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History · Sutton

Sutton dates to 1782, and 26% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1939 on and the census since 1800.

1782founded
0on the National Register
26%homes built before 1940
6famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Sutton began

When was Sutton founded?

1782

Sutton dates its founding to 1782 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1800.

First census: 144 in 18002020 census: 913244 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1811.The full story ↓

What stands out about Sutton’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Sutton are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1840 and 1970, then more than doubled.Deep rootsEstablished in 1782: 244 years of Sutton.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Sutton’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Sutton’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Sutton, census by census

02004006008001,000180018501900195020001,068 in 1840Low: 438

Lost half of its people between 1840 and 1970, then more than doubled.

23 censuses, 1800–2020.

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

Timeline

Sutton, 1782 to 1939

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1782
    FoundingSutton is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1808Born hereThomas Bartlett, Jr. is born here
  5. 1811Post officeThe Sutton post office opens
  6. 1823Born hereHenry Oscar Houghton is born here
  7. 1837Born hereJames Monroe Ingalls is born here
  8. 1840CensusPopulation peaks at 1,068
  9. 1858Born hereFred Mann is born here
  10. 20th century
  11. 1939On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
The story

How Sutton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Sutton.

Read it all →

Sutton was chartered on February 26, 1782, by the Vermont Legislature. Chartered as Billymead to Dr. Jonathan Arnold of Rhode Island and associates, and named for Arnold's younger son, William. By 1810, townsfolk had had enough of Billy and his name due to his bullying and drunken behavior, and at a town meeting they voted overwhelmingly to change the name to Sutton.

Villages and hamlets in Sutton include Sutton, Sutton Depot, and Summit Siding. The population at the 2010 US Census was 1,029.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Sutton, decade by decade

Today4 recent
Sutton VT 5-15-262026Sutton VT 5-15-26Sutton VT 9-21-252025Sutton VT 9-21-25DSC 51172007DSC 5117Sutton vt highlight2004Sutton vt highlight
On the map

Sutton on the map, 1939 to 1986

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

Sutton on the 1939 USGS mapSutton on the 1951 USGS mapSutton on the 1986 USGS map1939Lyndonville 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 Sutton.

Famous people

6 famous people were born in Sutton

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

See all →
Thomas Bartlett, Jr.American politician 1808-1876 · b. 1808
Fred MannMajor League Baseball player · b. 1858
Henry Oscar HoughtonAmerican printer and publisher, briefly mayor o… · b. 1823
J
James Monroe IngallsUnion Army soldier · b. 1837
Ozro W. ChildsAmerican horticulturist, banker and politician · b. 1824
J
Jonathan J. WoodmanAmerican politician · b. 1825
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Sutton’s post office has been open since 1811.

Hamlets and corners on the map
PerrySummitSunmit
4cemeteries and burying grounds inside Sutton
East RidgeNorth RidgeSouth RidgeSutton Village

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Burke3 historic placesABarton3 historic placesANewarkIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWheelock1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSheffieldIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWestmoreIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLyndon10 historic placesA−

Questions about Sutton’s history

What year was Sutton founded?

In 1782, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Sutton’s post office opened in 1811, and the census of 1800 counted 144 people here.

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.