Editing Montgomery, Vermont

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Montgomery, Vermont
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 = "The Covered Bridge Town"<ref>[https://montgomeryvt.us/ Town of Montgomery official website]</ref>
|motto                    =

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|image_skyline            = MontgomeryHouse.JPG
|image_caption            =
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Franklin County Vermont incorporated and unincorporated areas Montgomery highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location in [[Franklin County, Vermont|Franklin County]] and the state of [[Vermont]].

<!-- Location -->
|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        = [[Franklin County, Vermont|Franklin]]
|parts_type               = Communities
|parts                    = Montgomery<br />[[Montgomery Center, Vermont|Montgomery&nbsp;Center]]<br />Hectorville<br />Hutchins<br />West&nbsp;Hill

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|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            =
|leader_name1             =
|established_title        =
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 146.9
|area_land_km2            = 146.7
|area_water_km2           = 0.2
|area_total_sq_mi         =
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_sq_mi         =

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 1184
|population_density_km2   = 8.1
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 198
|elevation_ft             = 650
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|52|45|N|72|36|42|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = 05470 (Montgomery)<br/>05471 ([[Montgomery Center, Vermont|Montgomery&nbsp;Center]])<br/>05450 ([[Enosburg Falls, Vermont|Enosburg Falls]])<br/>05476 ([[Richford, Vermont|Richford]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-45850<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              = 1462151<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://montgomeryvt.us/}}
|footnotes                =
}}
'''Montgomery''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Franklin County, Vermont|Franklin County]], [[Vermont]], [[United States]]. The population as of the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]] was 1,184.<ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5001145850| title=Census - Geography Profile: Montgomery town, Franklin County, Vermont| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=January 3, 2022}}</ref> In 1963, part of Avery's Gore in Franklin County became part of Montgomery, with the other section becoming part of [[Belvidere, Vermont|Belvidere]] in [[Lamoille County, Vermont|Lamoille County]].

==Geography==
The town is in eastern Franklin County, bordered to the south by Lamoille County and to the east by [[Orleans County, Vermont|Orleans County]]. [[Vermont Route 118]] passes through the town, leading northwest to [[Berkshire, Vermont|Berkshire]] and south to [[Eden, Vermont|Eden]]. [[Vermont Route 58]] intersects Route 118 at Montgomery Center, leading southwest over [[Hazens Notch]] to [[Lowell, Vermont|Lowell]]. [[Vermont Route 242]] also terminates at Montgomery Center, leading northeast over the [[Green Mountains]] to [[Jay, Vermont|Jay]]. The higheast point in Montgomery is the {{convert|1154|m|order=flip|adj=on}} summit of Big Jay, a spur of [[Jay Peak (Vermont)|Jay Peak]]. Big Jay is in the northeast corner of Montgomery.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|146.9|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|146.7|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), or 0.13%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5001145850| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Montgomery town, Franklin County, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=September 13, 2016}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Nearly all of the town is drained by the Trout River, a northwest-flowing tributary of the [[Missisquoi River]]. The southeast corner of the town is drained by Calavale Brook, a tributary of the [[Lamoille River]]. Both rivers flow to [[Lake Champlain]].

The following are named villages and places in the town of Montgomery, according to the Vermont Secretary of State.<ref>List of place names in Vermont</ref>

* Hectorville
* Hutchins
* Montgomery Center ([[ZIP Code]] 05471)
* Montgomery Village (ZIP Code 05470)

[[Hazen's Notch|Hazen's Notch State Park]] is located on Vermont Route 58, the Hazen's Notch Road. The undeveloped park is located in three towns, including Montgomery. It is midway between [[Lowell, Vermont|Lowell]] to the east and Montgomery to the west.

==History==
The town of Montgomery was granted a charter by the [[Vermont General Assembly]] on March 15, 1780. Montgomery was named in honor of General [[Richard Montgomery]] (1738–1775), [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] hero.<ref name="mhs">Branthoover, W.R. & Taylor, Sara, Montgomery Vermont - The History of a Town (1976, 1991, 2013) Montgomery Historical Society, Montgomery, Vermont</ref>

The Montgomery Historical Society was formed in 1974. The society was initially created to acquire and restore the [[St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church (Montgomery, Vermont)|St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church]] in Montgomery Village.<ref name="mhs" />

The following buildings and bridges in Montgomery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:<ref>National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Vermont</ref>

* [[Comstock Covered Bridge (Montgomery, Vermont)|Comstock Covered Bridge]]
* [[Fuller Covered Bridge]]
* Hectorville Covered Bridge (Disassembled and stored awaiting restoration)
* [[Hopkins Covered Bridge]]
* [[Hutchins Covered Bridge]]
* [[Longley Covered Bridge]]
* [[West Hill Covered Bridge]]
* Montgomery House (Montgomery, Vermont)
* [[St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church (Montgomery, Vermont)|St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church]] (Now known as Pratt Hall, Montgomery Historical Society)
* First Baptist Church (Now known as Kelton Hall, Montgomery Center for the Arts)

In 2008, the state notified residents of the town, and twelve other towns in the adjacent counties of Lamoille and Orleans, that a review of health records from 1995 to 2006 had revealed that residents within {{convert|10|mi}} of the former asbestos mine on Belvidere Mountain had higher than normal rates of contracting [[asbestosis]]. The state and federal government continues to study this problem.<ref>{{cite book | author = Rathke, Lisa |title = Neighbors worry about mine's impact on health | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = December 12, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/asbestos/documents/VAG-Mine-Report120908.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 15, 2009 |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527130600/http://www.healthvermont.gov/enviro/asbestos/documents/VAG-Mine-Report120908.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> A critic replied that the entire basis of the study were three unidentified people who died from asbestosis from 1995 to 2005 out of a total population of 16,700.<ref>{{cite book | author = Avery, Don |title = Letter to the editor:The Vermont Department of Health has done a great disservice to the people of Eden and Lowell | publisher = the Chronicle | date = January 7, 2009}}</ref>

==Government==
The Montgomery Town Offices (Town Clerk, Select Board, etc.) are located at the Public Safety Building at 86 Mountain Road, Rte. #242, in Montgomery Center.  The Montgomery Center Post Office is located at 98 Main Street in Montgomery Center (05471), and the Montgomery Village Post Office has its own post office located on 1 Black Falls Road, near the intersection of Fuller Bridge Road and Black Falls Road in Montgomery (05470).

==Legislators==
The [[Essex-Orleans Vermont Senate District, 2002-2012|Essex-Orleans Senate district]] includes the town of Montgomery, as well as parts or all of [[Essex County, Vermont|Essex County]], [[Orleans County, Vermont|Orleans County]], [[Franklin County, Vermont|Franklin County]] and [[Lamoille County, Vermont|Lamoille County]]. As of 2021, it is represented in the [[Vermont Senate]] by Russ Ingalls ([[Republican party (United States)|R]]) and [[Robert A. Starr]] ([[Democratic party (United States)|D]]).

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1800= 41
|1810= 237
|1820= 293
|1830= 460
|1840= 548
|1850= 1001
|1860= 1262
|1870= 1423
|1880= 1642
|1890= 1734
|1900= 1876
|1910= 1721
|1920= 1658
|1930= 1386
|1940= 1208
|1950= 1091
|1960= 876
|1970= 651
|1980= 681
|1990= 823
|2000= 992
|2010= 1201
|2020= 1184
|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 992 people, 412 households, and 288 families residing in the town.  The [[population density]] was 17.5 people per square mile (6.7/km<sup>2</sup>).  There were 666 housing units at an average density of 11.7 per square mile (4.5/km<sup>2</sup>).  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|racial makeup]] of the town was 96.88% White, 0.20% African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.10% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.

There were 412 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.1 males.

==Economy==

Montgomery's economy centers on [[tourism]] due to its proximity to [[Jay Peak Resort]]. [[Agribusiness]] is also a significant contributor to the town's economy.

==Personal income==
The median income for a household in the town was $33,958, and the median income for a family was $38,839. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $22,273 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $16,570.  About 8.7% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
* [[Dana Reed Bailey]], politician
* [[Percival L. Shangraw]], Vermont Supreme Court 1958–1974 (Chief Justice 1972–1974)<ref>{{cite news |date=December 19, 1988 |title=Obituary, Percival Lee Shangraw |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/201728072/ |work=[[Burlington Free Press]] |location=Burlington, VT |url-access=subscription  |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |page=2B |ref={{sfnRef|"Obituary, Percival Lee Shangraw"}}}}</ref>
*[[Elle Purrier St. Pierre]], Olympian<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a28932654/elle-purrier-preparing-for-world-championships-doha/|title=As Elle Purrier Heads to Worlds, the Hay Is in the Barn|last=Butler|first=Sarah Lorge|date=September 8, 2019|website=Runner's World|language=en-US|access-date=September 24, 2019}}</ref>
*[[Homer W. Wheeler]], U.S. Army officer and author<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Leonard |editor-first=John W. |date=1925 |title=Who's Who in America |volume=XV |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fI_hAAAAMAAJ&q=%22wheeler,+homer+webster%22+%22who%27s+who%22 |location=Chicago, IL |publisher=A.N. Marquis |page=2195 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>

==References==

<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://montgomeryvt.us/ Town of Montgomery official website]
* [http://www.montgomeryhistoricalsociety.org/ Montgomery Historical Society]

{{Franklin County, Vermont}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Montgomery, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Burlington, Vermont metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Franklin County, Vermont]]