Connecticut River Flows Through Brattleboro’s History
An article in the Brattleboro Reformer, from the Brattleboro Historical Society
Published June 11, 2021
Someone new to the area recently asked why the Connecticut River is not more of a focal point in the community. The towering buildings on Main Street look like they’ve turned their backs to the river and the train tracks separate the public from easy access to the riverbank.
Over the years the Connecticut River has been many things for those who have lived along the waterway. When the Abenaki were the only people here the river was used for transportation, trade, cultural gatherings, and food. The river was then known as Wantastegok and native crops were grown along the riverbanks. For the Abenaki the river is much more than recreation and entertainment, it is the basis of indigenous society.