Windham

Formed February 16, 1781 (4^th county)

Windham County (45,909), Newfane (93), Bellows Falls (2,788)

The outstanding Greek Revival white wooden courthouse was built in 1825.  The Courthouse is on Court Street at West Street.  Vermont State Highway 30 is one block east of the site.  The building was remodeled 1853 and enlarged in 1907.  It was again renovated in 1998.  There is a supporting 1985 Courthouse in Brattleboro.  Jonathan Parker is the architect.  The previous courthouse was built in 1770.  Newfane has always been the county seat.  Windham County was established on February 16, 1781 from Bennington County as the 4^th county.  The county is named for Windham, Connecticut.  The county seat is named for political activist Thomas Fane.  Windham County is the birthplace of 3 Vermont Governors, George D. Aiken, Ernest W. Gibson, Jr., and Peter E. Shumlin. 

Windham County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk but doesn’t have a unified government as each township governs.  One Superior Court Judge serves Windham, Caledonia, and Windsor counties and Three Superior Court Judges serve Windham County.  Windham County is in the southeast corner of the state.  New Hampshire is across the Connecticut River to the east and Massachusetts is to the south of the county.  Burlington, Vermont is northwest and Manchester, New Hampshire is east of the county.  The county center is 4.3 miles Northwest of Newfane.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Windsor County and New Hampshire and Massachusetts and Bennington County. 

The area of the county is 789 square miles.  It is 3 out of 14 in the state.  It ranks 6 out of 14 in population in the state.  It has a density of 58.2 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 14 in the state.  Windham County has 8.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 91 travels north to south through the county from Windsor County to Massachusetts.  United States Highway 5 parallels Interstate Highway 91 from Windsor County to Massachusetts.  The county looks like a fire plug.  Newfane is located near the center of the county.  Bellows Falls is on the northeast border of the county.  Newfane is the county seat and Bellows Falls is the largest city.  Newfane is 0.2% of the county population while Bellows Falls is 6.1% of the county population.