Dummerston, Vermont

Located between Brattleboro, Putney, and Newfane in eastern Windham County is Dummerston, Vermont. The town is just north of where the West River and Connecticut River meet, and it borders the Connecticut River and New Hampshire to the east. Dummerston has a gorgeous landscape of gently rolling hills, fields surrounded by traditional stone walls from old farms, and idyllic streams and lakes typical of the Connecticut River Valley in Vermont.

When people think of classic small Vermont towns, they are likely imagining much of what can be found in Dummerston. Each autumn, the town hosts its annual Apple Pie Festival, an event that attracts visitors from miles around. The event includes a pancake breakfast, offerings from local cheese makers, distilleries, and farms, and of course, some of the best apple pies the state has to offer. Dummerston is also well known for its old family orchards, such as Scott Farm and Dwight Miller Orchards, which have dozens of rare varieties of heirloom apples.

Dummerston is home to some great pieces of Vermont history, most notably the Rudyard Kipling House and the West Dummerston Covered Bridge. The Kipling House, which was built in 1893 and is now considered a National Historic Landmark, is the location in which he wrote several of his most famous works, including The Jungle Book. The West Dummerston Covered Bridge was constructed in 1872, and at 280 feet it is the longest operational covered bridge in Vermont.

For families living in town, the Dummerston school serves about 150 students between kindergarten and 8th grade, with most classes holding between 15 and 18 students. High school students from Dummerston typically attend the nearby Brattleboro Union High School, which serves roughly 900 students from the surrounding towns in Windham County.

For those more inclined toward outdoor activities, some of the prettiest hiking trails in the county can be found in the Black Mountain Conservation Area, just east of where the West River runs and close to the center of town. The Dummerston area as a whole offers miles of hiking and biking trails, swimming and other water activities in the West River and Connecticut River, and close access to the many ski resorts located in southern Vermont.