Stratton

Chartered in 1761, Stratton occupies the high terrain around Stratton Mountain in Windham County. The mountain itself, rising to 3,940 feet, is where Benton MacKaye reportedly conceived the idea for the Appalachian Trail in 1921. James P. Taylor, who founded the Green Mountain Club and proposed the Long Trail, also found inspiration in these peaks. Two of America's great long-distance hiking trails thus have roots in this small town.

Stratton's year-round population is only about 209, but that number swells dramatically when the Stratton Mountain Resort is in full operation. The ski area, which opened in 1961, dominates the local economy and has shaped the town's development patterns. Despite the resort presence, Stratton maintains its town governance through a selectboard and annual town meeting — a reminder that even Vermont's most tourism-dependent communities still practice the direct democracy that defines the state.