The cultural landscape of Williston is filled with clues that give insight into the Town's human history. Archeological surveys found evidence of human inhabitation dating to approximately 11,000 years ago, about 2,000 years after the retreat of the Laurentian Ice Sheet. Many of the Town's present-day roads were the major travel routes used by the Abenaki or "people of the dawn," prior to European settlement. Old stonewalls and barns provide a record of economic development since the mid 1700s. The Taft Corners shopping area is located at a historic crossroads where travelers in mid 1800s came to carouse at one of several saloons. Contemporary Williston is in a time of transition. It strives to balance its current sub-urban development with its rural character. A closer look at Williston's cultural landscape features reveals many interesting connections between human history and the Town's physical and ecological landscapes.