Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census the town population was 1,337. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River. The three settlements are named North Tunbridge (also known locally as "Blood Village"), Tunbridge Village ("Market") and South Tunbridge ("Jigger"). Historic sites. The entire center of Tunbridge Village, including the fairgrounds, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Officially the district listing is ""Roughly, along VT 110 and  adjacent rds. including Town Rd. 45 and Spring and Strafford Rds."" Tunbridge has five covered bridges (all listed on the National Register) Tunbridge also has two other structures are individually listed on the National Register: Tunbridge World's Fair. The historical antecedent of the Tunbridge World's Fair can be traced to the town's charter, which therein authorized the establishment of two annual fairs when the population of the town reached fifty families. It wasn't until 1867 that, after a succession of fairs in Orange County starting in 1847, the Tunbridge Agricultural Society was organized and staged a  fair at the Elisha Lougee Farm in North Tunbridge. At the 1867 fair, Vermont's former Lieutenant Governor Burnham Martin referred to the fair as a "little World's Fair". Lewis Dickerman adopted the phrase and used it in the 1868 publicity handbills and the Tunbridge fair has since used the name. In 1875, the Union Agricultural Society assumed the sponsorship of the fair and moved its location to the present fairgrounds in the center of Tunbridge. In 1894, the fair joined the National Trotting Association, and for many years has maintained the only remaining grass race track in Vermont . The annual fair continues to this day with demonstrations of farming and agricultural traditions and culture, working antique displays, horse and ox pulling, horse racing, cattle and horse shows, junior exhibits, floral and 4-H exhibits, contra dancing, gymkhana, and many free shows. Geography and geology. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.8 square miles (115.9 km), of which 44.7 square miles (115.9 km) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km) (0.04%) is water. The First Branch of the White River running north to south divides Tunbridge into two nearly equal  parts. Two mineral springs exist in the town, one of which is a white sulphur spring located on "Spring road," one and a half miles from Tunbridge Center; this spring was once valued for its medicinal properties. The highest points of land are Brocklebank Hill at 2100+ ft near the northern boundary with Chelsea, Old Hurricane Hill at 1900+ ft in the northwestern part near East Randolph, and East Hill at 2112 ft near the Strafford line. The soil is well-drained and was formed in Wisconsin-age glacial till, its average depth is around 20 to 40  inches. Typical composition of the soil: a surface layer of very dark brown, partially decomposed organic material; a subsurface layer of gray fine sandy loam; upper subsoil of dark brown fine sandy loam and subsoil of brown channery fine sandy loam. The rocks underlying Tunbridge are entirely of the calciferous mica schist formation, with a small bed of granite, syenite and protogine in the northeastern part. No. 9 of the Acts of 1985, effective March 27, 1985, designated the Tunbridge Soil Series as the official State Soil. The Tunbridge series (course-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplothrod) consists of moderately deep  to bedrock, well drained soils. It was selected from among more than 160 different soil series in the state. As it is a typical "hill farm" and "sugarbush" soil, the Tunbridge series well represents the soil resources of Vermont. A soil formed in loamy glacial till, it has good potential for agriculture and forestry. As Professor Richmond Bartlett of UVM says, "It's the soil that makes Vermont hills greener than those either in New Hampshire or New York." ---"" Typical species of tree to be found in the landscape are white birch, yellow birch, American beech, red spruce, red maple , sugar maple, white ash, hemlock and white pine. Demographics. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,309 people, 513 households, and 362 families residing in the town. The population density was 29.3 people per square mile (11.3/km). There were 679 housing units at an average density of 15.2 per square mile (5.9/km). The racial makeup of the town was 99.01% White, 0.23% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.15% Asian, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population. There were 513 households, out of which 31.0% had children  under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.94. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to  64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $40,855, and the median income for a family was $45,670. Males had a median income of $27,465 versus $23,182 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,934. About 8.4% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those  under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over. the unemployment rate is 3.2% and the average commute time is 26.9 minutes. 84.9% of the Tunbridge population studied at high school level or higher and 25.8% have studied at bachelors level or higher. Cemeteries. Dates represent years in use.