Grafton

By the mid-1800s, Grafton was a prosperous sheep-farming community of over 1,400 residents — nearly twice its current population. The town's fortunes declined after the Civil War as wool markets shifted and young people left for cities and western territories. By the twentieth century, Grafton had fallen into the kind of picturesque decay that eventually attracted preservationists.

The Windham Foundation, established in 1963, invested heavily in restoring Grafton's village center, and today the town is widely regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of a nineteenth-century Vermont village. The Grafton Inn, operating since 1801, anchors the village along with the Grafton Village Cheese Company and a collection of carefully maintained white clapboard buildings. About 695 people call Grafton home.

Grafton's selectboard and town meeting continue to govern local affairs. The town's story — boom, decline, and thoughtful restoration — offers an unusual model for how small communities can maintain their character while adapting to changing economic realities.