Washington

Chartered in 1781, Washington is an Orange County hill town that sits on the high ground between Barre and the Connecticut River valley. The town was likely named for George Washington, though like many Vermont town namings, the exact circumstances are not perfectly documented. Early settlers farmed the upland terrain, and the town developed as a small agricultural community.

With a population of about 1,032, Washington today is a residential community where many residents commute to Barre or Montpelier for work. The town's elevation gives it sweeping views and reliable snow cover, but also a shorter growing season than the valleys below. Washington operates under a selectboard, and town meeting each March is the annual exercise in local self-governance — a tradition that connects this hill town to the democratic practices Vermont has maintained since its founding as an independent republic in 1777.