Thetford, Vermont
Encyclopedia
Thetford is a town in Orange County, Vermont
, United States
in the Connecticut River Valley. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. Villages within the town include East Thetford, North Thetford, Thetford Hill, Thetford Center, Rices Mills and Post Mills. The town office is in Thetford Center. .
Thetford is home to Thetford Academy
, Vermont's oldest secondary school. Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, formerly Swift Water Girl Scout Council, also has a summer residential camp here called Camp Farnsworth. Camp Farnsworth originally started under private ownership by Chelebe and Madama Farnsworth in 1909 when it was called Camp Hanoum.
which King George III of England
issued to Governor Benning Wentworth
of New Hampshire
. Wentworth named it for Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, 4th Earl of Arlington and 4th Viscount Thetford, who in 1768 became prime minister
. It was first settled in 1764 by John Chamberlin, who lived at East Thetford beside the Connecticut River
. He was an agent for one of 62 proprietors (51 from Hebron, Connecticut
).
In 1974, Thetford became the first U.S. municipality to call for the impeachment
of President Richard M. Nixon
.
, the town has a total area of 44.2 square miles (114.4 km2), of which 43.6 square miles (112.8 km2) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.6 km2) (1.36%) is water. It is bordered on the east by the Connecticut River
, and the Ompompanoosuc River
flows through the town.
Interstate Highway 91
traverses it.
of 2000, there were 2,617 people, 1,032 households and 730 families residing in the town. The population density
was 60.1 people per square mile (23.2/km2). There were 1,193 housing units at an average density of 27.4 per square mile (10.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.44% White, 0.46% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.19% from other races
, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 1,032 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,333, and the median income for a family was $55,323. Males had a median income of $35,121 versus $29,839 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,870. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
, an independent secondary school, in lieu of a public high school. Thetford is also home to Open Fields School, a private elementary and middle school.
The Thetford Public Library has two branches: the main office in Thetford Hill, and a branch in Post Mills, communities within Thetford.
The Thetford Historical Society is in the same building in Thetford Hill as the main library branch. Additional material is located in a barn nearby, which is open once a year.
Parish Players community theater operates in the historic grange hall in Thetford Hill.
Gove Hill Retreat, a nonprofit Christian Retreat center, was founded in 1966 on Gove Hill Road in Thetford Center, VT. Gove Hill Retreat supplies hospitality to religious, educational and other non-profit organizations.The manor house was originally built for the lawyer Origen Seymour of the Elizabeth Copper mine. The retreat sits on property originally owned by John Gove, the first farmer and name sake of Gove Hill.
The Post Mills Church
and the Vermontasaurus
are cultural attractions in Post Mills.
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...
in the Connecticut River Valley. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. Villages within the town include East Thetford, North Thetford, Thetford Hill, Thetford Center, Rices Mills and Post Mills. The town office is in Thetford Center. .
Thetford is home to Thetford Academy
Thetford Academy
Thetford Academy is a historic independent school in Thetford, Vermont. It is the state's oldest secondary school.The co-educational school was founded in February 1819 by local citizens and was granted a charter by the legislature in October of the that same year...
, Vermont's oldest secondary school. Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, formerly Swift Water Girl Scout Council, also has a summer residential camp here called Camp Farnsworth. Camp Farnsworth originally started under private ownership by Chelebe and Madama Farnsworth in 1909 when it was called Camp Hanoum.
History
The town was created on August 12, 1761 by way of a royal charterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
which King George III of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
issued to 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...
of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Wentworth named it for Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, 4th Earl of Arlington and 4th Viscount Thetford, who in 1768 became prime minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. It was first settled in 1764 by John Chamberlin, who lived at East Thetford beside 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...
. He was an agent for one of 62 proprietors (51 from Hebron, Connecticut
Hebron, Connecticut
Hebron is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,610 at the 2000 census. Hebron was incorporated May 26, 1708....
).
In 1974, Thetford became the first U.S. municipality to call for the impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
of President Richard M. Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
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 44.2 square miles (114.4 km2), of which 43.6 square miles (112.8 km2) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.6 km2) (1.36%) is water. It is bordered on the east by 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 the Ompompanoosuc River
Ompompanoosuc River
The Ompompanoosuc River is a river, about 25 mi long, in eastern Vermont in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound...
flows through the town.
Interstate Highway 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...
traverses it.
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 2,617 people, 1,032 households and 730 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 60.1 people per square mile (23.2/km2). There were 1,193 housing units at an average density of 27.4 per square mile (10.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.44% White, 0.46% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.19% 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 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 1,032 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,333, and the median income for a family was $55,323. Males had a median income of $35,121 versus $29,839 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 $22,870. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Educational and cultural institutions
Thetford Elementary School in Thetford Hill serves town resident students from Kindergarten through 6th grade. The town then sends its middle and high school students primarily to Thetford AcademyThetford Academy
Thetford Academy is a historic independent school in Thetford, Vermont. It is the state's oldest secondary school.The co-educational school was founded in February 1819 by local citizens and was granted a charter by the legislature in October of the that same year...
, an independent secondary school, in lieu of a public high school. Thetford is also home to Open Fields School, a private elementary and middle school.
The Thetford Public Library has two branches: the main office in Thetford Hill, and a branch in Post Mills, communities within Thetford.
The Thetford Historical Society is in the same building in Thetford Hill as the main library branch. Additional material is located in a barn nearby, which is open once a year.
Parish Players community theater operates in the historic grange hall in Thetford Hill.
Gove Hill Retreat, a nonprofit Christian Retreat center, was founded in 1966 on Gove Hill Road in Thetford Center, VT. Gove Hill Retreat supplies hospitality to religious, educational and other non-profit organizations.The manor house was originally built for the lawyer Origen Seymour of the Elizabeth Copper mine. The retreat sits on property originally owned by John Gove, the first farmer and name sake of Gove Hill.
The Post Mills Church
Post Mills Church
Post Mills Church is a historic church on VT 244 east of the junction with VT 113 in Thetford, Vermont.It was built in 1818 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992....
and the Vermontasaurus
Vermontasaurus
Vermontasaurus is a , folk art representation of a dinosaur at the Post Mills Airport in the town of Thetford, Vermont. It is the creation of retired teacher and experimental balloon pilot, Brian Boland, together with a crew of volunteers, who used scrap lumber obtained from a collapsed portion of...
are cultural attractions in Post Mills.
Notable people
- William ClossonWilliam ClossonWilliam Baxter Palmer Closson is an American artist born in Thetford, Vermont. As a young adult, he was educated at Thetford Academy before graduating and working as a clerk in a railroad office....
, artist. - John EatonJohn Eaton (General)For other people named John Eaton, see John Eaton .John Eaton, Jr. was a U.S. Commissioner of Education and a brevet brigadier general during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, brigadier general. - Anne LindberghAnne LindberghAnne Spencer Lindbergh , daughter of aviators/authors Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was an American author, primarily of children's literature...
, author and daughter of Charles LindberghCharles LindberghCharles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
and Anne Morrow LindberghAnne Morrow LindberghAnne Morrow Lindbergh was an American author, aviator, and the spouse of fellow aviator Charles Lindbergh.She was an acclaimed author whose books and articles spanned the genres of poetry to non-fiction, touching upon topics as diverse as youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and...
. - Gustavus LoomisGustavus LoomisGustavus Loomis was an United States Army officer who served during the War of 1812, Seminole Wars and the American Civil War. He was the oldest soldier to serve in the Civil War.-Biography:...
, brigadier general. - Harvey NewcombHarvey NewcombHarvey Newcomb was an American clergyman and writer.He was born in Thetford, Vermont. He removed to western New York in 1818, engaged in teaching for eight years, and from 1826 till 1831 edited several journals, of which the last was the Christian Herald.For the ten following years he was engaged...
, clergyman and writer. - Grace PaleyGrace PaleyGrace Paley was an American-Jewish short story writer, poet, and political activist.-Biography:Grace Paley was born in the Bronx to Isaac and Manya Ridnyik Goodside, who anglicized the family name from Gutseit on immigrating from Ukraine. Her father was a doctor. The family spoke Russian and...
, National Book Award winning fiction writer and poet. - Noel PerrinNoel PerrinNoel Perrin was an American essayist and a professor at Dartmouth College.-Early years:Perrin was born on September 18, 1927 in New York City and grew up in Pelham Manor, New York His parents both worked as advertising copywriters at the J. Walter Thompson Agency...
, essayist. - Annie Proulx, author.
- James S. ShapiroJames S. ShapiroJames S. Shapiro is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University who specialises in Shakespeare and the Early Modern period...
, professor. - Henry WellsHenry WellsHenry Wells was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company.-Early life:...
, businessman and co-founder of Wells FargoWells FargoWells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
and American ExpressAmerican ExpressAmerican Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
. - Dean Conant WorcesterDean Conant WorcesterDean Conant Worcester, D.Sc., F.R.G.S. was an American zoologist, public official, and authority on the Philippines, born at Thetford, Vermont, and educated at the University of Michigan ....
, zoologist, public official, and authority on the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.