Editing Randolph, Vermont

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Randolph, Vermont
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = Town
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Main Street in downtown Randolph, Vermont 01.jpg
| imagesize          = 260px
| image_caption      = Downtown Randolph
| image_flag         = 
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| image_blank_emblem = 
| blank_emblem_size  = 
| image_map          = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=260|type=shape|zoom=6}}
| map_caption        = Randolph town boundaries
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Vermont}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Vermont|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange]]
| subdivision_type3  = 
| subdivision_name3  = 
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| parts_type         = Communities
| parts              = [[Randolph (CDP), Vermont|Randolph]]<br />[[Randolph Center Historic District|Randolph Center]]<br />East Randolph<br />North Randolph<br />South Randolph
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = Chartered
| established_date   = 1781 (Vermont)
| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2  = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 124.1
| area_land_km2      = 124.0
| area_water_km2     = 0.1
| area_total_sq_mi   = 47.9
| area_land_sq_mi    = 47.9
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.04
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 4774
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = su
| population_blank1_title = Households
| population_blank1  = 1,783
| population_blank2_title = Families
| population_blank2  = 1,066
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| coordinates        = {{coord|43.9520|-72.6650|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_m        = 420
| elevation_ft       = 694
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 05041 ([[East Randolph, Vermont|East Randolph]])<br/>05061 ([[Randolph Center, Vermont|Randolph Center]])<br/>05060 (Randolph)
| area_code          = [[Area code 802|802]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 50-58075<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        = 1462182<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|randolphvt.org}}
| footnotes          = 
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
}}

'''Randolph''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange County]], [[Vermont]], United States. The population was 4,774 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5001758075|title=Census - Geography Profile: Randolph town, Orange County, Vermont|access-date=January 4, 2022}}</ref> making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it.

When the area was originally settled there were three villages—[[Randolph Center Historic District|Randolph Center]], East Randolph and West Randolph—the current locations of the three fire departments.<ref name="fire">{{cite web|title=Randolph Fire Departments|url=http://randolphvt.govoffice2.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BB94654CA-C913-4641-A79F-BCB5968278E6%7D&pri=0&tri=369|website=Randolph VT town website|access-date=January 28, 2018}}</ref> What is now [[Randolph (CDP), Vermont|Randolph]], the primary village of the town, had previously been the village of West Randolph.

==History==

[[File:West Randolph, Vt. (2675175435).jpg|thumb|Print of West Randolph from 1886 by [[L.R. Burleigh]] with listing of landmarks]]

Vermont granted the town on November 2, 1780, when the [[New Hampshire]] settlers could not locate the original grantees, whose patents were issued by [[New York (state)|New York]]. It was chartered on June 29, 1781, to Aaron Storrs and 70 others, and was originally named "Middlesex".<ref name="virvt">[http://www.virtualvermont.com/towns/randolph.html#about Randolph, Vermont, New England, USA]. Virtualvermont.com (May 25, 2013). Retrieved on 2014-04-12.</ref>

The town was first settled {{circa|1778}}, when [[Vermont Republic|Vermont was an unrecognized state]] whose government existed in defiance of the government of New York, which claimed Vermont was a part of New York. To encourage recognition of the state by the United States, the town was renamed in honor of [[Edmund Randolph]], one of the [[Founding Fathers of the United States]].<ref name="virvt"/>

With productive soil for [[Tillage|cultivation]], [[farming]] became an intensive industry. By 1830, when the population reached 2,743, between twelve and thirteen thousand [[sheep]] [[grazing|grazed]] its [[pasture]]s. Randolph was noted for its good [[butter]], [[cheese]] and [[mutton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://newenglandtowns.org/vermont/randolph|title=RANDOLPH, VERMONT • Historic New England|website=newenglandtowns.org|language=en-us|access-date=March 13, 2018}}</ref>

Two branches of the [[White River (Vermont)|White River]] provided [[water power]] for [[watermill]]s. By 1859, the town had three [[gristmill]]s, one oil mill, and one [[carding]] mill.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n928 881]|quote=coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.|title=A History and Description of New England, General and Local|last1=Coolidge|first1=Austin Jacobs|last2=Mansfield|first2=John Brainard|date=1859|publisher=A.J. Coolidge|language=en}}</ref> In 1848, the [[Vermont Central Railroad]] opened service through the town. Randolph's prosperity during the [[Victorian era]] endowed it with some fine [[architecture]], including the [[Second Empire (architecture)|Second Empire]] Randolph Railroad Depot and [[Renaissance Revival]] Kimball Public Library.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kimballlibrary.org/history/|title=History of Kimball Public Library}}</ref>

In 1921, Randolph was the setting for, and provided some of the cast of, a [[silent movie]] called ''[[The Offenders (1921 film)|The Offenders]].'' In 1922, the same was true for the film ''Insinuation''.

Today, Randolph is a thriving meeting-spot and shopping center for the surrounding area. The town is home to attractions such as the Porter Music Box Museum and the Chandler Music Hall. Also located in Randolph are the Gifford Medical Center, a hospital; Dubois & King, a civil and structural engineering firm; and Randolph Union High School, which also serves students from the neighboring towns of Braintree and Brookfield. Downtown Randolph hosts the [[Randolph station (Vermont)|Amtrak station]], shops, restaurants, Playhouse Movie Theatre, and several gas stations.

<gallery>
Image:Union Block, Randolph, VT.jpg|Union Block in 1912
Image:Kimball Public Library, Randolph, VT.jpg|Kimball Library {{circa|1915}}
Image:Corner Main & Pleasant Sts., Randolph, VT.jpg|North Main Street in 1913 
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 47.9&nbsp;square miles (124.1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 47.9&nbsp;square miles (124.0&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.04&nbsp;square mile (0.1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (0.08%) is water. Randolph is drained by the second and third branches of the [[White River (Vermont)|White River]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 893
|1800= 1841
|1810= 2255
|1820= 2487
|1830= 2743
|1840= 2678
|1850= 2666
|1860= 2502
|1870= 2829
|1880= 2910
|1890= 3232
|1900= 3141
|1910= 3191
|1920= 3010
|1930= 3166
|1940= 3278
|1950= 3499
|1960= 3414
|1970= 3882
|1980= 4689
|1990= 4764
|2000= 4853
|2010= 4778
|2020= 4774
|align-fn=center
|footnote=<ref name="2020CensusRandolphVT">{{cite web|title=Randolph Town, Vermont|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5001758075|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 27, 2021}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,853 people, 1,769 households, and 1,144 families residing in the town.  The [[population density]] was 101.4 people per square mile (39.2/km<sup>2</sup>).  There were 1,905 housing units at an average density of 39.8 per square mile (15.4/km<sup>2</sup>).  The racial makeup of the town was 97.77% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.21% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.14% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.60% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.02% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.17% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.54% of the population.

There were 1,769 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were couples living together and joined in either [[marriage]] or [[Civil Union|civil union]], 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 15.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,283, and the median income for a family was $50,756. Males had a median income of $31,353 versus $25,160 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,591.  About 5.3% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The main campus of [[Vermont Technical College]] is located in Randolph Center.

Two public schools operated by the [http://orangesouthwest.org/ Orange Southwest Supervisory Union] serve Randolph.
*Randolph Elementary School K–6
*Randolph Union Jr. High School, grades 7–12<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://orangesouthwest.org/ruhs|title=Randolph Union High School|website=orangesouthwest.org|access-date=March 13, 2018}}</ref>

==Transportation==

===Roads and highways===
Randolph is served by five state-maintained routes. [[Interstate 89]] passes through Randolph and has one exit near the center of town. Paralleling the Interstate are [[Vermont Route 12]], which passes through downtown Randolph and the western half of town, and [[Vermont Route 14]], which passes through the eastern half of town. East-west [[Vermont Route 66]], which is located entirely within Randolph, connects all three of those north-south routes. [[Vermont Route 12A]] splits from Vermont Route 12 just north of downtown Randolph and heads to the northwest to enter Braintree.

===Public transportation===
[[Image:Randolph vt depot.jpg|thumb|right|Randolph Railroad Depot]]
{{See also|Randolph station (Vermont)}}

[[Amtrak]], the national passenger rail system, provides daily service to Randolph, operating its [[Vermonter (train)|Vermonter]] between [[Washington, D.C.]] and [[St. Albans (town), VT|St. Albans, Vermont]]. Tri-Valley Transit provides local bus transportation across town, [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange County]] and to and from the [[White River Junction, Vermont|White River Junction]] and [[Lebanon, New Hampshire]] areas.<ref>[http://stagecoach-rides.org/ Main Page], Stagecoach Transportation Services. Retrieved December 17, 2015.</ref>

==Media==

===Weekly newspaper===
''The Herald of Randolph''<ref>[http://www.ourherald.com/ ''The Herald of Randolph''] official site</ref>

===Radio===

* [[WWFY]] – 100.9 FM (Froggy 100.9 FM – Today's BIG Country)
* [[WRFK (FM)|WRFK]] – 107.1 FM (107.1 Frank FM – Classic Rock)
* [[WCVR]] – 1320 AM (Real Country 1320 – country)
* [[WVXR]] – 102.1 FM (VPR Classical)
* [[WVTC]] – 90.7 FM (Vermont Tech Radio – various music)

==Sites of interest==
<gallery>
File:RHS Museum.jpg|Randolph Historical Society Museum
</gallery>

== 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 Randolph, 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.
-->

{{div col}}
* [[George W. Barker]], U.S. Marshal for Vermont, Judge of Maniwitoc County, Wisconsin<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com/ |title=Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, Birth Entry for Geo. W. Barker |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Lehi, UT |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 2, 2020 |ref={{sfnRef|"Birth Entry for Geo. W. Barker"}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 24, 1873 |title=Death of George W. Barker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43487646/death_notice_george_barker/ |work=Argus and Patriot |location=Montpelier, VT |page=2 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |ref={{sfnRef|"Death of George W. Barker"}}}}</ref>
* [[Jedediah Berry]], author
* [[Dudley Blodget]], Wisconsin politician
* [[Calvin H. Blodgett]], [[list of mayors of Burlington, Vermont|mayor of Burlington, Vermont]]<ref>{{cite news |date=August 5, 1919 |title=Bakersfield: Funeral of the Hon. Calvin H. Blodgett to be Held To-Day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42896075/blodgett_funeral/ |work=[[Burlington Free Press]] |location=Burlington, VT |page=3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |ref={{sfnRef|''Free Press'' (August 5, 1919)}}}}</ref>
* [[Albert Brown Chandler]], president of the [[Postal Telegraph Company]]
* [[Dudley Chase]], [[United States Senator]]
* [[Harry H. Cooley]], [[Secretary of State of Vermont]]<ref>{{cite web |agency=Vermont State Archives |url=https://www.sec.state.vt.us/media/246643/A-255.pdf |title=Biography, Harry H. Cooley |website=Secretary of State Harry H. Cooley Papers |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State |location=Montpelier, VT |page=1}}</ref>
* [[William H. Dubois]], [[Vermont State Treasurer]]
* [[Calvin Edson]], soldier and sideshow performer
* [[Joseph Edson]], U.S. Marshal for Vermont
* [[Lebbeus Egerton]], [[Lieutenant Governor of Vermont]]
* [[Martin Flint]], [[Anti-Masonic Party]] leader who served as [[State adjutant general|Adjutant General]] of the [[Vermont National Guard|Vermont Militia]]
* [[Henrik Galeen]], actor, director
* [[William Hebard]], US congressman
* [[Carroll Ketchum]], Vermont state legislator
* [[Emily Levan]], distance runner
* [[Zosia Mamet]], singer, actress
* [[Jean Merrill]], writer and editor<ref name="PW">{{cite news |last1=Maughan |first1=Shannon |title=Obituary: Jean Merrill |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/53604-obituary-jean-merrill.html |access-date=October 30, 2018 |work=Publishers Weekly |date=August 16, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Jonathan Miller (abolitionist)|Colonel Jonathan Miller]], Freedom fighter, abolitionist and women's rights<ref name=apple>[http://virtualology.com/apjonathanpmiller/ Jonathan P.Miller], Appletons Encyclopedia, Retrieved August 4, 2015</ref>
* [[Justin Morgan]], horse breeder and composer
* [[Sherman R. Moulton]], Chief Justice of the [[Vermont Supreme Court]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Dodge |first=Prentiss Cutler |date=1912 |title=Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC/page/n309 272] |location=Burlington, VT |publisher=Ullery Publishing Company |ref={{sfnRef|''Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography''}}}}</ref>
* [[Buster Olney]], columnist for [[ESPN The Magazine]]
* [[John K. Parish]]. Wisconsin state legislator and jurist
* [[John W. Rowell]], Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court<ref>{{cite book |last=Dodge |first=Prentiss Cutler |date=1912 |title=Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC |location=Burlington, VT |publisher=Ullery Publishing Company |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC/page/n88 87] |ref={{sfnRef|''Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography''}}}}</ref>
* [[John C. Sherburne]], Vermont's first [[Rhodes Scholar]] and Chief Justice of the [[Vermont Supreme Court]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Stone |first=Arthur F. |date=1929 |title=The Vermont of Today |volume=III |url=https://archive.org/stream/vermontoftodaywi03ston#page/n65/mode/2up/ |location=New York, NY |publisher=Lewis Historical Publishing Company |page=29 |ref={{sfnRef|''The Vermont of Today''}}}}</ref>
* [[Milan H. Sessions]], politician
* [[Ronni Solbert]], children’s book illustrator
* [[Larry Townsend (politician)|Larry Townsend]], Vermont legislator
* [[Levi Baker Vilas]], Vermont and Wisconsin politician
* [[Stephen W. Webster]], Vermont state legislator who served as [[President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8mqHAAAAMAAJ&q=%22stephen+w+webster%22 Vermont Secretary of State], Vermont Legislative Directory, 1989, page 514</ref>
* [[Jessamyn West (librarian)|Jessamyn West]], librarian
{{div col end}}

==International relations==
Randolph is twinned with:
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Myrhorod]]

== See also ==
* [[List of towns in Vermont]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Randolph, Vermont}}
* [http://www.kimballlibrary.org/ Kimball Public Library]
* [http://www.virtualvermont.com/towns/randolph.html Virtual Vermont – Randolph, Vermont]
* [http://www.ourherald.com ''Randolph Herald''] – local newspaper
* [http://randolphvthistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/ Randolph Historical Society] – local history museum

{{Orange County, Vermont}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Randolph, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Towns in Orange County, Vermont]]