Burke, Vermont

Burke, Vermont
Town
Burke Mountain
Burke, Vermont
Burke, Vermont Location in the United States
Coordinates: 44°36′56″N71°57′15″W / 44.61556°N 71.95417°W / 44.61556; -71.95417
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Caledonia
Chartered	1782
Settled	1790
Organized	1796
Communities	East Burke West Burke Burke Hollow
Government
•  Town Clerk, Treasurer	Priscilla Aldrich
• Assistant Town Clerk	Linda Hackett-Corey
• Assistant Treasurer	Cathleen Feeley
•  Selectboard	Christine Emmons, Chair Joseph Allard Ford Hubbard
• Grand Juror	Jeanne Miles
Area
• Total	34.0 sq mi (88.1 km2)
• Land	33.9 sq mi (87.8 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation	1,027 ft (313 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,651
• Density	49/sq mi (18.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	05871
Area code	802
FIPS code	50-10450 [1]
GNIS feature ID	1462059 [2]
Website	www.burkevermont.org

Burke is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,651 at the 2020 census. ^[3] The town contains the villages of East Burke, West Burke and Burke Hollow. The town is home to Burke Mountain and Burke Mountain Academy.

Etymology

The town was named for Sir Edmund Burke, a member of the English Parliament. ^[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.0 square miles (88.1 km²), of which 33.9 square miles (87.8 km²) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km²), or 0.40%, is water. ^[5]

Burke is bordered by the towns of Lyndon and Kirby to the south, Victory to the southeast, East Haven to the northeast, Newark to the north, and Sutton to the west. U.S. Route 5 runs through the western part of the town, connecting Lyndonville to the south with Barton and Newport to the north. Vermont Route 5A leaves US-5 in the village of West Burke, leading north past Lake Willoughby to Derby. Vermont Route 114 runs through East Burke, leading north to Island Pond and south to US-5 in Lyndonville.

The highest point in town is Burke Mountain, at 3,271 feet (997 m).

Climate

A weather station in a frost hollow along the West Branch of the Passumpsic River recorded temperatures and precipitation data during the 20th century. The temperatures run a few degrees colder than surrounding stations.

Climate data for West Burke (1961–1990 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °F (°C)	23.5 (−4.7)	27.0 (−2.8)	37.6 (3.1)	50.4 (10.2)	65.3 (18.5)	74.3 (23.5)	79.0 (26.1)	76.3 (24.6)	67.5 (19.7)	54.9 (12.7)	40.8 (4.9)	27.5 (−2.5)	52.0 (11.1)
Average low °F (°C)	−3 (−19)	−2.5 (−19.2)	10.9 (−11.7)	25.3 (−3.7)	35.8 (2.1)	45.1 (7.3)	50.2 (10.1)	48.0 (8.9)	40.1 (4.5)	30.6 (−0.8)	21.9 (−5.6)	6.1 (−14.4)	25.7 (−3.5)
Source: NOAA [6]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1800	108		—
1810	460		325.9%
1820	541		17.6%
1830	866		60.1%
1840	997		15.1%
1850	1,103		10.6%
1860	1,138		3.2%
1870	1,162		2.1%
1880	1,252		7.7%
1890	1,198		−4.3%
1900	1,184		−1.2%
1910	1,183		−0.1%
1920	1,041		−12.0%
1930	1,016		−2.4%
1940	998		−1.8%
1950	1,042		4.4%
1960	922		−11.5%
1970	1,053		14.2%
1980	1,385		31.5%
1990	1,406		1.5%
2000	1,571		11.7%
2010	1,753		11.6%
2020	1,651		−5.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]

As of the census ^[1] of 2000, there were 1,571 people, 641 households, and 455 families residing in the town. The population density was 46.1 people per square mile (17.8/km²). There were 892 housing units at an average density of 26.2 per square mile (10.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.14% White, 0.25% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 641 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.

Economy

Personal income

The median income for a household in the town was $35,268, and the median income for a family was $41,563. Males had a median income of $28,977 versus $19,509 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,697. About 11.7% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over. Burke has the highest per capita income of any place in Caledonia County or the Northeast Kingdom.

Tourism

Burke Mountain is home to Burke Mountain Resort, a mid-size ski area open to skiing and snowboarding in winter and downhill mountain biking in summer. The Resort includes a hotel with a pool, two restaurants, and an arcade. It is a popular location for weddings and other events. The mountain is also home to Burke Mountain Academy, a premier ski academy.

East Burke is home to the Kingdom Trails trail system. Mountain bikers frequent the trails in the summer and autumn, during which there are hundreds of riders at any given time riding the local trails. ^[8]

The town is also located just south of Lakes Willoughby and Crystal and the Mountains Hor and Pisgah around them, which attract swimmers and hikers.

Notable people

• Henrietta A. Bingham (1841–1877), writer, editor, preceptress
• John Q. Farmer (1823-1904), Minnesota state legislator
• Buddy Jones (1937–2014), Bluegrass musician and music recorder/distributor; resided in West Burke (1979–2014) ^[9]
• Charles Albert Woodruff (1845–1920), US Army brigadier general; born in Burke in 1845 ^[10]

References

1. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "Census - Geography Profile: Burke town, Caledonia County, Vermont". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 28, 2021.
4. Lawson, Kenneth (April 2013). "A Career of Successful Military Service: Brigadier General Charles A. Woodruff of Burke, Vermont". Vermont's Northland Journal. 12 (1): 27–32.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Burke town, Caledonia County, Vermont". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
6. "NCDC 1961-1990 climate normals". Archived from the original on January 10, 2021.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
8. Tierney, Tim. "Kingdom Trails Association, events". Archived from the original on November 3, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
9. "Buddy Jones - Obituary". Orleans County Record. Boss Ton Production. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
10. Abbott, Susan Woodruff (1963). Woodruff Genealogy: Descendants of Mathew Woodruff of Farmington, Connecticut. New Haven, CT: Harty Press. p. 389 – via Google Books.

External links

• Town of Burke official website
• Burke Area Chamber of Commerce