Did you know that Town of Brattleboro had the power to "light its highways and bridges and to lay dust on said highways and bridges by sprinkling or otherwise" according to Sec 4, part e of the 1972 Code of Ordinances?
I didn't.
In fact, I'm not sure I know why the Town would want to lay dust on highways or bridges. But they were authorized to do so.
There are interesting bits of information throughout the Code.
Section H describes what Selectmen could do. Number three on the list, obviously important, is "to regulate, restrain, and prohibit the exhibitions, of common show men, circuses, menageries and all shows of every kind not prohibited by law, and all plays, exhibitions or entertainments for money."
They could do the same for "transient auctioneers" (but not farmers selling produce) as well as "unwholesome, noisome and offensive houses." One wonders what methods were used to determine an unwholesome house.
The Selectboard could "regulate and prohibit the moving of buildings in the streets or highways of the town." Maybe the highway dust came from all the buildings moving about?
They could "restrain and punish vagrants," and establish rules, regulations and bylaws for "the government of persons committed to any poorhouse established and maintained by said town." Did Brattleboro have a poorhouse?
Brattleboro is filled with interesting history. Stop by the Library, Historical Society, or the Municipal Center to find out more about how the town has evolved.