In Essex and Essex Junction, readers will learn that early settlers
tapped the waterpower at Hubbel's Falls and tilled the fertile land of
Essex town in western Vermont. The advent of the railroad brought
prosperity in the mid-1800s and a name change for the village of Essex
Junction. Fort Ethan Allen further boosted the area's prominence and
increased activity in the town. When IBM came to Essex, the area
experienced the rapid growth and resulting challenges similar to that
felt throughout much of Vermont. Today the town of Essex and the village
of Essex Junction are vibrant communities with fascinating histories.