Richford

Right on the Canadian border in Franklin County, Richford was once a bustling railroad junction and manufacturing center. The town was chartered in 1780, and its position at the international boundary made it a natural crossing point. The Missisquoi River flows through the village, and its water power supported furniture factories, a creamery, and other industries through the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Richford's downtown retains handsome brick commercial buildings from its prosperous era, though like many northern Vermont mill towns, it has faced economic challenges as manufacturing departed. The population of about 2,170 is a fraction of what it was in the town's peak years. Cross-border smuggling — from potash in the early days to Prohibition-era liquor to modern concerns — has been a recurring theme in Richford's history, a consequence of its geography.

The town operates with a selectboard and holds its annual town meeting each March. Richford's residents have a pragmatic streak born of living in a border community where self-reliance isn't a philosophy — it's a necessity.