Dorset, Vermont
Bennington county. This town was first settled in 1768, and organized the following year. Paulet and Battenkill rivers rise in this town, and, with the waters of Otter creek, which passes the northern part, afford some mill privileges, which are used for manufacturing purposes. There are two mountains partly in this town, the Dorset and Equinox. There is a cavern in the south part of the town of some note. [The Mount Aeolus Cave.] It is entered by an aperture nearly 10 feet square, "which opens into a spacious room nine rods in length and four wide. At the further end of this apartment are two openings which are about 30 feet apart. The one on the right is three feet from the floor and is about 20 inches by six feet in length. It leads to an apartment 20 feet long, 12 wide and 12 high. From this room there is an opening sufficient to admit a man to pass through sideways about 20 feet, when it opens into a large hall 80 feet long and 30 wide. The other aperture from the first room is about as large as a common door, and leads to an apartment 12 feet square, out of which is a passage to another considerable room, in which is a spring of water. This cavern is said to have been explored 40 or 50 rods without arriving at the end." Dorset lies 26 miles N. from Burlington and 91 S.S.W. from Montpelier. Population, 1830, 1,507.
