Unique Quechee is just gorge-ous!

Vermont Business Magazine, Mar 01, 1998

Quechee -- a path of its own, and a river runs through it, the Ottauquechee River, from which the village takes its name. It is an Abenaki word for a swift mountain stream and has been the current which brought the village to life and which has sustained it for over two hundred years.

One of the five villages that comprise the Town of Hartford, Quechee was settled in 1768. Realizing its future would lay in self sufficiency, early residents immediately began to harness the river's water power to produce all the necessities of life -- lumber, fabrics, brick, grain, cider. Today, the end products from the river have changed, but it still remains the focus of much of what Quechee is all about.

Quechee's rich historical heritage has been recognized at a national level with its recent designation as a National Historic Mill District. Over 50 buildings constitute the district; previous National Register designations include the Theron Boyd Homestead (now owned by the State of Vermont Land Trust); the Jedediah Strong II house; the Quechee Gorge Bridge erected in 1975 by the Woodstock Railroad Company; and the Marshland Farm (now run as an inn), built in 1793 by Vermont's first Lieutenant Governor, Colonel Joseph Marsh.

Farming and textile manufacturing became the backbone of the economic base for Quechee. In the 1800s Quechee was known as the "industrial hub" of the Town of Hartford. A major engineering feat of the day was the building of the railroad bridge over Quechee Gorge to accommodate the running of the Woodstock Railroad from White River Junction and return. The rail lines brought an influx of summer visitors from cities to enjoy the fresh air and peace of the countryside. The year-round economy was assisted by the ability to transport goods to White River Junction, where rail connections were made to faraway markets.

Time does move on and by the mid-1900s the labor force in the Quechee area became more and more difficult to procure. The mills moved south. Farms grew smaller and the young folk decided farming was not for them and they, too, moved away. Abandoned buildings, weeds, broken windows -- all signs identifying a mill town deserted, not unlike many throughout New England.

In the late 1960s Quechee was visited by a group of men interested in building a four-season resort community. Enter Quechee Lakes Resort -- the first large development to be built under the then-newly legislated Act 250, Vermont's environmental law. Twenty-five years later, Quechee Lakes is a living example of a dream come true, rising above the controversy, lawsuits, permit issues, misunderstandings. Consisting of over 3,000 acres of protected greenbelt and 3,000 acres of lots and buildings, the resort has become vital to the emergence of Quechee and Hartford, creating a destination for visitors, primary and second home owners, as well as placing itself as one of Vermont.

Hartford's largest employers. The Quechee Chamber of Commerce, organized in 1978-79, has a year-round presence in the village. With over 150 members in Quechee and the surrounding area, the Chamber publishes a directory and four-color brochure, maintains a Website, staffs the office and the Information Booth at Quechee Gorge, sponsors many events throughout the year, including Vermont's first Hot Air Balloon Festival, which is approaching its 19th year.

The Chamber's mission statement includes the fostering and promotion of business in Quechee as well as supporting the community of Quechee. As the village is one of the five that make up the Town of Hartford, it becomes more and more apparent that we have to work together to create the economic base that will sustain us. This includes interaction with the planning and development office of the Town, the regional planning and economic development offices, adjoining chambers of commerce, and the State of Vermont.

Certainly, the economic emphasis in Quechee is tourism; however, the Chamber is instituting a member-to-member program to introduce employers and employees to the Quechee business community. With the tourism dollar being divided in many directions, marketing and promotion efforts must include our near neighbors as well as long distance visitors. Partnerships are key.

As we approach the next century, Quechee will continue to create a path of its own. Come and travel it with us!