West Fairlee

Separated from Fairlee in 1797, West Fairlee occupies the hilly terrain west of the Connecticut River valley in Orange County. The town sits along the Ompompanoosuc River, and its early economy was built on farming and small-scale milling. Lake Fairlee, shared with the town of Fairlee, extends along the eastern border and has been a summer recreation destination for over a century.

With a population of about 621, West Fairlee is a small community where the pace of life has not changed as dramatically as in more developed parts of the state. The town has no commercial center — residents travel to Bradford or the Upper Valley for most services. Town meeting each March is where West Fairlee's residents gather to manage the budget and elect officers, practicing the direct democracy that Vermont communities have relied on since the state's founding.