Plainfield

Goddard College — the experimental, progressive institution that counts David Mamet, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and numerous countercultural figures among its alumni — has shaped Plainfield's identity since 1938. The college's presence brought an artistic and politically engaged energy to this small Washington County town that persists today, even as the institution has faced financial challenges in recent years.

Chartered in 1787, Plainfield sits along the Winooski River east of Montpelier. The village center is compact and walkable, with a food co-op, a few shops, and the historic Plainfield Opera House. About 1,300 people live here, a mix of longtime Vermonters, back-to-the-landers who arrived in the 1970s, and newer residents drawn by the community's creative spirit.

The town's political culture leans progressive, and town meetings can be spirited affairs. But beneath the ideological diversity, the mechanics are pure Vermont: a selectboard, an annual budget vote, elected road commissioners, and the expectation that citizens will show up and participate.