Cambridge

Settled in the 1780s along the Lamoille River, Cambridge grew into one of Lamoille County's larger towns thanks to fertile bottomland and a strategic position on the road between Burlington and the Northeast Kingdom. Jeffersonville, the main village, became a commercial hub with sawmills and gristmills powered by the river's steady current. The covered bridge at Cambridge Junction, built in the 1800s, remains one of the most photographed structures in the county.

Today Cambridge is home to about 3,500 people and serves as a gateway to Smugglers' Notch, the narrow mountain pass that earned its name from War of 1812-era smuggling between Vermont and Canada. The town has seen steady growth as families seek out good schools and open land within commuting distance of larger employment centers. A five-member selectboard governs town affairs, and the annual Town Meeting in March remains the primary forum where residents set the budget, approve road projects, and debate the issues that matter most to their community.