Fairlee, Vermont | |
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Town | |
Fairlee from Morey Mountain c. 1907
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Located in Orange County, Vermont |
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Location of Vermont with the U.S.A. |
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Coordinates: 43°55′N 72°10′W / 43.917°N 72.167°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Vermont |
County | Orange |
Chartered | 1761 |
Area | |
• Total | 21.2 sq mi (55.0 km2) |
• Land | 20.2 sq mi (52.3 km2) |
• Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km2) |
Elevation | 430 ft (421 m) |
Population (2000) | |
• Total | 967 |
• Density | 47.9/sq mi (18.5/km2) |
• Households | 395 |
• Families | 265 |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP code | 05045 |
Area code(s) | 802 |
FIPS code | 50-25675 |
GNIS feature ID | 1462095 |
Website | http://www.fairleevt.org/ |
Fairlee is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 977 at the 2010 census. It includes the village of Ely. Fairlee is home to Lake Morey, which claims to have the longest ice skating trail in the United States.
One of the New Hampshire grants, Fairlee was chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth on September 9, 1761 and awarded to Josiah Channey, Joseph Hubbard and 62 others. It was first settled in 1766. On February 25, 1797, the western half was set off as West Fairlee. The population was 575 by 1859, when it had several sawmills, a gristmill, and an establishment for lead pipe and pumps. The Fairlee Railroad Depot was built in 1848 by the Connecticut & Passumpsic Rivers Railroad. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, it is the oldest surviving railroad structure along the Connecticut River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.2 square miles (55.0 km2), of which, 20.2 square miles (52.3 km2) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.7 km2) of it (4.90%) is water. Bounded by the Connecticut River, Fairlee is drained by Glen Falls Brook, Big Brook and the outlet of Lake Morey.
As of the census of 2000, there were 967 people, 395 households, and 265 families residing in the town. The population density was 47.9 people per square mile (18.5/km2). There were 575 housing units at an average density of 28.5 per square mile (11.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.52% White, 0.21% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.