Brattleboro

Brattleboro is a New England town in Windham County, southeastern Vermont, sitting where the West River flows into the Connecticut River. Streets climb from the waterfront through wooded slopes to residential neighborhoods and commercial districts spread across several ridges.

A fort built in 1724 marked the first permanent European settlement in the region and served as a trading post during conflicts with French and indigenous forces. In the 19th century, the town grew into a center for papermaking and agriculture that drew immigrants from Ireland and Canada.

The downtown area holds several art galleries and a cinema housed in a renovated turn-of-the-century theater that still screens films and performances. On weekends, farmers from the surrounding region sell fresh produce at the farmers' market that has drawn visitors to the main square for decades.

The train station sits about half a mile south of downtown and connects the town to Boston and New York. Visitors exploring the area find walking trails along the river and through the wooded slopes north and west of town.

A former mental health facility founded in 1834 now uses its extensive grounds for recovery programs and public walking trails. The institution was among the first in New England to promote humane treatment of mental illness.

Location: Windham County

Inception: 1753

Elevation above the sea: 175 m

Website: http://brattleboro.org

GPS coordinates: 42.86194,-72.61444

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:05