Newfane is the shire town (county seat) of Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,645 at the 2020 census. The town includes the villages of Newfane, Williamsville, and South Newfane.

thumb|Windham County Court House

History

One of the New Hampshire grants, the town was chartered on June 19, 1753, by Governor Benning Wentworth, who named it Fane after John Fane, the 7th Earl of Westmoreland. But hostilities during the French and Indian War prevented its settlement. Because a first town meeting was not held within the required five years, the charter was deemed null and void. So Wentworth issued an entirely new charter on November 3, 1761, as New Fane. The town was settled in 1766 by families from Worcester County, Massachusetts. Newfane became the shire town of the county before 1812. A village was built atop Newfane Hill, including the county buildings. But because of winter travel difficulties, it was relocated to the flatland below in 1825, until 1882 called Fayetteville after the Marquis de Lafayette.

The town has a diversified terrain, with both high hills and deep valleys. Farmers found good soil for cultivation on the intervales, and for grazing livestock on the uplands. Various streams provided water power for mills, and by 1859 industries included manufacturers of both leather and linseed oil, two flour mills, two lumber mills, and a large carriage factory. As a result, Newfane became prosperous during the 19th century, when it built the Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian architecture that today makes it a tourist destination.

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Image:Bird's-eye View of Newfane, VT.jpg|Bird's-eye view in 1909

Image:Windham County Courthouse, Newfane, VT.jpg|Courthouse, built in 1825

Image:South Newfane Road, Williamsville, VT.jpg|Scene in Williamsville

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Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.4&nbsp;square miles (104.6&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 40.2&nbsp;square miles (104.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.1&nbsp;square mile (0.4&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (0.35%) is water. The West and Rock rivers flow through the town.

Newfane is crossed by Vermont Route 30.

The West River in Newfane yielded the largest gold nugget ever found in New England, at 6.5oz.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Newfane has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the census

  • Ralph B. DeWitt, Brigadier general in the Marine Corps
  • Asa Belknap Foster, businessman and politician
  • Frank L. Fish, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
  • Robert Fritz, author, composer and film-maker
  • John Kenneth Galbraith, economist
  • Arthur Otis Howe, Vermont state representative and senator
  • Marshall Otis Howe, Vermont state legislator
  • Luke Knowlton, founder of Newfane, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
  • Paul Holland Knowlton, businessman and politician
  • John H. Merrifield, politician
  • Archer Mayor, author of mystery novels
  • Henriette Mantel, Emmy Award-winning writer, actress, and stand-up comic
  • Lee Stephen Tillotson, Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard

In 2006, Newfane became one of the first American towns to pass a resolution endorsing the impeachment of President George W. Bush.

References

  • Official website
  • Moore Free Library