>> IT WAS TRULY SMALL TOWN

VERMONT WHEN I WAS A KID.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT

TOWN TO GROW UP IN.

>> I THINK MANY OF THE SAME

THINGS THAT FAMILIES ENJOY ABOUT

WATERBURY TODAY WERE TRUE BACK

THEN JUST IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THERE WAS A REAL SENSE OF

COMMUNITY.

>> IT WAS A CLOSE KNIT WELL

BALANCED COMMUNITY THAT HAD A

LOT TO OFFER.

>> I WOULD SAY BACK WHEN I WAS

GROWING UP, THINGS WERE VERY

GOOD IN WATERBURY AND WATERBURY

CENTER.

>> YOU KNEW EVERYBODY.

IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THEM, YOU

WANTED TO KNOW THEM.

>> WATERBURY HAS ALWAYS BEEN

IMPORTANT.

THE PEOPLE HERE SEEMED REAL AND

GOOD.

>> IT'S CHANGED SO MUCH.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THERE

WERE 6 OR 8 FARMS ON THIS FIELD.

>> SINCE BEING CHARTERED IN

1763, THE TOWN OF WATERBURY HAS

GONE MANY CHANGES.

ITS HISTORY IS DEEP AND FERTILE

AS THE SOIL THAT CONTINUES TO BE

TILLED IN THE AREA.

THE STORYS AND MEMORIES SHARED

IN THIS ORAL HISTORY PROVIDE A

PEAK INTO THE PAST AND OFFER A

VIEW OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE

NEARLY A CENTURY AGO.

LIKE MANY SMALL TOWNS, THE

RESIDENTS OF WATERBURY HAVE

ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR SELF

RELIANCE, AND STRONG SENSE OF

COMMUNITY AND COMPASSION.

>> ONE TIME MY FATHER LOST HIS

HORSE AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE

WAS GOING TO DO.

IT WAS CHRISTMAS TIME.

THE TEACHER WOULD HAVE A GIFT

FOR ALL THE CHILDREN.

AND THE CHILDREN GOT SOME GIFTS.

THE LAST GIFT ON THE TREE IS A

LITTLE BOX, THE SIZE OF A MATCH

BOX AND WRAPPED UP.

AND BROUGHT IT TO MY MOTHER AND

FATHER.

AND THEY SAID WHAT'S THIS?

OPENED IT UP AND IT WAS FULL OF

MONEY.

OH, MY GOSH.

I JUST CRIED.

SO THEY HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY

ANOTHER HORSE.

THAT IS HOW NEIGHBORS WERE.

>> MY GRANDFATHER CAME TO

WATERBURY FIRST IN 1895.

AND HE SOLD AUTOMOBILES.

EARLY ON WOULD HAVE BEEN 1910.

IN THOSE DAYS, YOU COULD BARTTER

FOUR THINGS THAT YOU NEEDED.

AND SOME GENTLEMAN BROUGHT HIM A

BUNCH OF HARDWARE.

WHEN HE WAS PONDERING WHAT TO

DO, THE GARAGE CAUGHT FIRE AND

ALL THOSE CARS WERE SOFT TOP

CARS.

ALL THE TOPS BURNED OFF.

HE HAD THIS HARDWARE.

I CAN ALWAYS SELL HARDWARE.

THAT'S WHERE THE BUSINESS TOOK

OFF.

AND WE WERE THERE UP UNTIL THE

LATE 70s.

>> PEOPLE WERE REALLY

SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE OLD DAYS.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS.

HE COULD DO ANYTHING.

>> MY GRANDPARENTS FROM THE LATE

1800s INTO 1921.

>> MY GRANDMOTHER HAD THREE

DAUGHTERS AND THE MIDDLE ONE DID

A DAMAGE TO HER.

SHE HAD TO BE SEWED UP AND MY

GRANDFATHER USED THE HORSE HAIR

OFF THE VIOLIN BOWL TO ACTUALLY

DO THAT.

>> WATERBURY HAS NO SHORTAGE OF

POWERFUL STORIES.

IN THE EARLY YEARS, WATERBURY

WAS DOTTED WITH HILLSIDE FARMS.

AND JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WHO

LIVED OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE HAD A

SELF-SUSTAINING FARM.

GROWING VEGETABLES AND MILKING A

FEW COWS.

WHETHER YOU LIVED ON A FARM OR

NOT, EEKING OUT A LIVING INTO

EARLY 1900s MEANT YOU HAD TO BE

FRUGAL AND SELF-SUFFICIENT.

THERE WAS ALWAYS WORK TO GET

DONE AND EVERYONE PITCHED IN.

>> I WAS GROWING UP DURING THE

DEPRESSION.

WE ALWAYS HAD FOOD ON THE TABLE.

AND ALWAYS MILK AND WE HAD A

GOOD LIFE ON THE FARM.

>> I GREW UP IN WATERBURY

CENTER.

EVERYBODY HAD SOME KIND OF

CREDIT OF SOME SORT.

IN MY FAMILY, WE WERE WHAT YOU'D

CALL GREEN TODAY.

WE PRODUCED ABOUT EVERYTHING WE

ATE ON THE FARM.

AND MY MOTHER NEVER THREW A

DIFFER.

THE KIDS WORE HAND ME DOWN

CLOTHES.

GOT ALONG WITH WHAT YOU HAD.

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS.

AND YOU WERE HAPPY TO HAVE

SOMETHING IN YOUR BELLY AT NIGHT

AND CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK AND

PROBABLY SEEMS SIMPLE.

AT MY AGE TODAY, I STILL FEEL

PRETTY GRATEFUL ABOUT THAT.

>> THE FATHER BEING A FRUGAL

FARMER, RAISED THREE BOYS.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR.

IN THE SUMMERTIME, MY FATHER HAD

TO HAVE EXTRA PASTEUR FOR HIS

YOUNG STOCK.

AND THE PASTEUR HE WAS USING WAS

ON HARBOR CENTER SHE WAS FAR

FROM THE FARM HERE.

THE WAY WE GOT THEM UP HERE IS

PUT THEM IN THE ROAD AND DRIVE

THEM.

I KNOW I WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD

WHEN WE STARTED DOING THAT.

AND KEEP THEM FROM GOING INTO

THE DIFFERENT DRIVEWAYS.

THAT WAS QUITE A LITTLE HIKE

ESPECIALLY FOR US KIDS.

>> LIFE WAS PRETTY TOUGH.

EVERYBODY STARTED WORK.

WE PEDALLED 35 PAPERS A DAY.

AND WE STARTED IT LIKE 5:30 IN

THE MORNING.

WE HAD CHORES TO DO IT.

YOU TOOK OFF YOUR BEST CLOTHES

AND PUT ON THE FARM CLOTHES.

AND IT WAS LUGGING THE WOOD OR

FEED THE COWS OR PICK UP THE

EGGS.

THERE WAS SOMETHING BEFORE.

>> I REMEMBER AT 8 OR 9 YEARS

OLD, I HAD FOUR OR FIVE COWS I

HAD TO MILK.

AND AFTER THE COURSE IN THE

MORNING BEFORE SCHOOL AND GO TO

SCHOOL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY

AFTERWARDS.

THERE WAS NO SHOWERS OR NOTHING

LIKE THAT BACK THEN.

SO I KNOW WE WENT TO SCHOOLS ALL

THE TIME.

>> NO, WE NEVER WENT ANYWHERE.

WE NEVER WENT ANYWHERE.

MY OLDER BROTHER WHO WAS ABOUT

SIX YEARS OLDER THAN ME.

WHEN HE WAS 12, HE WAS BAILING

HAY DOWN HERE.

I DIDN'T HAVE THAT.

WE WERE STILL HAYING WHEN I WAS

ABOUT 8 OR 9.

I DIDN'T GET TO DO BAILING LIKE

HE DID.

>> VERY RARE MY MOTHER CUT OUR

HAIR.

YOU LOOK LIKE A GIRL WHEN YOU

WERE DONE.

DIDN'T GET THE RECOGNITION.

>> I WAS A STAY AT HOME GIRL.

I DID THE WORK.

MY HUSBAND EARNED THE MONEY.

WE BUTCHERED A COW EVERY YEAR.

WE HAD A BIG.

WE HAD CHICKENS, EGGS.

MILK, CREAM.

WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

>> I'D HELP WITH THE MILKING.

AND AFTER SUPPER, MY FATHER SAID

I NEED SOME EXTRA HELP TONIGHT.

I SAID I'LL GO DOWN.

HELLO.

I'D RATHER DO THAT THAN DO

DISHES.

>> OF COURSE, ALL THE MILK GOT

SHIPPED IN CANS.

AND PIPELINES AND ALL THAT.

PEOPLE HAD TO WORK TO GET THE

MILK.

>> MY FATHER PLANTED CORN AND

BEANS.

AND WE LOVED IT.

IT WAS HARD WORK.

BEING THE OLDEST, I USED TO HELP

RIDE THE HORSE.

AND PLANTING BEHIND ME.

WE'D RIDE THAT HORSE ALL DAY

LONG AND YOU GET KIND OF LAZY

SOMETIMES AND YOUR FATHER WOULD

YELL AT YOU.

GO STRAIGHT.

I'M TRYING TO.

WHEN WE LOOK WHEN I WAS A KID,

THE WATER WAS ALL DRAWN FROM THE

WELL IN PAILS.

AND YOU CARRY IT INTO THE HOUSE

AND WARM IT IN THE WARMING OVEN

OF THE STOVE.

AND THEN YOU DIP IT OUT OF THERE

AND WE'D EACH TAKE A BATH NEAR

THE KITCHEN STOVE WHERE IT WAS

WARM.

>> SUNDAY NIGHT, ALL THE LIGHTS

WOULD GO OUT.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN WALK DOWNSTAIRS

IF YOUR SISTER HAD A SLIP ON.

MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE WASHED YOUR

MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP.

EVERYTHING WAS A LOT LESS

OPEN-ENDED THAN IT IS TODAY.

NOT SURE IF THAT WAS GOOD OR

BAD.

MY DAD WOULD HEAT THE HOT WATER

ON THE STEVE AND PUT IT IN THAT

TAB.

THE OLDEST GUY GOT TO GO FIRST.

OUT OF FIVE KIDS, I WAS THE LAST

CHILD TO TAKE A BATH.

THAT WAS THE ONLY BATH OF THE

WEEK.

WE SPONGE BATHED ALONG THE WAY

IN COLD WATER.

THE TUB WAS NOT NICE BY THE TIME

IT GOT TO BE MY TURN.

>> AS I GREW A LITTLE OLDER, MY

FOLKS WOULD SEND ME TO THE STORE

THAT WAY AND GO INTO THE STORE

WITH GROCERIES.

THINGS THEY NEEDED.

AND THEY'D PUT THINGS ON THE

BILL.

AND MY FATHER WOULD PAY THE

BILL.

>> MR. SLACK WAS GOOD TO MY

FATHER AND CHARGE ALL WINTER AND

ALL SUMMER, HE'D WORK 6-7 DAYS A

WEEK TO GET THAT BILL DOWN.

>> BESIDES THE STORE FRONTS

DOTTING MAIN STREETS, THERE WAS

A SURPRISING NUMBER OF GRANITE

SHEDS, CREAMERIES, MANUFACTURING

COMPANIES AND LUMBAR MILLS.

>> I GREW UP IN THE VILLAGE.

I SPENT A LOT OF MY CHILDHOOD

DOWN AT THE FEED STORE.

MY BROTHER RAN THE STORE FROM MY

DAD AND ALL THE KIDS WENT DOWN

THERE AND IT WAS A LOCAL HANG

OUT.

WE ROAD THE FEED TRUCKS OUT TO

THE FARMERS AND WE RAISED CALFS

THERE IN THE SPRING.

AND WE'D HAVE THE CALF IN THE

OFFICE AT THE FEED STORE.

>> ONE THING I REMEMBER GROWING

UP THERE, WE HAD A BIG FRONT

PORCH THAT WENT ACROSS THE FRONT

OF THAT HOUSE.

IT WAS A RED BRICK HOUSE AND I

THINK H AND R BLOCK IS IN THERE

NOW.

ROUTE 2 WENT RIGHT THROUGH TOWN.

AND CARS, OF COURSE, WOULD COME

FROM EVERYWHERE.

WE'D COLLECT OUT OF STATE

LICENSE PLATES AND HAVE A LITTLE

CONTEST TO SEE WHO CAN GET THE

MOST OUT OF STATE LICENSE

PLATES.

>> I LIVED ALL MY LIFE HERE AND

EVEN BACK IN THOSE DAYS GROWING

UP ON THE NORTH END, THAT WAS

YOUR AREA OF PLAY AND

FAMILIARITY.

THAT WAS A BIG SUMMERTIME THING.

>> I WAS BORN IN 55.

MY GRANDFATHER RAN THE

UNDERTAKING BUSINESS HERE.

THE MODERN PHARMACY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT

BUSINESSES WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS

OF EACH OTHER.

AND IT WAS ALWAYS BUSY DOWNTOWN.

>> AND THEN THE DRY BRIDGE IS

THERE AND BOWLING ALLEY IS IN.

AND I SET PINS IN THERE WHEN IT

WAS A BOWLING ALLEY.

THERE WEREN'T ANY MACHINES THERE

ARE NOW.

JUST A BUNCH OF THOSE GUYS THAT

WOULD GET 10 CENTS A STRING OR

WHATEVER YOU CALL IT WHEN YOU

BOWL AROUND.

FOR PICKING UP THE PINS AND

PUTTING THEM BACK IN PLACE.

AND PRAYING THE BALL DIDN'T COME

WHILE YOU WERE DOWN THERE.

IT WAS SORT OF A PIT.

ANYWAY.

>> BESIDES THE RUN DOWN BOWLING

ALLEY, LONG TIME RESIDENTS HAVE

MANY FOND MEMORIES OF A

COMPASSION NATE AND RESILIENT

COMMUNITY.

OVER THE YEARS, THIS VILLAGE HAS

BEEN THROUGH MANY EVENTS THAT

SHAPED WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS

TODAY.

EARLY ON, THE VILLAGE BUSINESSES

SUPPORTED THE FARMING COMMUNITY

THAT SURROUNDED WATERBURY AND

COULD JUST AS EASILY BE THE

OTHER WAY AROUND.

IN THE 1830s, MANY OF THE

SELF-SUFFICIENT FARMS GAVE WAY

TO THE BOOMING SHEEP FARMING

INDUSTRY.

BUT IN 1849 WHEN THE CENTRAL

VERMONT RAILROAD LAID TRACKS

THROUGH TOWN, A LOT OF CHANGES

WERE ON THE HORIZON.

>> THE RAILROAD WAS JUST

ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS TO THIS

TOWN.

IT'S HARD TO OVERSTAY THE IMPACT

THAT THE IMPACT THE RAILROAD AND

STILL HAS ON WATERBURY TODAY.

>> IT WAS A FOCAL POINT TO

EXPANDING AN INDUSTRY AND GAVE

US A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES WAY

AHEAD OF COMMUNITIES THAT DIDN'T

HAVE THE RAILROAD.

FOUND FATHERS AROUND THAT 1890

PERIOD REALLY SOUGHT TO BRING

INDUSTRY.

AND THE RAILROAD WAS A BIG

FEATURE.

ONE TIME, THERE WERE FIVE SHEDS

AND WATERBURY WAS SHIFT IN ON

THE RAILROAD.

CUT IN THE GRANITE SHEDS AND

THINGS AND THEN SHIFT OUT.

AND SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYED 50 TO

100 PEOPLE.

THERE WAS A RAILROAD THAT LEFT

WATER BURY.

>> WATERBURY AS WELL AS THE REST

OF THE STATE WAS GROWING

STEADILY.

PRESIDENT CALVIN COLLAGE

RESTORED CONFIDENCE IN THE WHITE

HOUSE.

IN NOVEMBER OF 1927, A

DEVASTATING FLOOD HIT THE STATE.

OVER 1200 BRIDGES WERE

DESTROYED.

MILES OF ROADS AND RAILROADS

WERE WASHED OUT.

AND COUNTLESS HOMES AND

BUILDINGS WERE RUINED.

AS THE RIVER REACHED HEIGHTS

HIGHER THAN EVER SEEN BEFORE,

THE STORM TOOK THE LIVES OF 20

PEOPLE IN WATERBURY ALONE.

>> I WAS IN WATERBURY DURING THE

FLOODS.

I WAS STAYING DOWN THERE WITH MY

CHILDHOOD FRIEND BY THE OLD POST

OFFICE BUILDING.

AND SOMEBODY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR

AND SAYS YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF

HERE.

WATER IS COMING UP.

AND I WAS CARRIED ON HIS BACK

FROM THERE UP TO THE BANK.

UP TO THE TOP OF THE BANK HILL.

>> DURING THE 27TH FLOOD, THE

GREAT GRANDPARENTS ARE LIVING ON

THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR NEXT

TO US.

AS THE WATER ROSE 4 FEET AN HOUR

AT SOME TIME AND SOME PERIODS

DURING THE STORM.

THE WATER GOT UP SO IT WAS A

FOOT ABOVE THE SECOND FLOOR.

AND IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

NIGHT. SO IN STORAGE, MY FAMILY

HAD TWO SHIPPING CASES FOR THESE

GASKETS.

MY GRANDFATHER AND GREAT

GRANDFATHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

NIGHT GOT TWO OF THOSE BOXES AND

NAILED THEM TOGETHER AND GOT A

COUPLE BED SLATS.

AND THEY LOADED MY MOTHER AND MY

UNCLE WHO WERE 3 AND 5 AT THE

TIME.

MY GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT

GRANDPARENTS ALL LOADED IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SHOVED

OFF THE SECOND FLOOR PORCH AND

THESE TWO CASKET BOXES HOPING

THEY WEREN'T GOING TO LEAK.

AND PADDLED THEIR WAY TO THE TOP

OF BANK HILL.

>> BUT THE METHODIST CHURCH IN

WATERBURY, THE WATER WAS 14 FEET

HIGH ON THIS CHURCH.

I CAN'T IMAGINE.

MY DAD TOOK A ROW BOAT FROM THE

TOP OF THE HILL HERE ON MAIN

STREET AND HE AND HIS COUSIN

RALPHIE ROAD DOWN THE STREET AND

TOOK PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR SECOND

STORY WINDOWS IN 1927.

>> THOSE WHO WERE FLOODED ATE IN

THE BASEMENT OF THE WHITE

CHURCH.

I DON'T KNOW FOR A WEEK OR TWO.

COULDN'T GET THE MILK TO THE

CREAMERY.

SO TOOK THEIR MILK CANS DOWN TO

THE VILLAGE AND PUT IT ON THE

SIDEWALKS FOR PEOPLE TO COME GET

MILK FOR FOOD.

>> IT WAS A BIG LESSON FOR THE

PEOPLE THAT LIVED HERE AND

WORKING TOGETHER, THAT WAS FOR

SURE.

>> I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,

PEOPLE DIDN'T SPEND A LOT OF

TIME.

THEY GOT THEMSELVES DRIED OUT

AND MOPPED OUT AND CLEANED UP

AND SPRUCED UP AND WORRIED TOO

MUCH ABOUT MOLD AND WORRY ABOUT

ANY OF THAT STUFF.

THEY GET THEMSELVES BACK UP AND

RUNNING.

AND BACK IN THOSE DAYS, WASN'T A

LOT OF INSULATION.

AND THEY WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON

GETTING THEMSELVES BACK UP ON

THEIR FEET AND GOING AGAIN.

>> STARTING OVER AGAIN WAS MET

WITH UNWAIVERING DETERMINATION

AND COURAGE.

WHILE THE COUNTRY WAS STILL

WEATHERING THE DEPRESSION, IT

BECAME EVIDENT THAT SOMETHING

NEEDED TO BE DONE TO REDUCE THE

RISK OF FUTURE DEVASTATING

FLOODS.

>> THE PROCESS BEGAN AND

EVENTUALLY ENDED UP WITH THE

CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORE

COMING TO WATERBURY AND BUILDING

THE WATERBURY DAM WHICH WAS

INTENDED AS A FLOOD-CONTROL

PROJECT.

AT THE TIME IT WAS DESIGNED AND

BUILT IN 1936 TO 1938, THE

WATERBURY DAM WAS THE LARGEST

EARTH-FILLED DAM IN THE WORLD.

THE FIRST ELEMENTS ARRIVE IN

1934-1935.

THEY LIVE IN TENTS UNTIL THEY

CAN BUILD CAMP SMITH.

2500 MEN EVENTUALLY FILLED IT.

THEY HAD THEIR OWN HOSPITAL,

THEIR OWN LIBRARY, OWN MOVIE

THEATERS, FIRE DEPARTMENT,

POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN, IT WAS A COMPLETE FULL

COMMUNITY.

>> THE CCC ALSO BUILT A SWIMMING

POOL HERE AND A HIGH SCHOOL

GYMNASIUM.

BUT THE BIG ENTERPRISE WAS THIS

DAM TO PROTECT THE FUTURE

GENERATIONS IN VERMONT FROM THE

KIND OF A DISASTER THAT JUST

TORE THIS PLACE APART.

>> AND MY FATHER USED TO TAKE US

OVER THERE.

AND A DUMP TRUCK BACK THEN WAS

ONLY ABOUT A THREE YARD.

AND NOW HE'S GOING OUT WITH A

DUMP TRUCK THAT CARRIES 16 YARDS

OR SO.

MEN EVERYWHERE.

2 OR 3,000 PEOPLE WORKING ON

THAT.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

EVERY TWO OR THREE WEEKS, I SEE

HOW THEY ARE GOING ALONG.

>> THAT'S WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I

ARE GOING TOGETHER.

AND WE SEE A LOT OF OUR TIME

SITTING AT ONE END OF THE DAM

WATCHING IT BE BUILT.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

THEY LOVE DAY AND NIGHT SEEING

THE TRUCKS COMING THROUGH WHERE

THE WATER IS NOW BRINGING STONE

AND DIRT FOR THE DAM.

>> THEY HAD TO BUY THEIR FOOD,

HAD TO BUY THEIR COAL.

HAD TO -- THIS WAS DURING A

DEPRESSION AT THE TIME MONEY IS

A SHORT COMMODITY.

SO THIS CONNER INVESTIGATION

CORE REALLY, IN MANY WAYS,

FUNDED WATERBURY AT THE HEIGHT

OF THE DEPRESSION.

>> WHILE LOCAL BUSINESSES

CONTINUED TO GROW THROUGH THE

40s AND 50s, MANY WERE FEELING

PRESSURE TO INVEST IN NEW

TECHNOLOGY.

>> YOU CAN'T IMAGINE.

NO BUNDLES YOU PICK UP AND PUT

IT IN THE WAGON.

THAT TOOK A LOT OF OUR

SUMMERTIME.

>> I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THE

SCHEDULE TO GO OUT WITH A PITCH

FORK AND TURN PIECE OF HEY.

AND MOTHER WAS OUT THERE ON THE

TRACTOR LATE MORNING TURNING

THAT HAY OVER WITH A MACHINE.

YAY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT

HANDWORK ANY MORE.

AND HE USED TO HAVE TO DRIVE THE

HORSE AND WAGON OFF THE HILL.

AND MADE THAT TRANSITION TO

AUTOMOTIV

AUTOMOTIVES.

AND I CAN REMEMBER HEARING HIM

TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY TALK

ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

HE WOULD SAY I DON'T WANT TO GO

BACK.

I DON'T WANT TO RIDE BEHIND A

TEAM OF HORSES AGAIN.

>> THERE WAS STILL GUYS USING

HORSES.

AND UP ON THE HILL DID ALL OF

HIS WORK.

THERE WAS A GUY NAMED CLIFF UP

ON THE HILL.

AND I'M NOT THAT OLD.

BUT JUST INTERESTING.

MY DAD DID HAVE A CAR.

>> MY DAD USED TO TALK A LOT

ABOUT THE CHANGES HE HAD SEEN.

AND HE WAS HERE WHEN THEY FIRST

BROUGHT POWER AND HE WAS HERE

WHEN THEY ADDED THE TELEPHONE

SERVICE.

>> I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND

HEARD THE TELEPHONE RING.

I SAID WHAT?

I RAN IN THE DINING ROOM AND

THERE WAS A TELEPHONE ON THE

WALL.

HAD A CRANK ON IT OR SOMETHING

LIKE THAT.

AND SPEAKER OUT.

I SAID OH, WE GOT A TELEPHONE.

AND IT WAS ABOUT 7 OR 8 PEOPLE

BEYOND ONE LINE.

AND HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBER FOR

EACH ONE OF THEM.

>> AND YOU'D PICK UP THE PHONE

AND SAY NUMBER PLEASE AND YOU'D

SAY THE NUMBER YOU WANTED.

AND A LOT OF THEM WERE PARTING

LINES.

WHICH WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IF

YOU HAPPEN TO PICK A LINE

WHETHER THERE WAS SOMETHING

GOING ON, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO

LEAVE THE CONVERSATION.

DIDN'T WANT TO LET THEM KNOW YOU

WERE LISTENING.

SOME OF THOSE ARE GOOD.

>> YOU GET TO TALKING ON THE

PHONE AND YOU CAN HEAR IF

ANYBODY WAS LISTENING.

CAUSE YOU MIGHT HEAR THINGS IN

THEIR HOUSE.

NOISES THAT YOU RECOGNIZE.

THEY WERE LISTENING TO YOU.

BUT THAT WAS HOW THEY FOUND OUT.

>> AS RURAL LIFE ADJUSTED TO NEW

LINES OF COMMUNICATION THE

DOWNTOWN SAW A RAPID GROWTH IN

TOURISM.

>> WATERBURY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A

CROSS ROADS.

MAJOR ROUTES.

SO OVER THE YEARS, IT KIND OF

GREW AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION.

AT ONE TIME, WE HAD A VERY LARGE

BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT WATERBURY

IN DOWNTOWN.

AND FOLKS WOULD COME FROM ALL

OVER NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK AND

THE EAST COAST TO SPEND WEEKS AT

THE WATERBURY INN AS A RESORT.

>> THE TRAIN STATION DOWN HERE

BROUGHT TRAVELLERS IN THAT

ULTIMATELY ENDED UP IN THE SKI

AREAS.

IT WAS A HUB IN MANY WAYS.

>> SO THAT HELPED FORM THE

TOURIST INDUSTRY THAT HELPED

SUPPORT US.

>> THERE WEREN'T MANY

RESERVATION PLACES.

AS A KID, WE WOULD GO DOWN AND

CARRY BAGS FROM THE PASSENGERS

OVER TO THEIR CONVEYANCE.

AND I REMEMBER COMING DOWN IN

THEIR JEEP.

THEY WOULD WHEEL IN AS THE TRAIN

ARRIVED

ARRIVED.

>> THEN END NOW VERY

DRAMATICALLY.

AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION,

THESE CONCERNS WERE HOTLY

DEBATED.

BUT NO STOPPING THIS NEW

CONNECTION

CONNECTION.

>> THE INTERSTATE CHANGED THE

ENTIRE STATE OF VERMONT.

WATERBURY WAS NO DIFFERENT.

THE INTERSTATE CAME IN THE 50S.

AND I CAN REMEMBER LATE 50s.

I CAN REMEMBER THERE WAS GRE--

ABOUT THE FACT WE'D BE AT THIS

JUNCTURE OF THE ROAD.

>> YEAH, I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL

WHEN WATERBURY HAD THAT INFLUX

OF POPULATION BECAUSE OF ALL THE

PEOPLE THAT CAME TO WORK ON THE

INTERSTATE.

>> A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT WERE

IN OUR CLASS, THERE WERE 57 WHEN

WE GRADUATED.

A LOT OF THEM WERE THE

INTERSTATE KIDS.

THAT WAS A BIG BOOST TO US WHEN

THAT CAME ALONG.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD MY

FIRST RIDE ON THE INTERSTATE.

TO BEGIN WITH FOR US, WE HAD THE

LINK TO MONT P IESHILLIAR.

AND MADE THINGS SO MUCH EASIER

TO GET AROUND.

BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT'S

WHAT'S BROUGHT SO MANY MORE

PEOPLE AND SO MUCH MORE

INDUSTRY.

AND CHANGED VERMONT SO MUCH.

TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL HERE SO

EASILY.

>> HAVING THE INTERSTATE COME

THROUGH HERE AND HAVING AN EXIT

PREDATES ME.

BUT HAVING THAT EXIT, A LOT OF

THE DEVELOPMENT YOU SEE IS

BECAUSE WE ARE AT THAT EXIT.

>> YOU SAW A DECLINE OF COMMERCE

WITHIN THE VILLAGE.

PROPER BECAUSE BURLINGTON AND

MOUNT PILLAR WERE ACCESSIBLE.

DIDN'T FEEL LIKE AN ALL-DAY

EXCURSIO

EXCURSION.

IT WAS A BIG CHANGE.

>> WATERBURY, I THINK, WENT

THROUGH KIND OF A MINI

DEPRESSION PROBABLY IN THE LATE

1960s AND 1970s.

A LOT OF BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED

OR MOVED AWAY.

NO NEW BUSINESSES CAME IN.

STORE FRONTS CLOSED.

IT WAS GENERALLY NOT A GOOD TIME

IN WATERBURY.

THINGS GOT INTO DISREPAIR.

THE TOWN WAS KIND OF SORT OF

SEEKING A WAVE TO THE FUTURE.

WE WERE THE CROSS ROADS BUT

THERE WASN'T MUCH HERE EXCEPT

THE BIG STATE HOSPITAL.

AND, OF COURSE, THE STATE

HOSPITAL GAVE WATERBURY A DARK

REPUTATION FOR HOUSING THAT

FACILITY.

>> JUST LIKE THE IMPACTS OF THE

INTERSTATE, THE IMPACTS OF THE

STATE HOSPITAL WERE MORE

COMPLICATED AND OFTEN DEBATED.

SINCE OPENING IN 1891, THE

VERMONT STATE HOSPITAL WAS A

MAJOR EMPLOYER OF WATERBURY

RESIDENTS.

IT WAS EXPANDED UNTIL IT HOUSED

ALMOST 1, THROUGH -- 1,400

PATIENTS.

THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS DROPPED

TO UNDER 200 IN THE 1980s.

TO MAKE USE OF THE UNUSE SPACE,

WE DIEDED TO CONVERT IT TO STATE

OFFICES AND MOVED MANY

DEPARTMENTS TO WHAT WAS CALLED

THE WATERBURY STATE COMPLEX.

BRINGING IN HUNDREDS OF STATE

WORKERS GAVE MUCH NEEDED BOFT TO

THE VILLAGE ECONOMY.

THIS LED TO THE ATTRACTION OF

MUCH BIGGER BUSINESSES MOVING

INTO THE AREA.

>> YOU BROUGHT A LOT MORE

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL JOBS INTO THE

TOWN THAN EXISTED PREVIOUSLY.

AND THAT WAS A BIG CHANGE IN HOW

OUR DOWNTOWN EVOLVED AND

DEVELOPED.

SAW SHOPS OPENING UP.

THE REAL CHANGE I'VE SEEN HAS

BEEN GOING FROM THAT RURAL FARM

COMMUNITY TO BECOMING AN URBAN

AREA TO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE

MOVED INTO TOWN AND THE INCREASE

IN THE TECHNOLOGY.

>> I WAS ON THE PLANNING

COMMISSION AT THE TIME WHEN BEN

AND JERRY'S CAME HERE.

THEY APPROACHED WATERBURY ABOUT

BUILDING THEIR PLANT HERE.

AND JUST LIKE ANYTHING, YOU GO

FROM A SLEEPY LITTLE TOWN TO

HAVING A MAJOR TOURIST

ATTRACTION HERE.

THERE WERE GROWING PAINS.

BUT I THINK THAT WHAT IT REALLY

DID IS MAKE PEOPLE NOTICE THAT

COMING INTO THIS AREA THAT

WATERBURY EXISTED.

>> BEN AND JERRY'S COMING TO

WATERBURY WAS A BIG DEAL.

THEY HAD BEEN IN BURLINGTON AND

A SMALL OPERATION.

THERE WERE IN A CONVERTED

FILLING STATION IN BURLINGTON.

WHEN THEY GOT BIG, THEY HAD TO

EXPAND.

AND THEY DECIDED TO EXPAND TO

WATERBURY.

IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF INDUSTRY

IN WATERBURY.

WHEN BEN AND JERRY'S CAME, IT

SEEMED LIKE THE WORLD WAS

BIDDING A PATH TO WATERBURY'S

DOOR.

IT SEEMED LIKE THE BEGINNING OF

RENAISSANCE IN WATERBURY.

AND IT ATTRACTED A NUMBER OF

VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS.

I THINK THEY BROUGHT A BRAND NEW

FLAVOR, IF YOU WILL, FORGIVE THE

PUN, TO WATERBURY.

IT REALLY DID MAKE A BIG

DIFFERENCE.

AND MADE WATERBURY MORE OF ANA

TRACTION, I THINK, BUSINESSES.

AND WHEN PEOPLE COME WITH SKILLS

LIKE THAT, THEY WANT GOOD

SCHOOLS, GOOD HOUSING.

AND THEN IT BECAME A DESTINATION

POINT FOR TOURISTS.

YOU COULD BRING THE CHILDREN AND

THEY WORKED HARD TO CREATE

SOMETHING FOR WHICH THEY DIDN'T

GET MUCH CREDIT.

REALLY DID HELP THE ECONOMY IN

THE AREA.

>> A LOT OF THE CHANGE I'VE SEEN

HAS BEEN IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF

WATERBURY.

A HUGE REVITALIZATION THAT

OCCURRED.

SOME OF IT HAS BEEN FOR JOBS.

THEY WERE A SMALL COMPANY HERE.

AND THEY PROBABLY HAD A COUPLE

HUNDRED EMPLOYEES AT THE MOST.

>> THAT WAS A REAL TIPPING POINT

FOR WATERBURY'S EVENT GROWTH.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF

ENERGY CAME AND SAW SOME

POSSIBILITIES IN WATERBURY.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY

THAT LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE

VERMONTERS, MUCH LESS NATIVE

WATERBURY FOLKS.

BUT THEY'VE EMBRACED THE SPIRIT

OF WHAT THIS COMMUNITY AND OTHER

COMMUNITIES OF VERMONT HAVE.

IT BROUGHT CHANGE.

>> HOW THIS NEW GENERATION OF

PEOPLE COME IN THERE AND REALLY

TIPPED THE WHOLE PLACE ON ITS

SIDE OR UPSIDE DOWN, IF YOU

WILL.

>> THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.

ON AUGUST 29TH, 2011, TROPICAL

STORM IRENE DELIVERED LEVELS OF

RAIN NOT SEEN SINCE THE FLOOD OF

1927.

ONCE AGAIN, THE RIVERS

OVERFLOWED WITH DEVASTATING

AFFECTS ON RESIDENTS AND LOCAL

BUSINESSES.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY

RALLIED TOGETHER TO COMFORT EACH

OTHER AND REBUILD THEIR TOWN.

>> WHAT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE

WAS THE FACT THAT DURING 2011

WHEN WE EXPERIENCED IRENE,

PEOPLE ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES

AND GOT DIRTY AND WENT ABOUT

THEIR BUSINESS AND GOT THINGS

FIXED.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY

INVOLVEMENT.

AND OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY

INVOLVEMENT.

WE WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES

AFFECTED BY THIS.

WE HAD PEOPLE FROM OTHER

COMMUNITIES COME HERE AND GET

DIRTY WITH US.

AND HELP PUT FAMILIES BACK IN

THEIR HOMES.

AND DIDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING BUT

A SANDWICH AND A THANK YOU.

AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT TO BE

PROUD OF.

>> THE THING ABOUT WATERBURY,

WATERBURY DIDN'T SKIP A BEAT FOR

LOSING ALL THAT BUSINESS.

AND I KNOW THERE WERE BUSINESSES

THAT WERE REALLY ADVERSELY

AFFECTED.

AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE LOST BUSINESS AS A RESULT.

FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK THERE

WAS A WONDERFUL SPIRIT IN

WATERBURY OF COOPERATIVE

BETTERMENT.

WE WERE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER.

WE WERE GOING TO BEAT THIS THING

AND IT WASN'T GOING TO BEAT US.

IT'S REALLY BEEN REMARKABLE.

AS WE'VE FOUND PUBLIC MONEY TO

INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY IN

PARTICULAR PROJECTS, THERE'S

BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF RENOVATING

BUILDINGS.

THIS REALLY CULMINATED IN THE

RECOVERY FROM TROPICAL STORM

IRENE.

THAT WAS THE CASE WHERE MANY

BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED.

AND WE REALLY WERE AT A CROSS

ROADS IN TERMS OF WHETHER THE

DOWNTOWN AREA WAS GOING TO

SURVIVE OR NOT.

AND THE COMMUNITY REALLY RALLIED

AND SUPPORTED EACH OTHER.

AND WERE ABLE TO COME THROUGH

THE RECOVERY AND RESTORE THE

BUILDINGS, GET BUSINESSES BACK

IN SHAPE AND GET THE ECONOMY TO

REVIVE.

>> IF EVER THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE

OF A TOWN COALESSING AROUND AN

EVENT, IT WAS THAT EVENT.

>> IT MAY NOT BE ALL THAT

DIFFERENT THAN OTHER

COMMUNITIES.

TO US, IT'S REAL AND MAKES US

WHAT IT IS TODAY.

>> IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE

HISTORY OF WATERBURY, THERE IS

AN ON-GOING THREAD THAT SEEMS TO

CONSTANTLY WEAVE ITS WAY INTO

THE STORIES SHARED ABOUT THIS

LITTLE TOWN.

AND THAT CONSTANT IS COMMUNITY.

REGARDLESS OF GOOD TIMES OR BAD,

THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN

THERE TO HELP EACH OTHER.

>> I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS

COMMUNITY AND HOW IT'S RECOVERED

THROUGH RECESSIONS AND FLOODS

AND THINGS.

I THINK IT SHOWS A LOT ABOUT ITS

CHARACTER AND THE PEOPLE THAT

LIVE HERE.

>> THAT KIND OF SPIRIT, THAT

REALLY MADE WATERBURY WHAT IT IS

TODAY FROM ALL THOSE WHO REALLY

WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND LOOKING

FOR WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE IT

A SAFE AND HEALTHY PLACE HERE.

>> I'VE APPRECIATED THE ABILITY

TO STAY HERE AND BE A PART OF

ITS GROWTH AND PART OF VIE

ABILITY.

AND IT'S KEPT ME CONNECTED TO MY

ROOTS, I THINK.

PROBABLY MOST OF ALL, IT'S

PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT PLACE FOR

MY KIDS TO GROW UP.

IT'S HAD THAT SORT OF HOME TOWN

FEELING.

BUT ALSO CLOSE ENOUGH SO THEY

COULD EXPERIENCE OTHER THINGS

AROUND THEM.

AND NOW MY GRANDCHILDREN.

>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD TO

LIVE IN WATERBURY.

>> WATERBURY WAS A GOOD PLACE TO

BE.

I CAN'T IMAGINE A BETTER PLACE

TO GROW UP.

>> I CAN'T REALLY EVER SEE

MYSELF LEAVING WATERBURY.

IT BECOMES PART OF WHO YOU ARE.

>> AND I JUST THINK WATERBURY IS

A SPECTACULAR TOWN WITH A

WONDERFUL BUNCH OF FOLKS WHO ARE

WILLING TO INVEST THEIR TIME AND

>> A TASK TO INTERVIEW DIFFERENT

PEOPLE AND ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR

LIFE IN WATERBURY.

GET A GOOD VIEWPOINT AND MAKE A

DOCUMENTARY.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

>> IT WAS REALLY COOL TO BE A

PART OF A VIDEO INSTEAD OF

WATCHING MINDLESSLY.

IT WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE A

VOICE IN WHAT'S PRESENTED ON

VERMONT.

>> IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS

I SAID IN ADDITION TO STUDYING

VERMONT HISTORY, THIS IS

DESIGNED TO MAKE HISTORY.

AND STUDENTS THEMSELVES HAVE

MADE HISTORY.

IT'S TO THEM I'VE GIVEN A LOT OF

CREDIT TO.

WITHOUT THE STUDENTS, WOULDN'T

HAVE BEEN IN THE FILM.

THIS KIND OF LEARNING IS CENTRAL

TO THE HIGH IMPACT WE OFFER.

WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS THE

WORK OF OUR STUDENTS.

RESEARCHING AND INTERVIEWING

LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION

EXEMPLIFIES THE LEARNING

EXPERIENCES BOTH WITHIN AND

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM THAT JFC

PROVIDES.

>> AFTER DEVELOPING THE STORY

WITH THE STUDENTS, WE HAD TO

TRACK DOWN MANY PHOTOGRAPHS.

AND LUCKILY, THE HISTORICAL

SOCIETY.

MANY INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES

ALL CONTRIBUTED FOR THIS

PROJECT.

>> I NEVER REALLY KNEW HOW MUCH

LITTLE DETAILS THERE WERE TO BE

AWARE OF.

IT WAS COOL EXPERIENCE.

>> HEARING FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE

GROWN UP THERE, IT JUST REALLY

BRINGS IT HOME AND MAKES IT HOME

FOR ME.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I HOPE IT, LIKE, SHOWS PEOPLE

WHO AND WHAT WATERBURY IS.

>> IT JUST GIVES YOU A GREAT

FEELING OF VERMONT HISTORY AND

THE PEOPLE THAT MADE UP THE

HISTORY.

SOMETIMES WE LOSE THAT WITH THE

COVERED BRIDGES.

BUT WE DON'T REALLY LEARN ABOUT

THE PEOPLE IN DEPTH AND LEARN

THEIR EVERY-DAY LIVES.

IT'S THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE THAT'S

IMPORTANT.

>> VERMONT PBS, PARTNERING WITH

LOCAL FILMMAKERS TO BRING YOU

STORIES MADE HERE.