Hardwick, Vermont

Hardwickis a town inCaledonia County,Vermont, United States. The population was 2,920 at the2020 census.It contains the unincorporated villages ofHardwick,East Hardwick, and Mackville.The town is a commercial center for the region's farming population.
The main settlement of Hardwick in the center of the town, formerly an incorporated village, is since 1988 acensus-designated place(CDP), with a population of 1,269 at the 2020 census.
During theRevolutionary War, GeneralGeorge Washingtonordered construction of theBayley-Hazen Military Roadto provide access into the interior of Vermont. It would prompt the development and settlement of Hardwick and East Hardwick.
The town was granted by theVermont General Assemblyon November 7, 1780, then chartered on August 19, 1781, to Danforth Keyes and 66 others, some of whom were fromHardwick, Massachusetts. Permanent settlement began in 1793 when several families named Norris arrived fromNew Hampshire. By 1859, when the population reached 1,402, the town had severalsawmillsandgristmillson theLamoille River. There were also twotanneries. Over the years, other industries would include awoolenmill,tinwareshop, andcarriagefactory.
The predominant business following theCivil Warwasgranitequarrying, especially after thePortland & Ogdensburg Railwayopened service through the town and facilitated shipment of stone. While most of the granite was quarried in nearbyWoodbury, the stone was dressed and finished in Hardwick, largely near "Granite Junction", where the rail lines met.TheHardwick and Woodbury Railroadwas built to bring granite from the quarries to the finishing shops, and Hardwick became known as the "Building Granite Center of the World".By 1906, 1,200 people were employed in the industry, which was led by theWoodbury Granite Company. Buildings around the country made with Hardwick granite include thePennsylvania State Capitol,Chicago City Hall, and the1914 Post OfficeinWashington, D.C., as well as numerous city halls andcustom houses.The decline of the "architectural granite" industry in the 1920s and 1930s left Hardwick in economic depression.
Hardwick Village disincorporated in 1988 and merged with the town.
In 2011, the office manager of the municipal electric department was accused of embezzling $1.6 million over a period of 12 years. TheFBIinvestigated, and she was charged infederal courtand found guilty.
Hardwick is the westernmost town in Caledonia County. It is bordered by the Caledonia County towns ofWaldenandStannardto the east. The town ofGreensboro, inOrleans County, is to the north.Lamoille Countyis to the west, containing the town ofWolcottto the west andElmoreto the southwest. To the south, inWashington County, are the towns ofWoodburyandCabot. According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Hardwick has a total area of 39.0 square miles (101.1 km), of which 38.6 square miles (100.0 km) is land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km), or 1.02%, is water.The CDP (town center) of Hardwick has a total area of 1.46 square miles (3.77 km), of which 1.44 square miles (3.73 km) is land and 0.015 square miles (0.04 km), or 1.16%, is water.
Hardwick is drained by theLamoille Riverand its tributaries, flowing west toLake Champlain. The highest point in Hardwick is the summit of Jeudevine Mountain in the northern corner of the town, at 1,831 feet (558 m) above sea level.
The town is crossed byVermont Route 14,Vermont Route 15, andVermont Route 16.
As of thecensusof 2000, there were 3,174 people, 1,216 households, and 854 families residing in the town.  Thepopulation densitywas 82.4 people per square mile (31.8/km).  There were 1,407 housing units at an average density of 36.5 per square mile (14.1/km).  The racial makeup of the town was 97.89%White, 0.06%African American, 0.82%Native American, 0.09%Asian, 0.19% fromother races, and 0.95% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 0.41% of the population.
There were 1,216 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% weremarried couplesliving together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. Of all households, 22.5% were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,636, and the median income for a family was $39,278. Males had a median income of $27,188 versus $21,732 for females. Theper capita incomefor the town was $14,813.  About 10.5% of families and 14.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.
Several agribusinesses active in and around Hardwick,employing techniques ofsustainable agriculture,have added an estimated 75-100 jobs to the area (through 2008).They operate the Vermont Food Venture Center, a "shared-use kitchenincubatorforvalue-addedand specialty food producers."The facility should generate the equivalent of 16 full-time jobs whenfully operational.
The town contains five places on theNational Register of Historic Places:
The federal government granted the town $492,000 in 2008 to upgrade the water system for fire-fighting purposes after a 2005 fire gutted the Bemis block.
The town owns the Hardwick Electric Department.
The town owns 225 feet (69 m) of shoreline on Caspian Lake inGreensboro. The 2.4 acres (0.97 ha) has been used for recreation since 1927. As a result, they pay taxes to Greensboro on land worth $644,000. This was overlooked until 2012.The Vermont State Legislature passed a bill near the end of its 2013 calendar exempting Caspian Lake Public Beach from state taxes, a bill which "appears to solve recent questions between Greensboro and Hardwick regarding taxation of the Public Beach."
TheHardwick Gazetteis a weekly newspaper founded in 1889 that serves Hardwick and nine nearby communities. As of 2016it has a circulation of about 2,200 and was for sale through an essay contest.While the contest did not receive enough entries, a buyer was found from among the entrants and ownership changed in February 2017.The buyer was Ray Smalls. Smalls has a background in business and bought the paper with his wife, putting his retirement plans on hold. Smalls was not able to gain as much success in improving circulation of the paper as he had hoped and has been personally financially supporting the paper for about three years.