Winooski Vermont History & Facts

Winooski is a city in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. Located on the Winooski River, as of the 2020 U.S. census the municipal population was 7,997. The city is the most densely populated municipality in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is the smallest in area of Vermont's 10 incorporated cities. As part of the Burlington, Vermont metropolitan area, it is bordered by Burlington, Colchester, and South Burlington.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2), of which 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) (5.30%) is covered by water.

About 5000 years ago, a single family of paleolithic Native Americans came to what is now the city. The prehistoric campground for this transient group is one of Vermont's significant archaeological sites. Other native people came to Winooski in the years that followed.

Colonial
Situated on a main road, Winooski most likely started as a rest stop for travelers. With a set of waterfalls to assist the growth of industry, however, it soon also became a center for wool processing.

In the early 1770s, Ira Allen constructed a blockhouse on the Winooski (then "Onion") River, which served both as a fort and as general store and office for the land-speculating Onion River Company. Fort Frederick was never used for defense, but its presence increased the value of Onion River property and promoted settlement.

Post-colonial
Further information: Winooski Falls Mill District
After the Revolutionary War, Ira Allen built a dam across the river with a sawmill at each end.

In the late 1830s, the Burlington Mill Company used the river's power for the manufacture of yarns and cloth.

In 1846, James and Lucinda Stone from Winooski settled in Sheboygan County in the Wisconsin Territory and named their new settlement Winooski, Wisconsin.

Famous Peoples From Winooski Vermont

Jan Backus

(born July 30, 1947) served as a Vermont state senator representing Windham County from 1989 to 1994 and Chittenden County from 1997 to 2000. A community activist, Backus served as a member of the Vermont Southeast Supervisory Union board for many years before making a run for the Vermont state Senate and winning a seat. She served as chairwoman of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

A moderate-to-liberal Democrat, Backus ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and beat Douglas M. Costle, Environmental Protection Agency administrator under President Jimmy Carter, for her party's nomination and came within 9 points of ousting incumbent U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords (R-VT). In 2000, she ran again and lost the Democratic U.S. Senate primary to Ed Flanagan, then Vermont's Auditor of Accounts. In 2004 Backus ran for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

Backus lives in Winooski, Vermont, with her husband Steve Blodgett (a former state senator). She currently serves as a member of Winooski's Downtown Revitalization Project to eliminate sprawl and attract jobs. She has three daughters, one of whom served as a high-ranking member of John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004.

Backus competes annually in the National Crossword Championship. Her highest finish was 46th.

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