St. Johnsbury, Vermont
Encyclopedia
St. Johnsbury is the shire town (county seat
) of Caledonia County
, Vermont
, United States
. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately 10 miles northwest of the Connecticut River
and 48 miles south of the Canadian
border.
St. Johnsbury is the largest town by population in the Northeast Kingdom
and serves as a commercial center for the area. In 2006, the town was named "Best Small Town" in National Geographic Adventure's "Where to live and play" feature. The more densely-settled southern half of the town is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place
(CDP), where over 83% of the population resides.
and named Bessborough. It was regranted by Vermont in 1786 as Dunmore, and settled the same year. An early settler was Jonathan Arnold
, a member of the Continental Congress
and author of Rhode Island
's act of secession
from the United Kingdom
in May of 1776. Arnold left Rhode Island in 1787 and, with six other families, built homes at what is now the town center.
By 1790, the village had grown to 143 inhabitants, and the first town meeting took place in Arnold's home that year, where the name St. Johnsbury was adopted. According to local lore, Vermont founder Ethan Allen
himself proposed naming the town St. John in honor of his friend Jean de Crèvecœur, a French-born author and agriculturist and a friend of Benjamin Franklin
(he was known in the United States
as J. Hector St. John). According to this account, de Crèvecœur suggested instead the unusual St. Johnsbury to differentiate it from Saint John
, New Brunswick
.
In the mid-19th century, St. Johnsbury became a minor manufacturing center, with the main products being scales — the platform scale
was invented there by Thaddeus Fairbanks
in 1830 — and maple syrup
and related products. With the coming of the railroad line from Boston
to Montreal
in the 1850s, St. Johnsbury grew quickly and was named the shire town (county seat) in 1856, replacing Danville
. The oldest occupied residence in St. Johnsbury was built in 1801 and is located on Clarks Avenue.
The former St. Johnsbury Fairgrounds were located where Interstates 91 and 93 converge, south of the town. The Third Vermont Regiment
drilled there prior to joining the Union Army during the Civil War
.
The first air flight in Vermont occurred at the fair September 24, 1910.
In the 1940s the city contained three major industries. Each was the largest in the world. One was Fairbanks Scales, another was a maple sugar candy company, a third made those old candlestick bowling
[sic] pins. The rest of the economy was mostly rural.
, the town has a total area of 36.85 square miles (95.4 km²), of which 36.72 square miles (95.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (.35%) is water. Situated at the confluence
of the Passumpsic
, Moose and Sleepers rivers, the town lies at the heart of the Passumpsic River basin, one of the largest of the upper Connecticut River
. St. Johnsbury is on the site of the northernmost boundary of Lake Hitchcock
, the post-glacial predecessor to the Connecticut River.
The town includes the unincorporated villages of St. Johnsbury, East St. Johnsbury, Goss Hollow, and St. Johnsbury Center. The town center, which is defined as a census-designated place
(CDP), encompasses the villages of St. Johnsbury and St. Johnsbury Center and covers an area of 13.1 square miles (about 36% of the area of the town).
of 2000, there were 7,571 people, 3,197 households, and 1,917 families residing in the town. The population density
was 206.4 people per square mile (79.7/km2). There were 3,482 housing units at an average density of 94.49/sq mi (36.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.5% White
, 0.5% African American
, 0.7% Native American
, 0.6% Asia
n, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 3,197 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the town the population was spread out with 12.8% under the age of 18, 19.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,269, and the median income for a family was $41,961. Males had a median income of $30,846 versus $22,131 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,807. 14.7% of the population and 12.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 37.8% are under the age of 18 and 11.1% are 65 or older.
(CDP).
As of the census
of 2000, there were 6,319 people, 2,726 households, and 1,561 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 486.8 people per square mile (188.0/km2). There were 2,985 housing units at an average density of 230.0 per square mile (88.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.23% White, 0.47% Black or African American
, 0.74% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races
, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.
There were 2,726 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,702, and the median income for a family was $39,890. Males had a median income of $31,454 versus $21,283 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $16,561. About 12.8% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
located here and in other Northeast Kingdom sites.
community celebration of the arts on New Year's Eve since 1993.
The village contains the only National Historic Landmark
in the county, as well as the only one in the Northeast Kingdom
- The Athenaeum
. The village also contains 12 other places on the list of National Register of Historic Places
, the most in Caledonia county or the NEK:
, a daily newspaper, has been published since 1837. Farming, the Journal of Northeast Agriculture is published locally.
, Interstate 93
, US Route 2, US Route 5 and Vermont Route 2B.
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 Caledonia County
Caledonia County, Vermont
Caledonia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 31,227. Its shire town is St. Johnsbury.The county was given the Latin name for Scotland, in honor of the many settlers who claimed ancestry there....
, 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 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately 10 miles northwest of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
and 48 miles south of the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
border.
St. Johnsbury is the largest town by population in the Northeast Kingdom
Northeast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom is a term used to describe the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties and having a population of 62,438. In Vermont, the written term "NEK" is often used. The term is attributed to the late George D. Aiken, former...
and serves as a commercial center for the area. In 2006, the town was named "Best Small Town" in National Geographic Adventure
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP), where over 83% of the population resides.
History
The town was originally granted in 1760 as part 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...
and named Bessborough. It was regranted by Vermont in 1786 as Dunmore, and settled the same year. An early settler was Jonathan Arnold
Jonathan Arnold
Jonathan Arnold was an American physician and statesman from New England. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Arnold served in the Continental Army as a surgeon, and directed the army hospital at Providence. He represented Rhode Island as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1782 and...
, a member of the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
and author of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
's act of secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in May of 1776. Arnold left Rhode Island in 1787 and, with six other families, built homes at what is now the town center.
By 1790, the village had grown to 143 inhabitants, and the first town meeting took place in Arnold's home that year, where the name St. Johnsbury was adopted. According to local lore, Vermont founder Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...
himself proposed naming the town St. John in honor of his friend Jean de Crèvecœur, a French-born author and agriculturist and a friend of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
(he was known in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as J. Hector St. John). According to this account, de Crèvecœur suggested instead the unusual St. Johnsbury to differentiate it from Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
In the mid-19th century, St. Johnsbury became a minor manufacturing center, with the main products being scales — the platform scale
Fairbanks Scales
Two brothers, Thaddeus and Erastus Fairbanks founded the Fairbanks Scales manufacturing company in 1830 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.Fairbanks employs over 500 employees nationwide. It maintains service centers, distributors and sales offices in 49 states and in over 25 countries...
was invented there by Thaddeus Fairbanks
Thaddeus Fairbanks
Thaddeus Fairbanks was an American inventor. He was an inventor of heating and cook stoves, cast iron plows, and other items. His greatest success was the invention and manufacture of the platform scale, which allowed the weighing of large objects accurately.- Biography :Fairbanks was born in...
in 1830 — and maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species such as the bigleaf maple. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then...
and related products. With the coming of the railroad line from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in the 1850s, St. Johnsbury grew quickly and was named the shire town (county seat) in 1856, replacing Danville
Danville, Vermont
Danville is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. It was named for the 18th-century French cartographer Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville...
. The oldest occupied residence in St. Johnsbury was built in 1801 and is located on Clarks Avenue.
The former St. Johnsbury Fairgrounds were located where Interstates 91 and 93 converge, south of the town. The Third Vermont Regiment
3rd Vermont Infantry
The 3rd Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three-years infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the eastern theater, predominantly in the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, from July 1861 to July 1865...
drilled there prior to joining the Union Army during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The first air flight in Vermont occurred at the fair September 24, 1910.
In the 1940s the city contained three major industries. Each was the largest in the world. One was Fairbanks Scales, another was a maple sugar candy company, a third made those old candlestick bowling
Candlepin bowling
Candlepin bowling is a variation of Bowling that is played primarily in the Canadian Maritime provinces, Ontario, Quebec, and the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where it is more common than ten-pin bowling....
[sic] pins. The rest of the economy was mostly rural.
Geography
St. Johnsbury is located at 44°25′N 72°01′W, elevation 212.4 m (697 ft) . 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 36.85 square miles (95.4 km²), of which 36.72 square miles (95.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (.35%) is water. Situated at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Passumpsic
Passumpsic River
The Passumpsic River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, in Vermont. Though primarily a Caledonia County river, it is the only river to flow through all three counties of the Northeast Kingdom.- Course :...
, Moose and Sleepers rivers, the town lies at the heart of the Passumpsic River basin, one of the largest of the upper Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. St. Johnsbury is on the site of the northernmost boundary of Lake Hitchcock
Lake Hitchcock
Lake Hitchcock was a glacial lake that formed approximately 15,000 years ago in the late Pleistocene epoch. After the Laurentide ice sheet retreated, glacial ice melt accumulated at the terminal moraine and blocked up the Connecticut River, creating the long, narrow lake...
, the post-glacial predecessor to the Connecticut River.
The town includes the unincorporated villages of St. Johnsbury, East St. Johnsbury, Goss Hollow, and St. Johnsbury Center. The town center, which is defined as a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP), encompasses the villages of St. Johnsbury and St. Johnsbury Center and covers an area of 13.1 square miles (about 36% of the area of the town).
Climate
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 7,571 people, 3,197 households, and 1,917 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 206.4 people per square mile (79.7/km2). There were 3,482 housing units at an average density of 94.49/sq mi (36.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.5% White
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, 0.5% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.7% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.6% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 3,197 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% 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, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the town the population was spread out with 12.8% under the age of 18, 19.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,269, and the median income for a family was $41,961. Males had a median income of $30,846 versus $22,131 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 $16,807. 14.7% of the population and 12.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 37.8% are under the age of 18 and 11.1% are 65 or older.
Town center
The U.S. Census Bureau refers to the most developed portion of the town as a census-designated placeCensus-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP).
As of the census
Census
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 6,319 people, 2,726 households, and 1,561 families residing in the CDP. 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 486.8 people per square mile (188.0/km2). There were 2,985 housing units at an average density of 230.0 per square mile (88.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.23% White, 0.47% 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...
, 0.74% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.27% 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 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.
There were 2,726 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,702, and the median income for a family was $39,890. Males had a median income of $31,454 versus $21,283 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 CDP was $16,561. About 12.8% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- St. Johnsbury AcademySt. Johnsbury AcademySt. Johnsbury Academy is an independent, private, coeducational, non-profit boarding and day school located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, USA, enrolling students in grades 9-12. It was founded in 1842 by Thaddeus Fairbanks, and accepts the majority of its students through one of the nation's oldest...
is a private high school founded by the FairbanksErastus FairbanksErastus Fairbanks was an American manufacturer and Whig politician.He studied law but abandoned it for mercantile pursuits, finally settling in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where in 1824 he formed a partnership with his brother Thaddeus for the manufacture of scales, stoves and plows...
family in 1842. While they have the option of attending any approved school, most St. Johnsbury secondary school students choose to be educated at St. Johnsbury Academy at the town's expense. The town of St. Johnsbury does not operate a public school for grades 9-12. Vermont law requires towns not operating schools to pay tuition to other approved schools for students in the grades not provided up to the Average Announced Tuition for union schools
- St. Johnsbury Trade School opened in September 1918, offering the only four year vocational education in the area. The school's founders, FairbanksErastus FairbanksErastus Fairbanks was an American manufacturer and Whig politician.He studied law but abandoned it for mercantile pursuits, finally settling in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where in 1824 he formed a partnership with his brother Thaddeus for the manufacture of scales, stoves and plows...
, Morse and Company, wanted to provide young people with the opportunity to learn a trade while providing them a base for earning more money and high school courses. After serving the community for over 50 years, the Trade School was closed, and the building then became the junior high. In 1981, it became the St. Johnsbury Middle School. After consolidating the local school system the old trade school became the site of the St. Johnsbury School serving students from k-8th grade.
- St. Johnsbury School now serves Pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.
- Good Shepherd School is operated by St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church and serves pre-school through 8th grade.
Government
Fire department
In 2010, the town employed ten firefighters. The department had an annual budget of $945,920. It has had a professional department since about 1910.Social services
Social services are provided in part by the Northeast Kingdom Community ActionNortheast Kingdom Community Action
Northeast Kingdom Community Action or NEKCA is a non-profit 5013 government community agency in the Northeast Kingdom area of the U.S. state of Vermont founded in 1964 to address the needs of disadvantaged residents. It has Executive Offices in the historic US Customs House Building at 70 Main...
located here and in other Northeast Kingdom sites.
Industry
- E.T. & H.K. Ide Company, a grain wholesaler founded in 1813, was the oldest continuously operating business in town when the family sold it in 2003. It is no longer operational
- Fairbanks ScalesFairbanks ScalesTwo brothers, Thaddeus and Erastus Fairbanks founded the Fairbanks Scales manufacturing company in 1830 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.Fairbanks employs over 500 employees nationwide. It maintains service centers, distributors and sales offices in 49 states and in over 25 countries...
, still doing business here after more than 175 years, employs 160 workers. - Maple Grove Farms of Vermont was founded in 1915. It is the largest packer of pure maple syrup in the USA.
Culture
There has been an annual First NightFirst Night
First Night is an artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve, taking place from afternoon until midnight. Some cities have all their events during the celebration outside, but some cities have events that are hosted indoors by organizations in the city, such as churches and theaters...
community celebration of the arts on New Year's Eve since 1993.
The village contains the only National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in the county, as well as the only one in the Northeast Kingdom
Northeast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom is a term used to describe the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties and having a population of 62,438. In Vermont, the written term "NEK" is often used. The term is attributed to the late George D. Aiken, former...
- The Athenaeum
St. Johnsbury Athenaeum
The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, is significant because of its construction, the American landscape paintings and books from its original role as a public library and free art gallery, and funding by Horace Fairbanks, manufacturer of the world's first platform scale. The art...
. The village also contains 12 other places on the list of National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, the most in Caledonia county or the NEK:
- Benoit Apartment House-74 Pearl Street — 74 Pearl St. (added June 6, 1994)
- Benoit Apartment House-76 Pearl Street — 76 Pearl St. (added June 6, 1994)
- Caleb H. Marshall House — 53 Summer St. (added September 16, 1994)
- Cote Apartment House — 16 Elm St. (added June 6, 1994)
- Franklin Fairbanks House — 30 Western Ave. (added October 27, 1980)
- Maple Street-Clarks Avenue Historic District — 17-49 Maple St., 4-34 Clarks Ave., 95-101 Main St., 4 and 6 Frost Ave. and 3 and 5 Idlewood Terr. (added June 5, 1994)
- Morency Paint Shop and Apartment Building — 73-77 Portland St. (added June 5, 1994)
- Railroad Street Historic District — Roughly bounded N and S by Railroad St. and Canadian Pacific RR tracks (added July 25, 1974)
- Shearer and Corser Double House — 81-83 Summer St. (added September 16, 1994)
- St. Johnsbury Federal Fish Culture Station — 374 Emerson Falls Rd. (added April 18, 2005)
- St. Johnsbury Historic District — U.S. 5 and U.S. 2 (added May 17, 1980)
- St. Johnsbury Main Street Historic District — Area along Main St. including intersecting streets (added June 28, 1975)
Media
The Caledonian-RecordCaledonian-Record
The Caledonian-Record is a daily newspaper published in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. It was established in 1837. It employs a staff of 36.-Circulation:...
, a daily newspaper, has been published since 1837. Farming, the Journal of Northeast Agriculture is published locally.
Transportation
The following roads facilitate traffic: Interstate 91Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, Interstate 93
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
, US Route 2, US Route 5 and Vermont Route 2B.
See also
- List of people from St. Johnsbury, Vermont
- Fairbanks Museum & PlanetariumFairbanks Museum and PlanetariumThe Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium is a combination museum and planetarium located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. It was founded in 1889, by Franklin Fairbanks. It is organized into 3 different departments: Natural Science, Historical, Ethnological. In addition, there is also a planetarium and...
- St. Johnsbury AthenaeumSt. Johnsbury AthenaeumThe St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, is significant because of its construction, the American landscape paintings and books from its original role as a public library and free art gallery, and funding by Horace Fairbanks, manufacturer of the world's first platform scale. The art...