Middlebury, Vermont
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Middlebury is the
shire town A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
(county seat) of
Addison County Addison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,363. Its shire town (county seat) is the town of Middlebury. History Iroquois settled in the county before Europeans arrived in 160 ...
,
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, United States. As of the
2020 U.S. Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, the population was 9,152. Middlebury is home to
Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
and the
Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, also known as the Sheldon Museum, is a history museum in Middlebury, Vermont created by Henry Sheldon in 1882 focusing on his private collections and the history of the state of Vermont, US. It is located in ...
.


History

One of the
New Hampshire Grants The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the colonial governor of the Province of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 (including 131 towns), were made o ...
, Middlebury was chartered by Colonial Governor
Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. While serving as governor, Wentworth is best known for issuing several l ...
on November 2, 1761. The name "Middlebury" came from its location between the towns of
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
and
New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
. It was awarded to John Evarts and 62 others. The
French and Indian Wars The French and Indian Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in North America between 1688 and 1763, some of which indirectly were related to the European dynastic wars. The title ''French and Indian War'' in the singular is used in the U ...
ended in 1763; the first settlers arrived in 1766. John Chipman was the first to clear his land, Lot Seven. During the Revolutionary War, much of the town was burned in
Carleton's Raid Carleton's Raid was a British raid led by Major Christopher Carleton in the American War of Independence. It was launched in the fall 1778 from the Province of Quebec against targets in upstate Province of New York. Prelude On October 24, 1778, ...
on November 6, 1778. After the war concluded in 1783, settlers returned to rebuild homes, clear forests and establish farms. Principal crops were
grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...
s and
hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticat ...
. Landowners vied for the lucrative honor of having the village center grow on their properties. A survey dispute with Salisbury led to the forfeiture of Gamaliel Painter's farm to that town, and his transition from farming to developing Middlebury Village near his and Abisha Washburn's mill, together with other mills that surrounded the Otter Creek falls. Industries would include a
cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...
factory,
sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
,
gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...
,
pail A bucket is typically a watertight, vertical cylinder or truncated cone or square, with an open top and a flat bottom, attached to a semicircular carrying handle called the ''bail''. A bucket is usually an open-top container. In contrast, a ...
factory,
paper mill A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt, ...
,
woolen Woolen (American English) or woollen (Commonwealth English) is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn. Woolen yarn is in contrast t ...
factory,
iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
foundry A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...
, and
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...
quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envi ...
. The Rutland & Burlington Railroad first arrived on September 1, 1849. Around 1830, Middlebury was the second largest town in Vermont.
Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
, one of the United States' elite liberal arts colleges, was founded in 1800. It is a member of the
NESCAC The New England Small Collegiate Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising sports teams from eleven highly selective liberal arts institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. T ...
. In the summer, the town plays host to the annual
Middlebury College Language Schools The Middlebury Language Schools are language schools administered by Middlebury College. The programs comprise undergraduate and graduate instruction in 13 languages during two-, six-, seven-, or eight-week summer sessions. The Schools enroll ap ...
, as well as the college's
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference The Middlebury Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is an author's conference held every summer at the Bread Loaf Inn, near Bread Loaf Mountain, east of Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1926, it has been called by ''The New Yorker'' "the oldest and most ...
, the oldest surviving conference of its kind in the nation. On October 22, 2007, central Middlebury was evacuated for a short time because of a train
derailment In rail transport, a derailment occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway system and they are a potentially ...
; the Middlebury Union Middle School served as the evacuation headquarters. Today, as the largest town by population in Addison County, Middlebury serves as the commercial and business center for the region. Downtown hosts a three-screen movie theater, the post office, and two historic inns, as well as many shops and restaurants. There is considerable development along
U.S. Route 7 U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 (I-95) exit 15 ...
heading south of town, including
Shaw's Shaw's and Star Market are two American supermarket chains under united management based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, employing about 30,000 associates in 150 total stores; 129 stores are operated under the Shaw's banner in Maine, Massach ...
and Hannaford supermarkets, two drugstores, most of the town's gas stations, and several fast-food spots. Of note is Middlebury's A&W, Vermont's only remaining car-hop restaurant and a popular spot with both locals and Middlebury College students. Along with A&W, fast food restaurants in Middlebury include a
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
, a Dunkin' Donuts, and a Subway.


Geography

Middlebury is located near the center of Addison County in western Vermont. The town is drained by Otter Creek, which flows from south to north along the western edge of the town, with the falls at the center of the village. The
Middlebury River The Middlebury River is a tributary river of Otter Creek in Addison County, Vermont. Three branches feed the river from origins in Green Mountain National Forest Green Mountain National Forest is a national forest located in Vermont, a temperat ...
flows west to Otter Creek out of the mountains. Chipman Hill, a hill of
glacial till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
, rises above the village just to the northeast. Foothills of the
Green Mountains The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Quebec, Canada. The part of the same range that is i ...
border the town to the east, with the
Champlain Valley The Champlain Valley is a region of the United States around Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York extending north slightly into Quebec, Canada. It is part of the St. Lawrence River drainage basin, drained northward by the Richelieu River into ...
to the west. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.00%, is water. Middlebury is crossed by
U.S. Route 7 U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 (I-95) exit 15 ...
,
Vermont Route 23 Vermont Route 23 (VT 23) is a north–south state highway in Addison County, Vermont, United States. It is maintained by the towns of Middlebury and Weybridge and runs north from VT 125 in Middlebury to VT 17 in Weybrid ...
,
Vermont Route 30 Vermont Route 30 (VT 30) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Vermont. VT 30 runs from U.S. Route 5 (US 5) and VT 9 in Brattleboro to US 7 and VT 125 in Middlebury. The northern portion, from P ...
,
Vermont Route 116 Vermont Route 116 (VT 116) is a state highway in Vermont. It travels north from U.S. Route 7 (US 7) in Middlebury, where it almost immediately intersects VT 125, then runs concurrently with VT 17 through much of the town ...
, and Vermont Route 125. It is bordered by the towns of
New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
and
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
to the north, Ripton to the east,
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
and
Weybridge Weybridge () is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a crossing point of the ...
to the west, and
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
to the south. A new bridge over Otter Creek connecting Cross Street to Bakery Lane opened in November 2010 to serve as a shortcut and alleviate traffic through downtown. The village of East Middlebury is located in the southern part of the town, east of U.S. Route 7.


Climate

This
climatic Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorological ...
region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Middlebury has a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.


Education


Public


Mary Hogan Elementary
grades Pre-K–5
Middlebury Union Middle School
grades 6–8
Middlebury Union High School
grades 9–12 * P.A. Hannaford Career Center regional technical center serving grades 9–12 and adults


Private

* The Aurora School (Pre-K only) * Bridge School (elementary) * St. Mary's Catholic Elementary School – closed 2016 * The Gailer School – closed 2012


Higher education

*
Community College of Vermont The Community College of Vermont (CCV) is a community college in Vermont. It is Vermont's second largest college, serving 7,000 students each semester and is part of the Vermont State Colleges System. The college has 12 locations throughout Vermo ...
– Middlebury campus *
Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 8,494 people, 2,860 households, and 1,642 families residing in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 209.7 people per square mile (80.9/km2). There were 2,805 housing units at an average density of 71.9 per square mile (27.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 90.3%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 4.3%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 3.0%
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race, 3.0% from two or more races, 1.3%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.66% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, 0.2% Native American and 0.02%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
. There were 2,657 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were couples living together and joined in either
marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
or
civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...
, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90. In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.5% under the age of 18, 31.4% from 18 to 24, 18.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $37,723, and the median income for a family was $46,691. Males had a median income of $32,645 versus $25,994 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $17,926. About 5.3% of families and 9.6% 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 t ...
, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.


Transportation


Air

The
Middlebury State Airport Middlebury State Airport is a public use airport in Addison County, Vermont, Addison County, Vermont, United States. It is owned by the Vermont, United States, State of Vermont and is located three nautical miles (5.56 km) southeast of the cen ...
is located in the town for private aviation. Commercial airlines are available at Burlington International Airport to the north and
Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest l ...
to the south.


Bus

Bus service is provided by Tri Valley Transit (formerly Addison County Transit Resources) (TVT). In addition, Premier Coach provides an intercity bus line in a joint venture effort with
Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgenc ...
via Vermont Translines on its Albany, NY to
Burlington, Vermont Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...
route with stops in Rutland and Bennington as well. Service on this route began on June 9, 2014.


Highway

*
U.S. Route 7 U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 (I-95) exit 15 ...
is the primary north/south highway through the town. It is known as Court Street south of the village, and North Pleasant Street north of the village. *
Vermont Route 23 Vermont Route 23 (VT 23) is a north–south state highway in Addison County, Vermont, United States. It is maintained by the towns of Middlebury and Weybridge and runs north from VT 125 in Middlebury to VT 17 in Weybrid ...
is a north/south highway known as Weybridge Street and is located on the west side of town, crossing the college campus. *
Vermont Route 30 Vermont Route 30 (VT 30) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Vermont. VT 30 runs from U.S. Route 5 (US 5) and VT 9 in Brattleboro to US 7 and VT 125 in Middlebury. The northern portion, from P ...
is a north/south highway entering the town on the south town line with Cornwall and ends at Route 7. It is known as Main Street within the town. *
Vermont Route 116 Vermont Route 116 (VT 116) is a state highway in Vermont. It travels north from U.S. Route 7 (US 7) in Middlebury, where it almost immediately intersects VT 125, then runs concurrently with VT 17 through much of the town ...
is a north/south highway located on the east side of town, ending near the East Middlebury village at Route 7. It is known as Case Street in Middlebury except for a short portion known as Ossie Road within the East Middlebury village. * Vermont Route 125 is an east/west highway entering the town on the west side through Middlebury College where it is known as College Street. East of Route 7, Route 125 is known as East Main Street up until it exits the town at the Ripton town line.


Rail

Amtrak's ''
Ethan Allen Express The ''Ethan Allen Express'' is a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak in the United States between New York City and Burlington, Vermont, via Albany, New York. One daily round trip is operated on a north-south route with a 7 hour 35 minu ...
'' serves the city's station, connecting it to Burlington to the north and New York City to the south. Service began in the city in July 2022. Until 1953 the
Rutland Railroad The Rutland Railroad was a railroad in the northeastern United States, located primarily in the state of Vermont but extending into the state of New York at both its northernmost and southernmost ends. After its closure in 1961, parts of the ...
ran passenger service on the ''
Green Mountain Flyer The ''Green Mountain Flyer'' was an international day train between Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the Northeast United States, with sections to New York City and Boston. It was operated in cooperation between the Rutland Railroad, the Canadian ...
'' (New York City - Montreal) and the overnight ''Mount Royal,'' making stops in the city.


Medical care

Middlebury and the surrounding area (Addison County) are served by
Porter Medical Center Porter Medical Center, also known as Porter Hospital, is a 45-bed critical access hospital located in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded by banker William Henry Porter to serve as a dual community hospital and infirmary to nearby Middlebury College, ...
.


Notable people

*
Julia Alvarez Julia Alvarez (born March 27, 1950) is an American New Formalist poet, novelist, and essayist. She rose to prominence with the novels ''How the García Girls Lost Their Accents'' (1991), '' In the Time of the Butterflies'' (1994), and ''Yo!'' ...
, author * Robert B. Bates, Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives *
Joseph Battell Joseph Battell (July 15, 1839 – February 23, 1915) was a publisher and philanthropist from Middlebury, Vermont. Battell is credited with preserving Vermont forest land including the land for Camel's Hump State Park. The Joseph Batte ...
, publisher and philanthropist * Ricardo Chávez Castañeda, author *
Thomas Treadwell Davis Thomas Treadwell Davis (August 22, 1810 – May 2, 1872) was an American lawyer and politician in the U.S. state of New York. He served as a United States representative from New York during the latter half of the American Civil War and the ...
, U.S. congressman *
Lea Davison Lea Davison (born May 19, 1983) is an American cross-country mountain biker from Jericho, Vermont. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she competed in the Women's cross-country at Hadleigh Farm, finishing in 11th place, and she finished 7th in the s ...
, professional mountain biker and two-time olympian *
John Deere Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...
, inventor and manufacturer *
James Rood Doolittle James Rood Doolittle (January 3, 1815July 27, 1897) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin from March 4, 1857, to March 4, 1869. He was a strong supporter of President Abraham Lincoln's administration during the ...
, U.S. senator from
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
* Joel Doolittle, 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 ...
, born in Russell *
Jim Douglas James Holley Douglas (born June 21, 1951) is an American politician from the state of Vermont. A Republican, he served the 80th governor of Vermont from 2003 to 2011. On August 27, 2009, Douglas announced that he would not seek re-election fo ...
, 80th
governor of Vermont The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...
* Ray Fisher, professional baseball pitcher and college coach * Robert Frost (1874–1963), poet *
Ruth Hardy Ruth Hardy (born 1970) is an American political figure from East Middlebury, Vermont. A Democrat, she was elected to the Vermont Senate in 2018. Early life Ruth Ellen Hardy was born in the Tompkins County area of New York circa 1970, a daught ...
, member of the
Vermont Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-m ...
*
Peter J. Hincks Peter J. Hincks (July 3, 1883 – July 7, 1968) was a Vermont banker and public official. He was notable for his service as Vermont State Treasurer from 1965 until his death, the first Democrat to hold the office since the founding of the Rep ...
,
Vermont State Treasurer The State Treasurer's Office is responsible for several administrative and service duties, in accordance with Vermont Statutes. These include: investing state funds; issuing state bonds; serving as the central bank for state agencies; managing the ...
*
Ronald D. Liebowitz Ronald D. Liebowitz (born April 26, 1957) is the ninth President of Brandeis University succeeding Frederick M. Lawrence. Formerly Middlebury College's 16th President, and a professor of geography, succeeding John McCardell, Jr. on July 1, 2004. ...
, former president of Middlebury College * Charles Linsley, Vermont attorney and politician *
Gabriel Mann Gabriel Mann (born Gabriel Mick; May 14, 1972) is an American actor and model, known for his role as Nolan Ross on the ABC drama series '' Revenge''. He has co-starred in several films, including '' The Life of David Gale'', '' The Bourne Iden ...
, actor and former model *
Samuel Mattocks Samuel Mattocks (December 30, 1739 – January 18, 1804) was a Connecticut and Vermont Continental Army officer and political figure who served as Vermont State Treasurer during the state's early years. Early life Samuel Mattocks was born in M ...
, Vermont State Treasurer and father of
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
John Mattocks John Mattocks (March 4, 1777 – August 14, 1847) was an American Whig politician, a brigadier general in the War of 1812, U.S. Representative, and 16th governor of Vermont. Biography Mattocks was born in Hartford, Connecticut on March 4, 177 ...
* John M. McCardell, Jr., president emeritus and professor at Middlebury College * Bill McKibben, author and environmentalist *
James Meacham James Meacham (August 16, 1810 – August 23, 1856) was an American politician, minister and professor. He served as a U.S. Representative from Vermont from 1849 until his death. Early life Meacham was born in Rutland Town, Vermont to Lew ...
, U.S. congressman *
Gamaliel Painter Gamaliel Painter (May 22, 1742 – May 21, 1819) was an American politician and a key figure in the founding of Middlebury, Vermont, and Middlebury College. Life and legacy Painter was born to Shubael and Elizabeth (Dunbar) Painter in New Haven ...
, local politician and town leader * Edward John Phelps, lawyer and diplomat * Samuel S. Phelps, U.S. senator * William H. Porter, banker *
Steven C. Rockefeller Steven Clark Rockefeller (born April 19, 1936) is a fourth-generation member of the Rockefeller family, and a former dean of Middlebury College. He is one of the oldest living members of the family who still carries the Rockefeller name, in addit ...
, religion professor and son of
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 41st vice president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. A member of t ...
* Patricia Ross, cross country skier *
Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810February 12, 1886) was an American politician. He served as Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 1868 United States presidential elec ...
, U.S. senator *
Patty Sheehan Patty Sheehan (born October 27, 1956) is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1980 and won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Sheehan also ...
, golfer *
William Slade William Slade may refer to: * William Slade (politician) (1786–1859), American politician, governor of Vermont * William Slade (valet), employee of President Lincoln * Will Slade Will Slade (born 24 October 1983) is a former Australian rule ...
, U.S. congressman and 17th governor of Vermont *
David Allen Smalley David Allen Smalley (April 6, 1809 – March 10, 1877) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. Education and career Smalley was born in Middlebury, Vermont, ...
, judge *
John Wolcott Stewart John Wolcott Stewart (November 24, 1825October 29, 1915) was an American lawyer and politician from Vermont. He served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and as the 33rd governor of Vermont before serving in the United States Ho ...
, U.S. senator and congressman * Allen R. Sturtevant, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court *
Charles M. Swift Charles May Swift (1854-1929) was the American businessman who founded Meralco, the largest electric utility and one of the leading companies of the Philippines, founded as the Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company. A lawyer from Detroit, M ...
, lawyer, businessman, founder of
Meralco The Manila Electric Company (), also known as Meralco (, ), is an electric power distribution company in the Philippines. It is Metro Manila's only electric power distributor and holds the power distribution franchise for 22 cities and 89 munic ...
and several railroads *
John P. Townsend John Pomeroy Townsend (1832–1898) was an American financier of the Gilded Age. He proudly claimed descent from "old Puritan stock", tracing his ancestry to a Thomas Townsend who settled at Lynn, Massachusetts in 1637. Business career Townsend ...
, financier of the
Gilded Age In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Weste ...
*
Arthur Trudeau Arthur Gilbert Trudeau (July 5, 1902 – June 5, 1991) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army. He is best known for his command of the 7th Infantry Division during the Battle of Pork Chop Hill in the Korean War. Early life and ...
, Army general and
Ufologist Ufology ( ) is the investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) by people who believe that they may be of extraordinary origins (most frequently of extraterrestrial alien visitors). While there are instances of government, private, and ...
* Steve Vaillancourt, New Hampshire state legislator *
James M. Warner James Meech Warner (January 29, 1836 – March 16, 1897) was a New England manufacturer and a Brevet (military), brevet Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life Warner was ...
, manufacturer and general *
Emma Willard Emma Hart Willard (February 23, 1787 – April 15, 1870) was an American woman's education activist who dedicated her life to education. She worked in several schools and founded the first school for women's higher education, the Emma Willard S ...
, women's rights advocate and school founder *
John Willard John Willard ( 1657 - August 19, 1692) was one of the people executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, during the Salem witch trials. He was hanged on Gallows Hill, Salem on August 19, 1692. At the time of the first allegations of witchc ...
, U.S. Marshal for Vermont, husband of Emma Willard * Isaac Wilson, U.S. congressman


Points of interest

*
Emma Willard Memorial The Emma Hart Willard Memorial, is a public artwork designed by Marion Guild and Pierre Zwick. It was sculpted by T.A. Campbell who worked for the Houlihan Shop in Rutland, Vermont. Erected in 1941, the memorial is located in a triangular-shaped p ...
*
Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, also known as the Sheldon Museum, is a history museum in Middlebury, Vermont created by Henry Sheldon in 1882 focusing on his private collections and the history of the state of Vermont, US. It is located in ...
* Ilsley Public Library *
Middlebury State Airport Middlebury State Airport is a public use airport in Addison County, Vermont, Addison County, Vermont, United States. It is owned by the Vermont, United States, State of Vermont and is located three nautical miles (5.56 km) southeast of the cen ...
* Middlebury to Her Soldiers (sculpture) *
Otter Creek Brewing Otter Creek Brewing is a brewery in Middlebury, Vermont, that produces two lines of beer: Otter Creek Craft Ales, and Shed Brewery Ales. It brewed Wolaver's Organic Brewery beers from 2002 until 2015, when it ceased brewing that line. Otter Cre ...
* TAM – Trail Around Middlebury *
Woodchuck Hard Cider Woodchuck Hard Cider is a brand of hard cider produced by the Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC, in Middlebury, Vermont. In 2011 it was the top-selling hard cider in the United States, capturing approximately 47% of the hard cider market in the co ...
* Vermont Experimental Cold Hardy Cactus Garden
The Historic Marble Works
– shopping, dining, services
Danforth Pewter

Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont

Vermont Soap Company
* Maple Landmark Woodcraft
Middlebury Farmers Market

Vermont Folklife Center


In popular culture

* A shot of Middlebury appears as stock footage, standing in for a fictional Pennsylvania town, in the '' 30 Rock'' episode "
Episode 210 The untitled tenth episode of the second season of the television series '' 30 Rock'' was first broadcast in the United States on January 10, 2008, on the NBC network. The episode was written by show runner Robert Carlock and Donald Glover, and ...
". * Middlebury College was mentioned briefly in the film ''
American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (billed as Ronny ...
''. * The bridge over the waterfall appears in the film ''
Me, Myself & Irene ''Me, Myself & Irene'' is a 2000 American slapstick black comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers, and starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. Chris Cooper, Robert Forster, Richard Jenkins, Daniel Greene, Anthony Anderson, Jerod Mixon an ...
''. * A shot of the
Waybury Inn The Waybury Inn is an inn at 457 East Main Street in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. The inn was built in 1810, and is one of the oldest operating traveler's accommodations in the state. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Pla ...
in East Middlebury was used in the opening of the TV series ''
Newhart ''Newhart'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, ...
''. Scenes of the town are also occasionally shown in the series. *
Snake Jailbird The American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' contains a wide range of minor and supporting characters like co-workers, teachers, students, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople, local celebrities, and even animals. The write ...
of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' is an alumnus of Middlebury College, having turned to a life of crime to pay his student loans. * G. Stone Motors, a used car dealership in Middlebury, was the subject of Game Show Network's television series '' Family Trade'' in 2013.


References


Further reading


A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England''; Boston, Massachusetts 1859

Samuel Swift, ''History of the Town of Middlebury, Vermont''; A. H. Copeland, Middlebury, Vermont 1859


External links


Town of Middlebury official website

Ilsley Public Library

Middlebury College

Middlebury Community Network


– Maps of Middlebury and the region from the 18th and 19th centuries (hosted by
Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
)
City-Data.com
{{Authority control County seats in Vermont Populated places established in 1761 Towns in Addison County, Vermont Towns in Vermont