Thetford Center, Vermont

Thetford, Vermont
Town
United Church of Thetford
Located in Orange County, Vermont
Location of Vermont with the U.S.A.
Coordinates: 43°49′36″N 72°14′44″W / 43.82667°N 72.24556°W / 43.82667; -72.24556Coordinates: 43°49′36″N 72°14′44″W / 43.82667°N 72.24556°W / 43.82667; -72.24556
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Orange
Chartered	1761
Area
• Total	44.2 sq mi (114.4 km2)
• Land	43.6 sq mi (112.8 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (1.6 km2)
Elevation	600 ft (184 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	2,617
• Density	60.1/sq mi (23.2/km2)
• Households	1,032
• Families	730
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	05074
Area code(s)	802
FIPS code	50-72400
GNIS feature ID	1462226
Website	Thetford Official Website

Thetford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States in the Connecticut River Valley. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. Villages within the town include East Thetford, North Thetford, Thetford Hill, Thetford Center, Rices Mills, Union Village, and Post Mills. The town office is in Thetford Center. .

Thetford is home to Thetford Academy, Vermont's oldest secondary school. Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, formerly Swift Water Girl Scout Council, also has a summer residential camp here called Camp Farnsworth. Camp Farnsworth originally started under private ownership by Chelebe and Madama Farnsworth in 1909 when it was called Camp Hanoum.

The town was created on August 12, 1761 by way of a royal charter which King George III of England issued to Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. Wentworth named it for Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, 4th Earl of Arlington and 4th Viscount Thetford, who in 1768 became prime minister. It was first settled in 1764 by John Chamberlin, who lived at East Thetford beside the Connecticut River. He was an agent for one of 62 proprietors (51 from Hebron, Connecticut).

In 1910, the Camp Fire Girls were founded locally. This became a national organization within two years.