ADDISON, VT – ESTABLISHED 1761

The town of Addison lies along the great warpath. This was the series of waterways that provided access to what became New York City in the south, to the cities of New France to the north. Prior to its first recorded European visitor, Samuel Champlain in 1609, the area was frequented by Huron and Iroquois hunting parties, the latter with some settlements in Vermont.

During the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War, the area impressed visitors with its agricultural potential. Many returned to the area as settlers, formally founding the town of Addison in 1761, but not settled until the 1780s. Land titles for Addison and much of Vermont became an issue as competing claims were made by the colonial governor of New Hampshire and the New York Colony. The Allen brothers, Ethan and Ira, supported the Vermont claims sometimes aggressively. The first European structure in Addison was a fort at what is now Chimney Point in 1690. In 1776, American forces built a military hospital at what is now Hospital Creek.  

Following the Revolutionary War, Addison became a thriving agricultural area with its clay soil well suited for hay and other crops and its water and later railroad access to northern and southern markets. This access increased with the construction of the bridge to Crown Point New York in 1929. Merino sheep and their wool supported the area in the early 19^th century.  Subsequently, dairy production made Addison one of the leading agricultural areas in New England, which continues today.