>> IT WAS TRULY SMALL TOWN VERMONT WHEN I WAS A KID.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT TOWN TO GROW UP IN.

>> I THINK MANY OF THE SAME THINGS THAT FAMILIES ENJOY ABOUT WATERBURY TODAY WERE TRUE BACK THEN JUST IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THERE WAS A REAL SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

>> IT WAS A CLOSE KNIT WELL BALANCED COMMUNITY THAT HAD A LOT TO OFFER.

>> I WOULD SAY BACK WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THINGS WERE VERY GOOD IN WATERBURY AND WATERBURY CENTER.

>> YOU KNEW EVERYBODY.

IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THEM, YOU WANTED TO KNOW THEM.

>> WATERBURY HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT.

THE PEOPLE HERE SEEMED REAL AND GOOD.

>> IT'S CHANGED SO MUCH.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THERE WERE 6 OR 8 FARMS ON THIS FIELD.

>> SINCE BEING CHARTERED IN 1763, THE TOWN OF WATERBURY HAS GONE MANY CHANGES.

ITS HISTORY IS DEEP AND FERTILE AS THE SOIL THAT CONTINUES TO BE TILLED IN THE AREA.

THE STORYS AND MEMORIES SHARED IN THIS ORAL HISTORY PROVIDE A PEAK INTO THE PAST AND OFFER A VIEW OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE NEARLY A CENTURY AGO.

LIKE MANY SMALL TOWNS, THE RESIDENTS OF WATERBURY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR SELF RELIANCE, AND STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND COMPASSION.

>> ONE TIME MY FATHER LOST HIS HORSE AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.

IT WAS CHRISTMAS TIME.

THE TEACHER WOULD HAVE A GIFT FOR ALL THE CHILDREN.

AND THE CHILDREN GOT SOME GIFTS.

THE LAST GIFT ON THE TREE IS A LITTLE BOX, THE SIZE OF A MATCH BOX AND WRAPPED UP.

AND BROUGHT IT TO MY MOTHER AND FATHER.

AND THEY SAID WHAT'S THIS?

OPENED IT UP AND IT WAS FULL OF MONEY.

OH, MY GOSH.

I JUST CRIED.

SO THEY HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY ANOTHER HORSE.

THAT IS HOW NEIGHBORS WERE.

>> MY GRANDFATHER CAME TO WATERBURY FIRST IN 1895.

AND HE SOLD AUTOMOBILES.

EARLY ON WOULD HAVE BEEN 1910.

IN THOSE DAYS, YOU COULD BARTTER FOUR THINGS THAT YOU NEEDED.

AND SOME GENTLEMAN BROUGHT HIM A BUNCH OF HARDWARE.

WHEN HE WAS PONDERING WHAT TO DO, THE GARAGE CAUGHT FIRE AND ALL THOSE CARS WERE SOFT TOP CARS.

ALL THE TOPS BURNED OFF.

HE HAD THIS HARDWARE.

I CAN ALWAYS SELL HARDWARE.

THAT'S WHERE THE BUSINESS TOOK OFF.

AND WE WERE THERE UP UNTIL THE LATE 70s.

>> PEOPLE WERE REALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE OLD DAYS.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS.

HE COULD DO ANYTHING.

>> MY GRANDPARENTS FROM THE LATE 1800s INTO 1921.

>> MY GRANDMOTHER HAD THREE DAUGHTERS AND THE MIDDLE ONE DID A DAMAGE TO HER.

SHE HAD TO BE SEWED UP AND MY GRANDFATHER USED THE HORSE HAIR OFF THE VIOLIN BOWL TO ACTUALLY DO THAT.

>> WATERBURY HAS NO SHORTAGE OF POWERFUL STORIES.

IN THE EARLY YEARS, WATERBURY WAS DOTTED WITH HILLSIDE FARMS.

AND JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WHO LIVED OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE HAD A SELF-SUSTAINING FARM.

GROWING VEGETABLES AND MILKING A FEW COWS.

WHETHER YOU LIVED ON A FARM OR NOT, EEKING OUT A LIVING INTO EARLY 1900s MEANT YOU HAD TO BE FRUGAL AND SELF-SUFFICIENT.

THERE WAS ALWAYS WORK TO GET DONE AND EVERYONE PITCHED IN.

>> I WAS GROWING UP DURING THE DEPRESSION.

WE ALWAYS HAD FOOD ON THE TABLE.

AND ALWAYS MILK AND WE HAD A GOOD LIFE ON THE FARM.

>> I GREW UP IN WATERBURY CENTER.

EVERYBODY HAD SOME KIND OF CREDIT OF SOME SORT.

IN MY FAMILY, WE WERE WHAT YOU'D CALL GREEN TODAY.

WE PRODUCED ABOUT EVERYTHING WE ATE ON THE FARM.

AND MY MOTHER NEVER THREW A DIFFER.

THE KIDS WORE HAND ME DOWN CLOTHES.

GOT ALONG WITH WHAT YOU HAD.

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS.

AND YOU WERE HAPPY TO HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR BELLY AT NIGHT AND CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK AND PROBABLY SEEMS SIMPLE.

AT MY AGE TODAY, I STILL FEEL PRETTY GRATEFUL ABOUT THAT.

>> THE FATHER BEING A FRUGAL FARMER, RAISED THREE BOYS.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR.

IN THE SUMMERTIME, MY FATHER HAD TO HAVE EXTRA PASTEUR FOR HIS YOUNG STOCK.

AND THE PASTEUR HE WAS USING WAS ON HARBOR CENTER SHE WAS FAR FROM THE FARM HERE.

THE WAY WE GOT THEM UP HERE IS PUT THEM IN THE ROAD AND DRIVE THEM.

I KNOW I WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD WHEN WE STARTED DOING THAT.

AND KEEP THEM FROM GOING INTO THE DIFFERENT DRIVEWAYS.

THAT WAS QUITE A LITTLE HIKE ESPECIALLY FOR US KIDS.

>> LIFE WAS PRETTY TOUGH.

EVERYBODY STARTED WORK.

WE PEDALLED 35 PAPERS A DAY.

AND WE STARTED IT LIKE 5:30 IN THE MORNING.

WE HAD CHORES TO DO IT.

YOU TOOK OFF YOUR BEST CLOTHES AND PUT ON THE FARM CLOTHES.

AND IT WAS LUGGING THE WOOD OR FEED THE COWS OR PICK UP THE EGGS.

THERE WAS SOMETHING BEFORE.

>> I REMEMBER AT 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD, I HAD FOUR OR FIVE COWS I HAD TO MILK.

AND AFTER THE COURSE IN THE MORNING BEFORE SCHOOL AND GO TO SCHOOL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS.

THERE WAS NO SHOWERS OR NOTHING LIKE THAT BACK THEN.

SO I KNOW WE WENT TO SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME.

>> NO, WE NEVER WENT ANYWHERE.

WE NEVER WENT ANYWHERE.

MY OLDER BROTHER WHO WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLDER THAN ME.

WHEN HE WAS 12, HE WAS BAILING HAY DOWN HERE.

I DIDN'T HAVE THAT.

WE WERE STILL HAYING WHEN I WAS ABOUT 8 OR 9.

I DIDN'T GET TO DO BAILING LIKE HE DID.

>> VERY RARE MY MOTHER CUT OUR HAIR.

YOU LOOK LIKE A GIRL WHEN YOU WERE DONE.

DIDN'T GET THE RECOGNITION.

>> I WAS A STAY AT HOME GIRL.

I DID THE WORK.

MY HUSBAND EARNED THE MONEY.

WE BUTCHERED A COW EVERY YEAR.

WE HAD A BIG.

WE HAD CHICKENS, EGGS.

MILK, CREAM.

WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

>> I'D HELP WITH THE MILKING.

AND AFTER SUPPER, MY FATHER SAID I NEED SOME EXTRA HELP TONIGHT.

I SAID I'LL GO DOWN.

HELLO.

I'D RATHER DO THAT THAN DO DISHES.

>> OF COURSE, ALL THE MILK GOT SHIPPED IN CANS.

AND PIPELINES AND ALL THAT.

PEOPLE HAD TO WORK TO GET THE MILK.

>> MY FATHER PLANTED CORN AND BEANS.

AND WE LOVED IT.

IT WAS HARD WORK.

BEING THE OLDEST, I USED TO HELP RIDE THE HORSE.

AND PLANTING BEHIND ME.

WE'D RIDE THAT HORSE ALL DAY LONG AND YOU GET KIND OF LAZY SOMETIMES AND YOUR FATHER WOULD YELL AT YOU.

GO STRAIGHT.

I'M TRYING TO.

WHEN WE LOOK WHEN I WAS A KID, THE WATER WAS ALL DRAWN FROM THE WELL IN PAILS.

AND YOU CARRY IT INTO THE HOUSE AND WARM IT IN THE WARMING OVEN OF THE STOVE.

AND THEN YOU DIP IT OUT OF THERE AND WE'D EACH TAKE A BATH NEAR THE KITCHEN STOVE WHERE IT WAS WARM.

>> SUNDAY NIGHT, ALL THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN WALK DOWNSTAIRS IF YOUR SISTER HAD A SLIP ON.

MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE WASHED YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP.

EVERYTHING WAS A LOT LESS OPEN-ENDED THAN IT IS TODAY.

NOT SURE IF THAT WAS GOOD OR BAD.

MY DAD WOULD HEAT THE HOT WATER ON THE STEVE AND PUT IT IN THAT TAB.

THE OLDEST GUY GOT TO GO FIRST.

OUT OF FIVE KIDS, I WAS THE LAST CHILD TO TAKE A BATH.

THAT WAS THE ONLY BATH OF THE WEEK.

WE SPONGE BATHED ALONG THE WAY IN COLD WATER.

THE TUB WAS NOT NICE BY THE TIME IT GOT TO BE MY TURN.

>> AS I GREW A LITTLE OLDER, MY FOLKS WOULD SEND ME TO THE STORE THAT WAY AND GO INTO THE STORE WITH GROCERIES.

THINGS THEY NEEDED.

AND THEY'D PUT THINGS ON THE BILL.

AND MY FATHER WOULD PAY THE BILL.

>> MR.

SLACK WAS GOOD TO MY FATHER AND CHARGE ALL WINTER AND ALL SUMMER, HE'D WORK 6-7 DAYS A WEEK TO GET THAT BILL DOWN.

>> BESIDES THE STORE FRONTS DOTTING MAIN STREETS, THERE WAS A SURPRISING NUMBER OF GRANITE SHEDS, CREAMERIES, MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND LUMBAR MILLS.

>> I GREW UP IN THE VILLAGE.

I SPENT A LOT OF MY CHILDHOOD DOWN AT THE FEED STORE.

MY BROTHER RAN THE STORE FROM MY DAD AND ALL THE KIDS WENT DOWN THERE AND IT WAS A LOCAL HANG OUT.

WE ROAD THE FEED TRUCKS OUT TO THE FARMERS AND WE RAISED CALFS THERE IN THE SPRING.

AND WE'D HAVE THE CALF IN THE OFFICE AT THE FEED STORE.

>> ONE THING I REMEMBER GROWING UP THERE, WE HAD A BIG FRONT PORCH THAT WENT ACROSS THE FRONT OF THAT HOUSE.

IT WAS A RED BRICK HOUSE AND I THINK H AND R BLOCK IS IN THERE NOW.

ROUTE 2 WENT RIGHT THROUGH TOWN.

AND CARS, OF COURSE, WOULD COME FROM EVERYWHERE.

WE'D COLLECT OUT OF STATE LICENSE PLATES AND HAVE A LITTLE CONTEST TO SEE WHO CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF STATE LICENSE PLATES.

>> I LIVED ALL MY LIFE HERE AND EVEN BACK IN THOSE DAYS GROWING UP ON THE NORTH END, THAT WAS YOUR AREA OF PLAY AND FAMILIARITY.

THAT WAS A BIG SUMMERTIME THING.

>> I WAS BORN IN 55.

MY GRANDFATHER RAN THE UNDERTAKING BUSINESS HERE.

THE MODERN PHARMACY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF EACH OTHER.

AND IT WAS ALWAYS BUSY DOWNTOWN.

>> AND THEN THE DRY BRIDGE IS THERE AND BOWLING ALLEY IS IN.

AND I SET PINS IN THERE WHEN IT WAS A BOWLING ALLEY.

THERE WEREN'T ANY MACHINES THERE ARE NOW.

JUST A BUNCH OF THOSE GUYS THAT WOULD GET 10 CENTS A STRING OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT WHEN YOU BOWL AROUND.

FOR PICKING UP THE PINS AND PUTTING THEM BACK IN PLACE.

AND PRAYING THE BALL DIDN'T COME WHILE YOU WERE DOWN THERE.

IT WAS SORT OF A PIT.

ANYWAY.

>> BESIDES THE RUN DOWN BOWLING ALLEY, LONG TIME RESIDENTS HAVE MANY FOND MEMORIES OF A COMPASSION NATE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY.

OVER THE YEARS, THIS VILLAGE HAS BEEN THROUGH MANY EVENTS THAT SHAPED WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS TODAY.

EARLY ON, THE VILLAGE BUSINESSES SUPPORTED THE FARMING COMMUNITY THAT SURROUNDED WATERBURY AND COULD JUST AS EASILY BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

IN THE 1830s, MANY OF THE SELF-SUFFICIENT FARMS GAVE WAY TO THE BOOMING SHEEP FARMING INDUSTRY.

BUT IN 1849 WHEN THE CENTRAL VERMONT RAILROAD LAID TRACKS THROUGH TOWN, A LOT OF CHANGES WERE ON THE HORIZON.

>> THE RAILROAD WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS TO THIS TOWN.

IT'S HARD TO OVERSTAY THE IMPACT THAT THE IMPACT THE RAILROAD AND STILL HAS ON WATERBURY TODAY.

>> IT WAS A FOCAL POINT TO EXPANDING AN INDUSTRY AND GAVE US A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES WAY AHEAD OF COMMUNITIES THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE RAILROAD.

FOUND FATHERS AROUND THAT 1890 PERIOD REALLY SOUGHT TO BRING INDUSTRY.

AND THE RAILROAD WAS A BIG FEATURE.

ONE TIME, THERE WERE FIVE SHEDS AND WATERBURY WAS SHIFT IN ON THE RAILROAD.

CUT IN THE GRANITE SHEDS AND THINGS AND THEN SHIFT OUT.

AND SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYED 50 TO 100 PEOPLE.

THERE WAS A RAILROAD THAT LEFT WATER BURY.

>> WATERBURY AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STATE WAS GROWING STEADILY.

PRESIDENT CALVIN COLLAGE RESTORED CONFIDENCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

IN NOVEMBER OF 1927, A DEVASTATING FLOOD HIT THE STATE.

OVER 1200 BRIDGES WERE DESTROYED.

MILES OF ROADS AND RAILROADS WERE WASHED OUT.

AND COUNTLESS HOMES AND BUILDINGS WERE RUINED.

AS THE RIVER REACHED HEIGHTS HIGHER THAN EVER SEEN BEFORE, THE STORM TOOK THE LIVES OF 20 PEOPLE IN WATERBURY ALONE.

>> I WAS IN WATERBURY DURING THE FLOODS.

I WAS STAYING DOWN THERE WITH MY CHILDHOOD FRIEND BY THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING.

AND SOMEBODY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND SAYS YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE.

WATER IS COMING UP.

AND I WAS CARRIED ON HIS BACK FROM THERE UP TO THE BANK.

UP TO THE TOP OF THE BANK HILL.

>> DURING THE 27TH FLOOD, THE GREAT GRANDPARENTS ARE LIVING ON THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR NEXT TO US.

AS THE WATER ROSE 4 FEET AN HOUR AT SOME TIME AND SOME PERIODS DURING THE STORM.

THE WATER GOT UP SO IT WAS A FOOT ABOVE THE SECOND FLOOR.

AND IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

SO IN STORAGE, MY FAMILY HAD TWO SHIPPING CASES FOR THESE GASKETS.

MY GRANDFATHER AND GREAT GRANDFATHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT GOT TWO OF THOSE BOXES AND NAILED THEM TOGETHER AND GOT A COUPLE BED SLATS.

AND THEY LOADED MY MOTHER AND MY UNCLE WHO WERE 3 AND 5 AT THE TIME.

MY GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT GRANDPARENTS ALL LOADED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SHOVED OFF THE SECOND FLOOR PORCH AND THESE TWO CASKET BOXES HOPING THEY WEREN'T GOING TO LEAK.

AND PADDLED THEIR WAY TO THE TOP OF BANK HILL.

>> BUT THE METHODIST CHURCH IN WATERBURY, THE WATER WAS 14 FEET HIGH ON THIS CHURCH.

I CAN'T IMAGINE.

MY DAD TOOK A ROW BOAT FROM THE TOP OF THE HILL HERE ON MAIN STREET AND HE AND HIS COUSIN RALPHIE ROAD DOWN THE STREET AND TOOK PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR SECOND STORY WINDOWS IN 1927.

>> THOSE WHO WERE FLOODED ATE IN THE BASEMENT OF THE WHITE CHURCH.

I DON'T KNOW FOR A WEEK OR TWO.

COULDN'T GET THE MILK TO THE CREAMERY.

SO TOOK THEIR MILK CANS DOWN TO THE VILLAGE AND PUT IT ON THE SIDEWALKS FOR PEOPLE TO COME GET MILK FOR FOOD.

>> IT WAS A BIG LESSON FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED HERE AND WORKING TOGETHER, THAT WAS FOR SURE.

>> I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DIDN'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME.

THEY GOT THEMSELVES DRIED OUT AND MOPPED OUT AND CLEANED UP AND SPRUCED UP AND WORRIED TOO MUCH ABOUT MOLD AND WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF.

THEY GET THEMSELVES BACK UP AND RUNNING.

AND BACK IN THOSE DAYS, WASN'T A LOT OF INSULATION.

AND THEY WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING THEMSELVES BACK UP ON THEIR FEET AND GOING AGAIN.

>> STARTING OVER AGAIN WAS MET WITH UNWAIVERING DETERMINATION AND COURAGE.

WHILE THE COUNTRY WAS STILL WEATHERING THE DEPRESSION, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FUTURE DEVASTATING FLOODS.

>> THE PROCESS BEGAN AND EVENTUALLY ENDED UP WITH THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORE COMING TO WATERBURY AND BUILDING THE WATERBURY DAM WHICH WAS INTENDED AS A FLOOD-CONTROL PROJECT.

AT THE TIME IT WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT IN 1936 TO 1938, THE WATERBURY DAM WAS THE LARGEST EARTH-FILLED DAM IN THE WORLD.

THE FIRST ELEMENTS ARRIVE IN 1934-1935.

THEY LIVE IN TENTS UNTIL THEY CAN BUILD CAMP SMITH.

2500 MEN EVENTUALLY FILLED IT.

THEY HAD THEIR OWN HOSPITAL, THEIR OWN LIBRARY, OWN MOVIE THEATERS, FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN, IT WAS A COMPLETE FULL COMMUNITY.

>> THE CCC ALSO BUILT A SWIMMING POOL HERE AND A HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.

BUT THE BIG ENTERPRISE WAS THIS DAM TO PROTECT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS IN VERMONT FROM THE KIND OF A DISASTER THAT JUST TORE THIS PLACE APART.

>> AND MY FATHER USED TO TAKE US OVER THERE.

AND A DUMP TRUCK BACK THEN WAS ONLY ABOUT A THREE YARD.

AND NOW HE'S GOING OUT WITH A DUMP TRUCK THAT CARRIES 16 YARDS OR SO.

MEN EVERYWHERE.

2 OR 3,000 PEOPLE WORKING ON THAT.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

EVERY TWO OR THREE WEEKS, I SEE HOW THEY ARE GOING ALONG.

>> THAT'S WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I ARE GOING TOGETHER.

AND WE SEE A LOT OF OUR TIME SITTING AT ONE END OF THE DAM WATCHING IT BE BUILT.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

THEY LOVE DAY AND NIGHT SEEING THE TRUCKS COMING THROUGH WHERE THE WATER IS NOW BRINGING STONE AND DIRT FOR THE DAM.

>> THEY HAD TO BUY THEIR FOOD, HAD TO BUY THEIR COAL.

HAD TO -- THIS WAS DURING A DEPRESSION AT THE TIME MONEY IS A SHORT COMMODITY.

SO THIS CONNER INVESTIGATION CORE REALLY, IN MANY WAYS, FUNDED WATERBURY AT THE HEIGHT OF THE DEPRESSION.

>> WHILE LOCAL BUSINESSES CONTINUED TO GROW THROUGH THE 40s AND 50s, MANY WERE FEELING PRESSURE TO INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGY.

>> YOU CAN'T IMAGINE.

NO BUNDLES YOU PICK UP AND PUT IT IN THE WAGON.

THAT TOOK A LOT OF OUR SUMMERTIME.

>> I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THE SCHEDULE TO GO OUT WITH A PITCH FORK AND TURN PIECE OF HEY.

AND MOTHER WAS OUT THERE ON THE TRACTOR LATE MORNING TURNING THAT HAY OVER WITH A MACHINE.

YAY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT HANDWORK ANY MORE.

AND HE USED TO HAVE TO DRIVE THE HORSE AND WAGON OFF THE HILL.

AND MADE THAT TRANSITION TO AUTOMOTIV AUTOMOTIVES.

AND I CAN REMEMBER HEARING HIM TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

HE WOULD SAY I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK.

I DON'T WANT TO RIDE BEHIND A TEAM OF HORSES AGAIN.

>> THERE WAS STILL GUYS USING HORSES.

AND UP ON THE HILL DID ALL OF HIS WORK.

THERE WAS A GUY NAMED CLIFF UP ON THE HILL.

AND I'M NOT THAT OLD.

BUT JUST INTERESTING.

MY DAD DID HAVE A CAR.

>> MY DAD USED TO TALK A LOT ABOUT THE CHANGES HE HAD SEEN.

AND HE WAS HERE WHEN THEY FIRST BROUGHT POWER AND HE WAS HERE WHEN THEY ADDED THE TELEPHONE SERVICE.

>> I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND HEARD THE TELEPHONE RING.

I SAID WHAT?

I RAN IN THE DINING ROOM AND THERE WAS A TELEPHONE ON THE WALL.

HAD A CRANK ON IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND SPEAKER OUT.

I SAID OH, WE GOT A TELEPHONE.

AND IT WAS ABOUT 7 OR 8 PEOPLE BEYOND ONE LINE.

AND HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBER FOR EACH ONE OF THEM.

>> AND YOU'D PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY NUMBER PLEASE AND YOU'D SAY THE NUMBER YOU WANTED.

AND A LOT OF THEM WERE PARTING LINES.

WHICH WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IF YOU HAPPEN TO PICK A LINE WHETHER THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THE CONVERSATION.

DIDN'T WANT TO LET THEM KNOW YOU WERE LISTENING.

SOME OF THOSE ARE GOOD.

>> YOU GET TO TALKING ON THE PHONE AND YOU CAN HEAR IF ANYBODY WAS LISTENING.

CAUSE YOU MIGHT HEAR THINGS IN THEIR HOUSE.

NOISES THAT YOU RECOGNIZE.

THEY WERE LISTENING TO YOU.

BUT THAT WAS HOW THEY FOUND OUT.

>> AS RURAL LIFE ADJUSTED TO NEW LINES OF COMMUNICATION THE DOWNTOWN SAW A RAPID GROWTH IN TOURISM.

>> WATERBURY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CROSS ROADS.

MAJOR ROUTES.

SO OVER THE YEARS, IT KIND OF GREW AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION.

AT ONE TIME, WE HAD A VERY LARGE BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT WATERBURY IN DOWNTOWN.

AND FOLKS WOULD COME FROM ALL OVER NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK AND THE EAST COAST TO SPEND WEEKS AT THE WATERBURY INN AS A RESORT.

>> THE TRAIN STATION DOWN HERE BROUGHT TRAVELLERS IN THAT ULTIMATELY ENDED UP IN THE SKI AREAS.

IT WAS A HUB IN MANY WAYS.

>> SO THAT HELPED FORM THE TOURIST INDUSTRY THAT HELPED SUPPORT US.

>> THERE WEREN'T MANY RESERVATION PLACES.

AS A KID, WE WOULD GO DOWN AND CARRY BAGS FROM THE PASSENGERS OVER TO THEIR CONVEYANCE.

AND I REMEMBER COMING DOWN IN THEIR JEEP.

THEY WOULD WHEEL IN AS THE TRAIN ARRIVED ARRIVED.

>> THEN END NOW VERY DRAMATICALLY.

AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION, THESE CONCERNS WERE HOTLY DEBATED.

BUT NO STOPPING THIS NEW CONNECTION CONNECTION.

>> THE INTERSTATE CHANGED THE ENTIRE STATE OF VERMONT.

WATERBURY WAS NO DIFFERENT.

THE INTERSTATE CAME IN THE 50S.

AND I CAN REMEMBER LATE 50s.

I CAN REMEMBER THERE WAS GRE-- ABOUT THE FACT WE'D BE AT THIS JUNCTURE OF THE ROAD.

>> YEAH, I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN WATERBURY HAD THAT INFLUX OF POPULATION BECAUSE OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE.

>> A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT WERE IN OUR CLASS, THERE WERE 57 WHEN WE GRADUATED.

A LOT OF THEM WERE THE INTERSTATE KIDS.

THAT WAS A BIG BOOST TO US WHEN THAT CAME ALONG.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD MY FIRST RIDE ON THE INTERSTATE.

TO BEGIN WITH FOR US, WE HAD THE LINK TO MONT P IESHILLIAR.

AND MADE THINGS SO MUCH EASIER TO GET AROUND.

BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT'S WHAT'S BROUGHT SO MANY MORE PEOPLE AND SO MUCH MORE INDUSTRY.

AND CHANGED VERMONT SO MUCH.

TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL HERE SO EASILY.

>> HAVING THE INTERSTATE COME THROUGH HERE AND HAVING AN EXIT PREDATES ME.

BUT HAVING THAT EXIT, A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT YOU SEE IS BECAUSE WE ARE AT THAT EXIT.

>> YOU SAW A DECLINE OF COMMERCE WITHIN THE VILLAGE.

PROPER BECAUSE BURLINGTON AND MOUNT PILLAR WERE ACCESSIBLE.

DIDN'T FEEL LIKE AN ALL-DAY EXCURSIO EXCURSION.

IT WAS A BIG CHANGE.

>> WATERBURY, I THINK, WENT THROUGH KIND OF A MINI DEPRESSION PROBABLY IN THE LATE 1960s AND 1970s.

A LOT OF BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED OR MOVED AWAY.

NO NEW BUSINESSES CAME IN.

STORE FRONTS CLOSED.

IT WAS GENERALLY NOT A GOOD TIME IN WATERBURY.

THINGS GOT INTO DISREPAIR.

THE TOWN WAS KIND OF SORT OF SEEKING A WAVE TO THE FUTURE.

WE WERE THE CROSS ROADS BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH HERE EXCEPT THE BIG STATE HOSPITAL.

AND, OF COURSE, THE STATE HOSPITAL GAVE WATERBURY A DARK REPUTATION FOR HOUSING THAT FACILITY.

>> JUST LIKE THE IMPACTS OF THE INTERSTATE, THE IMPACTS OF THE STATE HOSPITAL WERE MORE COMPLICATED AND OFTEN DEBATED.

SINCE OPENING IN 1891, THE VERMONT STATE HOSPITAL WAS A MAJOR EMPLOYER OF WATERBURY RESIDENTS.

IT WAS EXPANDED UNTIL IT HOUSED ALMOST 1, THROUGH -- 1,400 PATIENTS.

THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS DROPPED TO UNDER 200 IN THE 1980s.

TO MAKE USE OF THE UNUSE SPACE, WE DIEDED TO CONVERT IT TO STATE OFFICES AND MOVED MANY DEPARTMENTS TO WHAT WAS CALLED THE WATERBURY STATE COMPLEX.

BRINGING IN HUNDREDS OF STATE WORKERS GAVE MUCH NEEDED BOFT TO THE VILLAGE ECONOMY.

THIS LED TO THE ATTRACTION OF MUCH BIGGER BUSINESSES MOVING INTO THE AREA.

>> YOU BROUGHT A LOT MORE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL JOBS INTO THE TOWN THAN EXISTED PREVIOUSLY.

AND THAT WAS A BIG CHANGE IN HOW OUR DOWNTOWN EVOLVED AND DEVELOPED.

SAW SHOPS OPENING UP.

THE REAL CHANGE I'VE SEEN HAS BEEN GOING FROM THAT RURAL FARM COMMUNITY TO BECOMING AN URBAN AREA TO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MOVED INTO TOWN AND THE INCREASE IN THE TECHNOLOGY.

>> I WAS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THE TIME WHEN BEN AND JERRY'S CAME HERE.

THEY APPROACHED WATERBURY ABOUT BUILDING THEIR PLANT HERE.

AND JUST LIKE ANYTHING, YOU GO FROM A SLEEPY LITTLE TOWN TO HAVING A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION HERE.

THERE WERE GROWING PAINS.

BUT I THINK THAT WHAT IT REALLY DID IS MAKE PEOPLE NOTICE THAT COMING INTO THIS AREA THAT WATERBURY EXISTED.

>> BEN AND JERRY'S COMING TO WATERBURY WAS A BIG DEAL.

THEY HAD BEEN IN BURLINGTON AND A SMALL OPERATION.

THERE WERE IN A CONVERTED FILLING STATION IN BURLINGTON.

WHEN THEY GOT BIG, THEY HAD TO EXPAND.

AND THEY DECIDED TO EXPAND TO WATERBURY.

IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF INDUSTRY IN WATERBURY.

WHEN BEN AND JERRY'S CAME, IT SEEMED LIKE THE WORLD WAS BIDDING A PATH TO WATERBURY'S DOOR.

IT SEEMED LIKE THE BEGINNING OF RENAISSANCE IN WATERBURY.

AND IT ATTRACTED A NUMBER OF VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS.

I THINK THEY BROUGHT A BRAND NEW FLAVOR, IF YOU WILL, FORGIVE THE PUN, TO WATERBURY.

IT REALLY DID MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

AND MADE WATERBURY MORE OF ANA TRACTION, I THINK, BUSINESSES.

AND WHEN PEOPLE COME WITH SKILLS LIKE THAT, THEY WANT GOOD SCHOOLS, GOOD HOUSING.

AND THEN IT BECAME A DESTINATION POINT FOR TOURISTS.

YOU COULD BRING THE CHILDREN AND THEY WORKED HARD TO CREATE SOMETHING FOR WHICH THEY DIDN'T GET MUCH CREDIT.

REALLY DID HELP THE ECONOMY IN THE AREA.

>> A LOT OF THE CHANGE I'VE SEEN HAS BEEN IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF WATERBURY.

A HUGE REVITALIZATION THAT OCCURRED.

SOME OF IT HAS BEEN FOR JOBS.

THEY WERE A SMALL COMPANY HERE.

AND THEY PROBABLY HAD A COUPLE HUNDRED EMPLOYEES AT THE MOST.

>> THAT WAS A REAL TIPPING POINT FOR WATERBURY'S EVENT GROWTH.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF ENERGY CAME AND SAW SOME POSSIBILITIES IN WATERBURY.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE VERMONTERS, MUCH LESS NATIVE WATERBURY FOLKS.

BUT THEY'VE EMBRACED THE SPIRIT OF WHAT THIS COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF VERMONT HAVE.

IT BROUGHT CHANGE.

>> HOW THIS NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE COME IN THERE AND REALLY TIPPED THE WHOLE PLACE ON ITS SIDE OR UPSIDE DOWN, IF YOU WILL.

>> THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.

ON AUGUST 29TH, 2011, TROPICAL STORM IRENE DELIVERED LEVELS OF RAIN NOT SEEN SINCE THE FLOOD OF 1927.

ONCE AGAIN, THE RIVERS OVERFLOWED WITH DEVASTATING AFFECTS ON RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY RALLIED TOGETHER TO COMFORT EACH OTHER AND REBUILD THEIR TOWN.

>> WHAT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE WAS THE FACT THAT DURING 2011 WHEN WE EXPERIENCED IRENE, PEOPLE ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GOT DIRTY AND WENT ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS AND GOT THINGS FIXED.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

AND OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

WE WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES AFFECTED BY THIS.

WE HAD PEOPLE FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES COME HERE AND GET DIRTY WITH US.

AND HELP PUT FAMILIES BACK IN THEIR HOMES.

AND DIDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING BUT A SANDWICH AND A THANK YOU.

AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT TO BE PROUD OF.

>> THE THING ABOUT WATERBURY, WATERBURY DIDN'T SKIP A BEAT FOR LOSING ALL THAT BUSINESS.

AND I KNOW THERE WERE BUSINESSES THAT WERE REALLY ADVERSELY AFFECTED.

AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE LOST BUSINESS AS A RESULT.

FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK THERE WAS A WONDERFUL SPIRIT IN WATERBURY OF COOPERATIVE BETTERMENT.

WE WERE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER.

WE WERE GOING TO BEAT THIS THING AND IT WASN'T GOING TO BEAT US.

IT'S REALLY BEEN REMARKABLE.

AS WE'VE FOUND PUBLIC MONEY TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR PROJECTS, THERE'S BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF RENOVATING BUILDINGS.

THIS REALLY CULMINATED IN THE RECOVERY FROM TROPICAL STORM IRENE.

THAT WAS THE CASE WHERE MANY BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED.

AND WE REALLY WERE AT A CROSS ROADS IN TERMS OF WHETHER THE DOWNTOWN AREA WAS GOING TO SURVIVE OR NOT.

AND THE COMMUNITY REALLY RALLIED AND SUPPORTED EACH OTHER.

AND WERE ABLE TO COME THROUGH THE RECOVERY AND RESTORE THE BUILDINGS, GET BUSINESSES BACK IN SHAPE AND GET THE ECONOMY TO REVIVE.

>> IF EVER THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF A TOWN COALESSING AROUND AN EVENT, IT WAS THAT EVENT.

>> IT MAY NOT BE ALL THAT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES.

TO US, IT'S REAL AND MAKES US WHAT IT IS TODAY.

>> IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF WATERBURY, THERE IS AN ON-GOING THREAD THAT SEEMS TO CONSTANTLY WEAVE ITS WAY INTO THE STORIES SHARED ABOUT THIS LITTLE TOWN.

AND THAT CONSTANT IS COMMUNITY.

REGARDLESS OF GOOD TIMES OR BAD, THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO HELP EACH OTHER.

>> I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW IT'S RECOVERED THROUGH RECESSIONS AND FLOODS AND THINGS.

I THINK IT SHOWS A LOT ABOUT ITS CHARACTER AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.

>> THAT KIND OF SPIRIT, THAT REALLY MADE WATERBURY WHAT IT IS TODAY FROM ALL THOSE WHO REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND LOOKING FOR WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE IT A SAFE AND HEALTHY PLACE HERE.

>> I'VE APPRECIATED THE ABILITY TO STAY HERE AND BE A PART OF ITS GROWTH AND PART OF VIE ABILITY.

AND IT'S KEPT ME CONNECTED TO MY ROOTS, I THINK.

PROBABLY MOST OF ALL, IT'S PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT PLACE FOR MY KIDS TO GROW UP.

IT'S HAD THAT SORT OF HOME TOWN FEELING.

BUT ALSO CLOSE ENOUGH SO THEY COULD EXPERIENCE OTHER THINGS AROUND THEM.

AND NOW MY GRANDCHILDREN.

>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD TO LIVE IN WATERBURY.

>> WATERBURY WAS A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

I CAN'T IMAGINE A BETTER PLACE TO GROW UP.

>> I CAN'T REALLY EVER SEE MYSELF LEAVING WATERBURY.

IT BECOMES PART OF WHO YOU ARE.

>> AND I JUST THINK WATERBURY IS A SPECTACULAR TOWN WITH A WONDERFUL BUNCH OF FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO INVEST THEIR TIME AND >> A TASK TO INTERVIEW DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR LIFE IN WATERBURY.

GET A GOOD VIEWPOINT AND MAKE A DOCUMENTARY.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

>> IT WAS REALLY COOL TO BE A PART OF A VIDEO INSTEAD OF WATCHING MINDLESSLY.

IT WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE A VOICE IN WHAT'S PRESENTED ON VERMONT.

>> IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS I SAID IN ADDITION TO STUDYING VERMONT HISTORY, THIS IS DESIGNED TO MAKE HISTORY.

AND STUDENTS THEMSELVES HAVE MADE HISTORY.

IT'S TO THEM I'VE GIVEN A LOT OF CREDIT TO.

WITHOUT THE STUDENTS, WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THE FILM.

THIS KIND OF LEARNING IS CENTRAL TO THE HIGH IMPACT WE OFFER.

WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS THE WORK OF OUR STUDENTS.

RESEARCHING AND INTERVIEWING LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION EXEMPLIFIES THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES BOTH WITHIN AND BEYOND THE CLASSROOM THAT JFC PROVIDES.

>> AFTER DEVELOPING THE STORY WITH THE STUDENTS, WE HAD TO TRACK DOWN MANY PHOTOGRAPHS.

AND LUCKILY, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MANY INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ALL CONTRIBUTED FOR THIS PROJECT.

>> I NEVER REALLY KNEW HOW MUCH LITTLE DETAILS THERE WERE TO BE AWARE OF.

IT WAS COOL EXPERIENCE.

>> HEARING FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE GROWN UP THERE, IT JUST REALLY BRINGS IT HOME AND MAKES IT HOME FOR ME.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I HOPE IT, LIKE, SHOWS PEOPLE WHO AND WHAT WATERBURY IS.

>> IT JUST GIVES YOU A GREAT FEELING OF VERMONT HISTORY AND THE PEOPLE THAT MADE UP THE HISTORY.

SOMETIMES WE LOSE THAT WITH THE COVERED BRIDGES.

BUT WE DON'T REALLY LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN DEPTH AND LEARN THEIR EVERY-DAY LIVES.

IT'S THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE THAT'S IMPORTANT.

>> VERMONT PBS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FILMMAKERS TO BRING YOU STORIES MADE HERE.