White River Junction, Vermont

Infobox Settlement
official_name = White River Junction, Vermont
settlement_type = CDP
nickname =
motto =

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = White River Junction railroad station


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Vermont
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Windsor

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 4.4
area_land_km2 = 4.3
area_water_km2 = 0.1
area_total_sq_mi = 1.7
area_land_sq_mi = 1.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2569
population_density_km2 = 601.4
population_density_sq_mi = 1557.6

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 110
elevation_ft = 361
latd = 43 |latm = 39 |lats = 1 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 19 |longs = 17 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 05001, 05009
area_code = 802
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 50-83575GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1460224GR|3
website =
footnotes =

White River Junction is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. Part or all of the village has been designated a historic district that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the downtown area reflects the urban architecture of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Geography

White River Junction is located at coor dms|43|38|56|N|72|19|11|W|city (43.64888, -72.319588).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.7 mi² (4.4 km²). 1.6 mi² (4.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 mi² (0.1 km²) of it (2.94%) is water.

It takes its name from the White River, which joins with the Connecticut River there.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,569 people, 1,169 households, and 648 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,557.6/mi² (601.1/km²). There were 1,235 housing units at an average density of 748.8/mi² (289.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.54% White, 0.58% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.04% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.58% of the population.

There were 1,169 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the village the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $33,667, and the median income for a family was $44,094. Males had a median income of $34,200 versus $21,591 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,221. About 8.1% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

White River Junction served as the location for the filming of director D.W. Griffith's film "Way Down East", in part filmed on the ice floes of the Connecticut and White Rivers, starring Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess. While filming, both cast and crew lodged at the Hotel Coolidge (then the Junction House). After 1950, important murals were painted on the walls of this hotel by Peter Gish. Douglas Crocker painted the murals in the nearby Post Office Building in the 1930s.

White River Junction is home to the Center for Cartoon Studies, a 2-year art school focusing on sequential art.

It is also home to the Tip Top Building, a renovated 45,000 square foot (4,200 m²) bakery that houses artists, creative businesses and a cafe. The renovation was orchestrated by Matt Bucy, a Yale-trained architect who formerly wrote software for New England Digital.

The Main Street Museum, described by the Washington Post as "quirky and avant garde", is an eclectic display space for material culture and an experiment in a new taxonomy. It makes its home in White River Junction's former fire station on Bridge Street, next to the underpass.

White River Junction is also home to Northern Stage, a professional regional theatre.

White River Junction has a vibrant music scene, with such bands as River City Rebels originating and based out of White River Junction.

Since the summer of 2007, local musicians have been playing at Elixir Restaurant and Lounge. Modeled after New York City meatpacking district clubs, this restaurant and bar features high end martinis, tappas, and jazz music.

White River Junction, known mostly for its quirky and artistic downtown area, is also the home of one of Vermont’s only two strip clubs. Hollywood’s Hardbodies is set away from the historical downtown Main Street area atop of Sykes Hill. The club is a separate room inside Upper Valley Lanes and Games, a bowling alley that is popular with teens and preteens on weekend evenings and league bowlers during the week. Also in the bowling alley complex is a country and rock and roll bar and grill called Shenanigans.

Transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides daily service through White River Junction, operating its Vermonter between Washington, DC and St. Albans, VT.

White River Junction was formerly an important junction on the Boston & Maine Railroad's Connecticut River Line.

Notable residents

*Jim Cantore, The Weather Channel meteorologist.
*George Williston Smith Industrialist and Democratic candidate for Governor of Vermont, 1896.
*James Sturm, comics artist and founder/director of the Center for Cartoon Studies.
*Sharon Underwood, LGBT rights advocate.
* Eric Francis, journalist and true crime author of [http://www.amazon.com/Dartmouth-Murders-Martins-Crime-Library/dp/0312982313] The Dartmouth Murders

References

External links

* [http://members.valley.net/~connriver/V11-8.htm White River Junction Historic District]
* [http://www.whiteriverjct.com White River Junction Downtown Business Association]
* [http://www.cartoonstudies.org/ The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS)]
* [http://www.hartford-vt.org Town of Hartford, Vermont (official site)]
* [http://www.hartfordvtchamber.com Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.hartfordhistory.org Hartford Historical Society]
* [http://www.mainstreetmuseum.org/ Main Street Museum]