Chelsea, Vermont

Chelsea is a town in and the shire town[3] (county seat)[4] of Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2020 census.[5]

Chelsea, Vermont
Town
Orange County Court House in Chelsea, Vermont
Orange County Court House in Chelsea, Vermont
Official logo of Chelsea, Vermont
Logo
Located in Orange County, Vermont
Located in Orange County, Vermont
Location of Vermont with the U.S.A.
Location of Vermont with the U.S.A.
Coordinates: 43°59′22″N 72°27′46″W
Country United States
State Vermont
CountyOrange
Chartered1781 (Vermont)
CommunitiesChelsea
Chelsea West Hill
Area
 • Total39.9 sq mi (103.4 km2)
 • Land39.9 sq mi (103.4 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation
840 ft (256 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,233
 • Density31/sq mi (11.9/km2)
 • Households
495
 • Families
324
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
05038
Area code802
FIPS code50-13525[1]
GNIS feature ID1462069[2]
Websitewww.chelseavt.org

Geography

Chelsea is located in a river valley in central Vermont. The First Branch of the White River travels through the valley and the town. Located in the center of town, in the village of Chelsea, are two commons.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.9 square miles (103.4 km2), of which 39.9 square miles (103.4 km2) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km2) (0.05%) is water.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1790239—
1800897275.3%
18101,32747.9%
18201,46210.2%
18301,95833.9%
18401,9590.1%
18501,958−0.1%
18601,757−10.3%
18701,526−13.1%
18801,462−4.2%
18901,230−15.9%
19001,070−13.0%
19101,0740.4%
19201,0871.2%
19301,004−7.6%
19401,0130.9%
19501,0251.2%
1960957−6.6%
19709832.7%
19801,09111.0%
19901,1666.9%
20001,2507.2%
20101,238−1.0%
20201,233−0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
Chelsea Public School enrolls Kindergarten through 12th grade
Chelsea Public Library

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 1,238 people, 541 households, and 334 families residing in the town. Of the 541 household 117 had children under the age of 18 living within them.

The racial makeup of the town was 96.1% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

The median age of residents is 48.3. The median household income is $49,500. 89.2% of adults have earned a high school diploma or higher level of education. 17.9% of individuals live below the poverty line.

History

The town was founded on August 4, 1781. It was originally called Turnersburgh after settler Bela Turner. In 1788 the townspeople of Turnersburgh approved a bill to rename the town Chelsea.

The first small schoolhouses were established in the early 1800s. By 1845 there were 18 schools operating around the town. In 1852 the Chelsea Academy was built in the village district. The Chelsea Academy burnt in 1870. In 1913 the "new" Chelsea High School building was built, this building still houses the Chelsea Public School today.[8]

Historic sites

In 1983 the historic village center of Chelsea was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Chelsea Village Historic District.[9] Chelsea also has two standalone structures listed on the National Register: the Congregational Church of Chelsea[10] and the Moxley Covered Bridge.[11]

Figure, the original Morgan horse, is buried in Chelsea.[12]

Barn Quilt Trail

In 2018 The Chelsea Arts Collective led a project to create a barn quilt trail in Chelsea. Barn quilts are painted pieces of plywood. Designs are often geometric and resemble the patchwork of a quilt.[13]

The following movies were filmed (either fully or partially) in Chelsea:[14]

Notable people

Footnotes
  1. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. Title 24, Part I, Chapter 1, §10, Vermont Statutes. Accessed 2007-11-01.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. "Census - Geography Profile: Chelsea town, Orange County, Vermont". Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  7. Bureau, U.S. Census. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  8. Committee from the Chelsea Historical Society (1984). Chelsea, Vermont 1784-1984. Barre, Vermont: Northlight Studio Press.
  9. "Search Results". npgallery.nps.gov. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  10. "Search Results". npgallery.nps.gov. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  11. "Search Results". npgallery.nps.gov. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  12. "'Justin Morgan Trail' Honors Man and Horse | The Herald of Randolph". www.ourherald.com. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  13. Jones, Rachel Elizabeth. "Chelsea Arts Collective Launches Barn Quilt Project". Seven Days. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  14. "Movies Filmed in Vermont". Vermont Folklore, Myths, Legends, Ghost Stories & More. Retrieved September 21, 2018.

Further reading
  • John Moore Comstock, Chelsea: The Origin of Chelsea, Vermont and a Record of its Institutions and Individuals. n.c.: n.p., 1944.
  • Chelsea Historical Society, Inc., A History of Chelsea, Vermont 1784–1984. (Chelsea Historical Society, Inc., 1984).
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