Groton

Chartered in 1789, Groton sits in the hills of Caledonia County along the Wells River. The town's most significant natural feature is Groton State Forest, a 26,000-acre expanse of public land that includes several ponds, hiking trails, and campgrounds. The state forest, one of the largest contiguous blocks of public land in Vermont, has been managed for recreation and timber since the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps built many of its facilities.

Groton's population is close to 1,000. The town has a small village center along Route 302, which connects the Connecticut River valley to Barre and Montpelier. Ricker Pond, Stillwater, and Lake Groton within the state forest draw campers and anglers in the warmer months. The community has a strong connection to the land — both the working farms outside the forest and the public lands within it.

Town meeting in Groton follows the traditional Vermont model: residents gather, budgets are debated, officers are elected, and the democratic process unfolds as it has for over two centuries.