Chester Village Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chester Village Historic District
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West side of village green
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Lovers Lane Brook, Maple St., Williams River, Middle Branch & Lovers Lane, Chester, Vermont |
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| Area | 147 acres (59 ha) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Late Victorian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001739 |
| Added to NRHP | August 8, 1985 |
The Chester Village Historic District is a special area in Chester, Vermont, USA. It covers the old southern part of the main village. This district is mostly a long section of Main Street, which is also known as Vermont Route 11. You can find some of the village's oldest buildings here, dating back to the late 1700s. The architecture shows styles from the late 1700s all the way to the early 1900s. This important area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Contents
Discovering Chester's Historic Village
The way Chester's main village looks today started with a disagreement way back in 1785. Two groups, the Baptists and the Congregationalists, couldn't agree on where to build their churches. They decided to split the area. The Congregationalists took the northern part of the village, and the Baptists took the southern part. This southern part is what we now call the Chester Village Historic District.
Early Buildings and Growth
The Baptists built their first church in 1785, and it's still standing today! Later, in 1835, they built a bigger church, which is also still there. The area grew because it was on an important stagecoach route. It also benefited from businesses along the Williams River. When a railroad was built connecting the two parts of the village, they eventually joined to become one larger village.
Exploring the Historic District
The historic district follows Main Street. It stretches from just northwest of Lover's Lane to Maple Street. It also includes short sections of roads nearby. Most buildings in this district are made of wood. They were built around the mid-1800s. This was a time when the village was doing very well economically.
Special Buildings to See
While most buildings are wood, there are some cool exceptions. The brick Chester Academy building was built in 1814 and made bigger in 1830. You can also see two brick houses built in the 1820s in the Federal style. There's also a brick commercial building from the same Federal period. These buildings show the different styles and growth of Chester over time.
