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Bristol, Vermont
Main Street in Bristol in the fall
Main Street in Bristol in the fall
Location in Addison County and the state of Vermont.
Location in Addison County and the state of Vermont.
Country United States
State Vermont
County Addison
Chartered 1762
Settled 1783
Organized 1789
Communities Bristol
Rocky Dale
Area
 • Total 42.2 sq mi (109.2 km2)
 • Land 41.5 sq mi (107.5 km2)
 • Water 0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
Elevation
522 ft (159 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 3,782
 • Density 91/sq mi (35.2/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
05443
Area code 802
FIPS code 50-09025
GNIS feature ID 1462053

Bristol is a charming town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. It's a classic New England community. The town was officially started on June 26, 1762. Benning Wentworth, the governor of New Hampshire at the time, gave the special document (called a charter) to Samuel Averill and 63 other people. They named the town "Pocock" after a famous English admiral, but it later became Bristol.

In 2020, about 3,782 people lived here. Main Street is the heart of Bristol, where you'll find most of the shops and businesses. Bristol is also famous for the Lord's Prayer Rock.

Exploring Bristol's Location and Landscape

Bristol is located in the northeastern part of Addison County, Vermont. It sits at the western base of the beautiful Green Mountains. The New Haven River flows through the town center. This river comes from the mountains and eventually joins Otter Creek.

How Big is Bristol?

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bristol covers a total area of about 109.2 square kilometers (42.2 square miles). Most of this area, about 107.5 square kilometers (41.5 square miles), is land. The remaining 1.7 square kilometers (0.7 square miles) is water, which is about 1.57% of the total area.

Bristol's Main Settlement

The main part of the town is also called Bristol. This area is a "census-designated place," which means it's a specific area recognized for population counting. It's located north of the New Haven River, slightly northwest of the town's geographic center.

Who Lives in Bristol?

BristolRock 20160903
The Lord's Prayer Rock on Route 17 / Route 116 in Bristol. A local doctor, Joseph C. Greene, had it made.

Bristol has grown quite a bit over the years. In 1790, only 211 people lived here. By 2020, the population had grown to 3,782 people.

Bristol's Population Over Time

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 211
1800 665 215.2%
1810 1,179 77.3%
1820 1,051 −10.9%
1830 1,274 21.2%
1840 1,233 −3.2%
1850 1,344 9.0%
1860 1,355 0.8%
1870 1,365 0.7%
1880 1,579 15.7%
1890 1,828 15.8%
1900 2,061 12.7%
1910 2,005 −2.7%
1920 1,952 −2.6%
1930 1,832 −6.1%
1940 1,939 5.8%
1950 1,988 2.5%
1960 2,159 8.6%
1970 2,744 27.1%
1980 3,293 20.0%
1990 3,762 14.2%
2000 3,788 0.7%
2010 3,894 2.8%
2020 3,782 −2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 3,788 people living in Bristol. About 37.1% of the households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.58 people. The median age in town was 37 years old.

Learning and Schools in Bristol

Bristol is part of the Mount Abraham Unified School District. This district serves several nearby towns, including Lincoln, Monkton, New Haven, and Starksboro. In Bristol, students attend Bristol Elementary School. Older students go to Mount Abraham Union Middle/High School.

Bristol's Economy and Fun Facts

Bristol was once home to a company called Freemountain Toys. They were famous for making stuffed toys shaped like vegetables, called Vegimals. You might even recognize them! The "Peas in a Pod" characters in the movie Toy Story 3 were inspired by these Vegimal peas.

Bristol on Screen

Bristol has also been a filming location! The movie 'The Wizard of Loneliness' (1988) was filmed here. This movie was set during World War II. The film crew even installed old-fashioned street lights on Main Street, and some of them are still there today.

Bristol's Weather

Climate data for Bristol, Vermont
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F 25.5 29.1 37.6 51.1 63.9 72.1 76.3 74.5 66.9 54.7 43.5 31.3 52.3
Daily mean °F 15.4 18.3 27.0 41.0 52.9 61.5 65.8 64.0 56.1 44.8 34.9 22.5 42.1
Mean daily minimum °F 5.4 7.5 16.5 30.9 41.9 51.1 55.2 53.8 45.3 34.7 26.4 13.6 32.0
Average precipitation inches 2.80 2.40 3.10 3.80 4.40 4.60 5.00 5.40 4.10 5.00 4.10 3.50 48.00
Average snowfall inches 26.2 23.7 22.1 9.3 0.6 2.3 11.0 29.1 124.3
Mean daily maximum °C −3.6 −1.6 3.1 10.6 17.7 22.3 24.6 23.6 19.4 12.6 6.4 −0.4 11.3
Daily mean °C −9.2 −7.6 −2.8 5.0 11.6 16.4 18.8 17.8 13.4 7.1 1.6 −5.3 5.6
Mean daily minimum °C −14.8 −13.6 −8.6 −0.6 5.5 10.6 12.9 12.1 7.4 1.5 −3.1 −10.2 0.0
Average precipitation mm 71.1 61.0 78.7 96.5 111.8 116.8 127.0 137.2 104.1 127.0 104.1 88.9 1,219.2
Average snowfall cm 66.5 60.2 56.1 23.6 1.5 5.8 27.9 73.9 315.7
Average precipitation days 15.8 12.5 14.7 13.8 15.1 15.0 13.1 12.8 12.2 14.5 14.9 16.1 170.5
Average snowy days 13.3 10.3 10.4 4.0 0.4 1.2 5.7 12.5 57.8

Bristol experiences a climate typical of Vermont. Summers are generally warm, and winters are cold with plenty of snow. The wettest months are usually August and July. The snowiest months are January and December.

Famous People from Bristol

Bristol has been home to several notable individuals:

  • Chris Bohjalian – A well-known writer.
  • Jeremiah Curtin – A writer and translator.
  • Walter C. Dunton – A Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.
  • Ezra Butler Eddy – A Canadian businessman and political figure.
  • Ethan Sonneborn – An activist who ran for Vermont governor in 2018.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Bristol (Vermont) para niños

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