DERBY, VERMONT

'Derby' is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,604 at the 2000 census. The town contains four unincorporated villages: Beebe Plain, Clyde Pond, Lake Salem and North Derby; and two incorporated villages: Derby Center and Derby Line.^[1] The Town of Derby encompasses the largest area in the county.^[2]

Contents

Geography

Local Government

School District

History

Demographics

Economy

Personal Income

Development

Media

Radio

Notable residents

Transportation

Footnotes

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 149.2 km² (57.6 mi²). 128.5 km² (49.6 mi²) of it is land and 20.7 km² (8.0 mi²) of it (13.87%) is water.

Local Government

★ Moderator - H. Kendrick Young^[3]

★ Selectman - Stephen Gendreau

★ Budget - $1,976,244

School District

★ Director - James Erwin

★ Budget - $4,446,922

History

In the War of 1812, an expeditionary force of Quebec Eastern Townships’ volunteers destroyed a barracks built at Derby with no personnel casualties. ^[4]
Like many Orleans County towns, Derby grew in population until 1890, after which the depression (then called "panics") of 1892 affected the local economy and agricultural prices. Population fluctuated until it hit a bottom in 1940. The town has grown steadily since.^[5]
In 1917, the City of Newport was formed from portions of the towns of Newport (the former village of Newport) and Derby (a former village of West Derby)

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 4,604 people, 1,832 households, and 1,319 families residing in the town. The population density was 35.8/km² (92.8/mi²). There were 2,258 housing units at an average density of 17.6/km² (45.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.57% White, 0.28% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.
There were 1,832 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

Economy

Personal Income

The median income for a household in the town was $35,313, and the median income for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $31,120 versus $21,940 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,192. About 8.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Development

When East Derby wanted to merge with the newly created city of Newport in 1917, the town of Derby was only too happy to let them go. They wanted too many expensive services that the town was not prepared to furnish.
Not so today. New construction is overflowing Newport onto the Newport-Derby Road (US Route 5). Already built are two new super grocery stores, Shaw's and Price Chopper. Wal-Mart is preparing to build a new standard size store. If Lowe's builds, that will be their first store in Vermont.
Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC) was constructed in 2004 and features a sports arena, aquatic center, as well as as offering normal gymnasium facilities.^[6]

Media

Radio

★ WMOO - 92.1 FM; Derby Center

Notable residents

★ Charles Kendall Adams, educator and historian.

★ Portus Baxter, banker, politician

★ Horace Chase, mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

★ Timothy Hinman, pioneer road builder

★ Vincent Illuzzi, Republican member of the Vermont State Senate.

Transportation

Derby has the most miles of any town or city in Orleans County, 103.^[7] Derby also has the most Class 3 roads (dirt) of any town.

Footnotes

1. http://www.rootsweb.com/~vtgenweb/vttowns/VTtowns.htm
2. http://www.virtualvermont.com/index.php?loc=http://www.virtualvermont.com/towns/barton.html
3. Voters approve sewer spending,''The Chronicle'',March 7, 2007, page 3
4. Townships Heritage Web Magazine
5.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~vermontgenealogyresources/Townships/Orleans/Derbytown.html
6. http://www.calcaminedesign.com/vrpa/newfall05.pdf
7. http://www.aot.state.vt.us/planning/documents/highresearch/publications/2004hwymiles%5Ftown.pdf

External links

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