Berlin, Vermont

Berlin is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States, founded in 1763.

Berlin, Vermont
Town
"Berlin Corner", with the Congregational church on the hilltop
Location in Washington County and the state of Vermont
Berlin, Vermont
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 44°12′55″N 72°35′10″W
CountryUnited States
StateVermont
CountyWashington
Area
 • Total36.9 sq mi (95.7 km2)
 • Land36.3 sq mi (93.9 km2)
 • Water0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
Elevation
879 ft (268 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total2,887
 • Density78/sq mi (30/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
05602, 05641
Area code(s)802
FIPS code50-05650[1]
GNIS feature ID1462042[2]
Websitewww.berlinvt.org

The population was 2,887 at the 2010 census.[3] Being the town between Barre and Montpelier, the two largest cities in the region, much of the commercial business of the region can be found in Berlin, including parts of the Barre-Montpelier Road (U.S. Route 302), and the Berlin Mall.

History

Berlin was chartered June 8, 1763.[4] The name refers to Berlin, Germany, and was the only German town name in this new English colony.[5] The grantees who received the 70 original rights to the township were priests, merchants and judges. The charter was issued by the Royal Governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth, and stated that each "proprietor, settler or inhabitant" should pay one ear of Indian corn for each acre of land, and after ten years, one shilling for each 100 acres.

It took 22 years until the first settlers arrived in the area: Ebenezer Sanborn coming from nearby Corinth, founding the "Bradford farm", and Joseph Thurber from New Hampshire, founding the "Shepard farm". Both left a year later for New York state.

In 1788 a legislature of the state of Vermont stated that "the town of Randolph, Braintree, Brookfield, Roxbury, Williamstown, Northfield, Wildersburgh, Berlin and Montpelier [...] hereby are formed into one entire probate district, by the name of the district of Randolph."[6]

Jacob Fowler, a hunter, was the first settler who stayed and left descendants in town. Other early settlers were Moses Smith, Daniel Morse, John Lathrop, and Hezekiah Silloway. In 1789 thirteen families lived in Berlin, and eight more in 1790. The first child born in Berlin was Abigail Black (1789).

The first town meeting was held on March 31, 1791.[7] The first sawmill was built in the same year, the first school (on East Street) in 1794. The first Christian institution was founded in 1798, with James Hobart as its minister. A Congregational meeting house opened at Berlin center in 1803. After it burned down in 1838 the Congregational Church was built at Berlin Corner.

The first store and tavern opened ca. 1800 and closed in 1850.[8]

Notable people

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.9 square miles (95.7 km2), of which 36.3 square miles (93.9 km2) is land and 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2), or 1.81%, is water.[10]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1800684—
18101,06756.0%
18201,45536.4%
18301,66414.4%
18401,598−4.0%
18501,507−5.7%
18601,5452.5%
18701,474−4.6%
18801,380−6.4%
18901,5149.7%
19001,021−32.6%
19101,0795.7%
1920959−11.1%
19309923.4%
19401,11112.0%
19501,1584.2%
19601,30612.8%
19702,05057.0%
19802,45419.7%
19902,5614.4%
20002,86411.8%
20102,8870.8%
Est. 20142,840[11]−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[12][13]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,864 people, 1,109 households, and 774 families residing in the town. The population density was 78.5 people per square mile (30.3/km2). There were 1,172 housing units at an average density of 32.1 per square mile (12.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.82% White, 0.17% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.03% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.

There were 1,109 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,014, and the median income for a family was $52,895. Males had a median income of $31,703 versus $26,210 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,312. About 6.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government
The Volunteer Fire Department for Berlin

Government buildings in Berlin include the headquarters of the Vermont Lottery Commission.[14]

Berlin is the muster point for the 3rd Battalion of the Vermont State Guard, based out of the Vermont National Guard Armoury.

Transportation

Edward F. Knapp State Airport is in Berlin.[15] Montpelier Junction train station is in Berlin on Junction Road.

Shopping

Parts of Berlin are easily accessible from both Montpelier and Barre, and as such, many of the area's national chain stores are located there. The main shopping center in Berlin is the Berlin Mall, a small enclosed shopping mall. At 330,000 square feet (31,000 m2), it is Vermont's third biggest mall, with over 25 shops, including JCPenney, Kohls and Walmart.[16] On June 4, 2020, it was announced that JCPenney would be closing as part of a plan to close 154 stores nationwide.[17] There are also several strip malls along the Barre-Montpelier Road that are home to supermarkets, sit-down and fast-food restaurants, and car dealerships.

Hospital

Central Vermont Medical Center, with 122 inpatient beds, is the primary health care provider for 66,000 people in central Vermont. The state psychiatric hospital, Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital, is also located in the town, having been relocated from Waterbury since Tropical Storm Irene.

Library

Midstate Regional Library is one of two state operated regional libraries operated by the Vermont Department of Libraries, the other being Northeast Regional Library in St. Johnsbury.

  • Berlin community building with town clerk, historical society and police station
  • Gravestone of the first christian minister in town, James Hobart (1766-1862) (Click to magnify!)
  • The Congregational Church at Berlin Corner
  • Berlin Cemetery
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References
  1. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Berlin town, Washington County, Vermont". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  4. Book of Charters, P. 473-474: "…is hereby incorporated into a township by the name of Berlin."
  5. Close-by Montpelier resembles Montpellier in south France; the name Middlesex was copied from a county in England.
  6. Legislative Acts, State of Vermont, October 15, 1888.
  7. First town meeting at the dwelling-house of Aaron Strong; James Sawyer, moderator, David Nye, clerk, Zachariah Perrin, Eleazer Hubbard and James Sawyer, selectmen; Micajah Ingham, constable.
  8. Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Volume IV, by Abby Hemenway, 1892. Chapter "Berlin" by Sylvanus F. Nye. Full text as pdf Archived 2012-05-16 at the Wayback Machine. Early History of Berlin, Vermont, 1763-1820 by Mary Greene Nye. Capital City Press, Montpelier, Vt. 1951. Full text Archived 2012-05-16 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Death Came Today to C. H. Pitkin". The Evening Argus. Montpelier, VT. May 31, 1901. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Berlin town, Washington County, Vermont". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  11. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  13. "Vermont History Explorer". Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  14. "Contact". Vermont Lottery. 2015-09-01. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  15. "Berlin town, Washington county, Vermont." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on September 10, 2009.
  16. "Berlin Mall". Berlin Mall. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  17. https://www.wcax.com/content/news/JCPenney-closed-4-stores-in-our-region-571038581.html
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