Derby is a
townThe New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. An institution that does not have a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in that they were originally set up so that all...
in
Orleans CountyOrleans County is one of the four northernmost counties in the U.S. state of Vermont. It borders Canada. As of 2000, the population was 26,277. Its county seat is Newport. As in the rest of New England, few governmental powers have been granted to the county...
,
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 4,604 at the 2000 census. The town contains four unincorporated
villagesIn the U.S. state of Vermont, villages are named communities located within the boundaries of an incorporated town. Villages may be incorporated or unincorporated....
: Beebe Plain, Clyde Pond, Lake Salem and North Derby; and two incorporated villages:
Derby CenterDerby Center is a village in the town of Derby, Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 670 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and
Derby LineDerby Line is an incorporated village in the town of Derby in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 776 at the 2000 census....
. The Town of Derby encompasses the largest area in the county.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the town has a total area of 57.6 square miles (149.2 km
2), of which, 49.6 square miles (128.5 km
2) of it is land and 8.0 square miles (20.7 km
2) of it (13.87%) is water.
Derby is a
townThe New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. An institution that does not have a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in that they were originally set up so that all...
in
Orleans CountyOrleans County is one of the four northernmost counties in the U.S. state of Vermont. It borders Canada. As of 2000, the population was 26,277. Its county seat is Newport. As in the rest of New England, few governmental powers have been granted to the county...
,
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 4,604 at the 2000 census. The town contains four unincorporated
villagesIn the U.S. state of Vermont, villages are named communities located within the boundaries of an incorporated town. Villages may be incorporated or unincorporated....
: Beebe Plain, Clyde Pond, Lake Salem and North Derby; and two incorporated villages:
Derby CenterDerby Center is a village in the town of Derby, Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 670 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and
Derby LineDerby Line is an incorporated village in the town of Derby in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 776 at the 2000 census....
. The Town of Derby encompasses the largest area in the county.
Geography
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the town has a total area of 57.6 square miles (149.2 km
2), of which, 49.6 square miles (128.5 km
2) of it is land and 8.0 square miles (20.7 km
2) of it (13.87%) is water. The town lies in the northernmost part of Orleans County, bounded north by Canada, east by Holland, southeast by Morgan and Charleston, southwest by Coventry and Brownington, and west by Lake Memphremagog.
Lake Salem is within the town boundaries. Clyde Pond was formed by damming the
Clyde RiverThe Clyde River is a tributary of Lake Memphremagog, over long, in northern Vermont in the United States. It is the easternmost of the four major rivers in Orleans County. It is the most powerful of the four within Orleans County, powering several turbines at damsites...
.
Local government
- Moderator - H. Kendrick Young
- Selectmen - Stephen Gendreau (2010), Brian Smith (2010)
- Lister - Tom Roberts
- Budget - $2,124,460
School district
- Director, North County Union High School - Jesse Tatum (2010)
- Director - James Erwin (2009)
- Budget - $4,446,922
History
On October 29, 1779, the state of Vermont chartered it to Timothy Andrus and fifty-nine associates, with an area of . It was named after
DerbyDerby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The town has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby-Shelton.-History:...
,
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
.
In the
War of 1812The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , lasted from 1812 to 1815. It was fought chiefly on the Atlantic Ocean and on the land, coasts and waterways of North America.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S...
, an expeditionary force of Quebec Eastern Townships' volunteers destroyed a barracks built at Derby with no personnel casualties.
On October 31, 1866, the town erected a granite monument at Derby Center in honor of those who died in the
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
. It is inscribed: "In Memory of the Volunteers from Derby, who Lost their Lives in the Great Rebellion, 1861-’65.” It lists the names of fifty-three men from Derby. It is the oldest community memorial to that war in the United States.
The failed town of Salem was annexed to Derby by an act of the legislature of 1880, and took effect March 1, 1881. This increased the land size of Derby so it became the largest in Orleans County.
Like many Orleans County towns, Derby grew in population until 1890, after which the
depression (then called "panics") of 1893The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. This panic is sometimes considered a part of the Long Depression which began with the Panic of 1873, and like that of earlier crashes, was caused by railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing...
affected the local economy and agricultural prices. Population fluctuated until it hit a bottom in 1940. The town has grown steadily since.
In 1917, the city of Newport was formed from portions of the towns of
NewportNewport is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,511 at the 2000 census. The town is referred to by the United States Postal Service and the media as Newport Center, the name of the main settlement of the town.-Town:...
(the former village of Newport) and Derby (a former village of West Derby)
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 4,604 people, 1,832 households, and 1,319 families residing in the town. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 92.8 people per square mile (35.8/km
2). There were 2,258 housing units at an average density of 45.5/sq mi (17.6/km
2). 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 racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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 couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
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.
Personal income
As of the census of 2000, 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 incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
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 the village of West Derby wanted to merge with its neighbor, the newly created city of
NewportNewport is a city in and the shire town of Orleans County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,005. The city contains the largest population of any government in the county, yet encompasses the smallest area....
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
supermarketA supermarket, also called a grocery store in some parts of North America, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s, Shaw's and Price Chopper.
Wal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large, discount department stores. It is the world's largest public corporation by revenue, according to the 2008 Fortune Global 500. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and...
received a permit to build a store in 2005. They have allowed this permit to lapse.
Lowe'sLowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves over 14+ million customers a week in its 1,616 stores in the United States and Canada. With the opening of the South Burlington,...
has requested an Act 250 permit for a store. Should Lowe's build, that will be their third store in Vermont. The headquarters of the Community National Bank is located in Derby.
Indoor Recreation of Orleans CountyIndoor Recreation of Orleans County, called IROC, is a not-for-profit recreation center for the people of Orleans County, Vermont. It is located off US 5, the Newport-Derby Road, in Derby, Vermont. The President is Phil White....
(IROC) was constructed in 2004 and features a sports arena, aquatic center and a multipurpose gymnasium facility that can be utilized for a range of sports, including basketball, volleyball and indoor soccer.
Notable residents
- Charles Kendall Adams
Charles Kendall Adams was an American educator and historian. He served as the second president of Cornell University from 1885 until 1892, and as president of the University of Wisconsin from 1892 until 1901.-Biography:...
, educator and historian.
- Portus Baxter
Portus Baxter was a banker, farmer, and politician from Vermont, United States.-Early life:Baxter was born in Brownington, Vermont, the son of William and Lydia Baxter. After attending local schools, he completed his education at Norwich Military Academy and the University of Vermont in Burlington...
, banker, politician
- Horace Chase
Horace B. Chase was an American politician who served as mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Chase was born in Vermont, on Christmas Day of 1810 and lived near Derby, Vermont. One of Milwaukee's pioneers, he first arrived in Milwaukee in December 1834, left for Chicago, and returned to settle in...
, mayor of MilwaukeeMilwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and 23rd largest in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Its estimated 2008 population was 604,477. Milwaukee is the main cultural and economic center of the...
, WisconsinWisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. states. Located in the north-central United States, Wisconsin is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the...
.
- Josiah Grout
Josiah Grout, Jr. was an army officer, lawyer, and politician of the U.S. state of Vermont. A native of Quebec, he served in the American Civil War as a Union officer before entering the legal profession after the war...
, 46th Governor of Vermont, represented Derby in the legislature 1883-1888
- Vincent Illuzzi
Vincent Illuzzi is an American politician and a Republican member of the Vermont State Senate, representing the Essex-Orleans senate district....
, RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
member of the Vermont State Senate.
- Willie Johnston (Medal of Honor recipient)
Willie Johnston, from St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was a drummer boy in Company D of the 3rd Vermont Infantry. His service during the Seven Days retreat in the Peninsula Campaign was exemplary. He was the only drummer in his division to come away with his instrument, by no means a trivial accomplishment...
- The "Little Drummer Boy" of Civil War fame, enlisted from "Salem", later incorporated into Derby.
- Robert Lewis
Robert Lewis was an American actor, director, teacher, author and founder of the influential Actors Studio in New York in 1947....
, RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
member of the Vermont House of RepresentativesThe Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members. Vermont legislative districting divides representing districts into 66 single-member districts and 42 two-member...
.
Transportation
With 103 miles, Derby has the most miles of road of any town or city in Orleans County. Derby also has the most Class 3 roads (dirt) of any town in Orleans County.
Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
has two interchanges, and its northern terminus, in Derby.
Thr Rural Community Transport provides buses for general use, four buses north and south during the week from west Newport city to Derby Center, and two buses each way on Saturday. The fare is US 25 cents. These provide special services for the handicapped and the elderly upon request.
External links