:Island Pond, Vermont

Island Pond is in the center of the town of Brighton, at the north end (outlet) of Island Pond, the lake. Vermont Routes 114 and 105 pass through the community, joining as Derby Street leading south out of the center of the CDP. Route 114 leaves north from Island Pond as Railroad Street, leading {{convert|16|mi}} to the Canada–United States border at Norton; to the south Route 114 leads {{convert|24|mi}} to Lyndonville. Route 105 leaves east as East Brighton Road, leading {{convert|16|mi}} to Bloomfield on the Connecticut River; to the southwest it follows Derby Street and Route 114 for {{convert|2|mi|0}}, then turns northwest and leads {{convert|17|mi}} through Charleston to Derby Center.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Island Pond CDP has a total area of {{convert|11.8|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|10.8|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.0|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 8.42%, is water.{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US5035725| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Island Pond CDP, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=April 8, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213054847/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US5035725| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}

Bluff Mountain overlooks the lake and the island from the north.

The Clyde River flows west out of Island Pond after which the community is named. The Abenaki called this water Menanbawk (literally, "island pond"). It was renamed "Knowlton Pond" in tribute to Luke Knowlton, the surveyor who helped lay out the town in the 1780s.{{cite web| title=Brighton Natural Resources Capital| url=http://www.uvm.edu/crs/resources/profiles/Brighton/natural.htm| work=Center for Rural Studies| publisher=University of Vermont| access-date=6 May 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818062932/http://www.uvm.edu/crs/resources/profiles/Brighton/natural.htm| archive-date=18 August 2014| url-status=dead}} The river is a tributary of Lake Memphremagog and part of the St. Lawrence River basin.

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Island Pond has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Island Pond was {{convert|91|F|C|1}} on July 20, 1991; June 17, 1994, July 22, 1994; June 20, 1995; August 10, 2001; July 4 and September 10, 2002; June 25 and 27, 2003; July 8, 2010; July 5, 2018; and May 28, 2020, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-43|F|C|1}} on February 7, 1993.

{{Weather box

|location = Island Pond, Vermont, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1990–present

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 61

|Feb record high F = 65

|Mar record high F = 77

|Apr record high F = 84

|May record high F = 91

|Jun record high F = 91

|Jul record high F = 91

|Aug record high F = 91

|Sep record high F = 91

|Oct record high F = 83

|Nov record high F = 74

|Dec record high F = 61

|Jan avg record high F = 46.5

|Feb avg record high F = 48.0

|Mar avg record high F = 56.3

|Apr avg record high F = 72.0

|May avg record high F = 81.4

|Jun avg record high F = 86.2

|Jul avg record high F = 86.8

|Aug avg record high F = 85.1

|Sep avg record high F = 81.9

|Oct avg record high F = 72.8

|Nov avg record high F = 62.1

|Dec avg record high F = 49.6

|year avg record high F = 88.7

|Jan high F = 23.5

|Feb high F = 26.6

|Mar high F = 35.6

|Apr high F = 49.4

|May high F = 63.5

|Jun high F = 72.0

|Jul high F = 76.4

|Aug high F = 74.8

|Sep high F = 67.7

|Oct high F = 54.2

|Nov high F = 41.2

|Dec high F = 29.7

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 13.5

|Feb mean F = 15.3

|Mar mean F = 24.9

|Apr mean F = 39.2

|May mean F = 52.2

|Jun mean F = 61.3

|Jul mean F = 65.8

|Aug mean F = 64.2

|Sep mean F = 56.9

|Oct mean F = 45.1

|Nov mean F = 33.6

|Dec mean F = 21.6

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 3.4

|Feb low F = 4.0

|Mar low F = 14.2

|Apr low F = 28.9

|May low F = 40.9

|Jun low F = 50.6

|Jul low F = 55.3

|Aug low F = 53.6

|Sep low F = 46.2

|Oct low F = 35.9

|Nov low F = 25.9

|Dec low F = 13.5

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -25.9

|Feb avg record low F = -23.0

|Mar avg record low F = -16.3

|Apr avg record low F = 11.7

|May avg record low F = 26.3

|Jun avg record low F = 34.8

|Jul avg record low F = 42.6

|Aug avg record low F = 39.6

|Sep avg record low F = 29.9

|Oct avg record low F = 21.2

|Nov avg record low F = 5.4

|Dec avg record low F = -12.9

|year avg record low F = -29.3

|Jan record low F = -37

|Feb record low F = -43

|Mar record low F = -31

|Apr record low F = -5

|May record low F = 21

|Jun record low F = 31

|Jul record low F = 32

|Aug record low F = 35

|Sep record low F = 23

|Oct record low F = 13

|Nov record low F = -11

|Dec record low F = -27

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.83

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.27

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.91

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.35

|May precipitation inch = 4.12

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.76

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.89

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.51

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.06

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.52

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.44

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.23

|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 17.3

|Feb precipitation days = 14.4

|Mar precipitation days = 14.4

|Apr precipitation days = 14.2

|May precipitation days = 16.1

|Jun precipitation days = 16.7

|Jul precipitation days = 16.8

|Aug precipitation days = 15.8

|Sep precipitation days = 15.4

|Oct precipitation days = 16.9

|Nov precipitation days = 16.5

|Dec precipitation days = 18.6

|Jan snow inch = 25.3

|Feb snow inch = 26.1

|Mar snow inch = 22.1

|Apr snow inch = 5.7

|May snow inch = 0.4

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 1.4

|Nov snow inch = 8.8

|Dec snow inch = 25.1

|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 15.4

|Feb snow days = 13.3

|Mar snow days = 10.1

|Apr snow days = 3.5

|May snow days = 0.2

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 1.0

|Nov snow days = 6.3

|Dec snow days = 14.1

|Jan snow depth inch = 21.0

|Feb snow depth inch = 27.1

|Mar snow depth inch = 26.4

|Apr snow depth inch = 9.0

|May snow depth inch = 0.3

|Jun snow depth inch = 0.0

|Jul snow depth inch = 0.0

|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0

|Sep snow depth inch = 0.0

|Oct snow depth inch = 1.0

|Nov snow depth inch = 5.1

|Dec snow depth inch = 13.5

|year snow depth inch = 30.8

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00434120&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Island Pond, VT

|access-date = May 22, 2023

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=btv

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Burlington

|access-date = May 22, 2023

}}

}}

The weather station Island Pond AP is situated at John H. Boylan State Airport.

{{Weather box

|location = Island Pond AP, Vermont, 1991–2020 normals: 1194ft (364m)

|single line = Yes

|Jan high F = 25.1

|Feb high F = 27.5

|Mar high F = 36.0

|Apr high F = 49.9

|May high F = 64.0

|Jun high F = 71.8

|Jul high F = 76.7

|Aug high F = 75.6

|Sep high F = 68.2

|Oct high F = 54.8

|Nov high F = 41.0

|Dec high F = 29.8

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 12.0

|Feb mean F = 12.4

|Mar mean F = 21.9

|Apr mean F = 38.4

|May mean F = 52.0

|Jun mean F = 60.0

|Jul mean F = 65.3

|Aug mean F = 63.5

|Sep mean F = 55.9

|Oct mean F = 43.4

|Nov mean F = 31.4

|Dec mean F = 19.6

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = -1.1

|Feb low F = -2.8

|Mar low F = 7.8

|Apr low F = 26.9

|May low F = 39.9

|Jun low F = 48.1

|Jul low F = 53.8

|Aug low F = 51.4

|Sep low F = 43.5

|Oct low F = 32.0

|Nov low F = 21.8

|Dec low F = 9.4

|year low F =

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00434122&format=pdf

|title = Island Pond AP, Vermont 1991-2020 Monthly Normals

|access-date = October 20, 2023

}}

}}

A 2010 Christmas bird count found 28 species.{{Cite news | first=Paul | last=Lefebvre | title=Volunteers tally birds around Island Pond | newspaper=the Chronicle | location=Barton, Vermont | pages= 1, 17 | date=22 December 2010 }}

Island Pond became an important railroad center in 1853 when the Grand Trunk Railway established international connections between Montreal, Quebec, and Portland, Maine. The half-way point in the Portland-Montreal railroad line, this town became a booming railroad center with a roundhouse, shops, and all the facilities associated with train operations. In 1923 the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada was bankrupt and taken over by the Canadian government and operated as the Canadian National Railways. With the Canadian government directing the railroad, political considerations soon outweighed the economics of the railroad; commerce was displaced from the port of Portland to the Canadian ports of Halifax and St. John. The importance of the Portland line then began a decline which was never to be reversed. Island Pond's days as a major railroad town were over by the late 1950s due to the elimination of steam locomotives. By 1960 passenger train service to Portland had ended, and three years later the diesel locomotive shop was closed. In 1966 barely a skeleton staff of people worked in Island Pond after the roundhouse closed.{{cite magazine|last=Cook|first=Roger.|title=Vermont time machine|magazine=Classic Trains|publisher=Kalmbach Media|volume=24|number=3|date=Fall 2023|pages=20-27}} Canadian National continued to operate freight service to Portland until 1988; the following year the line was sold to a short line operator, the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad, which provides service to this day.

File:Common Sense Café 28 Cross Street Island Pond VT May 2013.jpg

Island Pond became the home of the Twelve Tribes when the religious movement relocated to Island Pond from Tennessee in 1977. The group, led by Yoneq Gene Spriggs, sought shelter from the opposition it met elsewhere, although it continually faced opposition which culminated in the Island Pond raid in 1984 where state police and state social workers seized 112 children due to allegations of child abuse. The children were returned the same day upon a determination that the raid was unconstitutional, and no trial was held on the evidence of abuse the state found. Nevertheless, the "Island Pond Raid" retains its notoriety.{{cite web |url=http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/tribes.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2006-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310193156/http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/tribes.html |archive-date=2007-03-10 }} article on the website of the University of Virginia, note: the articles on individual religious groups were mostly written by students with as a result highly varying degrees of quality

In 2007, Brighton Constable Theodore "Ted" Miller's strict enforcement of traffic regulations became the subject of nationwide coverage. In 2006 alone, 1,224 tickets and 1,662 warnings were issued.{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2007/10/29/youll_stop_there_or_be_stopped|title=At intersection of law and enforcement, Vermont officer awaits the careless - The Boston Globe|website=www.boston.com}}{{cite web |last1=Russell |first1=Jenna |title=Stop There or You'll be Stopped |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2007/10/29/youll_stop_there_or_be_stopped/ |website=Boston.com |publisher=The Boston Globe |access-date=27 October 2021}}

As of the census of 2000, there were 849 people, 374 households, and 228 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 203/mi² (78.4/km²). There were 556 housing units at an average density of 132.9/mi² (51.4/km²).

Image:Island Pond Vermont.JPG

There were 374 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $25,547, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $25,577 versus $23,542 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,207. Nearly 15% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.8% of those under age 18 and 18% of those age 65 or over.

Social services are provided in part by the Northeast Kingdom Community Action located here and in other Northeast Kingdom sites.

Island Pond is served by Vermont Routes 105 and 114. The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad passes through the village. John H. Boylan State Airport is located east of the village on Route 105.

WVTI 106.9 broadcasts from Island Pond.{{cite book | author = VPR |title = VPR Classical broadcasts from I.P. | publisher = the Chronicle | date = October 28, 2008}}

The town was the setting of the memoir A Dresser of Sycamore Trees, by Garret Keizer.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE1DE1239F932A1575AC0A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all New York Times] retrieved June 29, 2008

The town was also the subject of two historical non-fiction books by author Sharon Biron "Island Pond Reflections" and "Island Pond Insights".

• Harry B. Amey, United States Attorney for Vermont{{cite news |date=December 7, 1949 |title=Harry Amey, 80, Dies; Former U.S. District Attorney |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/198046659/ |work=Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |page=2 |ref={{sfnRef|"Harry Amey, 80, Dies"}}}}
• John H. Boylan, President pro tempore of the Vermont State Senate
• George N. Dale, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
• Porter H. Dale, U.S. congressman and senator
• Zophar M. Mansur, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
• Rudy Vallée, singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer

{{reflist}}

{{Coord|44|48|53|N|71|52|49|W|type:city_region:US-VT|display=title}}

{{Essex County, Vermont}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Census-designated places in Vermont

i

Category:Berlin, New Hampshire micropolitan area

Category:Census-designated places in Essex County, Vermont

Category:Railway towns in Vermont