Editing Putney, Vermont

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Putney, Vermont
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Putney VT - Sacketts Brook.jpg
|imagesize                = 300px
|image_caption            = Sacketts Brook in downtown Putney (2009)
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = putney_vt_highlight.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Putney, Vermont
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
|pushpin_map              =
|pushpin_map_caption      = 

<!-- 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        = [[Windham County, Vermont|Windham]]
|parts_type               = Communities
|parts                    = {{ubl|[[Putney (CDP), Vermont|Putney]]|East Putney}}

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             = Town Manager
|leader_name              = Karen M. Astley
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             =
|established_title        =
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 69.4
|area_land_km2            = 69.4
|area_water_km2           = 0.0
|area_total_sq_mi         = 26.8
|area_land_sq_mi          = 26.8
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.0

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 2617
|population_density_km2   = 37.7
|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              = 123
|elevation_ft             = 404
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|0|1|N|72|31|2|W|region:US-VT_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 05346
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-57700<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              = 1462181<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.putneyvt.gov}}
|footnotes                =
}}

'''Putney''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Windham County, Vermont]], United States. The population was 2,617 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5002557700 |title=Census - Geography Profile: Putney town, Windham County, Vermont |access-date=January 4, 2022}}</ref>

The town's historic core makes up the [[Putney Village Historic District]], which is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].

==History==

On December 26, 1753, Colonel Josiah Willard led a proprietors' petition for a Putney charter to be established in the [[Equivalent Lands]]. The charter was issued that day by Governor [[Benning Wentworth]] &ndash; issuer of the [[New Hampshire Grants]] under the authority of [[King George II of Great Britain]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Gazetteer and Business Directory of Windham County, Vt., 1724-1884.|last=Child|first=Hamilton |year=1884|publisher=Hamilton Child |location=The Journal Office, Syracuse, N. Y.|pages=272–286|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWraIepDq4gC&q=Gazetteer+and+Business+Directory+of+Windham+County,+Vt.,+1724-1884.}}</ref> Significant settlement of Putney did not begin until after the [[French and Indian War]] ended in 1763.

The town arose in a large plain on the west side of the [[Connecticut River]], above the mouth of Sacketts Brook.  A falls on the brook provided water power for early mills, and it is around that point that the main village was formed.  Because the town did not have abundant sources of water power, it was largely bypassed by the [[Industrial Revolution]] of the mid-19th century, and remained largely rural in character.  The village's character is defined by the [[Federal architecture|Federal]] and [[Greek revival architecture|Greek Revival]] styles popular during its most significant period of growth, the late 18th to mid-19th century.<ref name=NRHP>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=86000324}}|title=NRHP nomination for Putney Village Historic District|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=December 23, 2015}}</ref>

{{stack|{{US Census population
|1790= 1848
|1800= 1574
|1810= 1607
|1820= 1547
|1830= 1510
|1840= 1382
|1850= 1425
|1860= 1163
|1870= 1167
|1880= 1124
|1890= 1075
|1900= 969
|1910= 788
|1920= 761
|1930= 835
|1940= 904
|1950= 1019
|1960= 1177
|1970= 1727
|1980= 1850
|1990= 2352
|2000= 2634
|2010= 2702
|2020= 2617
|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>
}}}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 26.8&nbsp;square miles (69.4&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 26.76&nbsp;square&nbsp;miles (69.4&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.04% is water. Putney Mountain is the highest point in the town, rising 1,657&nbsp;ft above sea level.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Putney Mountain|url = http://peakery.com/putney-mountain-vermont/|website = peakery.com|access-date = January 11, 2016}}</ref>

Putney is bordered by [[Dummerston, Vermont|Dummerston]] to the south, [[Westminster (town), Vermont|Westminster]] to the north, and [[Brookline, Vermont|Brookline]] to the west. The [[Connecticut River]] serves as the eastern border of Putney, separating the town from [[Westmoreland, New Hampshire|Westmoreland, NH]]. [[Putney (CDP), Vermont|Putney village]] is in the southern part of the town, along [[U.S. Route 5 in Vermont|U.S. Route 5]] and Sacketts Brook. Putney is approximately {{convert|10|mi|0}} north of [[Brattleboro, Vermont|Brattleboro]] and {{convert|25|mi}} northwest of [[Keene, New Hampshire]].

==Transportation==
[[U.S. Route 5 in Vermont|U.S. Route 5]] and [[Interstate 91]] both pass through Putney, which is accessible from Interstate 91 at Exit 4 on the border of Putney and Dummerston.

The [[New England Central Railroad]] has track rights through the town. [[Amtrak]]'s ''[[Vermonter (train)|Vermonter]]'' passenger rail line runs through Putney but does not stop in town. The closest stations are [[Bellows Falls station|Bellows Falls]] to the north and [[Union Station (Brattleboro, Vermont)|Brattleboro]] to the south.

==Demographics==
As of the 2000 [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> there were 2,634 people, 958 households, and 603 families residing in the town.  The [[population density]] was 98.3 people per square mile (37.9/km<sup>2</sup>).  There were 1,049 housing units at an average density of 39.1 per square mile (15.1/km<sup>2</sup>).  The racial makeup of the town was 95.63% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.03% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.49% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.76% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.30% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.56% of the population.

There were 958 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 16.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,346, and the median income for a family was $50,170. Males had a median income of $29,922 versus $25,217 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $18,576.  About 6.2% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

[[File:04Putgrad.jpg|thumb|right|293px|A graduation ceremony at [[The Putney School]] in 2004]]

==Education==
<!---can put regular schools without a link here too--->

*The Grammar School is an independent day school serving Preschool through Grade 8 with an emphasis on nature-based curriculum.
*[[The Putney School]] is a private independent co-educational boarding and day high school.
*[[Landmark College]] is the first college exclusively for students with learning disabilities.
*[[The Greenwood School (Putney, Vermont)|The Greenwood School]] is a boarding school for boys in grades 6–12 who have been diagnosed with dyslexia and/or related language-based learning disabilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thegreenwoodschool.org/|title=The Greenwood School - A Private Boys Boarding School in Putney, VT.|website=thegreenwoodschool.org}}</ref>
*Putney Central School is the town's public school for Pre-K through grade 8

== Notable people ==

{{multiple image
| align     = right
| direction = horizontal
| image1    = John Irving by Kubik 04.JPG
| width1    = 135
| caption1  = [[John Irving]] (2006)
| image2    = Errol Morris by Bridget Laudien headcrop.jpg
| width2    = 147
| caption2  = [[Errol Morris]] (2008)
| image3    = Peter Shumlin.jpg
| caption3  = [[Peter Shumlin]] (2012)
| width3    = 150
| image4    = JodyWilliamsMay2010 headcrop.jpg
| width4    = 135
| caption4  = [[Jody Williams]] (2010)
}}

* [[George Aiken]], US Senator and 64th [[List of Governors of Vermont|Governor of Vermont]]
* [[The Devil Makes Three (band)|Pete Bernhard]], musician, member of the band [[The Devil Makes Three (band)|The Devil Makes Three]]
* [[George M. Darrow]], horticulturalist and authority on small fruit and [[strawberries]] 
* [[Fernando Gerassi]], painter
* [[Bob Gray (cross-country skier)|Bob Gray]], Olympic skier
* [[William B. Gray]], United States Attorney for Vermont
* [[William Haile (New Hampshire politician)|William Haile]], merchant, manufacturer and politician
* [[Carmelita Hinton]], progressive educator and founder of The Putney School
* [[Reid Hoffman]], entrepreneur, founder of [[LinkedIn]], venture capitalist, graduate of The Putney School
* [[John Irving]], author, [[Academy Award]] winner, taught at [[Windham College]] while he wrote his first novel
* [[Manon Kahle]], actress
* [[Melissa Leo]], actress
* [[Prescott Metcalf]] (1813–1891), was a prominent businessman and the eighth mayor of [[Erie, Pennsylvania]]
* [[Errol Morris]], documentary filmmaker, [[MacArthur Fellowship]] recipient, Academy Award winner, graduate of The Putney School
* [[John Humphrey Noyes]], American [[utopian socialist]]
* [[Peter Shumlin]], 81st [[List of Governors of Vermont|Governor of Vermont]] from 2011 to 2017
*[[Cyndy Szekeres]], children's book author and illustrator who has lived in Putney since 1974
* [[Jody Williams]], 1997 [[Nobel Peace Prize]] laureate<ref name="Nobel Prize Official Site">[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1997/williams-cv.html# NobelPrize.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722213445/http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1997/williams-cv.html |date=July 22, 2010 }}, The Nobel Prize in Peace 1997, International Campaign to Ban Landmines , Jody Williams
</ref>
* [[John Henry Williams (baseball)|John Henry Williams]], only son of baseball legend [[Ted Williams]]

==Notable places==

* [[Theophilus Crawford House]], a historic house dating from {{circa|1808}}, added to the [[National Register of Historic Places|National Register of Historic Places ("NRHP")]] in 1995
* [[East Putney Brook Stone Arch Bridge]], built in 1902, added to the NRHP in 1976 (East Putney)
* [[Putney Village Historic District]], the historic core of Putney Village, added to the NRHP in 1986
* [[Sabin-Wheat Farm]], a farmstead establish {{circa|1790}}, added to the NRHP in 2004
* [[Sacketts Brook Stone Arch Bridge]], known locally as the '''Hi-Lo Biddy Stone Arch Bridge''', built in 1905, added to the NRHP in 1976

<gallery class="center" widths="225px" heights="200px">
File:PutneyVT TheophilusCrawfordHouse.jpg|[[Theophilus Crawford House]]
File:PutneyVT SabinWheatFarm.jpg|[[Sabin-Wheat Farm]]
File:PutneyVT SackettsBrookStoneArchBridge.jpg|[[Sacketts Brook Stone Arch Bridge]]
</gallery>
<gallery class="center" widths="225px" heights="200px" caption="[[Putney Village Historic District]]">
File:120 Main Street, Putney, Vermont.jpg|120 Main Street was built {{circa|1835}} in the [[Greek revival architecture|Greek Revival style]]<ref name=NRHP />
File:Next Stage, former Putney Federated Church, Putney, Vermont.jpg|The former Putney Federated Church, built in 1841,<ref>Historical marker on building</ref> now houses Next Stage Arts and the Putney Historical Society
File:Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church, Putney, Vermont.jpg|Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church, formerly the Putney Methodist Church, built in 1842<ref name=NRHP />
File:Putney Town Hall.jpg|Putney Town Hall, built in 1871<ref name=NRHP />
File:Putney Community Center, Putney, Vermont.jpg|Putney Community Center, built in 1884 as the Putney Baptist Church<ref name=NRHP />
File:Putney General Store.jpg|Putney General Store, built 1840–1900<ref name=NRHP />
File:79 Main Street, Putney, Vermont.jpg|79 Main Street was built {{circa|1905}}<ref name=NRHP />
File:Sandglass Theater, Putney, Vermont.jpg|Sandglass Puppet Theater was built in 1915 as a livery stable<ref name=NRHP />
</gallery>

==See also==
*
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Vermont]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

{{commons category|Putney, Vermont}}
* [http://www.putneyvt.gov/ Official website]
* [http://www.putneyhistory.org/ Putney Historical Society website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040923160841/http://www.putneyhistory.org/ |date=September 23, 2004 }}
* Putney.net
* [http://www.iputney.com/ iPutney.com – local news and events]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Putney
 | North = [[Westminster, Vermont|Westminster]]
 | Northeast = [[Walpole, New Hampshire]]
 | East = [[Westmoreland, New Hampshire]]
 | Southeast = [[Westmoreland, New Hampshire]]
 | South = [[Dummerston, Vermont|Dummerston]]
 | Southwest = [[Dummerston, Vermont|Dummerston]]
 | West = [[Brookline, Vermont|Brookline]]
 | Northwest = [[Brookline, Vermont|Brookline]]
}}

{{Windham County, Vermont}}
{{Connecticut River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Putney, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Vermont populated places on the Connecticut River]]
[[Category:Towns in Windham County, Vermont]]