Woodstock, Vermont

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This article is about the town. For the village at the center of the town, see Woodstock (village), Vermont.
Woodstock, Vermont
—  Town  —
The village downtown
Coordinates: 43°37′25″N 72°31′10″W / 43.62361°N 72.51944°W / 43.62361; -72.51944Coordinates: 43°37′25″N 72°31′10″W / 43.62361°N 72.51944°W / 43.62361; -72.51944
Country United States
State Vermont
County Windsor
Chartered 1761
Area
 • Total 44.6 sq mi (115.6 km2)
 • Land 44.5 sq mi (115.3 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 1,132 ft (345 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 3,232
 • Density 72.6/sq mi (28.0/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 05091
Area code(s) 802
FIPS code 50-85975[1]
GNIS feature ID 1462272[2]

Woodstock is the shire town, and capital,[3] (county seat)[4] of Windsor County, Vermont, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,232. It includes the villages of Woodstock, South Woodstock and Taftsville.

Contents

[edit] History

Village from Mount Tom in 1913

Chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth on July 10, 1761, the town was a New Hampshire grant to David Page and 61 others. It was named after Woodstock in Oxfordshire, England, as an homage to both Blenheim Palace and its owner, George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough. The town was first settled in 1768 by James Sanderson and his family.[5] In 1776, Major Joab Hoisington built a gristmill, followed by a sawmill, on the south branch of the Ottauquechee River.[6]

Although the Revolution slowed settlement, Woodstock developed rapidly once the war ended in 1783. The Vermont General Assembly met here in 1807 before moving the next year to the new capital at Montpelier. Waterfalls in the Ottauquechee River provided water power to operate mills. Factories made scythes and axes, carding machines, and woolens. There was a machine shop and gunsmith shop. Manufacturers also produced furniture, wooden wares, window sashes and blinds. Carriages, horse harnesses, saddles, luggage trunks and leather goods were also manufctured. By 1859, the population was 3,041.[7] The Woodstock Railroad opened to White River Junction on September 29, 1875, carrying freight and tourists. The Woodstock Inn opened in 1892.[8]

The Industrial Revolution helped the town grow prosperous. The economy is now largely driven by tourism. Woodstock has the 20th highest per-capita income of Vermont towns as reported by the United States Census, and a high percentage of homes owned by non-residents. The town's central square, called the Green, is bordered by restored late Georgian, Federal Style, and Greek Revival houses. The cost of real estate in the district adjoining the Green is among the highest in the state.[citation needed] The seasonal presence of wealthy second-home owners from cities such as Boston and New York has contributed to the town's economic vitality and livelihood, while at the same time diminished its accessibility to native Vermonters.[original research?]

  • Street scene in 1906

  • Town center c. 1905

  • Snowy night in 1940

[edit] Cultural Notes

Ladies Home Journal named Woodstock, Vermont, "The Prettiest Small Town in America."[9]

National Geographic Magazine named Woodstock, Vermont, “One of America’s Most Picturesque Villages.”

A Christmas commercial for Budweiser beer was shot mostly in the area of the village of South Woodstock. It features the Clydesdale horses pulling the brewer's dray.[citation needed]

Several movies have been filmed in or around Woodstock, including Dr. Cook's Garden (1971),[10] Ghost Story (1981) [11] and Funny Farm (1988).[12]

Woodstock maintains a free community wi-fi internet service that covers most of the Village of Woodstock, dubbed "Wireless Woodstock."[13]

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.6 square miles (115.6 km2), of which 44.5 square miles (115.3 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km2) (0.22%) is water. The Ottauquechee River flows through the town.[14]

Woodstock is crossed by U.S. Route 4, Vermont Route 12 and Vermont Route 106. It borders the towns of Pomfret to the north, Hartford to the northeast, Hartland to the east, Reading to the south, and Bridgewater to the west.

Woodstock is a three-hour drive from Boston and is 250 miles away from New York City; and is also easily accessible via car or plane to Rutland or Lebanon Airports. The closest regular public transportation hubs are in White River Junction (12 miles east) and Rutland (48 miles west).

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,232 people, 1,388 households, and 877 families residing in the town. The population density was 72.6 people per square mile (28.0/km2). There were 1,775 housing units at an average density of 39.9 per square mile (15.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 1,388 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% 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 2.79.

In the town the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,143, and the median income for a family was $57,330. Males had a median income of $33,229 versus $26,769 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,326. About 4.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

[edit] Sites of interest

[edit] Notable residents

The Norman Williams Public Library c. 1910, built in 1883-1884
Original Woodstock Inn in 1907, opened in 1892 but replaced in the late 1960s

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ Title 24, Part I, Chapter 1, §15, Vermont Statutes. Accessed 2007-11-01.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  5. ^ Hayward's New England Gazetteer of 1839
  6. ^ A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, A History and Description of New England; Boston, Massachusetts 1859
  7. ^ A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, A History and Description of New England; Boston, Massachusetts 1859
  8. ^ Virtual Vermont -- Woodstock, Vermont
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ [2]
  11. ^ [3]
  12. ^ [4]
  13. ^ [5]
  14. ^ DeLorme (1996). Vermont Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-016-9

[edit] External links

Municipalities and communities of Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Shire town: Woodstock
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