Plainfield, Vermont, New England USA
About Plainfield, Vermont
Chartered: November 10, 1797 (Vermont Charter)
Area: 13,495 Acres = 21.09 Square Miles [ Size Rank: 223* ]
Coordinates (Geographic Center): N 44° 17′ W 72°24′
Altitude: 780 feet ASL
Population (US Census, 2010): 1,243 [ Population Rank: 121* ]
Population Density (persons per square mile): 58.9 [ Density Rank: 71* ]
Full Census Info: Town County State
*Area, Population and Density rankings refer to Plainfield’s relative position among Vermont’s 255 civic entities (9 cities, 242 towns, 4 gores and grants). Complete rankings are here.
Originally St. Andrews Gore, so named by James Whitelaw, who had come to Vermont to purchase land for a group of Scots who wanted to immigrate. Once he saw them settled, he remained and took an active role in Vermont government (becoming Surveyor General and receiving part of the land now known as Plainfield as payment for his services). It is reasonably certain that he named it for either the Scots town of St. Andrews or the University of St. Andrew.
Local lore has it that one James Chapman, who had purchased land here and was planning to move from Montpelier, disliked the name St. Andrews enough that he offered to buy the town a new set of record-keeping books if he would be allowed to choose a new name for the town. The offer was accepted, and in November of 1797, the town was renamed Plainfield after his former home in Connecticut. Where the name is quite descriptive of the Connecticut town’s topography, it is nothing but wishful thinking in Vermont: Plainfield is anything but level.
The principal village of Plainfield actually lies partly in Marshfield where Great Brook joins the Winooski River. Due south, near the Barre town town line, is a village known as Plainfield Springs (also known locally as Perkinsville), which once served as a destination for the ailing to “take the waters.”
Activities & Points of Interest
Goings-on in and near Plainfield
Calendar of Events provided by the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing.
Contact Info
Emergency Services (Statewide): 911
Hospital: Central Vermont Medical Center (Berlin) 802-229-9121
Town Clerk: Linda Wells PO Box 217 Plainfield, VT 05667
802-454-8461
M W F 7:30-12 and 12:30-4
Churches, Ministries, Charitables
United Methodist : Grace UMC 802-454-8343
Schools
Washington Central Supervisory Union 802-229-0553
Washington Northeast Supervisory Union 802-426-3245
Twinfield Union School 802-426-3213
Neighboring Towns
This is a basic geographic reference, intended to show relative location of adjacent towns. Directional accuracy is limited to 16 compass points. There isn’t even the slightest suggestion that one can necessarily travel directly from one town to the next (as in “You can’t get there from here”).
Plainfield
Utilities
Notes about utilities:
- One electric or phone company indicates that company serves the entire town. More than one of either indicates each serves different areas of town.
- A listed cable company MIGHT mean the entire town is covered, but not necessarily. More than one listed indicates each serves different areas of town.
- Unless your area is one served by Vermont’s only gas utility, your only option is bottled gas (any dealer).
Electric Vermont Electric Co-op 800-832-2667
Electric Washington Electric Co-op 800-932-5245
Telephone Fairpoint 866-984-2001
Telephone Fairpoint 866-984-2001
