Editing Ryegate, Vermont

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Ryegate, Vermont
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|image_skyline            = RyegateVT WhitehillHouse.jpg
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            =
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_map                = ryegate_vt_highlight.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Ryegate, Vermont
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States

<!-- Location -->
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|12|36|N|72|6|2|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Vermont|County]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Vermont]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Caledonia County, Vermont|Caledonia]]
|parts_type               = Communities
|parts                    = [[East Ryegate, Vermont|East&nbsp;Ryegate]]<br>Ryegate&nbsp;Corner<br>South&nbsp;Ryegate

<!-- Government -->
|established_title        = Chartered
|established_date         = 1763

<!-- Area -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            =
|leader_name1             =
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 95.2
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 94.5
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 0.8
|area_water_sq_mi         =

<!-- Population -->
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 383
|elevation_ft             = 1257
|population_total         = 1167
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_density_km2   = 12.3
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 05042 ([[East Ryegate, Vermont|East Ryegate]])<br/>05069 ([[South Ryegate, Vermont|South Ryegate]])<br/>05081 ([[Wells River, Vermont|Wells River]])<br/>05046 ([[Groton, Vermont|Groton]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|website                  = {{URL|www.ryegatevt.org}}
|footnotes                =
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-61525<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              = 1462195<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>
}}
'''Ryegate''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Caledonia County, Vermont]], United States. The population was 1,165 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5000561525| title=Census - Geography Profile: Ryegate town, Caledonia County, Vermont| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=January 4, 2022}}</ref> The town contains the villages of South Ryegate, [[East Ryegate, Vermont|East Ryegate]], and Ryegate Corner.

==History==
[[Image:View of South Ryegate, VT.jpg|thumb|left|South Ryegate in 1909]]

One of the [[New Hampshire Grants]], it was chartered by Governor [[Benning Wentworth]] on September 8, 1763. Granted to Richard Jenness and 93 others, it was named Ryegate, a variant spelling of [[Reigate]] in [[Surrey]], England. The first settlers were Aaron Hosmer and his family. Sold to [[John Witherspoon]] and others, the southern half of town was  purchased in 1773 by two agents for the Scotch American Company of Farmers from [[Renfrew]] and [[Lanark]], [[Scotland]], whose members began settlement in 1774.

The town had excellent soil for the [[Tillage|cultivation]] of [[grain]]s, [[vegetable]]s and [[orchard]]s. Streams teemed with [[salmon]] and [[trout]]. Hills and valleys provided [[pasturage]] for grazing [[sheep]] and [[cattle]]. Connected in 1847 to the Connecticut & Passumpsic Rivers Railroad, the town by 1859 was noted for producing [[butter]] and [[leather]]. The [[Wells River (Vermont)|Wells River]] supplied [[water power]] for one [[gristmill]] and five [[sawmill]]s. In 1873, the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad was completed. In 1890, a big [[brickmaking|brickyard]] opened; then in 1906, the Ryegate Paper Company began operation. But the town's dominant industry was six [[granite]] [[quarry|quarries]] at Blue Mountain.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|95.2|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|94.5|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.8|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 0.80%, is water. Bounded on the east by the [[Connecticut River]] (the boundary between Vermont and [[New Hampshire]]), Ryegate is drained by the [[Wells River (Vermont)|Wells River]]. Blue Mountain, the highest point in the town, has an elevation of {{convert|2192|ft}} [[above sea level]].<ref>U.S. Geological Survey ''Groton, VT'' 7.5-minute quadrangle, 1973.</ref>

The town is crossed by [[Interstate 91]], [[U.S. Route 5]], and [[U.S. Route 302]]. It is bordered by the town of [[Newbury (town), Vermont|Newbury]] to the south, [[Groton, Vermont|Groton]] to the west, and [[Barnet, Vermont|Barnet]] to the north. To the east, across the Connecticut River lies [[Bath, New Hampshire]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 187
|1800= 406
|1810= 812
|1820= 994
|1830= 1119
|1840= 1222
|1850= 1606
|1860= 1098
|1870= 935
|1880= 1046
|1890= 1126
|1900= 995
|1910= 1194
|1920= 1188
|1930= 1216
|1940= 1105
|1950= 996
|1960= 894
|1970= 830
|1980= 1000
|1990= 1058
|2000= 1150
|2010= 1174
|2020= 1165
|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 1,150 people, 435 households, and 324 families residing in the town.  The [[population density]] was 31.4 people per square mile (12.1/km<sup>2</sup>).  There were 564 housing units at an average density of 15.4 per square mile (6.0/km<sup>2</sup>).  The racial makeup of the town was 98.35% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.09% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.43% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.35% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.78% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.17% of the population.

There were 435 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,761, and the median income for a family was $41,607. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $21,705 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $17,880.  About 3.3% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

== Education ==

The Blue Mountain Union School (BMU) serves students from the town of Ryegate and consists of Pre-K through grade 12 housed in one building. Total enrollment for the 2017–2018 school year was 419 students.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://edw.vermont.gov/REPORTSERVER/Pages/ReportViewer.aspx?/Public/Enrollment+Report|title=Report Viewer|website=edw.vermont.gov|access-date=September 23, 2018}}</ref> BMU is located on Route 302 (Exit 17 off Interstate-91), just east from P & H Truckstop.

The Blue Mountain Union School District was formed in November 1964 merging the Wells River Graded School District, the Groton Town School District, and the Ryegate Town School District. This merger resulted in the closing of five local schools: Groton School, Wells River School, South Ryegate School, Ryegate Corner School, and East Ryegate School. The merger also removed the option for high school choice in the town of Ryegate, in favor of attending the new union high school. Although the merger was approved in 1964, there was a lengthy legal battle regarding the formation of the district, and the new district did not operate a school building until 1970.<ref>BMUSD Annual Report 2017–18, pp 16-17</ref>

On July 1, 2018, the State Board of Education temporarily reassigned the Blue Mountain Union School District to Orange East Supervisory under the Act 46 school district consolidation law. Merger plans and implementation continue following lawsuits and local district votes. Blue Mountain is, now, a part of the Orange East Supervisory Union.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oesu.org/boards/orange-east-supervisory-union|title=Orange East Supervisory Union Board - Orange East Supervisory Union}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Alexander Dunnett]], US Attorney for Vermont, President of the Vermont Bar Association, Vermont State Senator, Caledonia County State's Attorney<ref>{{cite news |date=September 15, 1920 |title=Demise of Alexander Dunnett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/404073867/ |work=[[Barre Montpelier Times Argus|The Evening Argus]] |location=Montpelier, VT |url-access=subscription |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |page=4 |ref={{sfnRef|"Demise of Alexander Dunnett"}}}}</ref>
* [[John Zampieri]], member of the [[Vermont House of Representatives]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 13, 2021 |title=Longtime legislator John Zampieri dies at 80 |work=Vermont Digger |url=https://vtdigger.org/2021/06/13/longtime-legislator-john-zampieri-dies-at-80/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210615091916/https://vtdigger.org/2021/06/13/longtime-legislator-john-zampieri-dies-at-80/ |archive-date=June 15, 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

* [https://books.google.com/books?id=OcoMAAAAYAAJ&dq=coolidge+mansfield+history+description+new+england+1859&pg=PA895 A. J. Coolidge & J. B. Mansfield, ''A History and Description of New England''; Boston, Massachusetts 1859]
* [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/ryegate/ Edward Miller & Frederick P. Wells, ''History of Ryegate, Vermont''; St. Johnsbury, Vermont 1913]

==External links==

{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.ryegatevt.org Town of Ryegate official website]
* [http://www.virtualvermont.com/towns/ryegate.html Virtual Vermont – Ryegate, Vermont]
* [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vtcbarne/ryegate.htm Ryegate, Vermont Genealogical History]

{{Geographic location
 |Centre    = Ryegate
 |North     = [[Barnet, Vermont|Barnet]]
 |Northeast = [[Monroe, New Hampshire]]
 |East      = [[Bath, New Hampshire]]
 |Southeast = [[Haverhill, New Hampshire]]
 |South     = [[Newbury (town), Vermont|Newbury]]
 |Southwest = [[Topsham, Vermont|Topsham]]
 |West      = [[Groton, Vermont|Groton]]
 |Northwest = [[Peacham, Vermont|Peacham]]
}}

{{Caledonia County, Vermont}}
{{Connecticut River}}

{{authority control}}

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