Editing Canaan, Vermont

{{for|the town in New Hampshire|Canaan, New Hampshire}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
<!-- Infobox begins. Additional parameter field maybe available at Template:Infobox settlement -->
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Canaan, Vermont
|other_name               =
|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 =
|settlement_type          = Town
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Canaan VT.JPG
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            = Town center looking west along Gale St. ([[Vermont Route 114|VT&nbsp;114]])
|image_flag               =
|flag_size                =
|image_seal               =
|seal_size                =
|image_shield             =
|shield_size              =
|image_blank_emblem       =
|blank_emblem_size        =
|image_map                = Essex County Vermont incorporated and unincorporated areas Canaan highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Essex County, Vermont|Essex County]] and the state of [[Vermont]].
|image_map1               = Map of USA VT.svg
|mapsize1                 = 195px
|map_caption1             = Location of Vermont in the United States
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Vermont]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Vermont|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Essex County, Vermont|Essex]]
|subdivision_type3        =
|subdivision_name3        =
|subdivision_type4        =
|subdivision_name4        =
|parts_type               = Communities
|parts                    = [[Canaan (CDP), Vermont|Canaan]]<br />[[Beecher Falls, Vermont|Beecher&nbsp;Falls]]<br />Wallace&nbsp;Pond
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1             =
|leader_title2            =
|leader_name2             =
|leader_title3            =
|leader_name3             =
|leader_title4            =
|leader_name4             =
|established_title        =
|established_date         =
|area_magnitude           =
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_total_km2           = 86.6
|area_land_km2            = 85.5
|area_water_km2           = 1.1
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       =
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     =
|population_note          =
|population_total         = 896
|population_density_km2   = 10.5
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|population_blank1_title          = Households
|population_blank1                = 
|population_blank2_title          = Families
|population_blank2                = 
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|59|N|71|33|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m              = 413
|elevation_ft             = 1355
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 05903 (Canaan)<br/>05902 ([[Beecher Falls, Vermont|Beecher Falls]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-11800<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1462064<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.canaan-vt.org}}
|footnotes                =
}}
<!-- Infobox ends -->

'''Canaan''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Essex County, Vermont|Essex County]], [[Vermont]], United States. The population was 896 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5000911800| title=Census - Geography Profile: Canaan town, Essex County, Vermont| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=December 29, 2021}}</ref> Canaan contains the village of [[Beecher Falls, Vermont|Beecher Falls]], located at the confluence of the [[Connecticut River]] and [[Halls Stream]]. It is part of the [[Berlin, New Hampshire|Berlin]], [[New Hampshire|NH]]-[[Berlin, New Hampshire micropolitan area|VT Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

Due to [[Québécois people|Québécois]] ancestry, 26% of Canaan residents speak [[New England French|French]] as their primary language, making the town one of [[New England]]'s "Little Canadas."<ref name="NEHS">{{cite web |url=https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-little-canadas-of-new-england/ |title=The Little Canadas of New England |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=New England Historical Society |access-date=April 15, 2021 |quote=}}</ref><ref name="CHS">{{cite web |url=https://www.communityheartandsoul.org/towns/canaan-vermont/ |title=Canaan, Vermont |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Community Heart and Soul |publisher=Orton Family Foundation |access-date=April 15, 2021 |quote=}}</ref> This is a decrease from 1982, when nearly 44% spoke French as their native language.<ref name="VHS">{{cite journal |last1=Woolfson |first1=Peter |date=Summer 1982 |title=The Rural Franco-American in Vermont |url=https://vermonthistory.org/journal/misc/RuralFrancoAmerican.pdf |journal=Vermont History |volume=50 |issue=3 |pages=151–162 |doi= |access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>

==Geography==

[[File:Connecticut River at Canaan VT.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Connecticut River]] between Canaan and [[Stewartstown, New Hampshire]]]]
Canaan is the northeasternmost town in Vermont, bordered by the [[Canadian province]] of [[Quebec]] to the north and the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Hampshire]] to the east. It is one of two towns in Vermont to share a border with both another state and Canada, the other such town being [[Alburgh (town), Vermont|Alburgh]] in the northwestern corner. Canaan has two border crossings with Quebec, each approximately 3 miles (4.8&nbsp;km) apart. The border crossings are, from west to east, [[Canaan–Hereford Road Border Crossing]], accessed by [[Vermont Route 141]] and [[Quebec Route 141]], and [[Beecher Falls–East Hereford Border Crossing]], accessed by [[Vermont Route 253]] and [[Quebec Route 253]]. Canaan is also the only town in Vermont to share a land border with New Hampshire—the town's far northeastern corner touches the southwestern corner of the town of [[Pittsburg, New Hampshire|Pittsburg]]—as the [[Connecticut River]] defines the state line from Canaan southward.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|86.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|85.5|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.1|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 1.24%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US5000911800| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Canaan town, Essex County, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=March 31, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213131726/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US5000911800| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 19
|1800= 45
|1810= 332
|1820= 227
|1830= 373
|1840= 378
|1850= 471
|1860= 408
|1870= 419
|1880= 637
|1890= 829
|1900= 934
|1910= 869
|1920= 982
|1930= 906
|1940= 872
|1950= 969
|1960= 1094
|1970= 949
|1980= 1196
|1990= 1121
|2000= 1078
|2010= 972
|2020= 896
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2014">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/SUB-EST2014.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523034651/https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/SUB-EST2014.html|archive-date=May 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 16, 2015 }}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,078 people, 441 households, and 306 families living in the town.  The population density was {{convert|32.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 650 housing units at an average density of {{convert|19.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 95.83% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.19% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.83% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.09% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 3.06% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.28% of the population.

There were 441 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,574, and the median income for a family was $36,705. Males had a median income of $28,913 versus $21,544 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,131.  About 10.2% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

===Social services===
Social services are provided in part by the [[Northeast Kingdom Community Action]], located here and in other [[Northeast Kingdom]] sites.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

Northeast Kingdom Learning Services{{clarify|reason=is this different from NEKCA?|date=November 2014}}  provides Adult Education and Literacy and High School Completion services to Canaan at no charge.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

=== Town Meeting ===
Canaan, Vermont holds a town meeting on [[Town meeting|town meeting day]], held in the school's gymnasium.

== Economy ==
Since the start of the 20th century, Canaan has lost many logging jobs and most family farms. Tourism is now an important part of the local economy.<ref name=Hist>{{Cite web|url=http://canaan-vt.org/townhistorypage2.html |title=Town History, Page 2 |publisher=Town of Canaan, Vermont|access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref>

The Beecher Falls furniture factory, a division of [[Ethan Allen (furniture company)|Ethan Allen]], closed its manufacturing unit in August 2009, laying off 238 workers and leaving only the rough mill open.<ref>{{cite news |first=Wilson |last=Ring |url=http://newsok.com/article/3380670 |title=Ethan Allen laying off 260 in Beecher Falls |agency=AP |website=NewsOK |date=June 25, 2009}}</ref> The plant opened in 1895 and was once the largest furniture factory east of [[Michigan]].<ref name=Hist/>

==Notable people==
*[[Samuel Ingham]], attorney and politician, practiced law in Canaan<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/I000021 |title=Biography, Samuel Ingham |website=bioguide.congress.gov |publisher=Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives |location=Washington, DC |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref>
*[[Norris Garshom Starkweather]], architect, resided in Canaan<ref name=philadelphia-architects-and-buildings-norris-garsholm-starkweather-biography>{{Cite web|url=https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/25631 |title=Starkweather, Norris Garshom (1818 – 1885) |access-date=2020-05-03 |website=Philadelphia Architects and Buildings |last1=Moss |first1=Roger |last2=Tatman |first2=Sandra}}</ref>
*[[Neil Tillotson]], inventor, born in Canaan<ref>{{cite news |last=Cyr |first=Maeve |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Neil Tillotson's philosophy was simple: "Be humble, be creative and be kind." |url=https://northcountrylocal.com/be-humble-be-creative-be-kind-neil-tillotson-and-the-north-country/ |work=North Country Local |location=Lancaster, NH |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Alice M. Ward Library]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.canaan-vt.org Town of Canaan official website]
* [http://www.canaanschools.org Canaan schools]

{{commons category}}
{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Canaan
 | North = {{flagicon|Canada}}<br />[[Saint-Herménégilde, Quebec|Saint-Herménégilde]] and [[East Hereford, Quebec]]
 | Northeast = [[Pittsburg, New Hampshire]]<br />[[Clarksville, New Hampshire]]
 | East = [[Stewartstown, New Hampshire]]
 | Southeast = [[Colebrook, New Hampshire]]
 | South = [[Lemington, Vermont|Lemington]]
 | Southwest = [[Averill, Vermont|Averill]]
 | West = [[Norton, Vermont|Norton]]
 | Northwest = {{flagicon|Canada}}<br />[[Dixville, Quebec]]
}}

{{Essex County, Vermont}}
{{Connecticut River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Canaan, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Berlin, New Hampshire micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Vermont populated places on the Connecticut River]]
[[Category:Towns in Essex County, Vermont]]