Editing Essex, Vermont

{{Distinguish|Essex County, Vermont}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Essex, Vermont
|settlement_type          = [[List of towns in Vermont|Town]]
|motto                    = "Crossroads of Chittenden County"<ref name="Town of Essex Vermont">{{cite web|url= http://www.essex.org/ |title= Town of Essex Vermont |publisher= Town of Essex Vermont |access-date= November 10, 2012}}</ref>
| image_skyline = Roswell Butler House in front of Camel's Hump 2020.png

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Chittenden County Vermont incorporated and unincorporated areas Essex highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden County]] and the state of [[Vermont]].
| pushpin_map = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = [[Vermont]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Vermont|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden]]
|parts_type               = Communities
|parts                    = Essex&nbsp;Center<br>Butlers&nbsp;Corners<br>Pages&nbsp;Corner
<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            =
|leader_name1             =
|established_title        = Incorporated
|established_date         = June 7, 1763<ref name="Town of Essex Vermont"/>
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 101.8
|area_land_km2            = 100.6
|area_water_km2           = 1.3
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 22094
|population_density_km2   = auto
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_ft             = 486
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|30|7|N|73|5|38|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 05451-05452
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-24175<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              = 1462091<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|https://www.essexvt.org/}}
}}

'''Essex''' is a town in [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden County]], [[Vermont]], United States. [[Vermont Route 289]] crosses the town from east to west. The city of [[Essex Junction, Vermont|Essex Junction]], with a population as of 2020 of 10,590, was located within the town as an [[Village (Vermont)|incorporated village]] until 2022.

==History==
{| class="wikitable" align="right" style="margin-left: 8px; text-align:right"
|-
! colspan="3" | Town vote to merge !! colspan="2" | Revote
|-
! rowspan="2" | District
! colspan="2" | 2006-11-07
! colspan="2" | 2007-01-23
|-
! Yes !! No
! Yes !! No
|-
|align="left"| 6–1 (outside village)
| 1,283 || 2,319
| rowspan="2" | 690
| rowspan="2" | 2,528
|-
|align="left"| 6–3 (outside village)
| 365 || 822
|-
|align="left"| 6–2 (within village)
| 2,728 || 1,026
| 2,009 || 362
|-
| Townwide totals
| 4,376 || 4,167
| 2,699 || 2,890
|-
! colspan="3" | Village vote to accept
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="font-size: 80%; line-height: 100%;"| No revote <br>required, <br>result was <br>uncontested.
|-
| &nbsp;
| 2,922
| 1,085
|}
The town was incorporated on June 7, 1763,<ref name="Town of Essex Vermont"/> named after the [[Earl of Essex]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=277815|title= Profile for Essex, Vermont, VT|publisher= ePodunk|access-date= November 10, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121104195839/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=277815|archive-date= November 4, 2012|url-status= dead}}</ref>

The Village of [[Essex Junction, Vermont|Essex Junction]] was formed within the town of Essex on November 15, 1892. The village was formed to provide additional services (such as sidewalks, water, and sewers) to its residents. The rural areas of the town did not want the services or the needed taxes.

As the town outside the village developed, it gradually added its own similar services, and by 1958, merger proposals appeared via voter petition. Over the years, various votes (often contentious) regarding a merger occurred in the village and the town, but never passing in both communities. - a requirement by the state legislature for a merger.

On November 7, 2006, a merger passed in both the town (as a whole) and village. The town as a whole (including the village) voted once on the merger, while the village, separately, voted in a second ballot to accept the merger if it passed the townwide vote. Complicating the matter, the regional paper misreported the merger failed based solely on results outside the village.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Welch |first=Victoria |date=November 8, 2006 |title=Essex Defeats Merger 2-1 |newspaper=Burlington Free Press}}</ref> The next day the correct results were reported in both the town's paper,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tyler |first=George |date=November 9, 2006 |title=Merger Wins: Confusion over vote count |newspaper=Essex Reporter}}</ref> and as a correction in the regional paper.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Welch |first=Victoria |date=November 9, 2006 |title=Essex merger moves forward: An apology to our Essex readers |newspaper=Burlington Free Press}}</ref>

On December 6, 2006, a petition to reconsider the merger was submitted to the town. The petition contained signatures totaling more than 5 percent of registered voters, the threshold required for a re-vote.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Welch |first=Victoria |title=New rift emerges in Essex merger |newspaper=Burlington Free Press |date=December 7, 2006 }}</ref> The re-vote was held on January 23, 2007. Those results overturned the merger by 191 votes, rejecting the current merger proposal.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Welch |first=Victoria |title=This time, Essex rejects merger: Revote comes up 191 ballots short |date=January 24, 2007 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/203298301/?terms=This%20time%20essex%20rejects%20merger&match=1 |newspaper=The Burlington Free Press |volume=180 |issue=24 |page=1A |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

An approval result would have triggered a multi-year merger process creating a new "Town of Essex Junction" and replacing the current governments of the town of Essex and the village of Essex Junction.

On November 2, 2021, voters in the village of Essex Junction voted to separate from the town of Essex, citing an unfair tax burden. The vote was 3,070 to 411 in favor of separation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cohen|first=Lana|date=November 2, 2021|title=Essex Junction residents vote to become an independent city|url=https://vtdigger.org/2021/11/02/essex-junction-residents-vote-to-become-an-independent-city/|access-date=January 21, 2022|website=VTDigger|language=en-US}}</ref> Essex Junction separated on July 1, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Benninghoff |first1=Grace |title=Essex Junction will officially become its own city on July 1 |url=https://www.vermontpublic.org/vpr-news/2022-04-22/essex-junction-will-officially-become-its-own-city-on-july-1 |website=Vermont Public |date=April 22, 2022 |access-date=July 6, 2022}}</ref>

==Geography==
Essex is located in central Chittenden County, bordered on the south by the [[Winooski River]]. Neighboring municipalities are [[Colchester, Vermont|Colchester]] to the west, [[Milton, Vermont|Milton]] at the northwest corner, [[Westford, Vermont|Westford]] to the north, [[Underhill, Vermont|Underhill]] at the northeast corner, [[Jericho, Vermont|Jericho]] to the east, [[Williston, Vermont|Williston]] to the south, and the cities of [[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]] and [[Essex Junction, Vermont|Essex Junction]] to the southwest.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town of Essex in 2010 had a total area of {{convert|101.8|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|100.6|sqkm|order=flip}} was land and {{convert|1.3|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 1.26%, was water.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US5000724175| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Essex town, Chittenden County, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=August 19, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213131850/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US5000724175| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 575 acre [[Indian Brook Town Conservation Area]] and 335 acre [[Saxon Hill Town Forest]] are located within the town.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.essex.org/vertical/sites/%7B60B9D552-E088-4553-92E3-EA2E9791E5A5%7D/uploads/History_of_Indian_Brook_and_Saxon_Hill_(1).pdf |title=Historical Analysis of Two Town Forests in Essex, Vermont| access-date=October 9, 2018}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 354
|1800= 729
|1810= 957
|1820= 1089
|1830= 1664
|1840= 1824
|1850= 2052
|1860= 1906
|1870= 2022
|1880= 2104
|1890= 2013
|1900= 2203
|1910= 2714
|1920= 2449
|1930= 2876
|1940= 3059
|1950= 3931
|1960= 7090
|1970= 10951
|1980= 14392
|1990= 16498
|2000= 18626
|2010= 19587
|2020= 22094
|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>
}}

=== 2010 census ===
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2010, there were 19,587 people and 7,322 households in the town.  The racial makeup of the town was 91.6% non-Hispanic [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.5% Black or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race made up 1.7% of the population. The population density was 534 people per square mile (184.4/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 7,170 housing units at an average density of {{convert|183.8|/sqmi}}. There were 7,013 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $58,441, and the median income for a family was $65,794. Males had a median income of $45,428 versus $27,426 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $25,854.  About 1.8% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==

===Museums and other points of interest===
The Harriet Farnsworth Powell Museum is located in Essex. The museum is housed in a former two-room schoolhouse, and includes a collection of costumes, school items, and local memorabilia.<ref name="Town of Essex Vermont"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vtliving.com/historicsociety/burl.shtml#.UKEt04dTz3Q|title=Champlain Valley Region Vermont Historical Societies|publisher=Vermont Living Magazine|access-date=November 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605235025/http://www.vtliving.com/historicsociety/burl.shtml#.UKEt04dTz3Q|archive-date=June 5, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Government==

Until 2022, Essex comprised three Vermont Legislature districts (seats) within [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden County]]: District 8–1, the central portion of the town of Essex;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/SmallMaps/CHI-8-1.pdf |title=District: CHI-8-1 |publisher=[[Vermont General Assembly]] |date=2012 |access-date=November 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112161809/http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/SmallMaps/CHI-8-1.pdf |archive-date=January 12, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> District 8–2, the [[Essex Junction, Vermont|former village of Essex Junction]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/SmallMaps/CHI-8-2.pdf |title=District: CHI-8-2 |publisher=[[Vermont General Assembly]] |date=2012 |access-date=November 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124214844/http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/SmallMaps/CHI-8-2.pdf |archive-date=January 24, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and District 8–3, northern town of Essex and the [[Westford, Vermont|town of Westford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/SmallMaps/CHI-8-3.pdf |title=District: CHI-8-3 |publisher=[[Vermont General Assembly]] |date=2012 |access-date=November 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112162822/http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/SmallMaps/CHI-8-3.pdf |archive-date=January 12, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The town of Essex and the city of Essex Junction continued to share municipal services until July 1, 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vermontpublic.org/vpr-news/2022-04-22/essex-junction-will-officially-become-its-own-city-on-july-1 | title=Essex Junction will officially become its own city on July 1 | date=April 22, 2022 }}</ref>

===Education===

The Essex Westford School District (EWSD)—unified on July 1, 2017—serves 4,500 Pre-K to grade&nbsp;12 students in Essex, [[Essex Junction, Vermont|Essex Junction]], and [[Westford, Vermont]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ewsd.org/ |title=About EWSD |publisher=www.ewsd.org |access-date=November 30, 2017}}</ref> EWSD operates ten schools in the two towns—Albert D. Lawton Intermediate School, Essex Center for Technology, Essex Elementary School, [[Essex High School (Vermont)|Essex High School (EHS)]], Essex Middle School, Founders Memorial School, Hiawatha Elementary School, Summit Street School, Thomas Fleming School, and Westford School.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ewsd.org/domain/453 |title=EWSD Schools |publisher=www.ewsd.org |access-date=November 30, 2017}}</ref> Previously, the three communities had separate Pre-K to grade&nbsp;8 school districts that fed the already unified EHS.

EWSD provides busing for students in Essex and Westford, as well as students in Essex Junction, who did not have buses prior to 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=School Transportation |url=https://www.ewsd.org/domain/167 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042745/https://www.ewsd.org/domain/167 |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |website=Essex Westford School District}}</ref> EWSD also provides busing to students from [[South Hero, Vermont|South Hero]], [[Grand Isle, Vermont|Grand Isle]], [[North Hero, Vermont|North Hero]] and [[Georgia, Vermont|Georgia]] who choose to attend EHS.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ewsd.org/domain/167 |title=EWSD Transportation |publisher=www.ewsd.org |access-date=November 30, 2017}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=December 2023|reason=This was added back in May 2012 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=493129620&oldid=492273243&title=Essex%2C_Vermont), long before the Internet Archive's first archive of the webpage.}}

==Media==
''[[The Essex Reporter]]'' is a weekly newspaper published in town, covering news in Essex and the surrounding communities in Chittenden County.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essexreporter.com/ |title=The Essex Reporter |publisher=The Essex Reporter |access-date=November 10, 2012}}</ref> It has a weekly circulation of 8,800 copies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/45/2584/6098 |title=The Essex Reporter |publisher=Mondo Times |access-date=November 10, 2012}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
Vermont's Circumferential Highway ([[Vermont Route 289]] or "The Circ") courses through Essex, and the section within Essex's jurisdiction has been completed. However, further construction of the highway was halted in surrounding communities by court action from [[Environmentalism|environmental protesters]].

Bus service is provided by [[Green Mountain Transit]].

===Rail===
{{See also|Essex Junction station}}
[[Amtrak]], the national rail passenger system, provides daily service via its station in neighboring Essex Junction, operating the ''[[Vermonter (train)|Vermonter]]'' train between [[St. Albans (city), Vermont|St. Albans, Vermont]] and Washington, D.C. In 2008, a study indicated that the cheapest method for one person to get to New York City from the Burlington area was by train, at $48. It was also the longest, taking an estimated 9 hours and 25 minutes.<ref>Assuming $4 per gallon ($1 per liter) gasoline and {{convert|20|mpgUS|abbr=on}} when comparing to auto</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=McKean |first=Dan |title=Which way? |publisher=Burlington Free Press |date=August 17, 2008}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
<!-- Note:
· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· The article must mention how they are associated with Essex, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
· Alphabetical by last name please.
· All others will be deleted.
-->

* [[Bert Abbey]] (1869–1962), pitcher with the [[History of the Washington Senators|Washington Senators]], [[Chicago Colts]], and [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Grooms/Bridegrooms]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=abbeybe01|title= Bert Abbey Stats|publisher= Baseball Almanac |access-date= November 10, 2012}}</ref>
* [[William B. Castle]], mayor of [[Cleveland, Ohio]]
* [[Linda K. Myers]], member of the [[Vermont House of Representatives]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/51037/linda-myers#.UKETkodTz3Q|title= Linda K. Myers|publisher= Project Vote Smart |access-date= November 10, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Essex Junction, Vermont]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
{{wikivoyage|Essex (Vermont)|Essex, Vermont}}
* [https://www.essexvt.org/ Town of Essex official website]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Essex-Vermont.html City-Data.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121104195839/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=277815 ePodunk: Profile for Essex, Vermont]

{{Chittenden County, Vermont}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Essex, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Burlington, Vermont metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Chittenden County, Vermont]]