Dorset, Vermont, New England USA

About Dorset, Vermont

Bennington County
Chartered: August 20, 1761 (New Hampshire Grant)
Area: 30,400 Acres = 47.5 Square Miles [ Size Rank: 46* ]
Coordinates (Geographic Center): N 43° 15′ W 73°06′
Altitude: 802 feet ASL
Population (US Census, 2010): 2,031 [ Population Rank: 82* ]
Population Density (persons per square mile): 42.8 [ Density Rank: 102* ]
Full Census Info: Town County State

*Area, Population and Density rankings refer to Dorset’s relative position among Vermont’s 255 civic entities (9 cities, 242 towns, 4 gores and grants). Complete rankings are here.

Named for either the town of Dorsett, England, or Lionel Cranfield Sackwille, first Duke of Dorset, a man of great political influence who served the first three Kings George loyally.

Ironically, the first general convention of the freemen of the New Hampshire Grants met at Dorset in 1776 to consider the organization of a free and independent district, and for many years the town played an vital part in the establishment of Vermont as a separate entity. Many times during the early years of the Vermont republic, the Legislature met at Cephas Kent’s Tavern in Dorset.

The first marble quarry in the US was opened in South Dorset in 1785. At one time there was a thriving little community on the eastern side of town known as Freedleyville. The John K. and William G. Freedley Company of Philadelphia bought a marble quarry there and then opened other quarries in the area. A unique gravity railroad ran down the side of Mount Aeolus, delivering marble to the finishing sheds next to the Bennington and Rutland tracks. The only remaining evidence of Freedleyville are a group of large, thick walls (pictured above), ruins of the marble sheds, which can still be seen along the west side of Route 7, just below Emerald Lake.

Activities & Points of Interest

Goings-on in and near Dorset
Calendar of Events provided by the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing.

Emerald Lake State Park

Dorset Historical Society

Wilson House
Birthplace of Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Contact Info

Emergency Services (Statewide): 911
Hospital: Rutland Regional Medical Center (Rutland) 802-775-7111

Town Clerk: Sandra Pinsonault PO Box 24 East Dorset, VT 05253

802-362-1178
M-Th 8:30-3:30; F 8:30-11:30; and by appt.

Churches, Ministries, Charitables

Roman Catholic : St. Jerome
United Church of Christ : United Church of Christ

Schools

Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union 802-362-2452
Dorset School 802-362-2606
The Long Trail School 802-867-5717

Neighboring Towns

This is a basic geographic reference, intended to show relative location of adjacent towns. Directional accuracy is limited to 16 compass points. There isn’t even the slightest suggestion that one can necessarily travel directly from one town to the next (as in “You can’t get there from here”).

Pawlet

Danby

Mount Tabor

Rupert

Dorset

Peru

Sandgate

Manchester

Winhall

Utilities

Notes about utilities:

  • One electric or phone company indicates that company serves the entire town. More than one of either indicates each serves different areas of town.
  • A listed cable company MIGHT mean the entire town is covered, but not necessarily. More than one listed indicates each serves different areas of town.
  • Unless your area is one served by Vermont’s only gas utility, your only option is bottled gas (any dealer).
    Cable Comcast 800-266-2278
    Electric Green Mountain Power 888-835-4672
    Telephone Fairpoint 866-984-2001

 

Vintage Unused Unique 1960s Dorset Rex Fifth Avenue Gold Basket Weave Carry All picture

Vintage Unused Unique 1960s Dorset Rex Fifth Avenue Gold Basket Weave Carry All

$93.34



Dorset Metal VTG Loose Powder Compact Hinge Lid Pocket Purse 1940s-50s Puff picture

Dorset Metal VTG Loose Powder Compact Hinge Lid Pocket Purse 1940s-50s Puff

$18.70



Dorset VT Vermont Pinnacle Mountain View 1913 RPPC Photo Postcard COPY picture

Dorset VT Vermont Pinnacle Mountain View 1913 RPPC Photo Postcard COPY

$4.95



Dorset Marble Quarry Vermont 35mm Slide 1950s Red Border Kodachrome picture

Dorset Marble Quarry Vermont 35mm Slide 1950s Red Border Kodachrome

$14.99



Vintage Dorset Light Industries Large Barrell Electric Table Lighter - England picture

Vintage Dorset Light Industries Large Barrell Electric Table Lighter - England

$89.00



Vtg Dorset Fifth Avenue Gold Compact Mirror is detached. picture

Vtg Dorset Fifth Avenue Gold Compact Mirror is detached.

$4.00



ROSE of ENGLAND IN THE GARDEN Fine Bone China DORSET Mug #1 picture

ROSE of ENGLAND IN THE GARDEN Fine Bone China DORSET Mug #1

$18.00



Dorset Fifth Avenue Vintage 1940's Pearl Panel Powder Compact picture

Dorset Fifth Avenue Vintage 1940's Pearl Panel Powder Compact

$35.00



Williams Sonoma Dorset Double Old Fashioned 12 Oz Glasses 3.5

Williams Sonoma Dorset Double Old Fashioned 12 Oz Glasses 3.5"~Set Of 4

$139.00



Ichthyosaur vert Charmouth Jurassic coast Dorset picture

Ichthyosaur vert Charmouth Jurassic coast Dorset

$53.25