Arlington 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
Bennington County,
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
, United States. The population was 2,457 at the
2020 census.
History
The town of Arlington was chartered July 28, 1761, by
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 ...
Governor
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth (July 24, 1696 – October 14, 1770) was an American merchant, landowner and colonial administrator who served as the List of colonial governors of New Hampshire, governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. He is best known ...
, as part 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 ...
. In 1777, Arlington became the first capital of the
Vermont Republic
The Vermont Republic, officially known at the time as the State of Vermont, was an independent state in New England that existed from January 15, 1777, to March 4, 1791. The state was founded in January 1777, when delegates from 28 towns met ...
.
Among the first settlers in Arlington were Captain Jehiel Hawley and his family, who had settled there by 1764. They were
Anglicans
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
and had fled
Roxbury, Connecticut
Roxbury is a New England town, town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,260 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The town is located northeast of New York City, and is p ...
, because of the oppressive requirements of the established
Congregational church
Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice congregational government. Each congregation independently a ...
. At a Proprietor's meeting in 1764, the town voted to give of land to any man who would set up a
gristmill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...
in what is now
East Arlington. This offer was accepted by Remember Baker (first cousin of Ethan Allen), who built a grist and sawmill.
In the years leading up to the American Revolution, both New York and New Hampshire laid claim to lands comprising current-day Vermont. 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 ...
began to grant land in 1765, lagging New Hampshire by four years. Arlington was, for the most part, settled by Anglicans from Roxbury,
Newtown, and
Milford,
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
, with ownership rights derived from the New Hampshire Grants.
When settlers with New York grants arrived, conflicts ensued. Among other things, the residents of Arlington relied on the militancy of
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen ( – February 12, 1789) was an American farmer, writer, military officer and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of Vermont and for the capture of Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolutionary War, and wa ...
to discourage those touting New York grants. Ethan Allen and his group were known by their friends as the
Green Mountain Boys. They were relatively effective in promoting the cause of New Hampshire grantees, although legal ownership was not settled monetarily for many years.
Several members of the Green Mountain Boys lived in Arlington before the
American Revolution
The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, including
Thomas Chittenden,
Seth Warner and
Remember Baker, who was the first town clerk. Gideon Hard, a
congressman from
New York, was born in Arlington.
During 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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, the
Patriot soldiers of the Green Mountain Boys rallied against
Loyalist
Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
opposition in the town. British Loyalist citizens in Arlington, united under the leadership of
Dr. Samuel Adams, organized an independent military unit,
Adams' Rangers, to support the British war effort in the region. In 1777, Adams' men saw action, fighting for British General
John Burgoyne
General (United Kingdom), General John "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne (24 February 1722 – 4 August 1792) was a British Army officer, playwright and politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1761 to 1792. He first saw acti ...
at the
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) were two battles between the American Continental Army and the British Army fought near Saratoga, New York, concluding the Saratoga campaign in the American Revolutionary War. The Battle ...
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 ...
and were soundly defeated.
Geography
Arlington lies in the Valley of Vermont between the
Taconic Range to the west and the
Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont and are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Que ...
to the east, with most of Arlington's land mass lying in the Taconic Range. Five prominent peaks are located within the town:
Grass Mountain,
Spruce Peak,
The Ball (also locally referred to as West Mountain),
Red Mountain, and
Big Spruce Mountain. The highest peak is Grass Mountain at elevation .
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 , or 0.45%, is water.
The Battenkill, famous for trout fishing, flows through the center of town.
File:Battenkill in Arlington, Vermont.jpg, The Battenkill as it flows through West Arlington
File:West Arlington Fog.JPG, Fog over the Battenkill in West Arlington
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 2000, there were 2,397 people, 1,009 households, and 676 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 56.5 people per square mile (21.8/km
2). There were 1,200 housing units at an average density of 28.3 per square mile (10.9/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08%
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 ...
, 0.25%
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 ...
, 0.08%
Native American, 0.42%
Asian, 0.08%
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 ...
, 0.21% from
other races, and 0.88% 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 ...
of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 1,009 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were couples living together and joined in either
marriage
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 ...
or
civil union
A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, primarily created to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage, with ch ...
, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. Of all households, 27.9% were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 88.1 men.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,590, and the median income for a family was $49,412. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $22,199 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 $23,277. About 6.4% of families and 7.2% 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 9.3% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Schools in Arlington include
Arlington Memorial School, a high school with some 250 students.
Economy
One of the largest employers for residents of Arlington is the
Orvis
Orvis is an American family-owned retail and mail-order business specializing in fly fishing, hunting and sporting goods. Founded in Manchester, Vermont, in 1856 by Charles F. Orvis to sell fishing tackle, it is the oldest mail-order retailer in ...
company in neighboring
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...
.
Mack Moulding is the largest employer in Arlington by far. Orvis has its offices in Sunderland and a retail outlet in
Manchester Center.
Notable people
*
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams (, 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, Political philosophy, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in Province of Massachusetts Bay, colonial Massachusetts, a le ...
, early
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
settler and
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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
,
British Loyalist, who formed the British, military unit,
Adams' Rangers
*
Remember Baker, early
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
settler and
Green Mountain Boy
*
Holly Bakke, Former New Jersey Commissioner of Banking and Insurance
*
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his leading and supporting roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to drama. He has received List of awards and nominations received by A ...
, Actor (secondary residence)
*
Thomas Chittenden, first governor of
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
and first and third governor of the
Vermont Republic
The Vermont Republic, officially known at the time as the State of Vermont, was an independent state in New England that existed from January 15, 1777, to March 4, 1791. The state was founded in January 1777, when delegates from 28 towns met ...
*
Martin Chester Deming, businessman and member of the
Vermont House of Representatives
The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives a ...
*
Chick Evans, baseball player
*
Dorothy Canfield Fisher, author and educator; credited with bringing the
Montessori method
The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing ...
to the US; lived and died in Arlington
*
Michael J. Fox
Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian and American actor and activist. Beginning his career as a child actor in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ...
lived in Arlington, also, was married in Arlington
*
Gideon Hard, former U.S. Congressman
*
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was an American painter and illustrator. His works have a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of Culture of the United States, the country's culture. Roc ...
, painter and illustrator (''
Willie Gillis'', ''
The Problem We All Live With'', ''
Four Freedoms''); lived in Arlington
*
Carl Ruggles, composer and painter
*
Seth Warner, early
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
settler and
Green Mountain Boy
See also
*
Charterhouse of the Transfiguration
*
Kelly Stand Road
References
External links
Town of Arlington official websiteVT Living – Arlington Vermont history
{{DEFAULTSORT:
Towns in Vermont
Towns in Bennington County, Vermont