You’ll discover Hillwest nestled in Vermont’s mountains, where early 1800s settlers built a precarious community around logging and slate quarrying operations. The town became the nation’s second-largest slate producer, relying heavily on Irish Catholic immigrant labor. Despite initial success, isolation and industrial decline led to its disincorporation by the 1930s. Today, abandoned quarries and crumbling foundations tell stories of mysterious disappearances and supernatural legends that surround this haunting settlement.
Key Takeaways
- Hillwest was a bustling Vermont mountain community established in the 1800s that became abandoned and disincorporated by the 1930s.
- The town’s economy initially thrived on slate quarrying, becoming the second-largest slate producer in the nation after Pennsylvania.
- Declining industry, isolation, and dwindling population led to Hillwest’s ultimate abandonment and ghost town status.
- The area gained notoriety for mysterious disappearances and supernatural legends, including the unexplained cases of Middle Rivers and Paula Weldon.
- Historic carriage roads and covered bridges from the 1700s remain as remnants of the former settlement’s transportation network.
The Rise and Fall of a Mountain Settlement
While many Vermont settlements flourished in the valleys during the early 1800s, Hillwest emerged as a precarious mountain community that would ultimately succumb to its challenging environment.
You’ll find traces of community resilience in how early settlers purchased land from bankrupt industrial companies, establishing homesteads despite the harsh terrain and dense forests that made daily life difficult. The town’s residents initially found success through charcoal-making and logging operations.
The settlement challenges proved overwhelming. Unlike thriving valley towns, Hillwest’s isolation and mountainous location severely limited its growth potential. Similar to the mysterious disappearances reported in nearby Glastenbury during the 1940s and 1950s, the area gained an unsettling reputation.
Transportation obstacles and extreme weather constantly threatened the community’s sustainability. By the 1930s, dwindling population levels forced the state to disincorporate Hillwest.
Today, nature has reclaimed most signs of human habitation, leaving only stone walls and cellar holes as silent testimonies to this failed mountain settlement.
Industrial Heritage and Economic Decline
Although Vermont towns often relied on agriculture in the 1800s, Hillwest emerged as a significant slate quarrying center, joining the state’s industrial transformation that made Vermont the nation’s second-largest slate producer after Pennsylvania.
The industry thrived on immigrant labor, primarily Irish Catholics who endured grueling 10-hour workdays for less than $2 in wages. You’ll find that company control extended beyond the quarries – workers lived in company housing and shopped at company stores, creating complete economic dependence. The historical significance of this once-bustling town remains largely overlooked today.
The harsh conditions and low pay sparked labor unrest, while the industry’s inefficiency – with 85% of quarried material discarded – ultimately proved unsustainable. The area produced distinctive purple and unfading green slate that was highly sought after in the market.
When railroad connections failed in the 1970s and ’80s, Hillwest’s industrial backbone crumbled. The abandoned quarries, mills, and worker housing now stand as silent reminders of the town’s industrial past.
Life in Early Hillwest Community
Before slate quarrying transformed Hillwest, this remote mountain village emerged in the early 1800s as a modest settlement of about 62 residents who carved out a living through logging and subsistence farming.
Much like the one at Glastenbury, the settlement relied on a one-room schoolhouse for educating local children.
You’d find family dynamics centered around multigenerational households, where everyone contributed to daily survival through farming, logging, and maintaining livestock.
Communal activities brought the isolated community together at the village’s church and meeting hall, where they’d gather for religious services, town meetings, and seasonal celebrations like barn-raisings and harvest festivals.
The harsh Vermont environment fostered tight-knit social networks, with neighbors relying on each other during emergencies and sharing resources, much like the residents of Ricker Basin who faced similar farming difficulties.
Children attended one-room schoolhouses, while adults worked the timber trade, tending to peak during spring thaws and slowing in winter.
Remnants of the Carriage Road Era
Today you can still trace remnants of Hillwest’s historic carriage road network, which originated in the late 1700s as crucial transportation arteries connecting the settlement to neighboring towns and quarries.
Historic carriage roads from the 1700s still wind through Hillwest, silent witnesses to the vital links between colonial settlements.
The carriage road infrastructure included covered bridges, now mostly lost to time and floods, while some old roadbeds persist beneath forest cover and beaver swamps. One notable covered bridge at the Rutland Country Club was destroyed during the devastating flood of 1937. Like the historic toll turnpikes of Vermont, these routes required payment from travelers to fund their upkeep.
You’ll find these historical transportation challenges reflected in the landscape, where original routes followed Revolutionary War paths and required constant maintenance against weather and terrain.
Some sections have been reclaimed as modern trails, while others remain hidden beneath pastures that have reverted to woodland.
The roads’ legacy lives on through surviving survey records from 1782, documenting how builders used chain and compass measurements to establish these crucial early thoroughfares.
Local Legends and Historical Legacy
While Hillwest’s physical remains slowly fade into Vermont’s wilderness, the town’s dark legacy lives on through a web of mysterious disappearances, murders, and supernatural legends.
You’ll find chilling stories of vanished locals like Middle Rivers, a seasoned guide who knew these woods intimately, and Paula Weldon, whose attempt to hike the Long Trail ended in tragedy.
Native legends from the Abenaki people warn of a “man-eating stone” and describe Glastenbury Mountain as the dangerous meeting point of the Four Winds.
Two brutal murders in the 1890s – one in Fayville and another in Bickford Hollow – cemented the region’s sinister reputation. The area’s dense tree cover makes search and rescue operations particularly challenging, often hampering efforts to locate missing persons.
Even today, experienced hikers report feeling strangely disoriented in these dense forests, where the line between natural and supernatural seems to blur. Ancient stone walls from early sheep farming still snake through the haunting landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Any Remaining Structures Still Standing in Hillwest Today?
You’d expect grand ruins, but you won’t find any remaining buildings or notable architectural features standing in Hillwest today – like many Vermont ghost towns, nature has reclaimed what’s left.
What Natural Disasters or Specific Events Contributed to Hillwest’s Abandonment?
You’ll find extensive flood damage devastated local infrastructure and trade routes in the late 1800s, triggering severe economic decline as businesses shuttered and residents sought opportunities elsewhere.
Did Any Original Hillwest Families Continue Living in Nearby Vermont Towns?
Through family histories and local records, you’ll find many original families settled in nearby settlements, maintaining their Vermont roots while adapting to new communities within 20-30 miles of their former homes.
What Items or Artifacts Have Been Discovered at the Hillwest Site?
You’ll find artifacts analysis reveals stone tool quartzite flakes, ceramic pottery, mining relics like miner tags, coke oven bricks, antique bottles, and quartz-slab cairns showcasing historical significance through multiple periods.
Are There Official Records of Paranormal Incidents Reported in Hillwest?
While ghost sightings and paranormal investigations often leave documented traces, you won’t find any official records of supernatural incidents in Hillwest. Available research sources and Vermont archives show no verified paranormal reports.
References
- https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/six-new-england-ghost-towns/
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBqvoTHO7Ck/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScW-H7A8yL8
- https://newenglandwithlove.com/ghost-towns-in-vermont/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_Vermont
- https://www.thetravel.com/glastenbury-mountain-ghost-town-history-vermont/
- https://happyvermont.com/2014/10/23/glastenbury-ghost-town/
- https://vermontcountry.com/2022/09/18/ghost-town/
- https://mysterioushillsdotcom.wordpress.com/2021/02/13/snapshots-of-a-ghost-town-fayville-vt-2004/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy85eB_ZBh8
