History of Salisbury, Vermont, USA

Salisbury, Vermont
Addison county. The widow of Amos Story, with 8 or 10 small children, was the first family that made Salisbury a permanent residence. She came here in 1775 and endured every hardship incident to the life of a pioneer; chopping down timber, clearing the land, laboring in the field, and sleeping in a cavern. Mr. Story, was killed by the falling of a tree previous to the removal of his family. The proprietors gave Mrs. Story 100 acres of land for her manly conduct. The soil of the town is generally good; it contains some rough land, and some excellent meadows. It is watered by Otter Creek, Middlebury and Leicester rivers. The latter river affords a good water power, which propels a number of valuable manufacturing establishments. Leicester river is the outlet of Lake Dunmore, a fine sheet of water, about four miles in length, and three fourths of a mile in width. This lake lies in Leicester and Salisbury. There is a pleasant and flourishing village in the town, and a...

Addison Co. Otter Creek forms the western boundary of this town. The other streams are Middlebury River, which touches upon the north part, and Leicester River, which waters the southern part. Lake Dunmore is about four miles long and from half to three fourths of a mile wide, and lies partly in Salisbury and partly in Leicester. On the outlet of this pond, called Leicester River, are several falls, which afford some fine mill privileges, around which, near the south line of the town, is a thriving village. The surface is somewhat uneven, but the soil is generally good. The eastern part extends on to the Green Mountains. In the western part are some fine tracts of meadow.

In the mountain east of Lake Dunmore is a cavern which consists of a large room, and is thought to have been inhabited by the Indians, as their arrows and other instruments have been found here.

Boundaries. North by Middlebury, east by Goshen, south by Leicester, and west by Cornwall and Whiting.

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