This Week in History: September 24-30

10 years ago:
Gov. Peter Shumlin and other local, state, and federal officials joined representatives of Avangrid, the parent company of Deerfield Wind LLC, for a groundbreaking ceremony for the wind power project. Although Shumlin touted the benefits of wind power generation, protesters at the groundbreaking shouted “No more wind!” during the remarks. The project was built on private land and Green Mountain National Forest land, and many of the protesters opposed the construction on public land, and said the project would damage some of the best black bear habitat in the state.
15 years ago:
Facing what appeared to be insurmountable financial and engineering challenges, Patty and John Reagan reluctantly decided they would not be able to save Dot’s Restaurant after the riverside diner was severely damaged by flooding during Tropical Storm Irene. According to John Reagan, an inspection by a structural engineer revealed significant problems, including damage to the foundation and structure. The entire building was pushed several inches closer to Route 9. Reagan said he had been optimistic the building could be saved, but once they were allowed inside the building, “every day it just got worse.” The building was eventually saved, however, after the community rallied to help the Reagans, raised donations, and the project received state and federal assistance.
20 years ago:
Local resident Susan Spengler urged the Wilmington Selectboard to address a dearth of affordable housing in the valley. Board members reacted by appointing an affordable housing committee, noting that affordable housing issues “transcend all demographics,” affecting young families and elderly residents.
25 years ago:
Two local residents, Travis Robinson and Dan Hollister, traveled to New York City to assist with the search and recovery effort in the rubble of the World Trade Center. The two described a horrific scene of destruction strewn with bodies and body parts. The pair also worked as part of a team that spent 11 hours rescuing one of the few survivors to be pulled from the rubble.
30 years ago:
The Vermont Supreme Court heard arguments in Wilmington business owner Albert Wurzberger’s appeal of a conviction for sale of fireworks. Similar charges had twice been dismissed by a local court, which found that the state law regarding the sale of fireworks was too vague to be enforced.
The Humane Society of the United States proclaimed National Farm Animal Week. Local dairy farmer Henry Wheeler was surprised to hear about the proclamation, but told Deerfield Valley News reporter Patience Merriman that he probably wouldn’t have thrown a party for his cows even if he had known.
35 years ago:
Wilmington Selectboard members gave their stamp of approval to Mount Snow’s plan to lease Haystack Ski Area. As part of the deal, Mount Snow would pay Wilmington $10,500 in rent annually on 252-acres of “glebe” land. The rate was a $500 increase over Haystack’s payment, and Mount Snow agreed to an additional increase of $500 per year over the next two years. Mount Snow also agreed to increase the amount to $15,000 per year “plus any annual increase in the Northeast Urban Consumer Price Index” if they completed plans to purchase the ski area.
40 years ago:
Dover held a dedication ceremony for the West Dover Historic District. According to the research of Dewhirst Wade, a Wilmington resident who helped establish the district, one of the first known buildings in West Dover was a sawmill that was built in 1796 near the spot where the Saw Mill Inn now stands. The old mill cut rough lumber with an up-and-down saw. In 1850, a much more circular saw was installed in the mill, allowing the owner to accurately cut hardwood into small pieces shaped for furniture.
45 years ago:
The operators of American Mortgage Investors, the firm that owned Haystack Ski Area, announced that the resort would not open for the 1981-1982 ski season. For two previous seasons, AMI had leased Haystack to the operators of Round Top Ski Area in central Vermont. After the “short winter” of 1980-1981 and the “brown winter” of 1979-1980, however, Round Top owners were already facing local ire, and lawsuits, over unpaid bills.
50 years ago:
A Vermont District Court struck down a Wilmington regulation limiting the use of Green Mountain Beach to full-time residents. The restriction was initiated by a Town Meeting discussion regarding overcrowding at the beach. In a subsequent vote, the selectboard approved a regulation restricting use of the beach to the “inhabitants” of Wilmington. When second-home owner Dominick DeSantis filed a lawsuit against the town, the selectboard changed the regulation to allow only residents “and Dominick DeSantis” to use the beach. DeSantis’ attorney responded by filing a class action suit claiming that the ban was unconstitutional.