Vergennes is a city located in the northwest quadrant of
Addison County, Vermont
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 ...
, United States. The municipality is bordered by the towns of
Ferrisburgh,
Panton, and
Waltham. As of the
2020 census, its population was 2,553. It is
the smallest of Vermont's 10 cities in terms of population, though the city of
Winooski covers a smaller area. It was the first city chartered in the
state of Vermont.
History
Vergennes was settled in 1766 by Donald MacIntosh. It was established as a city in 1788,
[ the only one in Vermont not to have been first chartered as a town or independent village. Instead, intersecting portions of the pre-existing 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 ...
, Panton, and Ferrisburg at the Otter Creek Falls were combined to form Vergennes.[ It is the smallest city by population in Vermont.
The city is named for Frenchman Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes, who greatly aided the rebel colonial effort in the ]American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
.
Here, Thomas Macdonough
Thomas Macdonough, Jr. (December 31, 1783 – November 10, 1825) was an early-19th-century Irish-American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Macdonou ...
built and armed the fleet that defeated the British on Lake Champlain
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, image = Champlainmap.svg
, caption = Lake Champlain-River Richelieu watershed
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = New York/Vermont in the United States; and Quebec in Canada
, coords =
, type =
, ...
during the War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. The Monkton Iron Company (which was at the time the largest iron works in the nation) manufactured the fittings for Macdonough's fleet, as well as most of the cannon shot used by the United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
in the north. The ore used was mined in nearby Monkton. , , , and were built or refitted in Vergennes as a part of that fleet.
Organizers chose a city form of municipal government in anticipation of developing the area as an industrial center. The Otter Creek Falls provided power for mills and factories, and the close access to the Lake Champlain waterway was ideal for transportation both north and south. Industry boomed in the late 19th century; in particular, shipping connected to the Champlain Canal and wood-finishing related to lumber imported from Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. As railways
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
supplanted and bypassed the canal system, manufacturing declined in the city. A railroad spur from Ferrisburgh to the base of the falls proved a failure, as the grades were too steep for practical operations.
Commercial decline continued in the 20th century, narrowing down to a few surviving companies. In the early years of the 21st century, a group of civic boosters and merchants improved the downtown area along Main Street and reconnected the city to its waterways. The resulting development, catering to tourists and transients, is hampered by centralization of land ownership and escalation of commercial rents.
In July 2022, Vergennes was reconnected to the national passenger rail network when Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
'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 ...
'' began serving Ferrisburgh–Vergennes station. The city had last seen passenger service in 1953, when 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 ...
discontinued 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
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
).
Geography
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 city has a total area of , of which (4.0%) is covered by water.
Otter Creek flows north through the town. In the middle of town is a waterfall, with a large basin that occasionally floods.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, 2,588 people, 979 households, and 632 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,141.1 people per square mile (441.0/km2). The 1,032 housing units had an average density of 429.6 per square mile (166.0/km2). The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 92.8% White, 3.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.6% of the population.
Of the 979 households, 34.3% had children under18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were not families. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47, and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city, the age distribution of the population was 28.4% under 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
Economy
Personal income
The median income for a household in the city was $37,763, and for a family was $48,155. Males had a median income of $33,669 versus $20,527 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 city was $15,465. About 8.1% of families and 17.0% 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 8.5% of those under 18 and 16.0% of those 65 or over.
Collins Aerospace (formerly UTC Aerospace, BF Goodrich Aerospace, and Symonds Precision) is the major employer in the community.
Transportation
Vermont Route 22A
Vermont Route 22A (VT 22A) is a state highway in western Vermont, United States. It is the northward continuation of New York State Route 22A. Its southern end is at the New York state line in Fair Haven and its northern end is ...
runs through the city, and makes a junction with U.S. Highway 7 on the northern outskirts of Vergennes.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's daily ''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 ...
'' train serves Ferrisburgh–Vergennes station, just north of the city. Other stops on the route include Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, no ...
, Middlebury, Rutland, Albany, and New York City.
Schools
Vergennes has four schools: Vergennes Union Elementary School, Vergennes Union High School, Champlain Valley Christian School, and Northlands Job Corps
Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free education and vocational training to young men and women ages 16 to 24.
Mission and purpose
Job Corps' mission is to help young people ages 16 throug ...
Center, the former Vermont Industrial School, later known as the Weeks School, which served as an orphanage and juvenile-delinquent home until the late 1970s, in the same facility.
Vergennes Union High School also offers an alternative public program, the Walden Project, available to area students.
Culture
The city features the Vergennes Opera House, which has weekly events involving the community and special guests, bands, singers, politicians, and theater groups. The city has a library, the Bixby Memorial Free Library, which hosts a variety of events such as a book club, writing workshops, children's story hour, and a bridge club.
Notable people
* Joseph K. Edgerton, US congressman from Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
* Frank L. Fish, associate 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 ...
* Jabez G. Fitch, U.S. marshal for Vermont
* Margaret Foley
Margaret E. Foley (1827–1877) was an American sculptor who worked in a Neoclassical style. In addition to sculpture, she is known for cameo carving, medallion portraits, and direct carving.
Early years
Foley was born in northern Vermont in ...
, sculptor
* Ethan A. Hitchcock, US army officer and author
* Roswell Hopkins
Roswell Hopkins (May 17, 1757—September 5, 1829) was a farmer, businessman, and government official in Vermont and New York. He served as Secretary of State of Vermont from 1788 to 1802, and was the founder of the town of Hopkinton, New York.
...
, secretary of state of Vermont
The secretary of state of Vermont is one of five cabinet-level constitutional officers in the U.S. state of Vermont which are elected every two years. The secretary of state is fourth (behind the lieutenant governor, speaker of the House of Repres ...
* Charles B. Lawrence, chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
* Jeff Pidgeon
Jeff Pidgeon is an American animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and voice actor at Pixar.
Early life
Influenced by Charles M. Schulz's comic strip ''Peanuts'', Jeff Pidgeon dreamed of becoming a newspaper cartoonist. He studied and gra ...
, American screenwriter, animator and voice actor at Pixar
* John Pierpoint
John Pierpoint (January 10, 1805 – January 7, 1882) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He served as a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1857 until his death, and was Chief Justice beginning in 1865.
Biography
John Pierpoint (sometimes s ...
, 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 ...
* Henry Porter, pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers, Brooklyn Grays
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
, and Kansas City Cowboys Several sports team in Kansas City, Missouri have used the name Cowboys:
*Kansas City Cowboys (Union Association), a baseball team in the Union Association in 1884
*Kansas City Cowboys (National League), a baseball team in the National League in 18 ...
* Daniel H. Pulcifer, Wisconsin state assemblyman and mayor of Shawano, Wisconsin
* Samuel Strong, militia officer and mayor of Vergennes
* Enoch Woodbridge
Enoch Woodbridge (December 25, 1750April 21, 1805) was a Vermont attorney, politician, and judge. A veteran of the American Revolution, he served as a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1794 to 1800, and chief justice from 1798 to 1800.
Bi ...
, chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
* Frederick E. Woodbridge
Frederick Enoch Woodbridge (August 29, 1818 – April 25, 1888) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from Vermont. He served as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Vermont.
Biography
Woodbridge was b ...
, US congressman and mayor of Vergennes
References
External links
Vergennes Vermont Official City Website
{{Authority control
Cities in Vermont
Cities in Addison County, Vermont
Populated places established in 1766