Buels Gore, Vermont

Buels Gore, Vermont
Route 17 heading through Buels Gore

Buels Gore is a gore in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The population was 12 at the 2000 census. In Vermont, gores and grants are unincorporated portions of a county which are not part of any town and have limited self-government (if any, as many are uninhabited).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the gore has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13.1 km2), all land.

The name in history

The gore was chartered by the Vermont General Assembly on 4 November 1780. It is named for Major Elias Buel (in some references 'Buell') who moved to Vermont from Coventry, Connecticut. With a group of would-be proprietors including Ira Allen and several Buel family members the group petitioned the legislature for a grant. They received a grant for a town, intended to be called Coventry near Shoreham. Due to a surveying error there was almost no land left in the grant. The group returned to the legislature and received a "flying grant", a sort of license which allowed a grant to be made on unchartered land that could be identified. As much of the state had by now been organized, they finally settled upon three unconnected pieces of land. The largest became the present town of Coventry, Vermont. A second piece near to Coventry was named "Coventry Leg" for its appendage shape. Coventry Leg was annexed to Newport in 1816. The final small piece, adjacent to Huntington was called Huntington Gore, and renamed Buels Gore, despite Major Buel's desire to call it Montzoar. All three charters were issued in October 1788, though dated back to 1780, the year of the original petition. Buel was charged retroactive taxes on the grant, a debt that only resolved by sale of all of his lands. He left Vermont to settle in New York.

Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 12 people, 6 households, and 4 families residing in the gore. The population density was 2.4 people per square mile (0.9/km2). There were 8 housing units at an average density of 1.6/sq mi (0.6/km2). The racial makeup of the gore was 100.00% White. In 1840 Buels Gore had its highest recorded population: 16 people, and 3,516 sheep.

There were 6 households out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union, and 33.3% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.50.

In the gore the population was spread out with 8.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 200.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 175.0 males.

The median income for a household in the gore was $39,583, and the median income for a family was $61,250. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the gore was $32,533. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

Green Mountain Stage Race - Mad River Road Race

Buels Gore and the summit of Appalachian Gap are the site for the finish of the Mad River Road Race which is stage 3 of the Green Mountain Stage Race road bicycle event. This final climb is considered one of the most scenic and challenging finishes for a bicycle race with grades near the summit of 18%. The Mad River Road race started in 1994 and became a stage in the Green Mountain Stage Race in 2000. Annually the event brings between 700-900 racers to the gore to compete.

References

  1. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

Coordinates: 44°12′30″N 72°57′00″W / 44.20833°N 72.95000°W