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AHistory
History · Castleton

Castleton dates to 1761, and 17% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #33 of 71 in Vermont. What drives it

4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 87 buildings. Below: 27 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1790.

1761founded
4on the National Register
17%homes built before 1940
27old photos & papers
7famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Castleton’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Castleton began

When was Castleton founded?

1761

Castleton dates its founding to 1761 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 800 in 17902020 census: 4,458265 years

How historic is Castleton?

A

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1805.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Castleton’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Castleton is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #33 of 71 in Vermont. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Castleton’s overall grade.
Founding era1761, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194017.4% of homes (±6.8) · typical VT town 22.4% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register4 listings, 90 historic buildings, 202 per 10,000 residents · typical VT town 147 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 92%
NewerOlder
Vermont towns of 2,500+ (71)Ahead of 54%

Vermont towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Vermont town has 147 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Castleton’s 202 sits above most of its state (69% of Vermont towns have fewer) while its 90 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.8 points). Two sources give 1761.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Castleton’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A town in old photos27 old photos, postcards and papers, 1898–1941.Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1870 and 1940, then more than doubled.A historic districtThe Castleton Village Historic District takes in 87 historic buildings.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Castleton, and 10 old place names are still on the map.
★ What stands out · By decade

Castleton, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1890s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1890s–1900s5 items
Castleton Library ca1897 Vermont 11898Castleton Library ca1897 Vermont 1Castleton Library ca1897 Vermont 21898Castleton Library ca1897 Vermont 2Prospect House, Lake Bomoseen, Vt1900Prospect House, Lake Bomoseen, VtA Bit of shore, Bomoseen, Vt1905A Bit of shore, Bomoseen, VtProspect House and Lake Bomoseen, Vt1905Prospect House and Lake Bomoseen, Vt
1910s–1930snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
1940s22 items
A slate quarry near Castleton, Vermont, by Jack Delano, United States Office of War Information, August 1941, from the …1941A slate quarry near Castleton, Vermont, by Jack Delan…A slate quarry near Castleton, Vermont1941A slate quarry near Castleton, VermontWife of a dairy farmer near Castleton, Vermont1941Wife of a dairy farmer near Castleton, VermontTumbles of hay on a farm near Castleton, Vermont1941Tumbles of hay on a farm near Castleton, VermontDairy farmer's children on a hay stack near Castleton, Vermont1941Dairy farmer's children on a hay stack near Castleton…Mrs. Eliot H. Miller, FSA (Farm Security Administration) client. Castleton, Vermont1941Mrs. Eliot H. Miller, FSA (Farm Security Administrati…Using a drop rake on a dairy farm near Castleton, Vermont1941Using a drop rake on a dairy farm near Castleton, Ver…Untitled photo, possibly related to: A slate quarry near Castleton, Vermont1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: A slate quarry n…Mr. Ray Lyman FSA (Farm Security Administration) dairy farmer near Castleton, Vermont1941Mr. Ray Lyman FSA (Farm Security Administration) dair…Loading hay with a hay loader on a farm near Castleton, Vermont1941Loading hay with a hay loader on a farm near Castleto…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Wife of a dairy farmer near Castleton, Vermont1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Wife of a dairy …Untitled photo, possibly related to: Wife of a dairy farmer near Castleton, Vermont1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Wife of a dairy …Mr. Eliot H. Miller, FSA (Farm Security Administration) dairy farmer at Castleton, Vermont1941Mr. Eliot H. Miller, FSA (Farm Security Administratio…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Tumbles of hay on a farm near Castleton, Vermont1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Tumbles of hay o…The children of Mr. Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Security Administration) dairy farmer near Castleton, Vermont1941The children of Mr. Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Security Adm…Two children of Mr. Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Security Administration) dairy farmer near Castleton, Vermont1941Two children of Mr. Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Security Adm…Mr. Eliot H. Miller and his wife, FSA (Farm Security Administration) clients at Castleton, Vermont1941Mr. Eliot H. Miller and his wife, FSA (Farm Security …Having dinner at the home of Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Security Administration) client near Castleton, Vermont1941Having dinner at the home of Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Sec…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Mr. Eliot H. Miller and his wife, FSA (Farm Security Administration) clients at Ca…1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Mr. Eliot H. Mil…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Mr. Eliot H. Miller and his wife, FSA (Farm Security Administration) clients at Ca…1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Mr. Eliot H. Mil…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Mr. Eliot H. Miller and his wife, FSA (Farm Security Administration) clients at Ca…1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Mr. Eliot H. Mil…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Having dinner at the home of Ray Lyman, FSA (Farm Security Administration) client …1941Untitled photo, possibly related to: Having dinner at…
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today2 recent
Castleton Normal School2007Castleton Normal SchoolLong Vermont Roads - Flickr - striatic2006Long Vermont Roads - Flickr - striatic
People over time

Castleton, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,000180018501900195020003,243 in 1870Low: 1,601

Lost half of its people between 1870 and 1940, then more than doubled.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Castleton’s Wikipedia page.

On the National Register

4 listings protect 90 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
4
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
90
each building in a district counts
first listed
1971
Castleton Medical College Building
Castleton Medical College BuildingHydeville School, built 1898Castleton Village Historic DistrictJustsuitsus
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Vernacular1
Colonial Revival1
Federal1
Greek Revival1
Italianate1
Queen Anne1
Castleton Medical College BuildingBuilding
Hydeville SchoolVernacular · Built 1898
All 4 listings
Castleton Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979JustsuitsusBuilding · listed 2026

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Castleton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Castleton.

Read it all →

Castleton was settled in 1770 and chartered in 1761. The charter for 36 square miles (93 km2) of land was granted by Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire and divided the land into 70 "rights" or "shares". Governor Wentworth retained ownership of two shares, and several others were given for churches and a school.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Castleton, 1882–1886

Passages that mention Castleton, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Lawful money, to defray the expense that has' already arisen, or that shall arise, in laying out the Township of Castleton, and in cutting a ro'id through the woods from Wood- (. 'reek to Castleton, and other incidental charges that may arise."
The history of Rutland county, Vermont1882Read the page →
Read the text

Lawful money, to defray the expense that has' already arisen, or that shall arise, in laying out the Township of Castleton, and in cutting a ro'id through the woods from Wood- (. 'reek to Castleton, and other incidental charges that may arise."

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1769 Colonel Bird, according to probable inference, returned to Castleton and built the house which he afterwards occupied, on the bank of Castleton River, near its junction with the old turnpike. The last proprietors' meeting held in Salisbury, on the 27th of February, 1770, was "adjourned to b…
History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1886 · page 517Read the page →
Read the text

In 1769 Colonel Bird, according to probable inference, returned to Castleton and built the house which he afterwards occupied, on the bank of Castleton River, near its junction with the old turnpike. The last proprietors' meeting held in Salisbury, on the 27th of February, 1770, was "adjourned to be held at the house of Colonel Amos Bird, in Castleton, the 27th day of May next, at two o'clock, p. m." Colonels Bird and Lee were both present at this meeting and assisted in making arrangements for the settlement of their town in the following spring. In pursuance of these arrangements, Ephraim Buel, Eben-

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
This little community soon assumed an organized form, and began improving their environments, clearing forests, cultivating fields, building bridges, opening roads, etc. A road from the west line of Ira to the town of Fairhaven was surveyed in 1772, following the course of Castleton River, which pa…
History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1886 · page 518Read the page →
Read the text

This little community soon assumed an organized form, and began improving their environments, clearing forests, cultivating fields, building bridges, opening roads, etc. A road from the west line of Ira to the town of Fairhaven was surveyed in 1772, following the course of Castleton River, which passes southerly from its source in Pittsford, receives a tributary in West Rutland, and flowing westerly, divides Castleton into two nearly equal parts. The western part of this road was afterward changed so as to run from Castleton Corners to Hydeville. A north and south road from Hubbardton to East Poult-

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Castleton, 1761 to 2010

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1761
    FoundingCastleton is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1805Post officeThe Castleton post office opens
  5. 1808Born hereDavid Swinson Maynard is born here
  6. 1813Born hereAlexander W. Buel is born here
  7. 1831Born hereHenry C. Hodges is born here
  8. 1843Born hereEdwin T. Woodward is born here
  9. 1846Post officeThe Hydeville post office opens
  10. 1854Post officeThe West Castleton post office opens
  11. 1895On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 1898BuiltHydeville School is built
  13. 1898In the archiveCastleton Library ca1897 Vermont 1
  14. 20th century
  15. 1900In the archiveProspect House, Lake Bomoseen, Vt
  16. 1907Post officeThe West Castleton post office closes
  17. 1941In the archiveA slate quarry near Castleton, Vermont, by Jack Delano, United States Office of War Infor…
  18. 21st century
  19. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 4,717
On the map

Castleton on the map, 1895 to 1972

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Castleton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Castleton on the 1895 USGS mapCastleton on the 1964 USGS mapCastleton on the 1972 USGS map1895Castleton sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Castleton.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Castleton Library ca1897 Vermont 1
Retake this viewCastleton Library ca1897 Vermont 1, 1898

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Castleton’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

7 famous people were born in Castleton

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
David Swinson MaynardAmerican pioneer and doctor · b. 1808
Alexander W. BuelAmerican politician · b. 1813
Edwin T. WoodwardUnited States Navy officer · b. 1843
Henry C. HodgesU.S. Army Quartermaster · b. 1831
Jeanne C. Smith CarrAmerican correspondent, educator, landscape des… · b. 1825
J
J. M. AdamsMember of the Wisconsin State Assembly · b. 1834
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Castleton’s post office has been open since 1805. Another post office, West Castleton, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Castleton
1805–today
Hydeville
1846–today
West Castleton
1854–1907
Boomoseen
1890–today
18001910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Avalon BeachBlissvilleBomoseenCastleton CornersCrystal BeachHydevilleNeshobe BeachPoint of PinesRansomvaleWest Castleton
Gone or out of use
Hydeville SchoolschoolRutland County Grammar Schoolschool
6cemeteries and burying grounds inside Castleton
BlissvilleCrystal Beach - Town FarmGatesHillsideLincolnOld

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Castleton’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewCastleton Library ca1897 Vermont 1: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Poultney5 historic placesA+IraIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFair Haven2 historic placesAHubbardton1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBenson2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Castleton’s history

What year was Castleton founded?

In 1761, according to Wikidata. Castleton’s post office opened in 1805, and the first U.S. census counted 800 people here in 1790.

How does Castleton rank for history?

Castleton is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #33 of 71 in Vermont. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Castleton?

4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Castleton Medical College Building (listed 1971, the first), and 1 historic district, the Castleton Village Historic District, with 87 contributing buildings. 90 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Castleton?

17% of Castleton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.8 points), against a typical 22% for a Vermont town; the median home was built in 1974.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (5), the Library of Congress (24), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.