West Windsor

Separated from Windsor in 1848, West Windsor is a hill town in Windsor County that includes the village of Brownsville, nestled at the base of Mount Ascutney's western slope. The town's terrain is hilly and wooded, and its history is tied to small-scale farming and the kind of self-sufficient hill community that defined much of Vermont in the nineteenth century.

With a population of around 1,344, West Windsor has seen some growth from families attracted to its rural character and proximity to the Upper Valley. Ascutney Mountain Resort, though it has gone through several ownership changes and closures, remains part of the local landscape. The Brownsville area retains a village feel. Town governance follows the selectboard model, and the annual town meeting in March is where residents come together to debate budgets and set priorities — the same direct democratic process that has governed Vermont hill towns for generations.