Calais

Granted in 1781 and organized in 1787, Calais sits in the hills of Washington County just north of Montpelier. The town was named after the French port city of Calais, a nod to the French alliance that helped win American independence. Early settlers found thick forests and stony soil, and for generations the local economy turned on small-scale farming, logging, and maple sugaring. Mirror Lake and several smaller ponds dot the landscape, feeding streams that once powered local sawmills.

Calais today is home to about 1,550 residents spread across several villages, including Adamant, known for its cooperative store and tight-knit artistic community. The town has no traffic light and no fast-food restaurant, which suits most people here just fine. Kents Corner, the nominal town center, hosts the town hall where residents still practice direct democracy each March at Town Meeting, debating articles one by one in a tradition that has run unbroken for over two centuries.