Editing Ryegate, Vermont (section)

==History==
[[Image:View of South Ryegate, VT.jpg|thumb|left|South Ryegate in 1909]]

One of the [[New Hampshire Grants]], it was chartered by Governor [[Benning Wentworth]] on September 8, 1763. Granted to Richard Jenness and 93 others, it was named Ryegate, a variant spelling of [[Reigate]] in [[Surrey]], England. The first settlers were Aaron Hosmer and his family. Sold to [[John Witherspoon]] and others, the southern half of town was  purchased in 1773 by two agents for the Scotch American Company of Farmers from [[Renfrew]] and [[Lanark]], [[Scotland]], whose members began settlement in 1774.

The town had excellent soil for the [[Tillage|cultivation]] of [[grain]]s, [[vegetable]]s and [[orchard]]s. Streams teemed with [[salmon]] and [[trout]]. Hills and valleys provided [[pasturage]] for grazing [[sheep]] and [[cattle]]. Connected in 1847 to the Connecticut & Passumpsic Rivers Railroad, the town by 1859 was noted for producing [[butter]] and [[leather]]. The [[Wells River (Vermont)|Wells River]] supplied [[water power]] for one [[gristmill]] and five [[sawmill]]s. In 1873, the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad was completed. In 1890, a big [[brickmaking|brickyard]] opened; then in 1906, the Ryegate Paper Company began operation. But the town's dominant industry was six [[granite]] [[quarry|quarries]] at Blue Mountain.