Fall Program Traces History of State Parks in Waterbury

From river community to recreation gem - A history of Ricker Mountain, Little River, and the Waterbury Reservoir

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Vermont State Parks, and two of these parks lie within Waterbury's

boundaries: Little River State Park and Waterbury Center State Park. Although these parks themselves were not

established until nearly 50 years into the park system's operations, they have long been among the most popular in

the state.

An 1871 Beers map showing the farms on Ricker Mountain and along the Waterbury River (now Little River) near where the current dam would later be built (bottom right of the image). The reservoir has been superimposed for reference. Image courtesy VT Dept. of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.

A nod to parks history

Image from WHS Archives

To celebrate the rich story this area has to tell, the Waterbury Historical Society's fall program on October 19 will detail the evolution of Ricker Mountain and the Little River Basin from its early settlement to today. The program is accompanied by a temporary exhibit in the Steele Community Room that tells the story of the Little River area in a photographic timeline. This exhibit will be on display for the next couple of months for both residents and visitors to view during Municipal Complex hours and WHS evening/weekend programs.

Waterbury residents and tourists alike cherish the reservoir as a recreation gem; additionally, according to the August 2023 Community Values Mapping report, the Waterbury community identified the Little River area as valuable for its history in the development of the town, from its hardscrabble farms to its saw and grist mills.

The Randall-Roberts sawmill on the Little River at the sight of the present Waterbury Dam. Image from WHS Archives.

The exhibit marks 5 significant "chapters":

1. the original settlement along the river and on Ricker Mountain;

2. the CCC camp and the building of the dam;

3. the establishment of Little River State Park campground;

4. the establishment of Waterbury Center State Park day use; and

5. the parks and reservoir today.

   

   An aerial view of the Waterbury Dam on dedication day in October 1938. Image courtesy of VT Dept. of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.

Both the program and exhibit celebrate Waterbury's importance in state recreation. WHS was inspired to tell this story by the confluence of residents' perceptions of the area's value, the State Parks' 100th anniversary celebrations, and the upcoming 90th anniversary (spring 2025) of the building of the CCC Camp. A grant from Revitalizing Waterbury helped to make this exhibit possible.

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Waterbury Historical Society's annual business meeting and fall program will take place on October 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the Steele Community Room. All programs are free and open to the public. Friends and supporters of the society who have donated $10 or more this calendar year are invited to cast their votes on various items of business at the meeting. The program will immediately follow.

The Municipal Complex and Steele Community Room are open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.