Franklin County, Vermont

Infobox U.S. County
county = Franklin County
state = Vermont




map size = 100
founded = January 15, 1777 From New York's Charlotte County
seat = St. Albans | area_total_sq_mi =692
area_water_sq_mi =55
area percentage = 7.94%
census yr = 2000
pop = 45417
density_km2 =28
web = www.stalbanschamber.com/|

Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is part of the Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 45,417. Its shire town is St. Albans.GR|6

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 692 square miles (1,792 km²), of which, 637 square miles (1,650 km²) of it is land and 55 square miles (142 km²) of it (7.94%) is water.

Adjacent counties

*Orleans County, Vermont - east
*Lamoille County, Vermont - southeast
*Chittenden County, Vermont - southwest
*Grand Isle County, Vermont - west
*Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality, Quebec - north

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 45,417 people, 16,765 households, and 12,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile (28/km²). There were 19,191 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.06% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 1.51% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.0% were of French Canadian, 17.8% French, 17.4% American, 12.8% English and 9.8% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.2% spoke English and 4.8% French as a first language.

There were 16,765 households out of which 37.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.10% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 31.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,659, and the median income for a family was $46,733. Males had a median income of $32,009 versus $24,078 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,816. About 7.00% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

History

Franklin County is one of several Vermont counties created from land ceded by the state of New York on January 15, 1777 when Vermont declared itself to be a distinct state from New York [Slade, William, Jr., comp. "Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive." Middlebury, 1823. P. 70-73.] [Van Zandt, Franklin K. "Boundaries of the United States and the Several States." Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 64.] [Williamson, Chilton. "Vermont in Quandary: 1763-1825." Growth of Vermont series, Number 4. Montpelier: Vermont Historical Series, 1949. PP. 82-84; map facing 95, 100-102, 112-113.] . The land originally was contested by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Netherlands, but it remained undelineated until July 20, 1764 when King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. New York assigned the land gained to Albany County [Slade, William, Jr., comp. "Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive." Middlebury, 1823. P. 13-19.] [Van Zandt, Franklin K. "Boundaries of the United States and the Several States." Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 63.] . On March 12, 1772 Albany County was partitioned to create Charlotte County [New York Colonial Laws, Chapter 1534; Section 5; Paragraph 321)] , and this situation remained until Vermont's independence from New York and Britain. However, this did not end the contest.

On September 3, 1783, as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Paris the Revolutionary War ended with Great Britain recognizing the independence of the United States. Vermont's border with Quebec was established at 45 degrees north latitude. [Van Zandt, Franklin K. "Boundaries of the United States and the Several States." Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 12.] [Parry, Clive, ed. "Consolidated Treaty Series." 231 Volumes. Dobbs Ferry, New York; Oceana Publications, 1969-1981. Volume 48; pp. 481; 487; 491-492.]

in 2008, the federal government declared the county a disaster area after severe storms and flooding June 14-17. [cite book | author = Sutkoski, Matt |title = Summer has been wet one for the ages | publisher = Burlington Free Press | year = August 1, 2008]

Cities, towns, and villages

*Bakersfield
*Berkshire
*Enosburgh
**Enosburg Falls (a village of Enosburgh*)
*Fairfax
*Fairfield
*Fletcher
*Franklin
*Georgia
*Highgate
*Montgomery
*Richford
*Sheldon
*St. Albans (city)
*St. Albans (town)
*Swanton
**Swanton Village (a village of Swanton*)*" Villages are census divisions, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in."

See also

* List of counties in Vermont
* List of towns in Vermont

References

External links

* [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/VT/Franklin/districts.html National Register of Historic Places listing for Franklin Co., Vermont]