Charleston, Vermont
Encyclopedia
Charleston is a town
in Orleans County
, Vermont
, United States
. The population was 895 at the 2000 census. The town contains three unincorporated villages: Charleston, East Charleston and West Charleston.
The proposed budget of $435,000, $345,040 of which was allocated to road maintenance, was rejected at the town meeting March 4, 2008.
The Elementary school had 70% of the students qualified for free or reduced lunches. This was the highest percentage in the county in 2011.
in the 1780s before the area was explored by the descendants of Europeans.
Commodore Abraham Whipple
was given a grant to the town, along with 50-60 of his shipmates. He called it "Navy." Abner Allen, from Barton, Vermont, was the first settler in 1803.
In 1825, the town changed its name to Charleston, presumably after a naval battle that had occurred off Charleston, South Carolina
.
During the Civil War Charleston furnished 121 enlisted men, thirty-five of whom were killed in action or died from the effects of wounds or disease contracted while in the service.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town had a number of mills. The population hit a high of 1700.
A round barn
(not uncommon for the time and place) was erected in Charleston in 1908. It was possibly the largest such structure in New England. The barn burned to the ground in 1918, though the large stone foundation can still be seen along the Ten Mile Square Road.
A series of fires destroyed East Charleston May 18, 1921, and West Charleston on the following day.
, the town has a total area of 38.6 square miles (100.0 km2), of which 37.5 square miles (97.1 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km2) (2.93%) is water.
The surface of the town is somewhat uneven, some portions being very low.
The Clyde River is the largest stream in the town. It flows into Charleston, in a northwesterly direction nearly through its center. Falls are found on the river, especially in the western part of town, where it drops more than 100 feet (30 m) in 660 feet (201 m), but its current is generally slow.
Echo Lake
, situated in the easterly part of the town, receives the waters of Lake Seymour in Morgan
, and through that the waters of Holland Pond. Echo Lake is one mile (1.6 km) from East Charleston. It is one mile (1.6 km) and a half long and one mile (1.6 km) wide. General Whitelaw gave it the name of Echo Pond because when any sound was produced in its vicinity, it reverberated in various directions, producing a series of echoes.
Pensioners Pond is the next in size, and was so named because of the pension of a revolutionary soldier who employed its water power.
Toad Pond is above Pensioners Pond, near the great swamp on the Brownington
line. Broadway Pond is near the Morgan line.
of 2000, there were 895 people, 362 households, and 261 families residing in the town. The population density
was 23.9 people per square mile (9.2/km2). There were 587 housing units at an average density of 15.7 per square mile (6.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.42% White, 1.34% Native American, 0.34% Asian, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population.
There were 362 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,083, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $19,911 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,278. About 16.4% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.
Vermont municipality
A Vermont municipality is a particular type of New England municipality. It is the basic unit of local government.-Background:Vermont contains 246 incorporated towns and cities. Nine are cities and 237 are towns. Collectively, these 246 municipalities cover the vast majority of, but not all of,...
in Orleans County
Orleans County, Vermont
Orleans County is one of the four northernmost counties in the U.S. state of Vermont. It borders Canada. In 2010, the population was 27,231. Its county seat is Newport. As in the rest of New England, few governmental powers have been granted to the county...
, 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 895 at the 2000 census. The town contains three unincorporated villages: Charleston, East Charleston and West Charleston.
Town
- Selectman - Tom Jensen
- Town Clerk - Jeanine Bennett
- Town Budget - $413,221
The proposed budget of $435,000, $345,040 of which was allocated to road maintenance, was rejected at the town meeting March 4, 2008.
School District
- Member, North Country Union High SchoolNorth Country Union High SchoolNorth Country Union High School , commonly known as North Country or NCU, is a secondary school located in Newport, Vermont. The school is operated by the North Country Supervisory Union school district ....
Board - Peter Moscovites - School Board Chair - Nancy Tessier
- Member, School Board - Jason Brueck, East Charleston; Bill McMaster (2009)
- Number of students - 100 (current and projected)
- Number of students in 2004 - 128
- School Budget for 2008 - $1,502,600
The Elementary school had 70% of the students qualified for free or reduced lunches. This was the highest percentage in the county in 2011.
History
Native Abenakis told of how a large pond "ran away" similar to Runaway PondRunaway Pond
Runaway Pond was a lake on the site of the former Long Pond in Glover, Vermont. Located south of what is today the central village of Glover, it is now a marsh.- Hydrology :An engineer estimated that the pond must have contained of water....
in the 1780s before the area was explored by the descendants of Europeans.
Commodore Abraham Whipple
Abraham Whipple
Abraham Whipple was an American revolutionary naval commander in the Continental Navy. Whipple was born near Providence, Rhode Island and chose to be a seafarer early in his life. He embarked upon a career in the lucrative West Indies trade, working for Moses and John Brown...
was given a grant to the town, along with 50-60 of his shipmates. He called it "Navy." Abner Allen, from Barton, Vermont, was the first settler in 1803.
In 1825, the town changed its name to Charleston, presumably after a naval battle that had occurred off Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
During the Civil War Charleston furnished 121 enlisted men, thirty-five of whom were killed in action or died from the effects of wounds or disease contracted while in the service.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town had a number of mills. The population hit a high of 1700.
A round barn
Round barn
A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880–1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn...
(not uncommon for the time and place) was erected in Charleston in 1908. It was possibly the largest such structure in New England. The barn burned to the ground in 1918, though the large stone foundation can still be seen along the Ten Mile Square Road.
A series of fires destroyed East Charleston May 18, 1921, and West Charleston on the following day.
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 38.6 square miles (100.0 km2), of which 37.5 square miles (97.1 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km2) (2.93%) is water.
The surface of the town is somewhat uneven, some portions being very low.
The Clyde River is the largest stream in the town. It flows into Charleston, in a northwesterly direction nearly through its center. Falls are found on the river, especially in the western part of town, where it drops more than 100 feet (30 m) in 660 feet (201 m), but its current is generally slow.
Echo Lake
Echo Lake (Charleston, Vermont)
Echo Lake is located in the town of Charleston in Orleans County, Vermont, an area known as the Northeast Kingdom. It is one of only two deep, cold, and oligotrophic lakes in the Clyde River system...
, situated in the easterly part of the town, receives the waters of Lake Seymour in Morgan
Morgan, Vermont
Morgan is the easternmost town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 669 at the 2000 census. The town contains two villages: Morgan and Morgan Center.-History:The town was named for John Morgan, a landholder....
, and through that the waters of Holland Pond. Echo Lake is one mile (1.6 km) from East Charleston. It is one mile (1.6 km) and a half long and one mile (1.6 km) wide. General Whitelaw gave it the name of Echo Pond because when any sound was produced in its vicinity, it reverberated in various directions, producing a series of echoes.
Pensioners Pond is the next in size, and was so named because of the pension of a revolutionary soldier who employed its water power.
Toad Pond is above Pensioners Pond, near the great swamp on the Brownington
Brownington, Vermont
Brownington is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 885 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.4 square miles , of which 28.3 square miles is land and 0.1 square mile is...
line. Broadway Pond is near the Morgan line.
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 895 people, 362 households, and 261 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 23.9 people per square mile (9.2/km2). There were 587 housing units at an average density of 15.7 per square mile (6.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.42% White, 1.34% Native American, 0.34% Asian, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population.
There were 362 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% 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, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,083, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $19,911 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 $15,278. About 16.4% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.