Newfane, VT

Tucked into southern Vermont’s West River Valley, Newfane has the kind of classic, historic look people picture when they think of small-town Vermont. Settlers originally built the town high up on Newfane Hill in the 1700s, but brutal winter climbs eventually prompted residents to dismantle their buildings and move the entire settlement down to the valley floor in 1825. That relocation created the village center you see today, complete with white-clapboard houses, historic inns, and a traditional village green.

Life here still revolves around that central common, anchored by the striking Windham County Courthouse and quiet streets just off Route 30. It is a peaceful, tight-knit community where neighbors chat at the post office, visit local museum exhibits housed in the old 1825 county jail, and gather for yearly Town Meetings. For anyone looking for genuine historic character, a slower pace of life, and an easy drive into nearby Brattleboro, Newfane is a welcoming place to settle down.