Weston

Chartered in 1799, Weston is a Windsor County town that has become something of a model Vermont village. The town green, flanked by the Weston Playhouse — the oldest professional theater in Vermont, operating since 1937 — and the Vermont Country Store, presents a scene that draws visitors from around the world. The Vermont Country Store, founded by Vrest Orton in 1946, built a mail-order empire on nostalgia and practical goods.

Weston's population of about 623 belies its cultural footprint. The town sits along the West River in a valley surrounded by Green Mountain peaks, and its careful preservation of historic buildings has made it a destination. The Weston Priory, a Benedictine monastery, adds a contemplative dimension to the community. Despite the tourist traffic, Weston remains a functioning Vermont town — the selectboard governs, and residents gather each March for town meeting to make the practical decisions about roads, budgets, and schools that every community must face.