Middlebury: More Than A College Town

Middlebury, the shire town of Addison County, was chartered in 1761 and settled just after the Revolutionary War. Today, the village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to many shops, businesses and architecturally distinguished churches and public buildings. It is the largest community in the county with a population of approximately 9,000, and is ideally located midway between Burlington and Rutland, to the north and south, and the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, to the west and east.

In addition to the wide variety of shopping opportunities, including one of Robert Frost’s favorite bookstores, the downtown features over ten restaurants, many of which are located along the Otter Creek as it flows and tumbles dramatically over the Otter Creek Falls in the heart of the downtown. Historic inns, a movie theater, a theater, and multiple museums are all within a five-minute walk of the Town Green and gazebo.

Middlebury College, a 15-minute walk from the Green, has a full schedule of performing arts events, a gallery, outstanding college athletics, and much more.

Attractions within a short driving distance of Middlebury include:

• Branbury State Park: Branbury is located on the eastern shore of Lake Dunmore at the base of Mt. Moosalamoo. The 1000-foot natural sandy beach, clean, clear Lake Dunmore, and the large open grassy areas make the area very popular for swimming, sunning, or picnicking.
• Chimney Point State Historic Site:  Located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain at the foot of the Lake Champlain Bridge, Chimney Point explores the history of the area’s three earliest cultures—the Native American, French Colonial, and early American by showcasing the artifacts each left behind.
• Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History: The Sheldon Museum, the oldest community-based Museum in the country, has welcomed visitors and researchers since 1884. They offer engaging temporary art and history exhibits, programs, and events for all those seeking to gain a deeper appreciation of our community’s and Vermont's art and history.
• Mahaney Arts Center and Middlebury College Museum of Art: Opened in 1992 as the Middlebury College Center for the Arts, this visual and performing arts facility serves the College and the surrounding communities. The Middlebury College Museum of Art is located within the Mahaney Arts Center and houses several thousand objects ranging from antiquities to contemporary art and includes distinguished collections of Asian art, photography, 19th-century European and American sculpture, and contemporary prints.
• Middlebury Snowbowl: Family-friendly ski areas located just twenty minutes from the village of Middlebury in the heart of the Green Mountains, with skiing and riding on a variety of terrain.
• Mount Independence State Historic Site: Mount Independence State Historic Site is one of the nation’s most significant Revolutionary War sites, offering six miles of trails along the archaeological remains of the fortification.
• Rikert Outdoor Center: Family-friendly trail network of 55+ km of skate and classic skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-biking.
• Town Hall Theater: Town Hall Theater regularly hold plays, musicals, operas, dance and acting classes, wedding receptions, benefits, and celebrations, and serves as a meeting place for Middlebury residents.
• Trail Around Middlebury: The TAM is a footpath over 18 miles long that encircles the village of Middlebury and links several hundred acres of town land, conserved properties, schools, and other local landmarks.
• UVM Morgan Horse Farm: A National Historic Site and university facility, this working farm of 40 horses is dedicated to education and the preservation of Vermont’s State Animal, the Morgan horse.