Milton, Vermont facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Milton, Vermont
Town
Location in Chittenden County and the state of Vermont.
Milton, Vermont Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Chittenden
Communities	Milton West Milton Checkerberry Village Cozy Corner West View
Area
• Total	60.9 sq mi (157.7 km2)
• Land	51.5 sq mi (133.3 km2)
• Water	9.4 sq mi (24.4 km2)
Elevation	121 ft (37 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,723
• Density	176.08/sq mi (67.996/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	05468
Area code(s)	802
FIPS code	50-45250
GNIS feature ID	1462149
Website	www.miltonvt.org

Milton is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. It is a part of the New England region. In 2020, about 10,723 people lived here.

People say the town was named after the famous English poet John Milton. However, it was probably named after William FitzWilliam, 4th Earl FitzWilliam. He was also known as Viscount Milton. He supported the American colonies during the American Revolution.

Milton has its own town hall, schools, and a library. It also has a police force, fire department, and rescue squad. Many churches and community groups are active in the town. You can find more information on the town's official website.

Milton's History

Milton was officially started on June 8, 1763. This was done by Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. The first settlers arrived in February 1782. These early settlers included William Irish and Thomas Dewey. By 1795, about 300 people lived in Milton. They needed a bigger place to meet, so the Town House was built in 1849. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire in 1878.

Early settlers in Milton earned money from cutting down trees and making potash. Potash was used for soap and fertilizer. Around 1840, dairy farming became very popular. Farmers sold butter and cheese. Later, they also shipped milk to big cities like Boston and New York.

Milton was also home to Catamount Speedway. This was a race track that operated from 1965 to 1988. Many famous race car drivers started their careers there. One of them was Kevin Lepage, who was from nearby Shelburne.

Exploring Milton's Geography

Milton is located in the northern part of Chittenden County. It shares borders with Franklin County to the north. To the northwest, it borders Grand Isle County across an arm of Lake Champlain.

The town includes several smaller communities. These include Milton (in the east), Cozy Corner, and West Milton. The Lamoille River flows through the town. It empties into Lake Champlain at the town's southwest corner.

U.S. Route 2 crosses an arm of Lake Champlain. It connects Milton to Grand Isle. Sand Bar State Park is a popular spot located along Route 2.

The town of Milton covers about 60.9 square miles (157.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. About 9.4 square miles (24.6 square kilometers) is water, mainly from Lake Champlain.

Milton's Communities

Milton has many small communities within its borders. These communities often grew because travel was difficult before cars existed. Today, many of them are mostly residential areas. They might not have their own churches, stores, or schools anymore.

Here are some of the communities in the Town of Milton:

• Milton Falls: This area was historically a business center. It is located around the Route 7 Main Street intersection.
• Milton Village: This area is now where most businesses are. It is also home to the Milton schools.
• Cozy Corners: This community is found around the Middle Road Railroad Street intersection.
• West View: This area is located between Checkerberry Village and Cozy Corners.
• Checkerberry Village: This community was centered around Checkerberry Square, which no longer exists.
• West Milton: This area includes everything west of the Lamoille River. It also has some land on the east side of the river.
• Miltonboro Village: This small community was once important for mail and travel. It is now mostly three houses and a cemetery.
• Miltonboro: This community is in the northwest corner of the Town of Milton.
• Sopertown: This area is located around the Everst Road and Beebe Hill Road intersection.

Milton Falls used to be a busy place for businesses. Now, most larger businesses are in Milton Village and Milton Square. Miltonboro Village was once a place where people from West Milton and Miltonboro would go to send letters or catch a stagecoach. It had a post office, a church, and possibly a general store.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 9,479 people living in Milton. There were 3,333 households, with many being married couples. About 41.6% of households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.84 people.

The population included people of all ages. About 28.7% were under 18 years old. The median age in town was 34 years. This means half the people were younger than 34, and half were older.

The average income for a household in Milton was around $49,379. For families, it was about $50,972. A small number of families and people lived below the poverty line.

Education in Milton

Milton has a strong school system for its students.

Milton Elementary School (MES) Achievements

• In May 2012, the school's Odyssey of the Mind team went to the World Finals. This is a creative problem-solving competition.
• In March 2013, some students and teachers were invited to the White House. They helped First Lady Michelle Obama plant the kitchen garden. This was because the school's food service director, Steve Marinelli, supported healthy eating programs like Let's Move!.

Milton Middle School (MMS) Successes

• The Odyssey of the Mind team from the middle school also reached the World Finals in 2010 and 2015.

Milton High School (MHS) Highlights

• The High School Theatre Company puts on a musical each fall. They also perform a one-act play in the spring.
• Their one-act plays often advance to state competitions. They have even been chosen to represent Vermont at the New England Drama Festival multiple times. This happened in 2002, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015.
• Milton High School hosted the New England Drama Festival in 2003.
• In 2016, Milton seniors won first and third place in U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders' essay contest. Their essays were even put into the Congressional Record.
• Since 2014, Milton High School students have created "Yellow Jacket Television." This is a YouTube series like a TV news channel. Students film, edit, and produce segments about sports, music, news, and school events.

Milton's Economy

For many years, Milton was known for its farms. Most of these were dairy farms. As of February 2024, only three dairy farms are still operating in Milton.

The town is also home to some larger businesses. These include the warehouse for Gardener's Supply. There is also a manufacturing facility for Husky Injection Molding Systems.

Notable People from Milton

Many interesting people have come from Milton. Here are a few:

• George Allen, a well-known clergyman and academic.
• Heman Allen, who served as a U.S. Congressman.
• Jean-Paul Cyr, a professional stock car racer.
• Luther S. Dixon, who became the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
• John G. Haskell, an architect who designed important public buildings in Kansas.
• Michael Hastings, a journalist and author.
• George LeClair, a Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Noah Smith, one of the founders of Vermont and a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.

See also

In Spanish: Milton (Vermont) para niños