Editing Shaftsbury, Vermont

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Robert Frost Stone House Museum Shaftsbury 2006.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = [[Robert Frost Stone House Museum]], home of the poet [[Robert Frost]] from 1920 to 1929
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = shaftsbury_vt_highlight.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Shaftsbury, Vermont
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States

<!-- 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        = [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington]]
|parts_type               = Communities
|parts                    = Shaftsbury<br />Shaftsbury&nbsp;Center<br />[[South Shaftsbury, Vermont|South&nbsp;Shaftsbury]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            =
|leader_name1             =
|established_title        =
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_total_km2           = 111.8
|area_land_km2            = 111.6
|area_water_km2           = 0.2
|area_water_sq_mi         =

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 3598
|population_density_km2   = 32.2
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 318
|elevation_ft             = 1043
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|57|47|N|73|12|27|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 05262 (Shaftsbury)<br/>05257 ([[North Bennington, Vermont|North&nbsp;Bennington]])<br/>05201 ([[Bennington, Vermont|Bennington]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-63550<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1462203<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.shaftsbury.net}}
|footnotes                =
}}
'''Shaftsbury''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington County]], [[Vermont]], United States. The population was 3,598 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5000363550| title=Census - Geography Profile: Shaftsbury town, Bennington County, Vermont| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=January 6, 2022}}</ref>

==History==
The town was chartered on August 20, 1761. It was named after the [[Earl of Shaftesbury]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=25227| title=Profile for Shaftsbury, Vermont| publisher=[[ePodunk]]| accessdate=May 8, 2010}}</ref>

In June 1843, escaped slaves hid at a Shaftsbury farm, in the first recorded instance in Vermont of the [[Underground Railroad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicvermont.org/sites/html/history.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219220846/http://www.historicvermont.org/sites/html/history.html|archive-date=February 19, 2012|title=Vermont History Timeline|access-date=August 7, 2023}}</ref>

==Geography==
Shaftsbury is located in Bennington County along the western border of Vermont. To the north is the town of [[Arlington, Vermont|Arlington]], to the east is the unincorporated town of [[Glastenbury, Vermont|Glastenbury]], to the south is the town of [[Bennington, Vermont|Bennington]], the county seat, and to the west are the towns of [[Hoosick, New York|Hoosick]] and [[White Creek, New York|White Creek]] in [[New York (state)|New York]].

Shaftsbury includes the communities of [[Shaftsbury Center, Vermont|Shaftsbury Center]] and [[South Shaftsbury, Vermont|South Shaftsbury]]. [[Lake Shaftsbury State Park]] is located in the northern part of the town, around Lake Shaftsbury.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|111.8|sqkm|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|111.6|sqkm|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqkm|disp=flip|2}}, or 0.21%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5000363550| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212163206/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5000363550| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Shaftsbury town, Bennington County, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=April 30, 2014}}</ref>
Most of the town drains southward to the [[Walloomsac River]], while the northeastern corner, including Lake Shaftsbury, drains north to the [[Batten Kill]]. Both rivers are part of the [[Hudson River]] watershed.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 1999
|1800= 1895
|1810= 1973
|1820= 2022
|1830= 2143
|1840= 1835
|1850= 1896
|1860= 1936
|1870= 2027
|1880= 1887
|1890= 1652
|1900= 1857
|1910= 1650
|1920= 1534
|1930= 1631
|1940= 1577
|1950= 1673
|1960= 1939
|1970= 2411
|1980= 3001
|1990= 3368
|2000= 3767
|2010= 3590
|2020= 3598
|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|accessdate=May 16, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,767 people, 1,450 households, and 1,078 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was 87.4 people per square mile (33.7/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 1,574 housing units at an average density of 36.5 per square mile (14.1/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 98.73% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.21% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]], 0.05% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.29% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.16% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.56% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] of any race were 0.90% of the population.

There were 1,450 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,139, and the median income for a family was $52,083. Males had a median income of $36,118 versus $25,776 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $22,035. About 4.0% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

The [[board of selectmen|Selectboard]] is the body that has general supervision and control over the affairs of the town.<ref name="selectboard">{{cite web|url=http://shaftsbury.net/town_officers/town_officers.htm|title= Selectboard|publisher= Town of Shaftsbury|accessdate= February 27, 2013}}</ref> The Selectboard performs three functions:

*Legislative – enacts local ordinances, regulations and policies.
*Administrative – prepares and presents the budget, oversees all town expenditures, supervises personnel and controls town buildings and property.
*Quasi-judicial – determines private rights in such areas as laying out, discontinuing and reclassifying highways and hearing appeals as the local board of health and as the local liquor control commission.

In Shaftsbury, the Selectboard also serves as the water board, overseeing the operations of the Shaftsbury Water Department; assuming duties of the former Shaftsbury Fire & Light District.

Current members of the Selectboard include:<ref name="selectboard" />

*Tim Scoggins – Chair - three-year term expires 2018
*Art Whitman – two-year term expires 2018
*Ken Harrington – three-year term expires 2019
*Tony Krulikowski – three-year term expires 2020
*Joe Barber – two-year term expires 2019

==Parks and recreation==
[[Lake Shaftsbury State Park]] is an {{convert|84|acre|adj=on}} park surrounding Lake Shaftsbury. It became a state park in 1974, and has group camping, a developed beach, play area, and picnic area.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/shaftsbury.htm| title= Lake Shaftsbury State Park| publisher= Vermont State Parks| accessdate= November 1, 2012| url-status= dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160828115345/http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/shaftsbury.htm| archivedate= August 28, 2016}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
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· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
· Alphabetical by last name please.
· All others will be deleted.
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* [[Irving Adler]], author, mathematician, scientist, and educator<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_21668740/irving-adler-remembered-strong-will-brave-stand|title=Irving Adler remembered for strong will, brave stand}}</ref>
* [[Joyce Sparer Adler]], literary critic, playwright, and teacher
* [[George L. Buck]], Wisconsin state senator and businessman<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1921,' Biographical Sketch of George L. Buck, pg. 247</ref>
*[[Robert Frost]], American poet, writer of Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening and Fire And Ice
* [[Jonas Galusha]], sixth [[List of Governors of Vermont|governor of Vermont]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_vermont/col2-content/main-content-list/title_galusha_jonas.html|title= Vermont Governor Jonas Galusha|publisher= National Governors Association|accessdate= November 1, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Jacob M. Howard]], US senator from [[Michigan]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=h000839|title=HOWARD, Jacob Merritt, (1805 - 1871)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|accessdate= November 1, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Norman Lear]], television writer and producer<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2002/jul/27/29901/|title=Photo of Norman Lear at his Shaftsbury, Vermont home}}</ref>
* [[Andrew Newell (skier)|Andy Newell]], US Nordic skier and Olympian
* [[Gideon Olin]], US congressman from Vermont<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000067|title=OLIN, Gideon, (1743 - 1823)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|accessdate= November 1, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Henry Olin]], US congressman from Vermont and [[List of lieutenant governors of Vermont|sixth Lieutenant Governor of Vermont]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000068 |title=OLIN, Henry, (1768 - 1837)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|accessdate= November 6, 2012}}</ref>
*[[Jane Stickle]], quilter

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}} <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
* [http://www.shaftsbury.net Town of Shaftsbury official website]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Shaftsbury-Vermont.html City-Data.com]

{{Bennington County, Vermont}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Shaftsbury, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Towns in Bennington County, Vermont]]