Montpelier, Vermont

Montpelier is the state capital of Vermont. It also serves as the shire town (as seats of Vermont counties are called) of Washington County. Montpelier covers 10.3 sq mi (26.6 sq km) and has a population of 8,000 people (2011 estimate), making it the smallest state capital in the country.

Vermont State House, Montpelier
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montpelier_vermont_state_house_20.jpg
Author: Jared C. Benedict

Montpelier dates back to a land grant issued in 1781 to Timothy Bigelow and 58 others. A permanent settlement was established here in 1787. The early settlers included Colonel Jacob Davis, who named the site after Montpellier, France (though spelled with just one "l"), at a time when things French was in fashion, as a result of French aid to the Americans in the Revolutionary War.

Montpelier was made the state capital in 1805. It was incorporated as a village in 1818, and as a city in 1895. The construction of the Vermont Central Railroad, which opened in 1849, helped fuel the growth of Montpelier as a manufacturing center. That same year East Montpelier was set off as a separate town.

Today Montpelier is a small, quiet town. Many of the people are employed by the government.

Visiting Montpelier

Montpelier is on Interstate 89 (Exit 8), about 3 hours from Boston.

Places of Interest in Montpelier

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