Montgomery

Six covered bridges — more than any other town in Vermont — span the streams and rivers of Montgomery, earning it a reputation among bridge enthusiasts and history buffs alike. This Franklin County town was chartered in 1789 and sits in a narrow valley near the Canadian border, hemmed in by the northern Green Mountains to the east and the Cold Hollow range to the south.

Montgomery Center and Montgomery Village are the two settlement clusters, connected by a winding road along the Trout River. Jay Peak ski resort, just over the town line, has brought economic activity and seasonal residents, but Montgomery itself retains a distinctly rural character. The population sits around 1,150.

Logging and farming built the town, and the covered bridges — most dating to the 1800s — were practical structures designed to protect the wooden road deck from Vermont's punishing weather. Today they are landmarks, maintained with care by a community that understands the value of its built heritage. Town meeting each March keeps the direct-democracy tradition alive.