WINDHAM COUNTY

County Offices
Route 30
Newfane 802-365-7979

Chamber of Commerce
21 West Main Street
Wilmington 802-464-8092
https://www.visitvermont.com/

Windham County is located in Southern Vermont, a gateway region that stretches from the Connecticut River in the east to the valleys of upstate New York. Windham County also borders Massachusetts on the south. Brimming over with natural beauty, pristine waterways, and alpine recreational areas, this mountainous region offers a lively and beautiful place to call home.

Services
The healthcare network that serves Windham County is well developed and strategically located for quick and easy access. Brattleboro is home to Brattleboro Memorial, a modern and well-equipped community hospital has kept pace with population growth, medical advancements, and technological breakthroughs. The hospital’s reputation has attracted outstanding physicians who work on staff but also maintain private practices in primary care and many specialties. One of the most recent additions is the Richards Building for expanded outpatient services. Many rural residents look to Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend, dedicated to providing individualized yet highly professional service. Grace Cottage Hospital maintains a 19-bed inpatient facility for acute and rehabilitative care, maintains 24-hour emergency services, a hospice suite, a rehabilitation department, and state-of-the-art laboratory and imaging capability. In addition to a new Community Wellness Center, the hospital operates the rural clinic of Grace Cottage Family Health with practitioners in family practice as well as specialties from internal medicine and pediatrics to chiropractic care. Neighboring Windsor County is home to Springfield Hospital, a certified critical access hospital that serves communities in southeastern Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire.

The educational standards are high in Vermont, and Windham County is no exception. Outstanding public and private schools on elementary and secondary levels are complemented by a wide range of opportunities for specialized training and higher education. The Community College of Vermont maintains a learning center in Brattleboro and one in Springfield, in the neighboring county of Windsor. Part of the Vermont State College system, CCV provides innovative programming that specializes in meeting the needs of each student through learning center classrooms and online instruction. The small liberal arts institution of Marlboro College in Marlboro is also known for its student-centered approach, allowing students to work directly with a faculty advisor in the creation of an individualized course of study. In 1997, Marlboro College created the Marlboro College Graduate School in nearby Brattleboro. Landmark College in Putney stands in a class of its own as a college for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD. The college is known for highly accessible approaches to learning that enable individuals in reaching their full potential. Union Institute & University operates programs out of two academic centers in Brattleboro, providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs in select fields. Brattleboro is also home to the School for International Training, a pioneer in experiential, field-based study abroad in more than 40 counties around the globe. The SIT Graduate Institute offers master’s degrees, certificates, and professional development programs in relevant fields from international education to conflict transformation and intercultural relations.

Lifestyle
Windham County draws newcomers to a naturally beautiful region that features such premier recreational destinations as Stratton Mountain, Mount Snow, and Deerfield Valley. Set against the backdrop of breathtaking scenery, quaint villages like Newfane and Townshend offer postcard images of town commons framed by quaint boutiques, galleries, cafes, and historic inns. The county is anchored by the delightful town of Brattleboro, hailed as one of America’s Best Small Towns and one of the top Art Towns in America. Serving as a hub for commerce, finance, and technology, Brattleboro is a center of cultural enrichment. In addition to many fine galleries, the town is home to the Vermont Jazz Center, the Brattleboro Music Center, the Brattleboro Museum and Arts Center, and the River Valley Performing Arts Center. The musical and visual arts abound throughout Windham County, where even smaller towns like Putney, Guilford, and Marlboro are home to hundreds of fine artists and craftspeople. The award-winning attraction of MASS MoCA, the largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts in the nation, is easily accessible in neighboring Massachusetts.

Windham County’s lively cultural scene is rivaled by its access to world-class recreation and outdoor enjoyment around the four seasons. Just north of Brattleboro, the West River Valley opens to the Retreat Meadows, an area of floodplains that are ideal for canoeing, fishing, or nature study. The entire region is rich with rivers and ponds that include Somerset Reservoir, Lake Whitingham, and Lake Raponda. The surrounding mountains offer some of New England’s finest equestrian centers, snowmobile trails, hiking paths, and scenic dirt roads for outdoor enjoyment and exploration. The Catamount Trail provides 300 miles of backcountry skiing along wilderness routes as well as groomed cross-country ski trails, and snowmobile trails. Fine golf courses, family farms, petting zoos, gardens, butterfly houses, groomed parks, campgrounds, picnic areas, swimming beaches, and wonderful museums can all be found in Windham County. The Southern Vermont Natural History Museum offers a rare look at one of the largest collections of mounted birds in New England. Take time to discover all the hidden and obvious treasures of Windham County, from its lively urban scene to the quiet countryside.

Bellow Falls/Rockingham, Saxtons River
Town/Village Offices
802-463-3964
https://www.rockinghamvt.org/

Chamber of Commerce
802-463-4280
https://www.gfrcc.org/

The closely associated communities of the town of Rockingham and the village of Bellows Falls share a municipal corporation and a scenic location in an area traversed by the Connecticut and Saxtons rivers. Rockingham also includes an expansive rural area that encompasses several other small villages. Bellows Falls serves as an economic and commercial hub for the area, drawing residents and visitors to shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, and historic sites. The Town Hall on the Square features a clock tower and houses the town and village government offices as well as the Bellows Falls Opera House and several retail shops. The village features many homes from the Victorian era through the 1920s, creating an atmosphere of architectural charm for a lively arts, music, and literary community. The second largest population center in Rockingham is the historic village of Saxtons River, where the Saxtons River Playhouse presents live theatre performances each summer.

Brattleboro
Town Offices
802-254-4541
https://www.brattleboro.org/

Chamber of Commerce
802-254-4565
https://www.brattleborochamber.org/
The leading town of Brattleboro is the cultural, economic, and commercial hub of Windham County. Surrounded by picturesque farmland, Brattleboro serves as a major gateway to Vermont and a year-round resort area. The town is a distribution center known for banking, printing, and entertainment. The presence of learning centers for several institutions of higher education lend even more vitality to an already lively atmosphere. The cultural attractions are especially well developed, including performance venues, the Brattleboro Museum and Arts Center, and historic Fort Dummer. The vibrant downtown district is lined with locally owned shops, fine restaurants, and friendly service centers. Multi-story buildings are ideal for coffee shops, bookstores, clothing boutiques, sporting goods emporiums, and home goods stores. The recreational opportunities are equally abundant, including canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and boating in a water-rich environment. Miles of trails are available for hiking and bicycling, and Vermont’s famous ski areas are nearby for the finest of winter sports.

Dover
Town Offices
802-464-5100
https://www.doververmont.com/

Chamber of Commerce
802-464-8092
https://www.visitvermont.com/

As the residents of this wonderful small town maintain, “Dover is more than a place on the map. It’s an attitude.” Newcomers will find a vibrant community that manages to be calming and stimulating, recreational and cultural, historic and progressive. The community spirit is proudly displayed each year with the colorful Dover Days festival. Just north of Wilmington, Dover is situated near the Mount Snow Ski Area. The ski resort is actually located in West Dover, the dominant feature of that picturesque but small township. Strongly tied to recreational tourism, Dover welcomes visitors who arrive with skis, snowboards, bicycles, hiking boots, snowmobiles, kayaks, paintbrushes, and putters. Mount Snow is a premier year-round resort community that also offers a famous golf school, an 18-hole championship golf course, family adventures, festivals, and entertainment. The Mount Snow Valley is also referred to as the Deerfield Valley or the Valley of Inns for its wonderful historic and chef-owned inns.

Londonderry
Town Offices
802-824-3356
https://www.londonderryvt.org/

Chamber of Commerce
802-464-8092
https://www.visitvermont.com/

The growing, picturesque town of Londonderry claims a rich history more than 200 years old. Londonderry is home to the Magic Mountain Ski Area on Glebe Mountain, a popular destination for skiers and winter sports enthusiasts. With its mountain splendor and picturesque landscape, this area is ideal for outdoor enjoyment around the four seasons. Hiking, bicycling, mountain biking, camping, horseback riding, and water sports are all popular pastimes. Residents enjoy the tranquility of a rural environment anchored by a bustling commercial center and a growing business base. Services like the South Londonderry Free Library and a local medical clinic add convenience to the pleasures of country living. Expanded urban amenities are available within a short commute from home.

Marlboro, Guilford
Marlboro Town Offices
802-254-2181
https://marlborovt.us/

Guilford Town Offices
802-254-6857
https://guilfordvt.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
802-254-4565
https://www.brattleborochamber.org/

Situated near Brattleboro off Route 9, the town of Marlboro is best known as the home of the small but respected private institution of Marlboro College. As a four-season resort town, Marlboro offers fine dining, hospitality accommodations, and several antique shops. The Southern Vermont Natural History Museum is another attraction located in this rural area. Summertime is especially active in Marlboro, which hosts two events that draw throngs of visitors: Marlboro Music and Civil War Days, the latter being Vermont’s largest Civil War event. The Marlboro Music festival has elevated Marlboro College to international fame, presenting world-class chamber music in a delightfully unique setting. The rural town of Guilford, tucked into the Connecticut River Valley, offers a quiet and scenic community that is frequently represented by the image of its historic covered bridge. The historic 1822 Town Hall is now a museum that preserves the area’s history. Residents of Marlboro and Guilford enjoy close proximity to Brattleboro’s well-developed cultural and entertainment attractions.

Newfane
Town Offices
802-365-7772
https://newfanevt.com/

Chamber of Commerce
802-464-8092
https://www.visitvermont.com/

Distinguished as the county seat or “shire town” of Windham County, the small town of Newfane is graced by one of the finest colonial court houses in New England. The town is also home to several successful manufacturing operations. Newfane attracts tourist traffic, welcoming visitors to dining and sight-seeing opportunities and wonderful accommodations like the spectacular Four Columns Inn or the lovely Newfane Inn. The town is home to several unusual enterprises, including a farm that raises Boer Goats and a companionship dog training center. Winchester Stables is a premier, full-service equestrian boarding and training facility along the banks of the West River. Recreational opportunities close to home include hiking, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, bicycling, mountain biking, camping, fishing, golfing, and horseback riding. Residents of Newfane enjoy the serenity of rural living and an easy commute to regional urban and recreational destinations.

Putney
Town Offices
802-387-5862
https://www.putneyvt.org/

Chamber of Commerce
802-464-8092
https://www.visitvermont.com/

The rural, picturesque town of Putney is home to the 125-acre campus for Landmark College, one of the nation’s only institutions of higher learning that is expressly dedicated to students with learning disabilities. This vibrant and welcoming college town features a lovely Town Hall graced by the George Aiken Gardens, the founder of Putney Nursery and an active politician. Like many Windham County communities, Putney is rich in cultural appreciation and expression. The popularity of the Putney Crafts and Open Studio tours has developed into the annual Putney Crafts Holiday Tour on the weekend after Thanksgiving. Renovations to the Putney Tavern Building renovations have reestablished the sense of a town center. Putney is only minutes away from some of the finest skiing and snowboarding in Vermont, centrally located in a natural playground. Kayaking, rock and ice climbing, mountain biking, hiking, bicycling, and camping are just a few of the pastimes available close to home.

Westminster, Grafton
Westminster Town Offices
802-722-4091
https://www.westminstervt.org/

Grafton Town Offices
802-843-2419

Chamber of Commerce
802-463-54280
https://www.gfrcc.org/

Westminster holds a special place in Vermont history as the oldest town in the state. The town’s rich history dates back to its founding in 1735, before the birth of the nation itself. Modern Westminster consists of three villages—Westminster Village, North Westminster, and Westminster West—along with the scenic rural countryside that separates them. The strong heritage of agricultural activity and industrial distinction remains today, although high quality organic vegetables and award-winning cheese have joined traditional products like sheep, beef, milk, apples, and maple syrup. Many thriving transportation and manufacturing plants are at home in Westminster, which is also the location of the Kum Hattin Children’s Home. Nearby Grafton is known as one of the prettiest villages in Vermont, where many of its fine old buildings have been restored by the Windham Foundation. Modern conveniences have sprung up in this long-established community, including a country store, restaurants, art galleries, a cheese factory, and interesting museums.

Wilmington
Town Offices
802-464-5836
https://wilmingtonvermont.us/

Chamber of Commerce
802-464-8092
https://www.visitvermont.com/

The town of Wilmington serves as a gateway to several popular ski and summer recreational areas, including Mount Snow, Haystack, and Stratton. The town is located at the crossroads of Route 9 and Route 100, the latter providing a panoramic trip to ski country. The popularity of the Mount Snow Ski Resort has had a tremendous impact on this small Vermont town. The entire Wilmington, West Dover, Wardsboro, and Stratton area is a magnet for tourism, dotted with abundant vacation rentals. Characterized as a picturesque New England village, Wilmington offers a collection of interesting small shops, inns, restaurants, and historic buildings. Just outside the town lies the regional attraction of Lake Whitingham, also known as Harriman Reservoir, where divers can explore the foundations of the “drowned” town of Mountain Hills. During the summer months, a paddlewheel tour ship cruises the lake. The town of Wilmington Vermont in Windham County is the gateway to the popular Mount Snow – Haystack – Stratton ski and summer recreation area. This picturesque New England village is a collection of small shops, inns, restaurants, and historic buildings.