| Fair Haven, Vermont | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Main Street | |
| Located in Rutland County, Vermont | |
| Location of Vermont with the U.S.A. | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Vermont |
| County | Rutland |
| Chartered | 1779 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 18.1 sq mi (47.0 km2) |
| • Land | 17.6 sq mi (45.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 2,734 |
| • Density | 150.7/sq mi (58.2/km2) |
| • Households | 1,135 |
| • Families | 738 |
| ZIP code | 05743 |
| Website | www.fairhavenvt.org |
Fair Haven is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,734 at the 2010 census.[1] Within the town is located the census-designated place of Fair Haven. The town is noted for its Victorian architecture, considered some of the finest in the state.[2]
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It was chartered on October 27, 1779, to Ebenezer Allen and 76 associates, and first settled the same year. The township originally included West Haven, which was set off on October 20, 1792. In 1783, Colonel Matthew Lyon moved to Fair Haven and began building mills at the falls on the Castleton River. His enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill and papermill, in addition to a forge. This began Fair Haven's legacy as a small, prosperous mill town, which by 1859 included a marble mill, rolling mill, nail factory, papermill producing wall paper, three sawmills, a wagon shop, a machine shop, two blacksmith shops, and two shoe shops. [3]
The quarrying and manufacture of slate began in 1846. Fair Haven would develop extensive quarries for the stone, believed at the time to be inexhaustible, which was supplied to cities along the Atlantic coast and in the West. Some of it was made into the framed, book-sized writing slates that students of the time used.[4]
The town of Fair Haven is located at .[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.1 square miles (47 km2), of which 17.6 square miles (46 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), or 2.70%, is water. Fair Haven is drained by the Poultney River and Castleton River.
To the north, Fair Haven is bordered by Benson. Castleton borders Fair Haven to the east. To the west, Fair Haven is bordered by West Haven, Vermont. Hampton, New York, borders Fair Haven to the south and to the west. In the southeast, Poultney borders Fair Haven.
The town is crossed by U.S. Route 4, Vermont Route 4A, and Vermont Route 22A.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 2,928 people, 1,165 households, and 778 families residing in the town. The population density was 165.9 people per square mile (64.1/km2). There were 1,248 housing units at an average density of 70.7 per square mile (27.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 100% White, 0.00% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 1,165 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 27.2% 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 2.47 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,313, and the median income for a family was $36,587. Males had a median income of $29,760 versus $21,406 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,912. About 11.4% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
The Fair Haven Green is fairly large compared to other town greens and has sitting benches, a fountain in the center of the green, and a gazebo at the south end of the green. The gazebo is used for musical performances during most town-wide gatherings or celebrations, along with weekly concerts on Thursday nights during the summer. Some of the town gatherings on the Fair Haven Green are Applefest, Spring Fling, National Night Out, The Lumberjack Show and a small week-long carnival during the summer.
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