Craftsbury, Vermont facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Craftsbury, Vermont
Town
Craftsbury Town Hall
Located in Orleans County, Vermont
Location of Vermont with the U.S.A.
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Orleans
Chartered	August 23, 1781
Communities	Craftsbury Craftsbury Common East Craftsbury Mill Village
Area
• Total	39.7 sq mi (102.9 km2)
• Land	39.3 sq mi (101.7 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation	904 ft (272 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,343
• Density	34/sq mi (13.2/km2)
• Households	466
• Families	320
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	05826 (Craftsbury) 05827 (Craftsbury Common)
Area code(s)	802
FIPS code	50-16300
GNIS feature ID	1462078
Website	www.townofcraftsbury.com

Craftsbury is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. In 2020, about 1,343 people lived there. The town includes several smaller communities. These are Craftsbury, Craftsbury Common, Mill Village, and East Craftsbury.

History of Craftsbury

The state officially recognized the town on November 6, 1780. It was given to Ebenezer Crafts, Timothy Newell, and 62 other people. They first named it Minden.

On October 27, 1790, its name was changed to Craftsbury. This was done to honor Ebenezer Crafts. He was the first person to settle in this county.

Craftsbury Common, once called North Craftsbury, was the first main settlement. For many years, it was the center for business and culture. It served not only Craftsbury but also nearby towns.

In the early 1800s, more mills were built around the town. This led to new settlements in Mill Village and Craftsbury Village. A group of Scottish settlers also created East Craftsbury.

By 1840, Craftsbury had 12 school districts. This was needed because the roads were not very good. About 1,200 people lived there, mostly working in farming.

Geography of Craftsbury

Craftsbury covers about 39.7 square miles (102.9 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

A view across Craftsbury Common showing the United Church of Craftsbury, and bandstand.

The town is located on a high flat area, also known as a plateau. It is part of the Catamount Trail, a long trail for skiing and hiking.

Craftsbury has many hills and valleys. The soil is different in various places. It ranges from rich soil near rivers to clay and gravel.

There are five ponds or lakes in the town.

Lake Elligo, also called Eligo Pond, is partly in Greensboro. It is about two miles long and half a mile wide. This lake is special because it has two outlets. One flows north, and the other flows south.

The northern outlet is a source of the Black River. The southern outlet flows into Little Elligo Pond and then to the Lamoille River in Hardwick. The lake was a hunting ground for the Abenaki people, who called it Elligo Scoloon.

Other ponds include Great Hosmer Pond and Little Hosmer Pond. The Black River is the main river in Craftsbury. Its current is slow. Another river, Wild Branch, flows through the western part of town.

Craftsbury's Geology and Rocks

The types of rocks in Craftsbury are quite varied. In the eastern part of town, you can find granite. This rock often appears with gneiss and mica slate.

In the middle of town, you'll find dark argillaceous slate. This rock is mixed with siliceous limestone. These rocks formed during the Devonian Period.

The rocks on the west side of the Black River are even older. They are from the Cambrian Period. Vermont Route 14 runs along a line where these different rock types meet.

Near Craftsbury village, there is a large area of gray granite. This granite has small, round pieces of black mica and quartz inside. These pieces are about one inch across.

Long ago, people thought these rocks were unique. Now, we know they are similar to rocks found in Bethel, Vermont.

When the last ice age ended, about 14,000 years ago, a part of Craftsbury was covered by a temporary lake called Lake Winooski. This lake drained when its ice dam melted.

Population of Craftsbury

In 2000, Craftsbury had 1,136 people living there. There were 427 households and 301 families. The town had about 28.9 people per square mile.

The population was spread out by age. About 21% were under 18 years old. About 19.6% were 65 years or older. The average age in town was 41 years.

The population of Craftsbury was highest in 1860, with 1,413 people. It was lowest in 1970, with 632 people.

Education in Craftsbury

Craftsbury is home to some unique and historic schools.

Sterling College

Sterling College is located on Craftsbury Common. It is a college focused on ecological thinking and action. The U.S. Department of Education recognizes it as a Work College. This means students often work as part of their education.

Public Schools

Craftsbury has its own school system. It includes Craftsbury Academy, which serves grades 5–12. This is one of Vermont's oldest and smallest public high schools.

The system also includes Craftsbury Elementary for grades K–4. Craftsbury Schools is part of a larger school group. This group includes five other public schools in nearby towns.

Culture and Arts

The Craftsbury Chamber Players have been performing music in the summer since 1966. They offer classical music concerts.

Notable People from Craftsbury

Many interesting people have connections to Craftsbury:

• Edwin Eugene Bagley, a composer.
• Samuel C. Crafts, a US congressman and senator. He was also the 12th governor of Vermont and one of the town's founders.
• Roger L. Easton, a main inventor of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
• Horace F. Graham, the 56th governor of Vermont.
• Bill "The Spaceman" Lee, a famous baseball pitcher. He played for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos.

Craftsbury in Movies

Craftsbury's beautiful scenery has been featured in films.

Alfred Hitchcock filmed parts of his 1955 movie The Trouble with Harry in Craftsbury. The movie is set entirely in the town. Scenes were shot at the parsonage next to the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church. They also filmed on Craftsbury Common.

The filmmakers wanted to capture the autumn leaves. However, when they arrived in September 1954, most leaves had fallen. To make the trees look full, leaves were actually glued onto them!

The 1976 IMAX film To Fly! also features Craftsbury. This movie is about the history of human flight. It opens with a hot air balloon flying over the Wee House and the United Church of Craftsbury on the Common.

Economy and Tourism

Tourist Industry

The Craftsbury Outdoor Center is a popular spot. It has 105 km of trails for Nordic skiing in winter. In summer, these trails are used for running. The center is also home to the Green Racing Project. This team helps athletes train for the Olympic Games in rowing and skiing.

The first annual Craftsbury (winter) Marathon was held in 1981. In 2008, 646 skiers from many states and provinces attended.

The Craftsbury Sculling Center is one of the oldest sculling programs in the United States. Sculling is a type of rowing. It is based on Little and Big Hosmer Lake.

Farming and Local Food

Agritourism is an important part of Craftsbury's economy. This means visitors come to experience farm life. There are several farms, orchards, and farm stands in Craftsbury. You can buy fresh local produce.

There is also a seasonal farmer's market. It takes place at Craftsbury Common every Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM.

Transportation

Vermont Route 14 is a main road that goes through Craftsbury. It passes near the villages of Craftsbury and Craftsbury Common.

See also

In Spanish: Craftsbury para niños