which once were the estates of wealthy merchants. This history has been recognized with the recent nomination of the Village as a National Register Historic District.

Today, the history and traditions of the past have become the basis for planning for Hartford Village's future. In the early 1990s, residents and businesses came together to formulate a comprehensive community improvement plan. Finalized in 1994 as A Plan for a Village's Future, the plan identifies issues, goals and objectives, recommendations and strategies for future action. One specific outcome has been the construction of sidewalk, curb and gutter, landscaping and traffic management improvements along the business section of the main boulevard in the Village. Other projects include renovation of rental housing and more community involvement in encouraging new businesses to locate in the Village.

In a similar fashion as Hartford Village, residents and businesses in Wilder Village are embarking on developing a comprehensive community improvement plan. Future use of the former Wilder elementary school and integration of the older commercial district with Village activities are focuses of the community. Complementing this effort is the Town's nomination of the Village core as a National Register Historic District.

At the northern end of Wilder Village along Route 5 are two industrial/commercial parks: Olcoff Park and Billings Park. The availability of town water and sewer and access to Route 5 and I-89 and I-91 have made these newer areas highly successful as major business centers. The parks include such enterprises as medical offices, high tech industry, a credit union, and the new King Arthur Flour warehouse and distribution center for its highly successful catalogue business.