Bradford is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,790 at the 2020 census. Bradford is located on the county's eastern border, bordering both the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges into Long Isl ...

and

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, and is a commercial center for some of its surrounding towns.

History

The earliest name of the settlement was Wait's River Town or Waitstown,Silas McKeen, ''A History of Bradford, Vermont'' (J.D. Clark & Son: Montpelier, Vermont: 1875), pp. 29-30. in honor of Joseph Wait, a member of Rogers' Rangers."Bradford" in ''The Vermont Encyclopedia'' (eds. John J. Duffy, Samuel B. Hand & Ralph H. Orth: University of Vermont Press, 2003), p. 61. The town was originally part of Gloucester County in the

Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...

before becoming part of Vermont. In 1770, the town was established by New York patent: were granted on May 3, 1770, and the town was named Mooretown after Sir Henry Moore, 1st Baronet, then the royal

governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...

. On October 23, 1788, at the request of town's residents, the town was renamed Bradford by the Vermont General Assembly, likely after Bradford, Massachusetts. According to the ''Vermont Encyclopedia'', Bradford "has always been an industrial and commercial center for the surrounding rural towns and villages."

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.20%) is water. The Waits River flows through Bradford in a southeasterly direction to its confluence with the

, which forms the eastern boundary of the town. The town rises from the river's meadows through low hills and river valleys and finally Wright's Mountain (at an elevation of 1,822 feet) close to the border with Newbury to the north. Bradford is bordered by the towns of Newbury to the north, West Fairlee and Fairlee to the south, and

Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...

to the west. Piermont, New Hampshire lies across the Connecticut River to the east. The Piermont Bridge, a Pennsylvania truss bridge erected in 1928, connects Bradford and Piermont. Bradford is part of the Upper Valley micropolitan region of east-central Vermont and west-central New Hampshire surrounding the Connecticut River.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 2,797 people, 1,281 households, and 692 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 1,217 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.71%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.46%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.46% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.15%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, and 0.99% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population. There were 1,028 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 51.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males. The median income for a household in the town was $37,270, and the median income for a family was $42,128. Males had a median income of $30,865 versus $28,857 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $18,452. About 7.9% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Bradford has two public schools: Bradford Elementary School for kindergarten through grade 6 and Oxbow High School for grades 7–12. Attached to Oxbow High School is the Riverbend Career and Technical Center for adults, a vocational center. Total school enrollment for fiscal year 2017–2018 was 242 at Bradford Elementary and approximately 373 at Oxbow/Riverbend. While Bradford Elementary serves only the Town of Bradford, Oxbow/Riverbend is part of a supervisory union, and so has students from the surrounding area as well. The central office for the Orange East Supervisory Union is located in Bradford. A branch of Central Vermont Basic Education, which provides curricula for learning basic skills (reading, writing, math and computer literacy), English language that prepares the student for U.S. citizenship, credential programs for high school diplomas and GED, and college and career readiness, is also located in Bradford.

Transportation

The town is crossed by

Interstate 91 Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It is the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. Its southern terminus is in New Haven, Connecticut, at I-95, whi ...

( in the town),

U.S. Route 5 U.S. Route 5 (US 5) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Conn ...

() and Vermont Routes 25 and 25B (). Stagecoach Transportation bus service also serves Bradford, with commuter service to points south including

Hanover, New Hampshire Hanover is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university ...

Lebanon, New Hampshire Lebanon ( ) is the only city in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,282 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 13,151 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. Lebanon is in western New Hampshi ...

and White River Junction, Vermont along its River Route. Stagecoach also provides a "Circulator Route" to shopping and service destinations in the Lower Cohase Region, and provides individual rides to health care and other approved appointments.

Sites of interest

The town has a number of scenic views, including of the Connecticut River Valley, Waits River Valley, and White Mountains. Also of note is the view from Wright's Mountain.Bradford Town Plan, p. 70. * Bradford Village Historic District—added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1975. Currently home to several popular restaurants, a general store and retail shops. * Bradford Academy/Woods School Building at 172 North Main Street—an 1893 building (with a 1935 addition) that has been held by the town under a 99-year lease. The building houses the town government offices, town police department, and Bradford Historical Society. * Bradford Public Library—designed by architect Lambert Packard and constructed in 1895. * Old Church Theater—Permanently located in a 1793 building behind the Congregational Church on Main Street, the Old Church Theater has presented over 28 years of summer productions geared for family entertainment. The organization moved to temporary quarters adjacent to the Orange East Senior Center in November 2017, while the permanent building undergoes restoration. The actors are local residents from various backgrounds and some have gone on to make a career in the theater world. The theater is open to anyone wishing to act, direct, work backstage, help with set design, ticket sales and more. * Wright's Mountain/Devil's Den Town Forest - Contains more than 500 contiguous protected acres and more than 10 miles of interconnected trails open to all non-motorized recreation. The area was named a National Scenic Trail in 2018. * The Space on Main—Nonprofit co-working, maker, conference, event, and gallery space opened in 2017 in former Hill's 5 & 10 department store. * Waits River Falls—also known as Bradford Falls and Bradford Dam. Scenic waterfall over rocky cascade on Waits River along U.S. Route 5 National Scenic Byway, abutting Boch Park picnic area. * Elizabeth's Park—Playground with classic wooden castle/maze structure, charcoal grills and ice skating rink. * Statue of Rear Admiral Charles Edgar Clark, captain of the battleship USS ''Oregon'' during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

Notable people

* Charles C. P. Baldwin,

United States Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...

for the District of Vermont * William Barron,

for the District of Vermont * John Putnam Chapin,

mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the Chief executive officer, chief executive of city Government of Chicago, government in Chicago, Illinois, the List of United States cities by population, third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsib ...

; born in Bradford in 1810 and arrived in Chicago in 1832 * Charles Edgar Clark, captain of the USS ''Oregon'' during the

– born in Bradford in 1843 * Herbert Thomas Johnson, Adjutant General of the

Vermont National Guard The Vermont National Guard is composed of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Vermont Air National Guard. Together, they are collectively known as the Green Mountain Boys. Both units use the original Revolutionary War-era Flag of the Green Mo ...

and namesake of Camp Johnson, the state National Guard Headquarters * Thomas Herbert Johnson, expert on the life and works of

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

* Emily Rebecca Page, poet, spent much of her life in Bradford. * Ursula Bailey Marvin, American planetary geologist and author who worked for the

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is a research institute of the Smithsonian Institution, concentrating on Astrophysics, astrophysical studies including Galactic astronomy, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, cosmology, Sun, solar ...

* Philena McKeen, principal of Abbot Academy in

Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was Settler, settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''Encyclopedia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed. ...

* Ned O'Gorman, poet and educator – spent part of his youth in Bradford * Albert Sleeper, 29th

governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...

– born in Bradford in 1862, moved to Michigan in 1884 * Alexander Lucius Twilight, first African American to receive a degree from an American institution of learning, born in Bradford in 1795 * Abel Underwood, U.S. Attorney for Vermont and state circuit court judge. Born in Bradford * John H. Watson, Chief Justice of the

Vermont Supreme Court The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court. The court ...

* James Wilson, first American globe maker – lived in Bradford * Jay Wright, poet – lives in BradfordJay Wright (1935-)

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

References

Works cited

Bradford Town Plan: Adopted September 10, 2009
prepared by the Bradford Planning Commission with assistance from the Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission

External links

Town of Bradford official website

Bradford Public Library
{{authority control Towns in Vermont Vermont populated places on the Connecticut River Populated places established in 1765 Towns in Orange County, Vermont 1765 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies