Editing Orwell, Vermont

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Orwell, Vermont
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 = "The Fortress of America"
|motto                    = "First in Revolution, First in Recreation"

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Orwellvttownhall.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Orwell town hall
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Addison County Vermont incorporated and unincorporated areas Orwell highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Addison County, Vermont|Addison County]] and the state of [[Vermont]].

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = [[Vermont]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Vermont|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Addison County, Vermont|Addison]]

<!-- Government -->
|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           = 128.6
|area_land_km2            = 122.2
|area_water_km2           = 6.5
|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         = 1239
|population_density_km2   = 10.1
|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              = 116
|elevation_ft             = 381
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|48|30|N|73|17|1|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 05760 (Orwell)<br/>05770 ([[Shoreham, Vermont|Shoreham]])<br/>05733 ([[Brandon, Vermont|Brandon]])<br/>05778 ([[Whiting, Vermont|Whiting]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]] 
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-53725<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              = 1462168<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://townoforwellvt.org/}}
|footnotes                =
}}

'''Orwell''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Addison County, Vermont]], United States. The population was 1,239 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5000153725| title=Census - Geography Profile: Orwell town, Addison County, Vermont| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=January 3, 2022}}</ref> [[Mount Independence (Vermont)|Mount Independence]] was the largest fortification constructed by the American colonial forces. The {{convert|300|acre|km2|adj=on}} site is now one of Vermont's premier state-operated historic sites.

==Geography==
Orwell is located in the southwest corner of Addison County. Its western border is the [[New York (state)|New York]]–Vermont state line, following the middle of [[Lake Champlain]], near the lake's southern end. Orwell is bordered by the town of [[Shoreham, Vermont|Shoreham]] to the north, [[Whiting, Vermont|Whiting]] to the northeast, [[Sudbury, Vermont|Sudbury]] to the east and southeast, and [[Benson, Vermont|Benson]] to the south. Sudbury and Benson are within [[Rutland County, Vermont|Rutland County]]. To the west, across Lake Champlain, are the town of [[Putnam, New York]], in [[Washington County, New York|Washington County]], and [[Ticonderoga, New York]], in [[Essex County, New York|Essex County]]. Mount Independence, elevation {{convert|306|ft}}, is located in northwest Orwell, overlooking Lake Champlain and the town of Ticonderoga.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Orwell has a total area of {{convert|128.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|122.2|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|6.5|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 5.02%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5000153725| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212161331/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5000153725| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Orwell town, Addison County, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref>

[[Vermont Route 22A]] runs through the town, leading north to [[Vergennes, Vermont|Vergennes]] and south to [[Fair Haven, Vermont|Fair Haven]], where it continues into New York. [[Vermont Route 73]] crosses Route 22A west of the town center and leads east to [[Brandon, Vermont|Brandon]] and northwest to the [[Ticonderoga–Larrabees Point Ferry]] across Lake Champlain.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 778
|1800= 1376
|1810= 1849
|1820= 1730
|1830= 1598
|1840= 1504
|1850= 1470
|1860= 1341
|1870= 1192
|1880= 1351
|1890= 1265
|1900= 1150
|1910= 1065
|1920= 942
|1930= 835
|1940= 876
|1950= 902
|1960= 826
|1970= 851
|1980= 901
|1990= 1114
|2000= 1185
|2010= 1250
|2020= 1239
|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 1,185 people, 441 households, and 340 families residing in the town.  The population density was 25.0 people per square mile (9.7/km<sup>2</sup>).  There were 577 housing units at an average density of 12.2 per square mile (4.7/km<sup>2</sup>).  The racial makeup of the town was 99.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.08% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.08% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.42% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.17% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 441 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 27.3% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,978, and the median income for a family was $42,438. Males had a median income of $29,671 versus $23,304 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $19,835.  About 6.2% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

==History==

[[File:Orwell Congregational Church Feb 11.jpg|thumb|left|The [[First Congregational Church (Orwell, Vermont)|First Congregational Church]] in Orwell village]]
After the construction of [[Fort Independence (Vermont)|Fort Independence]] on [[Mount Independence (Vermont)|Mount Independence]] in 1775, rebel soldiers bravely manned the lesser fortifications of the Vermont-side defenses. While those soldiers billeted at [[Fort Ticonderoga]] enjoyed comparatively splendid conditions in the French-style fort, Mount Independence proved a trying and difficult environment for its small cadre of revolutionary defenders, who frequently returned to their farms in the surrounding countryside to tend to their homesteads.<ref>The Vermont Encyclopedia, "Fort Independence"</ref>  The fortress was passed between the British and Colonials, until it was eventually abandoned at the cessation of hostilities on the northern front of the war.

Orwell enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity after the war's conclusion, marking a time of great emotional uprising and town glee. However, these bright times would be marred by several major tragedies that coincided with the attempted industrialization of the area's farmlands in the 1870s, when several young men were lost in a thresher accident near what is now the intersection of Main Street and [[Vermont Route 22A|Route 22A]]. This tragedy was keenly remembered by the community, which banned industrial farming later that year in a special town meeting. Industrialized farm equipment was only allowed back into Orwell after the economic collapse of the early 1900s, and even then, special restrictions were placed to limit the capabilities of such farm instruments. The town's law against the use of "Modern Farm Machinery of All Kinds" was never actually repealed, and continues to be a curio law on the books that the town refuses to repeal.

Orwell attempted in the late 1990s to obtain a franchised fast-food restaurant, as a vital link in the food availability between [[Whitehall (village), New York|Whitehall, New York]], and [[Vergennes, Vermont]], but the residents of the surrounding townships blocked the move, claiming it would upset the rural beauty of the western Vermont countryside.<ref>''Orwell Examiner'', June 9, 1998</ref> Orwell is known as the Fortress of America. The town motto is "First in Revolution, First in Recreation".

==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 Orwell, 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.
-->

* [[Louis Winslow Austin]], physicist
* [[Tully Blanchard]], professional wrestler 
* [[Henry C. Bottum]], member, [[Wisconsin State Assembly]]
* [[Roswell Bottum (farmer)|Roswell Bottum]], member, [[Vermont House of Representatives]]
* [[Sarah E. Buxton]], member, [[Vermont House of Representatives]]
* [[John Catlin (politician)|John Catlin]], acting governor of the [[Wisconsin Territory]] (1848–1849)
* [[Nathaniel Colver]], Baptist minister, abolitionist, educator
* [[Marsena E. Cutts]], politician
* [[Henry Kent Hewitt]], [[Admiral]] [[United States Navy]], Commander [[US 8th Fleet]], [[World War I]], [[World War II]]
* [[William P. Kellogg]], US senator and 26th [[List of Governors of Louisiana|governor of Louisiana]]
* [[William Smith (U.S. Army Paymaster General).jpg|William Smith]], U.S. Army Paymaster-General<ref name="Cyclopedia">{{cite book |date=1897 |title=The National Cyclopedia of American Biography |volume=IV |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3MMI6lZGbBQC&pg=PA459 |location=New York, NY |publisher=James T. White & Company |page=459 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://townoforwellvt.org/ Town of Orwell official website]
* [http://historicsites.vermont.gov/directory/mount_independence Mount Independence State Historic Site]

{{Addison County, Vermont}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Orwell, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Towns in Addison County, Vermont]]