Westminster is Vermont's oldest township
Situated on the banks of the churning Connecticut River is Westminster, Vermont’s oldest township, established in 1735. Today, the town hosts a variety of time-tested colonial-era homes, an ample land market for agriculture, and secluded countryside residences. Locals can shop through a rich network of community-supported agriculture farms without leaving town, browsing everything from fruits and veggies to Vermont maple syrup. "Overall, it has a nice community feel with beautiful farmland and farm stands owned by local farmers," says Heidi Bernier, a Westminster local and Realtor with Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country. "On my trip home from Putney, I pass about three of them selling local milk, cheese and produce, which is mostly organic."
Hiking and paddling on the Connecticut River
Hikers can access the Holden Trail at the intersection of Pinnacle Trail and Windmill Hill Road North and enjoy a 3-mile round-trip nature walk through dense forests. It's an especially picturesque walk in the fall, when bright orange and red leaves fill the tree canopy. Westminster Paddlers' Campsite is north of town along Cobb Brook. Locals can head there to fish or kayak on the Connecticut River and camp under the trees of one of the region's few remaining floodplain forests. Though the park is open to all, visitors should abide by the rules and regulations as the land is still privately owned.
The popular Westminster Festival supports local agriculture
Westminster Festival offers residents the harvest crops of numerous local farmers to browse, from fresh cheeses courtesy of Vermont Shepherd and Parish Hill Creamery to salad greens and ice cream from Milkweed Farm and pure Vermont maple syrup from farms like Collins Tree Farm and Sugarhouse.
Preserved colonial era homes and rural farmhouses
Homes in Westminster range from $100,000 to $600,000, varying by age, lot size and remodel status. In the Westminster Village Historic District, buyers can find several Cape Cods and colonial homes built as far back as the late 1700s and may require some TLC. Homeowners in the historic district making renovations and additions to their properties must apply with the town's Development Review Board, which preserves the village's distinct colonial-era look and feel. "There are attractive areas like Westminster Village, with its colonial beauty, it brings higher prices than other places in town with similar lot sizes," says Steve Schoppmeyer, a broker with Better Homes & Gardens Masiello Brattleboro with 20 years of real estate experience. "Westminster West Village is known for its artistic residents, like potters and writers." The open ranges west of the town's historic village have Cape Cods, colonials and timber-frame farmhouses along winding pastoral roads, and often feature expansive multi-acre lots.
Local farm stands throughout the town
Allen Brothers Farm Market is located along Main Street and offers farm-fresh produce, homemade pastries and deli sandwiches, and a garden center for farm supplies. Though Westminster does not offer many restaurants, local favorites like Café Loco are within town for hot coffee and a breakfast and lunch menu. Locals often drive to nearby towns for more options for food and groceries. To the north, the village of Bellows Falls hosts a corridor of diners and boutiques along Rockingham Street.
Westminster area public and private schools
Westminster Center School is the only public option in town. It has a D-minus Niche rating and teaches kindergarten through sixth grade. Since the town falls under the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union, students can advance to other connected schools like Bellows Falls Middle School and Bellows Falls Union High School, which both get C-minus ratings. Westminster also hosts The Compass School, a private day school offering a middle and high school education with a B-minus rating. Niche ranks The Compass School as the third-best high school for the arts in Vermont.
U.S. Route 5 runs through the town
Westminster's Main Street is also known as U.S. Route 5, which connects to towns along Vermont's eastern border and New England cities like Springfield, Massachusetts and New Haven, Connecticut, for day trips. A few miles north of town, Bellows Falls hosts an Amtrak Station.
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
