Richmond, Vermont, New England USA
About Richmond, Vermont
Chittenden County
Chartered: October 27, 1794 (Vermont Act of Incorporation)
Area: 20,957 Acres = 32.75 Square Miles [ Size Rank: 188* ]
Coordinates (Geographic Center): N 44° 24′ W 73°00′
Altitude: 319 feet ASL
Population (US Census, 2010): 4,081 [ Population Rank: 36* ]
Population Density (persons per square mile): 124.6 [ Density Rank: 32* ]
Full Census Info: Town County State
*Area, Population and Density rankings refer to Richmond’s relative position among Vermont’s 255 civic entities (9 cities, 242 towns, 4 gores and grants). Complete rankings are here.
Richmond was created from lands in what had been three contiguous towns (Jericho, Williston and Huntington); a piece of a fourth (Bolton) was added later. How a new town came to be created from some of the best land in four others is buried deep in petitions and laws of the young state. The whole thing has the distinct odor of politics, with the Allens, the Chittendens and other members of the Onion River Company involved. How the name was chosen is not known, though we can reasonably rule out honoring royalty.
Richmond Center has always been the chief village, though Jonesville, to the south on Route 2, was a close second for a number of years. Ransome Jones was a prominent village merchant in the 1880’s.
Fays Corners, on the road to Hinesburg, received a post office in 1890. Truman Fay’s widow, Salome, was the one and only postmistress, the office folding two years later for lack of business. The chief business in that area was the Fay family’s wool-carding and cloth dying mill, but that was defunct by 1900.
Activities & Points of Interest
Goings-on in and near Richmond
Calendar of Events provided by the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing.
Chittenden County Historical Society
The Old Round Church
16-sided church (pictured above) said to be the first community church in the country, built in 1812-13 by a group of five denominations and used by each as a place of worship for many years. Lore has it that it was built “round” so there would be “no corners for Satan to hide in.” Henry Ford once tried to buy it for removal to Dearborn, Michigan, but the townspeople refused the offer.
Contact Info
Emergency Services (Statewide): 911
Hospital: University of Vermont Medical Center (Burlington) 802-847-0000
Town Clerk: Linda M. Parent PO Box 285 Richmond, VT 05477
802-434-2221
M 8-5; T-Th 8-4; F 8-12, Sat by appt
Churches, Ministries, Charitables
Roman Catholic : Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
United Church of Christ : United Church of Christ
Schools
Chittenden East Supervisory Union 802-434-2128
Camels Hump Middle School 802-434-2188
Richmond Elementary School 802-434-2461
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”).
Richmond
Businesses & Services
Fast Friendly Service for Northwestern Vermont
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).
Cable Comcast 800-266-2278
Electric Green Mountain Power 888-835-4672
Electric Vermont Electric Co-op 800-832-2667
Telephone Waitsfield & Champlain Valley Telecom 802-496-3391
