Town file
Essex, Vermont
Essex, Vermont (Chittendon County, Vermont) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 83, "Affairs & Stabbings Of The Heart" (29 August 2018).
- Town
- Essex
- County
- Chittendon County
- State
- Vermont
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 83
- Approximate location
- 44.539, -73.050
Episode 83 / 29 August 2018 / 148 min / full
Affairs & Stabbings Of The Heart
"Essex, Vermont, in Chittendon County, which borders New York; northwestern Vermont, close to Canada, about 20 minutes outside Burlington" about 0:08:21
The case: Murder of Michael Durenleau (July 12, 1985). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2018
- Population
- 20,946
- Median age
- about 40
- Median household income
- $73,000
- Median home value
- $272,600
- Two-bedroom rent
- about $1,720 a month
- Cost of living
- 124
- Religious
- 39.6%
- Property crime
- ▼ about 15% lower
- Violent crime
- ▼ about a third less
- Country Living safest towns ranking
- one of their safest towns
History, in brief
- The town was incorporated on June 7th, 1763, before American independence. about 0:10:04
- It was named after the Earl of Essex. about 0:10:16
- The Earl of Essex title was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England and has been recreated eight times. about 0:11:04
- Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, is possibly the best known of the earls of Essex. about 0:11:24
- The current Earl of Essex is Paul Capell, the 11th Earl, a retired school teacher from Lancashire. about 0:11:38
- Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen, built a dam at a bend of the Winooski River between Essex Junction and Williston. about 0:12:47
- A sawmill there sent logs down the Winooski to Lake Champlain at Hubbles Falls, where the town's industry began. about 0:13:41
- Essex Junction was formed within the town of Essex in 1892 to provide services to the villagers. about 0:13:53
- Electricity was brought to Essex Junction in 1893. about 0:14:10
- A trolley service began in 1895, a police department followed in 1896 to guard it, and then a library. about 0:15:31
- Public water was made available in 1900, seven years after electricity. about 0:15:52
- A large brick school was built in 1912; it later became Essex High School and is now an elementary school. about 0:16:56
- IBM arrived in 1957 and became a huge local employer. about 0:17:06
- A merger between the town and the village was passed, then changed again in 2006 after years of dispute. about 0:18:25
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Richmond, Vermont9.5 miles
- Fletcher, Vermont14 miles
- Stowe, Vermont19 miles
- St. Albans, Vermont19 miles
- Enosburgh, Vermont28 miles
- Brownington, Vermont50 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.