Newfane, Vermont
Encyclopedia
Newfane is the shire town (county seat
) of Windham County
, Vermont
, United States
. The population was 1,680 at the 2000 census. The town includes the villages of Newfane
and Williamsville
.
, it was chartered on June 19, 1753 by Governor Benning Wentworth
, who named it Fane after John Fane
, the 7th Earl of Westmorland
. But hostilities during the French and Indian War
prevented its settlement. Because a first town meeting was not held within the required five years, the charter was deemed null and void. So Wentworth issued an entirely new charter on November 3, 1761 as New Fane. The town was settled in 1766 by families from Worcester County
, Massachusetts
. Atop Newfane Hill, they built a village, including the county buildings. Because of winter travel difficulties, however, it was relocated to the flatland below, formerly called Fayetteville after the Marquis de Lafayette.
The town has a diversified terrain
, with both high hills and deep valleys. Farmer
s found good soil
for cultivation
on the intervales, and for grazing
livestock
on the uplands. Various streams provided water power for mills
, and by 1859 industries included manufacturers of both leather and linseed oil
, two flour mills, two lumber
mills, and a large carriage
factory. As a result, Newfane became prosperous during the 19th-century, when it built the Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian
architecture
that today makes it a favorite tourist destination
.
In 2006, Newfane became one of the first American towns to have its citizens pass a resolution endorsing the impeachment
of President George W. Bush
.
, the town has a total area of 40.4 square miles (104.6 km2), of which 40.2 square miles (104.2 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.4 km2) (0.35%) is water. The West
and Rock
rivers flow through the town.
Newfane is crossed by Vermont Route 30
.
of 2000, there were 1,680 people, 693 households, and 464 families residing in the town. The population density
was 41.7 people per square mile (16.1/km2). There were 977 housing units at an average density of 24.3 per square mile (9.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.10% White, 0.18% Black or African American
, 0.30% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.
There were 693 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,735, and the median income for a family was $51,328. Males had a median income of $33,882 versus $27,426 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,215. About 4.7% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
) of Windham County
Windham County, Vermont
Windham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 44,513. Its shire town is Newfane.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,680 at the 2000 census. The town includes the villages of Newfane
Newfane (village), Vermont
Newfane is an incorporated village in the town of Newfane in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 116 at the 2000 census....
and Williamsville
Williamsville, Vermont
Williamsville is an unincorporated community in the town of Newfane in Windham County, Vermont, United States. Baker Brook River passes through the community, which lies in the Green Mountains. Williamsville has its own Volunteer Fire Department, Post Office, and General Store....
.
History
One of the New Hampshire grantsNew Hampshire Grants
The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 , were made on land claimed by New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, territory that was also...
, it was chartered on June 19, 1753 by Governor Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
, who named it Fane after John Fane
John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmorland
John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmorland was an English nobleman, styled The Honourable John Fane from 1691 to 1736....
, the 7th Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The title was first created in 1397 for Ralph Neville. It was forfeited in 1571 by Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland for leading the Rising of the North. It was revived in 1624 in favour of Sir Francis...
. But hostilities during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
prevented its settlement. Because a first town meeting was not held within the required five years, the charter was deemed null and void. So Wentworth issued an entirely new charter on November 3, 1761 as New Fane. The town was settled in 1766 by families from Worcester County
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Atop Newfane Hill, they built a village, including the county buildings. Because of winter travel difficulties, however, it was relocated to the flatland below, formerly called Fayetteville after the Marquis de Lafayette.
The town has a diversified terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
, with both high hills and deep valleys. Farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s found good soil
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
for cultivation
Tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shovelling, picking, mattock work, hoeing, and raking...
on the intervales, and for grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
on the uplands. Various streams provided water power for mills
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
, and by 1859 industries included manufacturers of both leather and linseed oil
Linseed oil
Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant . The oil is obtained by cold pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction...
, two flour mills, two lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
mills, and a large carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
factory. As a result, Newfane became prosperous during the 19th-century, when it built the Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
that today makes it a favorite tourist destination
Tourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
.
In 2006, Newfane became one of the first American towns to have its citizens pass a resolution endorsing the impeachment
Movement to impeach George W. Bush
During the presidency of George W. Bush, several American politicians sought to either investigate Bush for allegedly impeachable offenses, or to bring actual impeachment charges on the floor of the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee...
of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 40.4 square miles (104.6 km2), of which 40.2 square miles (104.2 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.4 km2) (0.35%) is water. The West
West River (Vermont)
The West River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, about long, in southern Vermont in the United States. According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as "Wantastiquet" and as "Waters of the Lonely Way"...
and Rock
Rock River (West River)
The Rock River is a tributary of the West River in southern Vermont in the United States. Via the West River, it is part of the watershed of the Connecticut River....
rivers flow through the town.
Newfane is crossed by Vermont Route 30
Vermont Route 30
Vermont Route 30 is a north–south state highway in Vermont, United States. Considered one of Vermont's most scenic roadways, it runs from Brattleboro, Vermont in the south to Middlebury, Vermont in the north...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,680 people, 693 households, and 464 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 41.7 people per square mile (16.1/km2). There were 977 housing units at an average density of 24.3 per square mile (9.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.10% White, 0.18% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.30% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.
There were 693 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,735, and the median income for a family was $51,328. Males had a median income of $33,882 versus $27,426 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $22,215. About 4.7% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Site of interest
Notable people
- Harrison G. O. BlakeHarrison G. O. BlakeHarrison Gray Otis Blake was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.Born in Newfane, Vermont, Blake moved to Salem, New York, and in 1830 to Guilford, Ohio.He attended the public schools....
, congressman. - Asa Belknap FosterAsa Belknap FosterAsa Belknap Foster was a Quebec businessman and political figure. He represented Bedford division in the Senate of Canada from 1867 to 1874 as a Conservative member....
, businessman and politician. - John Kenneth GalbraithJohn Kenneth GalbraithJohn Kenneth "Ken" Galbraith , OC was a Canadian-American economist. He was a Keynesian and an institutionalist, a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism...
, economist. - Paul Holland KnowltonPaul Holland KnowltonPaul Holland Knowlton was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada and Canada East.He was born in Newfane, Vermont in 1787 and came to Lower Canada in 1798 with his family. After his mother died two years later, he went back to Newfane to live with his grandparents and complete his...
, businessman and politician. - John H. MerrifieldJohn H. MerrifieldJohn H. Merrifield was a Vermont politician. Merrifield was a Republican.Merrifield was born in Newfane, Vermont on June 12, 1847...
, politician. - Archer MayorArcher MayorArcher Mayor is the author of the Joe Gunther detective series. Archer is a Yale graduate and lives in Newfane, Vermont, USA.Before turning to popular fiction, Mayor held several jobs, both in the US and in France, working as an editor, researcher for Time–Life books, photography and journalist...
, author of mystery novels. - Eugene FieldEugene FieldEugene Field, Sr. was an American writer, best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays.-Biography:...
, poet, author, and journalist, once lived with his grandmother in Newfane. - Henriette MantelHenriette MantelHenriette Mantel is an Emmy Award-winning American writer, actress, producer, director, and stand-up comic from Vermont.She was born and raised in Newfane, Vermont on her family's farm....
, Emmy Award winning writer, actress, producer, director, and stand-up comic.