Editing Westmore, Vermont (section)

==History==

Originally named Westford, the town was chartered on August 17, 1781. Since [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden County]] had a town named [[Westford, Vermont|Westford]], in 1787 the name was changed to Westmore.

The first vacation house was built on the lake in 1860. It is known as the Cheney House, named after an owner in the late 19th century.<ref name="c090917">{{cite book | author = Gresser, Joseph |title = Cheney House for sale to highest bidder | publisher = the Chronicle | date = September 17, 2008}}</ref>

Westmore never attracted many settlers. The town's peak population was in the census year of 1880 with 485 people.

Before he became famous, [[Robert Frost]] camped here in the summer of 1909 with his family.<ref>{{cite news | title=Celebrating Robert Frost | work=The Old Stone House Bulletin | publisher=Orleans County Historical Society | location=Brownington, Vermont| pages= 1 | date=Spring 2009 }}</ref>

Songadeewin Camp for girls was located here from 1921–1975.<ref>Not to be confused with a camp of the same name operating on Lake Dunmore starting in 1999. Songadeewin on Lake Willoughby was run by the Keewaydin Camps LTD conglomerate, Songadeewin on Lake Dunmore is run by the Keewaydin Foundation.</ref>

Electricity became available at the south end of the lake, from West Burke, {{circa|1934}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Eleanor Badenberger |last=Rybecky |date=August 2008 |title=Pisgah Lodge at Willoughby Lake |journal=Vermont's Northland Journal |volume=7 |issue=5 |pages=6 }}</ref>

In 1970, the state of Vermont acquired {{convert|7600|acre}} as part of Willoughby State Forest, which included the Cheney House.<ref name="c090917"/>

Nudity is legal throughout Vermont,<ref>though public disrobing is not</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2006/08/23/law_of_nature_prevails_in_vermont | work=The Boston Globe | first=Brian | last=MacQuarrie | title=Law of nature prevails in Vermont | date=August 23, 2006}}</ref> though in 2007–2008, the town discussed whether to ban nudity, aimed at sunbathers on the south beach of Lake Willoughby.<ref>[http://news.aol.com/story/_a/vermont-nude-beach-sparks-controversy/20080617063209990001 aol news] retrieved June 17, 2008</ref>

Having closely approximated the state's voting percentages for governor, in 2006, and president in 2004, Westmore was considered one of six "bellwether" towns for the 2008 general election.<ref>{{cite book | author = Remsen, Nancy |title = Towns to watch | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = November 2, 2008}}</ref>