Pittsfield

Tucked into a narrow valley along the Tweed River in Rutland County, Pittsfield is a small mountain town that was forever changed by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The storm sent the river raging through the village, destroying homes and roads and isolating the community for days. The rebuilding effort brought the town together and attracted national attention.

Chartered in 1781, Pittsfield has always been shaped by its geography — steep mountain walls on either side of a tight river valley. The town sits along Route 100, the famous scenic highway that runs the length of Vermont's Green Mountains. With about 480 residents, it's a small community where neighbors depend on one another, especially during mud season and the occasional natural disaster.

The Original General Store serves as the town's gathering spot, and the Green Mountain National Golf Course brings visitors in summer. Town meeting is the annual exercise in self-governance that keeps this resilient little community running.