Highgate, Vermont facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Highgate, Vermont
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Location in Franklin County and the state of Vermont.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Vermont |
| County | Franklin |
| Communities | Highgate Center Highgate Falls Highgate Springs Beaulieus Corner East Highgate |
| Area | |
| • Total | 59.7 sq mi (154.7 km2) |
| • Land | 50.7 sq mi (131.4 km2) |
| • Water | 9.0 sq mi (23.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 322 ft (98 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,472 |
| • Density | 68/sq mi (26.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
05459 (Highgate Center)
05460 (Highgate Springs) 05488 (Swanton) 05478 (St. Albans) 05483 (Sheldon) 05457 (Franklin) |
| Area code(s) | 802 |
| FIPS code | 50-33025 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1462118 |
Highgate is a town located in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. In 2020, about 3,472 people lived there. The town is right on the border between Canada and the United States. It shares a border with Philipsburg, Quebec, in Canada.
Contents
History of Highgate
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Highgate got its name from a place called Highgate in England.
Famous band the Grateful Dead played two big concerts in Highgate. These shows happened at the Franklin County State Airport. One concert was in July 1994, and another in June 1995.
Many people came to these concerts. About 60,000 people attended in 1994. In 1995, around 100,000 people came to see the show. The famous singer Bob Dylan also performed at the 1995 concert. People were even allowed to camp at the airport during this event.
Highgate also has a large egg farm. This farm has about 100,000 chickens. In 2008, the farm wanted to get even bigger. This would have meant doubling its size.
Geography and Nature
Highgate is in the northwestern part of Franklin County. The northern edge of the town is the border with Canada. Highgate is one of the places that the 45th parallel north line crosses. This line is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole.
Two main roads, U.S. Route 7 and Interstate 89, go through the town. They meet at Exit 22 of I-89, which is just south of the Canadian border. These roads lead south to other towns like Swanton, St. Albans, and Burlington.
Vermont Route 78 goes through the southern part of Highgate. It passes through smaller communities like Highgate Center and East Highgate. Route 78 connects to Swanton in the southwest and Sheldon in the southeast. Vermont Route 207 runs through the eastern part of Highgate. It links Highgate Center to Morses Line at the border.
Other communities inside Highgate include Highgate Falls and Highgate Springs.
Land and Water Areas
Highgate covers a total area of about 154.7 square kilometers (59.7 square miles). Most of this area, about 131.4 square kilometers (50.7 square miles), is land. The rest, about 23.3 square kilometers (9.0 square miles), is water.
The Missisquoi River and the Rock River flow through Highgate. These rivers eventually flow into Lake Champlain. The northwest corner of the town is part of Missisquoi Bay, which is a large arm of Lake Champlain.
Neighboring Towns and Areas
Highgate is surrounded by several other towns and areas:
- Saint-Armand, Quebec, Canada (to the north)
- Franklin (to the east)
- Sheldon (to the southeast)
- Swanton (to the south and west)
- Alburgh (to the west, across Missisquoi Bay)
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 103 | — | |
| 1800 | 437 | 324.3% | |
| 1810 | 1,374 | 214.4% | |
| 1820 | 1,250 | −9.0% | |
| 1830 | 2,038 | 63.0% | |
| 1840 | 2,292 | 12.5% | |
| 1850 | 2,653 | 15.8% | |
| 1860 | 2,526 | −4.8% | |
| 1870 | 2,260 | −10.5% | |
| 1880 | 2,088 | −7.6% | |
| 1890 | 1,853 | −11.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,980 | 6.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,758 | −11.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,528 | −13.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,574 | 3.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,647 | 4.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,681 | 2.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,608 | −4.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,936 | 20.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,493 | 28.8% | |
| 1990 | 3,020 | 21.1% | |
| 2000 | 3,397 | 12.5% | |
| 2010 | 3,535 | 4.1% | |
| 2020 | 3,472 | −1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Highgate has changed over many years. In 1790, only 103 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 3,472 people.
In 2000, there were 3,397 people living in Highgate. There were 1,207 households, which are groups of people living together. Many households, about 40.8%, had children under 18 living with them.
The average age of people in Highgate in 2000 was 34 years old. About 29.4% of the population was under 18.
Places to Visit
- Highgate Manor
- Franklin County State Airport
- Franklin County Field Days (a local event)
- Tyler Place Family Resort
Town Infrastructure
Electricity
Since 1985, Highgate has had a special power station. It is called an HVDC back-to-back station. This station helps transfer electricity. It can send up to 225 megawatts of power from Hydro-Quebec in Canada to the New England power grid. It can also send 190 megawatts from New England back to Quebec. This station was built very quickly to help when the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant needed repairs.
Natural Gas
Vermont has one company that delivers natural gas, called Vermont Gas Systems, Inc. (VGS). This company gets its natural gas from a connection in Highgate Springs. The gas comes from the TransCanada Pipeline.
Transportation
The town is home to an important border crossing. This is where Interstate 89 crosses into Canada. It is known as the Highgate Springs–St. Armand/Philipsburg Border Crossing.
Famous People from Highgate
Highgate has been the birthplace or home of several notable people:
- Heman Allen (1779–1852): He was a U.S. congressman and a U.S. Minister to Chile. He lived and worked as a lawyer in Highgate.
- Roswell M. Austin (1887–1966): He was the brother of Warren Austin. Roswell became the Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives. He was born in Highgate.
- Warren Austin (1877–1962): He was a U.S. senator and a United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He was born in Highgate Center.
- Jeptha Bradley (1802–1864): He served as the Vermont Auditor of Accounts. He was also a postmaster in Highgate Springs.
- Alexander Christie (1848–1925): He was a bishop and later an archbishop. He was born in Highgate.
- John Godfrey Saxe (1816–1887): He was a writer and was born in the Highgate hamlet of Saxe's Mills.
See also
In Spanish: Highgate (Vermont) para niños
