Richmond is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,167. The main settlement of Richmond, in the north-central part of town, is a census-designated place (CDP), with a population of 853 at the 2020 census; it was formerly an incorporated village.
History
In 1775, Amos Brownson and John Chamberlain made the first settlement attempt. They abandoned their efforts in the fall of that year, but returned in the spring of 1784, at the close of the Revolutionary War. Richmond was incorporated by the General Assembly on October 27, 1794, then organized in 1795. The Winooski and Huntington rivers both offered locations for water mills. Industries began to manufacture wagons, harnesses, tinware, brass, cabinet work and woodenware. By 1859, the population was 1,453.
Richmond is noted for the Round Church, a rare 16-sided meetinghouse that was erected in 1812–1813. Originally designed to be a town meeting place and a Protestant church, today it is open to the public and a popular tourist destination.
Public health controversy
In October 2022, the town's water superintendent resigned after admitting that he had, without notifying city officials, lowered the water's fluoridation levels to less than half that recommended by the state to protect health. The superintendent confessed that he had done so since 2011 without seeking permission; the town's water and sewer commission immediately voted to restore fluoridation to the levels recommended by public health authorities.
Geography
thumb|left|Entering Richmond on [[Interstate 89]]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.59%, is water. Richmond is bisected by the Winooski River, with its tributary, the Huntington River, crossing the southeast corner of the town. Richmond is located in the western foothills of the Green Mountains.
The town is crossed by Interstate 89, with access from Exit 11 in the northwest part of town, by U.S. Route 2, and by the New England Central Railroad. A scenic view of Camel's Hump and the foothills of the Green Mountains presents itself to southbound motorists around mile marker 80.2, as the interstate descends a 6% grade into Richmond.
Education
Local students attend Mount Mansfield Union High School, Camel's Hump Middle School and Richmond Elementary School. Mount Mansfield Union High is in the neighboring town of Jericho. The MMU athletic teams are the Cougars, who play the teams of neighboring schools such as CVU.
On November 4, 2014, the communities of Bolton, Jericho, Richmond, Underhill ID and Underhill Town voted to form the Mount Mansfield Modified Union School District (MMMUSD). This new school district serves and governs the current town school districts of Bolton (Smilie Memorial School), Jericho (Jericho Elementary), Richmond (Richmond Elementary), Underhill ID School District (Underhill ID Elementary), Underhill Town (Underhill Central School), Mt Mansfield Union School District (Browns River Middle, Camels Hump Middle and Mt. Mansfield Union High Schools) students in Pre-K through grade 12, and Huntington students in grades 5–12.
Demographics
As of the census
- George F. Edmunds, US Senator
- Joel Furr, internet personality; coined the term "spam"
- Louis Greenough, pioneer and inventor
- Ted King, cyclist and co-founder of UnTapped (a maple syrup product company based on Richmond, VT)
- John Phillips, Wisconsin physician and politician
- George Dallas Sherman, first leader of the Burlington Concert Band