Moretown Stories and Legends

1. St. Patrick Church was built in 1882. The earlier church was located on South Hill, burial ground being in the same lot.

2. Town Clerk's Office built in 1956 with addition built in 1975. Town purchased the property from the Estate of Gertrude Blair.

3. Eugene and Judith Grandfield House and barn built in 1883. Farm purchased by the Town of Moretown in 1959 for school use. The town retained approximately 175 acres, sold the house and lot, and destroyed the barn. This was the home of the Evans and later the home of Richard and Mildred Benedict. Mildred was a teacher in Moretown for many years.

4. Moretown United Methodist Church was built in 1859. First Church was built on the common in 1832 on what is now the Wimble Farm.

5. Elementary School Clapboard building was built in 1931 with brick addition built in 1959. Former school house moved to site of present Dudash house and later destroyed by fire.

6. Rick and Patti Haynes House, former home of Kenneth and Florence Ward. Built for them around 1924. Original dwelling moved in back of the 'Big House' and is now the house of Regina Hurdle.

7. Ralph and Susan Werntgen, former home of Aline and Merlin Ward Home. Merlin was postmaster in Moretown 1924-63. Aline was a member of the legislature for many years and a member of the School Board. She was always active in education issues.

8. John and Ellie Hilferty Home, former Baird home, built around 1808. Home of Dr. Lester Kingsley, former Postmaster, Town Clerk and Town Representative.

9. ‘Big House’ now owned by Frank Piazza. The 'Big House’ was built in 1900 for H. O. Ward and his wife Mae. It was a refuge for neighbors in the 1927 flood.

10. Robert Fulton -Freeman house. This was the house and office of Town Clerk, Addie Fulton, and her sister Celia Shea.

11. Site of Birney Griffith's Creamery. Buildings were destroyed in the 1930s. Foundation still exists.

12. Moretown Memorial Library Property purchased in 1924 for $450.00. Building renovated and opened in 1925.

13. Roger and Caroline Strauss ‘Gillette Place', former house of Ed and Katherine Hayes. Katherine was a teacher in the 'old' village school.

14. Paul and Kelly Hess, former Herrick House - House of Jesse Towle, Photographer. Later home of Grafton and Mary Herrick. Mrs. Herrick was a teacher in both the 'old and new' village schools.

15. Adrian Ferris House was built in 1865. Former owner Addie Sawyer, had the first automobile in Moretown. Bernadette Ferris was Town Clerk for 34 years, retiring in March of 1990.

16. Chris and Sarah Zschau, former Tweedie House built about 150 years ago. The home of G. Theron and Buelah Evans for nearly 69 years. Buelah Evans worked in the Ward Lumber Co. store and office for 43 years, of which 39 years were as Assistant Postmaster.

17. Site of former Ward Lumber Co. store and office and the US Post Office. Building burned April 29, 1964.

18. Methodist Church Parsonage

19. Gary Butler, formerly Eunice Ferris House built around 1840. Jacob Bates former owner, was Town Representative and his wife, Hattie, sponsored Well Child Clinics in her home. -

20. Frank Piazza building was once a store and the Post Office. At one time owned by Pett Griffith. The barn was washed away in the 1927 flood.

21. Site of Town bandstand

22. John and Diane Girard- di Carlo house was moved to this lot from the school house lawn.

23. Fire Station built in 2003. It replaced the firehouse built in 1962. Former apartment house was destroyed by fire.

24. Meriden Nelson home formerly owned by Ralph and Mertie Wimble. House was once a tea room. House was chained to a big elm tree during the 1927 flood.

25. Gazebo. Former site of Alice's Little Store and Laundromat. It was also once a blacksmith and wood working shop owned by William Kingsbury.

26. Site of T. J. Ferris undertaking parlor

27. Post Office was once the carriage shop of E. A. Lovejoy and Towle. It is one of the oldest buildings in Town.

28. Oswell and Evelyn Goss House was once a horse barn and converted to a dwelling in the early 1900's. It was always used as a double tenement until recent years. Building was turned a quarter turn by a Mr. Neill.

29. John Summers blue apartment house, former home of Otto and Maude Bates. Is believed to be a very old building.

30 Town Hall was built in 1832. It was built by subscription. Before this time meetings were held on Moretown Common.

31. Frena Cutler House was built over 100 years ago. At one time a Ward Lumber truck driven by John Fleury with a load of slab wood failed to make the hill and slid backward into the side of the house. No one was injured.

32. Site of harness shop and once a small meat market.

33. Old Hotel was built by Joseph Sawyer. It was known as the “Central House" and was
destroyed by fire in 1963.

34. Site of a very old two story tenement.

35. Moretown Grocery was once the Walter Wilcox store and Past Office. Almog Burgess also owned the store at one time and was Town Clerk.

36. Elga Gemst home, formerly Ward Lumber Co. Tenement, the oldest house in the village. It was moved back from the street. At one time a large barn and horse sheds were at the left of the building.

37. Fred and Jossett Messer, formerly Perry apartment house, former home of Sidney and Tosa Atkins it was heavily damaged in the 1938 hurricane and flood.

38. Site of a tin shop

39. John and Annette Schultz, Home of Dr. James Haylett who served the valley for over 50 years and was Town Clerk of over 40 years.

40. Margaret Booth house is one of the oldest homes in town. Ephraim Heath, a former owner, drove the stage between Middlesex and Waitsfield.