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Guildhall, Vermont
Town
Guildhall, Vermont.jpg
Location in Essex County and the state of Vermont.
Location in Essex County and the state of Vermont.
Location of Vermont in the United States
Location of Vermont in the United States
Country United States
State Vermont
County Essex
Area
 • Total 33.1 sq mi (85.7 km2)
 • Land 32.8 sq mi (84.9 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)
Elevation
1,877 ft (572 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 262
 • Density 8/sq mi (3.1/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
05905
Area code(s) 802
FIPS code 50-30775
GNIS feature ID 1462111

Guildhall is a small town in Essex County, Vermont, United States. It's known as the "shire town," which means it's the main town where the county government is located. In 2020, about 262 people lived there. A special fact about Guildhall is that it's believed to be the only town in the world with this name! The name comes from a meeting house called the Guildhall that was once in the town square.

Guildhall is also part of a larger area that includes Berlin, New Hampshire, and parts of Vermont.

Exploring Guildhall's Geography

Guildhall is located in the northeastern part of Vermont. It sits right along the Connecticut River, which forms the border between Vermont and New Hampshire.

Neighboring Towns

To the southwest, Guildhall shares a border with Lunenburg, Vermont. To the northwest, you'll find Granby, Vermont, and to the north is Maidstone, Vermont. Across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire are the towns of Northumberland and Lancaster, New Hampshire.

Roads and Routes

If you're traveling through Guildhall, you might use U.S. Route 2. This road goes through the southern part of town, heading west towards Lunenburg and east across the Connecticut River into Lancaster. Another important road is Vermont Route 102, which goes north from Route 2 and follows the Connecticut River up to Maidstone.

Size and Landscape

The town of Guildhall covers about 85.7 square kilometers (about 33.1 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water, like rivers. The highest point in Guildhall is Stone Mountain, located in the western part of town. It stands tall at about 572 meters (1,877 feet) above sea level.

People of Guildhall

The population of Guildhall has changed over many years. Here's how it has looked during different census counts:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 158
1800 296 87.3%
1810 544 83.8%
1820 529 −2.8%
1830 481 −9.1%
1840 470 −2.3%
1850 501 6.6%
1860 552 10.2%
1870 483 −12.5%
1880 558 15.5%
1890 511 −8.4%
1900 455 −11.0%
1910 445 −2.2%
1920 376 −15.5%
1930 351 −6.6%
1940 313 −10.8%
1950 270 −13.7%
1960 248 −8.1%
1970 169 −31.9%
1980 202 19.5%
1990 270 33.7%
2000 268 −0.7%
2010 261 −2.6%
2020 262 0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 268 people living in Guildhall. The town had 106 households, with many of them being families. About 29% of households had children under 18 living there. The average age of people in Guildhall was around 43 years old.

Guildhall Library ca1901 Vermont
Guildhall Public Library, around 1901

Guildhall's Climate

Guildhall experiences a climate with big changes between seasons. Summers can be warm to hot, and sometimes humid. Winters are cold, and can even be very cold. This type of weather is known as a humid continental climate.

Guildhall's Past: A Look at History

Guildhall was officially established in 1761 by Benning Wentworth, who was the colonial governor of New Hampshire. The first people who settled here came from towns in Massachusetts called Lancaster and Lunenburg. They even named towns on both sides of the Connecticut River after their old hometowns.

Early Settlement and Growth

After Guildhall was chartered, some early settlers built simple cabins and started clearing the land. As more people moved in, the first official town meeting was held in 1783. Guildhall, like many towns in Essex County, has a lot of forests. Because of this, cutting down trees for lumber used to be a very important part of the town's economy.

Historic Village Center

The heart of Guildhall, known as the Guildhall Village Historic District, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This historic area includes the central common (a public green space) and several old buildings nearby, showing what the town looked like long ago.

Famous People from Guildhall

Many interesting people have connections to Guildhall:

  • Henry C. Bates: He was a lieutenant governor of Vermont and a federal judge. He lived in Guildhall.
  • Everett Chamberlin Benton: A business leader and politician from Massachusetts, he was born in Guildhall.
  • Clem Bissonnette: A member of the Vermont House of Representatives and a mayor of Winooski, Vermont, he lived in Guildhall.
  • George N. Dale: Another Vermont lieutenant governor, he lived in Guildhall before moving to Island Pond.
  • Henry Willard Denison: He was born in Guildhall and became an important advisor to the Japanese government.
  • Samuel Read Hall: An educator and clergyman, he grew up in Guildhall.
  • Janice L. Peaslee: A member of the Vermont House of Representatives, she lives in Guildhall.
  • John S. Wells: A U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, he also lived in Guildhall.

See also

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

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