Grand Isle County, Vermont

Grand Isle County, Vermont
Grand Isle County Courthouse in North Hero
Location in the U.S. state of Vermont
Vermont's location in the U.S.
Founded	1805
Shire Town	North Hero
Largest town	Grand Isle
Area
• Total	195 sq mi (505 km2)
• Land	82 sq mi (212 km2)
• Water	113 sq mi (293 km2), 58%
Population (est.)
• (2015)	6,861
• Density	35.8/sq mi (13.8/km2)
Congressional district	At-large
Time zone	Eastern: UTC−5/−4

Grand Isle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,970,^[1] making it the second-least populous county in Vermont. Its shire town (county seat) is the municipality of North Hero.^[2] The county was created in 1802 and organized in 1805.^[3][4]

Grand Isle County is part of the Burlington metropolitan area. The county does not have a high school; students choose from a number of high schools in neighboring counties.

Contents

• 
  1 History
  


• 
  2 Geography
  
  • 
    2.1 Adjacent counties
    
  
  
  • 
    2.2 Major highways
    
  
  


• 
  3 Demographics
  
  • 
    3.1 2000 census
    
  
  
  • 
    3.2 2010 census
    
  
  


• 
  4 Politics
  


• 
  5 Communities
  
  • 
    5.1 Towns
    
  
  
  • 
    5.2 Village
    
  
  


• 
  6 See also
  


• 
  7 References
  


• 
  8 External links
  

History

Grand Isle County is one of several Vermont counties created from land ceded by the state of New York on January 15, 1777 when Vermont declared itself to be a distinct state from New York.^[5][6][7] The land originally was contested by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New France and New Netherland, but it remained undelineated until July 20, 1764 when King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. New York assigned the land gained to Albany County.^[8][9] On March 12, 1772 Albany County was partitioned to create Charlotte County,^[10] and this situation remained until Vermont's independence from New York and Britain, which, however, did not end the contest.

On September 3, 1783, as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the Revolutionary War ended with Great Britain recognizing the independence of the United States. Vermont's border with Quebec was established at 45 degrees north latitude,^[11][12] which explains why this county has no dry-land connection to the rest of the United States.

Massachusetts did not formally withdraw its claim to the region, first made in 1629, until December 16, 1786.^[13] New York, still not satisfied with the relinquishment of its land to Vermont, asked the U.S. Congress to arbitrate the matter. Congress ruled against New York on March 7, 1788.^[14]

Subsequently, when Vermont petitioned for statehood, Congress ordered a joint commission to settle the border between New York and Vermont. This commission ruled prior to Vermont's admission, which took place on March 4, 1791, but a small change they permitted has never been acted upon.^[15][16][17] Grand Isle County was created in 1802 from parts of Franklin and Chittenden Counties.^[4]

In the late nineteenth century the Rutland Railroad ran service from northern New York State by the Canada–U.S. border, along the west side of Vermont to Rutland, Vermont and further south to Chatham, New York. From 1899 a series of causeways provided continuous train service north-south through the Lake Champlain islands, making a direct connection to Burlington. The last service from Alburgh was in 1948.^[18]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 195 square miles (510 km²), of which 82 square miles (210 km²) is land and 113 square miles (290 km²) (58%) is water.^[19] It has the highest proportion of water coverage of any county in the state. It is the smallest county in Vermont by area, and the second-smallest by population (behind Essex County). Four of its five towns (North Hero, South Hero, Grand Isle and Isle La Motte) are situated entirely on islands in Lake Champlain, while Alburgh is on a peninsula (an exclave known as the Alburgh Tongue) extending south into the lake from Quebec.

Adjacent counties

• 
  Franklin County – east


• 
  Chittenden County – southeast


• 
  Clinton County, New York – west


• 
  Le Haut-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec – north

Major highways

• 
  US 2
  


• 
  VT 78
  


• 
  VT 129
  


• 
  VT 225
  

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1810	3,445		—
1820	3,527		2.4%
1830	3,696		4.8%
1840	3,883		5.1%
1850	4,145		6.7%
1860	4,276		3.2%
1870	4,082		−4.5%
1880	4,124		1.0%
1890	3,843		−6.8%
1900	4,462		16.1%
1910	3,761		−15.7%
1920	3,784		0.6%
1930	3,944		4.2%
1940	3,802		−3.6%
1950	3,406		−10.4%
1960	2,927		−14.1%
1970	3,574		22.1%
1980	4,613		29.1%
1990	5,318		15.3%
2000	6,901		29.8%
2010	6,970		1.0%
Est. 2016	6,919	[20]	−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[21] 1790–1960[22] 1900–1990[23] 1990–2000[24] 2010–2014[1]

2000 census

As of the census^[25] of 2000, there were 6,901 people, 2,761 households, and 1,954 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 4,663 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile (22/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.41% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.87% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 0.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.8% were of French, 14.6% French Canadian, 14.3% English, 10.6% American, 8.9% Irish and 7.4% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.0% spoke English and 3.8% French as their first language.

There were 2,761 households out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 28.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,033, and the median income for a family was $48,878. Males had a median income of $35,539 versus $26,278 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,207. About 5.90% of families and 7.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.20% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 6,970 people, 2,902 households, and 2,027 families residing in the county.^[26] The population density was 85.2 inhabitants per square mile (32.9/km²). There were 5,048 housing units at an average density of 61.7 per square mile (23.8/km²).^[27] The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% white, 0.9% American Indian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population.^[26] In terms of ancestry, 18.0% were English, 14.2% were Irish, 10.6% were French Canadian, 10.3% were German, 10.3% were American, and 6.9% were Scottish.^[28]

Of the 2,902 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 45.5 years.^[26]

The median income for a household in the county was $57,436 and the median income for a family was $66,686. Males had a median income of $46,569 versus $36,514 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,499. About 6.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.^[29]

Politics

In 1828, Grand Isle County was won by National Republican Party candidate John Quincy Adams and in 1832 was won by Henry Clay.

From William Henry Harrison in 1836 to Winfield Scott in 1852, the county would vote the Whig Party candidates.

From John C. Frémont in 1856 to William Howard Taft in 1908, the Republican Party would have a 52 year winning streak in the county.

In 1912, Democratic Party candidate Woodrow Wilson would win the county, making him the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the county and the first since Lewis Cass in 1848 to win one of Vermont's counties. Wilson would also win the county in 1916.

Republican candidates Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover would win the county in 1920, 1924 and 1928, respectively.

In 1932, the county was won by Democratic candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt and would be won by him in all four of his presidential runs from 1932 to 1944. During that time, Grand Isle County, along with Chittenden and Franklin Counties would become Democratic enclaves in an otherwise Republican-voting Vermont. The county would also be won by Harry S. Truman in 1948.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was able to win back Franklin County for the Republicans during the 1952 and 1956 elections.

The county would go to Democratic candidates John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. and Hubert H. Humphrey in 1968.

Richard Nixon would carry the county in 1968 and in 1972 as would Gerald Ford in 1976.

In 1980, the county was narrowly won by Democratic Jimmy Carter while in 1984, the county was won by Republican Ronald Reagan, who would become the last Republican presidential candidate to win Grand Isle County.

Since Michael Dukakis won the county in 1988, it has been won by Democratic candidates ever since.

In the 2004, Grand Isle County chose John Kerry over George W. Bush by 12 points, with Kerry carrying all six municipalities.^[30]

In 2008, Barack Obama carried the county by a 28.2% margin over John McCain, with Obama winning by 37% statewide.^[31]

Presidential elections results

Presidential elections results^[32]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2016	36.2% 1,487	51.0% 2,094	12.9% 528
2012	36.1% 1,471	62.1% 2,531	1.8% 73
2008	34.9% 1,490	63.1% 2,694	2.0% 85
2004	43.0% 1,754	55.1% 2,246	1.9% 77
2000	42.6% 1,550	50.4% 1,835	7.0% 253
1996	31.5% 958	51.1% 1,555	17.4% 528
1992	30.0% 1,012	42.7% 1,444	27.3% 923
1988	48.2% 1,316	50.2% 1,369	1.6% 43
1984	60.3% 1,537	38.4% 980	1.3% 33
1980	42.3% 947	44.6% 999	13.1% 294
1976	52.6% 1,004	45.4% 866	2.0% 39
1972	62.4% 1,259	36.8% 743	0.8% 16
1968	48.4% 754	46.8% 730	4.8% 75
1964	33.7% 506	66.3% 996	0.1% 1
1960	49.4% 798	50.7% 819
1956	61.8% 978	38.2% 604
1952	59.2% 976	40.3% 665	0.6% 9
1948	46.3% 724	52.6% 822	1.1% 17
1944	45.4% 667	54.6% 801
1940	41.7% 716	58.1% 998	0.3% 5
1936	45.4% 712	54.3% 852	0.3% 4
1932	43.9% 649	54.9% 811	1.2% 17
1928	50.6% 830	48.8% 801	0.7% 11
1924	65.2% 861	26.0% 343	8.8% 116
1920	71.6% 928	27.3% 354	1.1% 14
1916	48.2% 407	51.4% 434	0.5% 4
1912	31.0% 193	33.8% 210	35.2% 219[33]
1908	64.3% 364	33.2% 188	2.5% 14
1904	73.6% 343	23.4% 109	3.0% 14
1900	68.9% 356	28.2% 146	2.9% 15
1896	69.0% 426	25.6% 158	5.4% 33
1892	64.8% 349	32.8% 177	2.4% 13
1888	71.8% 465	27.8% 180	0.5% 3

Communities

Towns

• Alburgh


• Grand Isle


• Isle La Motte


• 
  North Hero (shire town)


• South Hero

Village

• Alburgh

See also

• List of counties in Vermont


• List of towns in Vermont


• National Register of Historic Places listings in Grand Isle County, Vermont

References

1. 
   ^ ^ab "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2013. 
   


2. 
   ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
   


3. 
   ^ "Vermont: Individual County Chronologies". Vermont Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2015. 
   


4. 
   ^ ^ab Aldrich, Lewis Cass (1891). History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co. Retrieved June 30, 2015. 
   


5. 
   ^ Slade, William, Jr., comp. Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive. Middlebury, 1823. pp. 70–73.
   


6. 
   ^ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 64.
   


7. 
   ^ Williamson, Chilton. Vermont in Quandary: 1763–1825. Growth of Vermont series, Number 4.Montperler: Vermont Historical Series, 1949. PP. 82–84; map facing 95, 100–102, 112–113.
   


8. 
   ^ Slade, William, Jr., comp. Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive. Middlebury, 1823. pp. 13–19.
   


9. 
   ^ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 63.
   


10. 
    ^ New York Colonial Laws, Chapter 1534; Section 5; Paragraph 321)
    


11. 
    ^ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 12.
    


12. 
    ^ Parry, Clive, ed. Consolidated Treaty Series. 231 Volumes. Dobbs Ferry, New York; Oceana Publications, 1969–1981. Volume 48; pp. 481; 487; 491–492.
    


13. 
    ^ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 75.
    


14. 
    ^ New York Laws, 1788, 11th Session, Chapter 63, pp. 746–747.
    


15. 
    ^ United States. Statutes at Large of the United States of America, 1789–1873. volume 1, Chapter 7 (1791); Page 191.
    


16. 
    ^ Slade, William, Jr., comp. Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive. Middlebury, 1823. P. 193.
    


17. 
    ^ Thorne, Kathryn Ford, Compiler & Long, John H., Editor: New York Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; The Newbury Library; 1993.
    


18. 
    ^ "Rutland Railroad" http://www.r2parks.net/RUT.html
    


19. 
    ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2015. 
    


20. 
    ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017. 
    


21. 
    ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015. 
    


22. 
    ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 29, 2015. 
    


23. 
    ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2015. 
    


24. 
    ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 29, 2015. 
    


25. 
    ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
    


26. 
    ^ ^abc "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20. 
    


27. 
    ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20. 
    


28. 
    ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20. 
    


29. 
    ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20. 
    


30. 
    ^ http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/statesub.php?year=2004&fips=50013&f=0&off=0&elect=0
    


31. 
    ^ http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2008&fips=50&f=0&off=0&elect=0
    


32. 
    ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 13 April 2018. 
    


33. 
    ^ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 204 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 9 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 6 votes.
    

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grand Isle County, Vermont.

• 
  Grand Isle County travel guide from Wikivoyage


• National Register of Historic Places listing for Grand Isle Co., Vermont


• Grand Isle County Sheriff's Office

Places adjacent to Grand Isle County, Vermont
Le Haut-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada Clinton County, New York Grand Isle County, Vermont Franklin County Chittenden County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Grand Isle County, Vermont, United States
Shire town: North Hero
Towns	Alburgh Grand Isle Isle La Motte North Hero South Hero
Village	Alburgh

v t e  State of Vermont
Montpelier (capital)
Regions	Champlain Valley Green Mountains Mount Mansfield Northeast Kingdom
Counties	Addison Bennington Caledonia Chittenden Essex Franklin Grand Isle Lamoille Orange Orleans Rutland Washington Windham Windsor
Cities	Barre Burlington (metropolitan area) Montpelier Newport Rutland St. Albans South Burlington Vergennes Winooski
Towns (pop. >5000)	Barre Bennington Brattleboro Colchester Essex Hartford Lyndon Jericho Middlebury Milton Morristown Northfield Rockingham Rutland Shelburne Springfield St. Albans St. Johnsbury Swanton Waterbury Williston
Festivals	Vermont State Fair Green Mountain Film Festival
Topics	Delegations Constitution Government History Mountains People Tallest buildings Vermont Republic Villages Tourist attractions
Society	Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics

Authority control	WorldCat Identities LCCN: n81018759 NARA: 10036494 VIAF: 158213032

Coordinates: 44°48′N 73°17′W / 44.80°N 73.29°W / 44.80; -73.29

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