West Rutland, Vermont

Infobox Settlement
official_name = West Rutland, Vermont
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = High school in West Rutland


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = West Rutland, Vermont


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Vermont
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Rutland
subdivision_type3 = NECTA
subdivision_name3 = Rutland

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 46.6
area_land_km2 = 46.6
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 18.0
area_land_sq_mi = 18.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2535
population_density_km2 = 54.4
population_density_sq_mi = 140.9

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 149
elevation_ft = 489
latd = 43 |latm = 35 |lats = 53 |latNS = N
longd = 73 |longm = 3 |longs = 3 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 05777
area_code = 802
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 50-82300GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1462256GR|3
website =
footnotes =

West Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,535 at the 2000 census. The town center, located in the south central portion of the town and where about 89% of the population resides, is a defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). The town is part of the Rutland micropolitan NECTA.

Geography

West Rutland is located at coor dms|43|36|38|N|72|58|23|W|, elevation 197.5 m (648 ft) GR|1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.87 square miles (46.28 km²).

Town center

The boundaries of the town center as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau are as follows: U.S. Route 4 and some power lines on the west; Dewey Avenue on the southwest; Ira town line on the south; Clarendon River on the southeast; Rutland town line on the east; Proctor town line on the northeast; and more power lines on the north and northwest. The area of the CDP is 3.7 sq mi, roughly 21% of the total area of the town.

History

The town of Rutland was originally granted in 1761 as one of the New Hampshire Grants and named after Rutland, Massachusetts, the home of the first grantee, John Murrey. It was one of the most successful of those grants because of the excellent farmland and gentle topography.

In the early 1800s, small high-quality marble deposits were discovered in Rutland, and in the 1830s a large deposit of nearly solid marble of high quality was found in what is now West Rutland. By the 1840s small firms had begun operations, but marble quarries only became profitable when the railroad came to Rutland in 1851. As fate would have it, the famous quarries of Carrara in Tuscany, Italy, became largely unworkable because of their extreme depth at the same time, and Rutland quickly became one of the leading producers of marble in the world. This fueled enough growth and investment that in 1886 the marble companies saw to it that the present Rutland City was incorporated as a village, most of the town was split off as West Rutland and Proctor, Although the closing of the marble quarries in the area in the 1980s and 1990s cost the town many jobs, West Rutland has attracted artists and families looking for a semi-rural lifestyle. West Rutland is a very rural town. Most of its economy is supported by the city of Rutland, Vermont.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,535 people, 1,691 households, and 1166 families residing in the town. The population density was 72.0 people per square mile (54.7/km²). There were 1,079 housing units at an average density of 60.38/sq mi (23.31/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.9% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.04% are Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. 0.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,021 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,389, and the median income for a family was $41,955. Males had a median income of $30,962 versus $21,935 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,325. 14.7% of the population and 11.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 60.8% are under the age of 18 and 9.2% are 65 or older.

Town center demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,263 people, 913 households, and 600 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 605.5 people per square mile (233.6/km²). There were 966 housing units at an average density of 258.5/sq mi (99.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.83% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 913 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,204, and the median income for a family was $41,795. Males had a median income of $30,861 versus $21,936 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,144. About 6.7% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

*Aldace F. Walker, one of the original members of the Interstate Commerce Commission and president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

References

External links

* [http://www.wrutland.org/ West Rutland Vermont Official Town Website]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Evermont/RUTLANDTownhistoryindx.html History of Rutland]
* [http://www.vtce.org/12893b.html "Rutland Herald" story on the closing of the quarries in 1993]
*