Mount Holly

Perched in the Green Mountains of Rutland County, Mount Holly was chartered in 1792 and named for the holly trees early settlers reportedly found growing on its slopes. The town straddles the height of land between the Connecticut River and Lake Champlain watersheds, with streams flowing east and west from the ridgeline.

Mount Holly has two villages — Belmont and Healdville — each with its own character. Belmont, sometimes called the prettiest village in Vermont, centers on a small green with a general store, a white church, and a museum housed in a former schoolhouse. Star Lake and Lake Ninevah provide summer recreation.

The town's 1,385 residents include a mix of longtime farming families, retirees, and newcomers drawn by the mountain setting and proximity to Okemo and Killington ski areas. Town meeting remains the annual gathering where budgets are debated, officers elected, and the community's direction set for the coming year.