First census: 378 in 18802020 census: 788146 years
How did Orleans get its name?
Orleans was named "Barton Landing"; this was the first place where craft could be safely loaded for transportation down the Barton River to Lake Memphremagog.
Roger Enos purchased land in 1820 in the area from Ira Allen. He had been given a land grant as a veteran in lieu of pay after the Revolutionary War; he may also have purchased this parcel from Herman Allen. It was named "Barton Landing"; this was the first place where craft could be safely loaded for transportation down the Barton River to Lake Memphremagog. It was at the confluence of the Willoughby and Barton rivers, providing sufficient water for flotation. Native Americans had used this landing for years before the pioneers.
Peaked at 1,358 in 1920; 788 people lived here in 2020.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Orleans’ Wikipedia page.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Orleans, 1882–1904
Passages that mention Orleans, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Orleans county, Vermont. Civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military1882 · page 137Read the page →
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f In 18-11 the Legislature changed the name to Orleans. About that time an attempt was made to constitute it the shire-town of Orleans County, but the effort was unsuccessful, and, in 1843. the original name wae restored.
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Stewarts, and Carpenters makes a remarkably accurate history of this first town of Orleans county. In the ''great conflict"' Derby nobly bore her full share and lost in the service four commissioned oQicers and forty-nine enlisted men.
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honored, not only by the various town offices, but in 1886 represented Charleston in the general assembly, and in 1896 he was one of Orleans county's senators, and served as chairman of the committee on claims.
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The history of Orleans county, Vermont. Civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military1882 · page 245Read the page →
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In 1812, the Legislature of the State passed an act constituting Irasburgh the Shire-town of Orleans County, provided the inhabitants of Irasburgh would erect a court-house and jail at their own expense. Nothing appears to have been done towards erecting buildings, till after Ira H. Allen came here in 1814. The buildings were put up in 18 15, and completed so that the
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Orleans, 1891 to 1920
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Orleans. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1919Lake Memphremagog sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Orleans.
Every building
Orleans, building by building, 1910–1922
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (2), the Library of Congress (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
Date?
2025
2013
