Fairlee, Vermont, New England USA

About Fairlee, Vermont

Orange County
Chartered: September 5, 1761 (New Hampshire Grant)
Area: 13,439 Acres = 21 Square Miles [ Size Rank: 224* ]
Coordinates (Geographic Center): N 43° 55′ W 72°09′
Altitude: 430 feet ASL
Population (US Census, 2010): 977 [ Population Rank: 165* ]
Population Density (persons per square mile): 46.5 [ Density Rank: 95* ]
Full Census Info: Town County State

*Area, Population and Density rankings refer to Fairlee’s relative position among Vermont’s 255 civic entities (9 cities, 242 towns, 4 gores and grants). Complete rankings are here.

Fairlee originally included what is now the town of West Fairlee, which was split off as a separate town in 1797.

The spelling is unusual: most so-named places are spelled Fairlea. The only other in the US spelled Fairlee is in Maryland, and believed to be after Fairlee on the Isle of Wight, where it means, literally, “a beautiful open or cleared land or meadow”; this is exactly what would have been seen by Rogers’ Rangers, among the first Europeans known to have travelled in what is now Vermont (heading north to fight in the French and Indian Wars). Some of the Rangers were quoted as having been able to push the full length of a bayonet into the soil, and many of these same men later applied for Wentworth grants. Some of the farms along the Connecticut River are still among the most productive in the state.

The largest body of water entirely within the town was known as Fairlee Pond until the 1880’s. To avoid confusion with Lake Fairlee (which lies in Fairlee, Thetford and West Fairlee), the name was changed to Lake Morey, in honor of Samuel Morey, now considered by many to be the true inventor of the steamboat, rather than Robert Fulton. A New Hampshire resident, Morey experimented with a steamboat on the Connecticut River. He patented his engine and sold it to Fulton for $100,000 in worthless stock some twelve years before Fulton built his Clermont; according to local legend, Morey disgustedly sank his steamboat in the lake that now bears his name. Morey also patented an internal combustion engine which ran on kerosene.

Activities & Points of Interest

Goings-on in and near Fairlee
Calendar of Events provided by the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing.

Fairlee Historical Society

Contact Info

Emergency Services (Statewide): 911
Hospital: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Hanover, NH) 603-650-5000

Town Clerk: Georgette Wolf-Ludwig PO Box 95 Fairlee, VT 05045
802-333-4363
M-Th 8:30-3:30; and by appt.

Churches, Ministries, Charitables

Episcopal : St. Martin
United Church of Christ : United Church of Christ

Schools

Rivendell Interstate Supervisory District 603-353-2170
Samuel Morey Elementary School 802-333-9755

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”).

Bradford

West Fairlee

Fairlee

New Hampshire

Thetford

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 Green Mountain Power 888-835-4672
    Telephone Fairpoint 866-984-2001

Post Mills & Fairlee Lake Thetford Vermont VT Aerial View 1900s RPPC Postcard picture

Post Mills & Fairlee Lake Thetford Vermont VT Aerial View 1900s RPPC Postcard

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FAIRLEE LAKE Vermont RPPC postcard US USA from Camp Billings diving platform picture

FAIRLEE LAKE Vermont RPPC postcard US USA from Camp Billings diving platform

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1927 Lake Morey Fairlee, Vermont RPPC Real Photo Postcard #3991 picture

1927 Lake Morey Fairlee, Vermont RPPC Real Photo Postcard #3991

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RPPC New  York Lake Morey Lovers Lane Park Landscape 1907 UDB South Fairlee picture

RPPC New York Lake Morey Lovers Lane Park Landscape 1907 UDB South Fairlee

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RPPc Orford Inn Orford Nh New Hampshire Piermont Lyme Wentworth Fairlee Vt Old picture

RPPc Orford Inn Orford Nh New Hampshire Piermont Lyme Wentworth Fairlee Vt Old

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POSTCARD RPPC Fairlee Vermont From the Cliff #9 1920 Birds-Eye View picture

POSTCARD RPPC Fairlee Vermont From the Cliff #9 1920 Birds-Eye View

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12 old Pennants (beat up) Edaville RR Fairlee VT Polar Caves NH Badlands SD etc. picture

12 old Pennants (beat up) Edaville RR Fairlee VT Polar Caves NH Badlands SD etc.

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Road Scene Connecticut River, Fairlee VT c1937 RPPC Ford Model A Railroad Tracks picture

Road Scene Connecticut River, Fairlee VT c1937 RPPC Ford Model A Railroad Tracks

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RPPC Aerial View Infrared Photo? Of Fairlee Vermont VT Real Photo Postcard picture

RPPC Aerial View Infrared Photo? Of Fairlee Vermont VT Real Photo Postcard

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Fairlee VT-Vermont, Main House, Bonnie Oaks, Antique, Vintage Souvenir Postcard picture

Fairlee VT-Vermont, Main House, Bonnie Oaks, Antique, Vintage Souvenir Postcard

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