Rutland, Vermont is located in Rutland County, at 43.3° north and 72.5° west. The current population of the city and the surrounding town is about 21000. Rutland is the second largest city in the state of Vermont, behind Burlington.
Artifacts found in Rutland show that some people were in the area as early as 8500 BC. European settlers first came to the area in 1761. They were sold the rights to the land by then New Hampshire governor, Benning Wentworth, although he didn't have the rights to the land. The land legally belonged to New York, and the settlers soon found themselves in conflict with settlers from New York. Rutland was often visited by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys as they harassed 'Yorker' settlers.
Very soon after the initial settlement was founded, a large vein of marble was located nearby. People rushed to the area and began to mine the marble, leading to very lucrative business. Vermont would soon gain a reputation for it's high quality marble. Between marble mining, good farmland, and the accommodating geography of the area, Rutland's population grew rapidly, from 3715 in 1850 to 12149 in 1880.
In the period after the Civil War, Rutland became the main railroad hub for trains travelling from the Atlantic coast to the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Over forty trains a day carried goods through Rutland. As a result of heavy rail traffic, businesses began to relocate to the city, bringing an economic boom. Large Victorian estates were soon constructed on the outskirts of town, most of which are on the historical register today.
The railroads also brought another population boom. The Village of Rutland was incorporated into Vermont in 1886, and then incorporated again as a city in 1892. By the early 1900's, the population had grown to nearly 16000.
Other Facts:
Rutland operated as the seat of the Vermont State Legislature from 1791 to 1804, while the seat of the permanent capitol was located. The capitol was eventually moved to Montpelier, and Rutland reverted being just another town in Vermont.
The area around Rutland was chosen by Robert Newton Peck as the setting for his well-known book, A Day No Pigs Would Die
The Norman Rockwell Museum is located in Rutland. The museum is home to over 2500 Rockwell pieces throughout his entire career.
Today, Rutland's economy revolves around tourism and industry. Three major ski resorts, Killington, Pico and Okemo, are located within minutes of downtown Rutland. Rutland is also very close to the 'lake region' of Vermont, which provides many camping and hiking areas. The marble mines in Rutland are still in operation, continuing to export Vermont marble around the world.
Resources:
http://www.virtualvermont.com
http://www.rutlandvermont.com
http://www.rutlanddowntown.com
http://www.normanrockwellvt.com
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