Guildhall ( ) 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 and the shire town (
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
)
of
Essex 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. As of the
2020 census, the population was 262.
According to a large sign in the town center, it is the only town in the world so named. The name derives from a meeting house on the square called the Guildhall.
Guildhall is part of the
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
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 ...
– Vermont Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Guildhall is in northeastern Vermont, along 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 ...
, the border between Vermont 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 ...
. The town is bordered to the southwest by
Lunenburg, to the northwest by
Granby, and to the north by
Maidstone, Vermont. To the southeast, across the Connecticut, are the towns of
Northumberland
Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
and
Lancaster, New Hampshire
Lancaster is a town located along the Connecticut River in Coös County, New Hampshire, United States. The town is named after the city of Lancaster in England. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 3,218, the second largest in the cou ...
.
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected ...
passes through the southern corner of the town, leading west into Lunenburg and east across the Connecticut into Lancaster.
Vermont Route 102 runs north from Route 2 and follows the Connecticut into Maidstone.
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 of Guildhall has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.94%, is water.
The highest point is Stone Mountain, in the western part of town, with an elevation of .
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 268 people, 106 households, and 76 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 151 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.15%
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 ...
, 0.37%
Asian, 0.37% from
other races, and 4.10% 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 0.75% of the population.
There were 106 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% 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 ...
, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,750, and the median income for a family was $38,958. Males had a median income of $30,313 versus $23,438 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 $17,326. About 10.4% of families and 10.3% 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 6.3% of those under the age of eighteen and 22.0% of those 65 or over.
Climate
This
climatic 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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Guildhall 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 cold ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.
History
Guildhall was chartered by New Hampshire's colonial 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 ...
, in 1761.
Its grantees and original settlers were from
Lancaster
Lancaster may refer to:
Lands and titles
*The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire
*Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies
*Duke of Lancaster
*Earl of Lancaster
*House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty
...
and
Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and they named towns on opposite sides of the Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Vermont for their Massachusetts hometowns.
The southern part of the original town of
Lunenburg, Vermont was chartered as Lunenburg in 1763, while the northern portion was renamed Guildhall.
After Guildhall was chartered, a small group of settlers built temporary cabins and camps and began to clear the land.
As the population began to grow, the first recorded town meeting took place in 1783.
Guildhall is heavily wooded, as are several other towns in Essex County, and lumbering was once a major portion of the local economy.
The
Guildhall Village Historic District was listed on 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 1980.
The district includes Guildhall's village center and encompasses the central common and several nearby buildings.
Notable people
*
Henry C. Bates, lieutenant governor of Vermont and federal judge, resided in Guildhall
*
Everett Chamberlin Benton, Massachusetts business executive and politician, born in Guildhall
*
Clem Bissonnette, 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 ...
and mayor of
Winooski, Vermont
Winooski is a city in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. Located on the Winooski River, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census the municipal population was 7,997. The city is the most densely populated municipality in nort ...
, resident of Guildhall
*
George N. Dale, Vermont lieutenant governor, lived in Guildhall before moving to
Island Pond
*
Henry Willard Denison, diplomatic advisor to the Japanese government, born in Guildhall
*
Samuel Read Hall, educator and clergyman, raised in Guildhall
*
Janice L. Peaslee, member of the Vermont House of Representatives, resident of Guildhall
*
John S. Wells, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, lived in Guildhall
References
External links
Town of Guildhall official websiteA Flickr album of historic buildings
{{authority control
Towns in Vermont
County seats in Vermont
Berlin, New Hampshire micropolitan area
Vermont populated places on the Connecticut River
Towns in Essex County, Vermont