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West Fairlee is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 621 at the 2020 census.

History

Originally a part of the town of Fairlee, West Fairlee separated in 1797. The town was first settled by Nathaniel Niles that same year. The town remained predominantly agricultural until copper was discovered in nearby Vershire in 1813. With the opening of the Ely Copper Mine in 1821 the town rapidly began to grow. The mine became the site of Vermont's largest labor revolt, dubbed the 'Ely War,' in 1883. Unable to remain financially solvent the mine was sold to George Westinghouse.

Combined with a fire that destroyed much of the town in 1910 and the mine's closure in 1920, West Fairlee's economy suffered immensely. Today the town is largely a bedroom community.

Samuel Graves originally established his brass and woodwind instrument company Graves & Co. here in 1824.

During the American Civil War, 98 residents served, or 11% of the town’s population. Among them was Medal of Honor recipient General Stephen Thomas. The town also sent men from Company A of the 15th Vermont Infantry Regiment, which was organized in West Fairlee in 1862.

West Fairlee was the summer residence of Nobel-winning economist Milton Friedman, which he named "Capitaf." It was here that he and his wife, Rose Friedman wrote the 1980 bestselling book, Free to Choose.

Portions of the 1983 film The Survivors, starring Walter Mathau and Robin Williams was filmed in West Fairlee.

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File:West Fairlee Village.jpg|West Fairlee Village

File:Lake Fairlee.jpg|Lake Fairlee

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Landmarks

  • West Fairlee is home to two historic summer camps: Camp Billings and Aloha Horizons Camp.
  • West Fairlee Center Church
  • Asa May House

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.8&nbsp;square miles (59.1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 22.6&nbsp;square miles (58.5&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.2&nbsp;square mile (0.6&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (0.96%) is water. The Ompompanoosuc River flows through the southwestern part of the town.

Demographics

As of the census Westshire Elementary School is in West Fairlee.

Notable people

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  • Asa L. Baldwin, Wisconsin state assemblyman
  • Chauncey C. Churchill
  • Jabez William Clay, Founder of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
  • Eben Pomeroy Colton, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Vermont from 1878 to 1880
  • Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize-winning economist in economics
  • Charlotte Geer Olympic rower
  • Nathaniel Niles, US congressman
  • Albert Southworth, photographer known for daguerreotypes in the first half of the 19th century
  • Stephen Thomas, recipient of the Medal of Honor for gallantry

References

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