Whitingham

Brigham Young, second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and founder of Salt Lake City, was born in Whitingham on June 1, 1801. A monument marks the approximate birthplace site. The town was chartered in 1770 and sits in the hills of Windham County, where the Deerfield River has been dammed to create the Harriman Reservoir — also known as Lake Whitingham — the largest body of water entirely within Vermont.

Whitingham's population of about 1,255 is scattered across a hilly landscape of forests, farms, and lakefront. The reservoir provides recreation, hydroelectric power, and a dramatic backdrop to the town. Jacksonville, the main village, sits along Route 100 in the southern part of town. The selectboard governs local affairs, and residents gather each March for town meeting — the annual tradition of direct self-governance that ties this community to the democratic practices Vermont has upheld since its founding.