Just a few minutes to the west of the larger town of Brattleboro is the small community of Marlboro, Vermont. With just under 1,000 residents, Marlboro feels exceptionally quiet and secluded. Its hilly landscape and slightly higher elevation than towns located closer to the Connecticut River make it so that Marlboro is one of the most picturesque towns in the southern part of the state.
Like many of the other communities in southern Vermont, Marlboro has had a long history, and fortunately many of the historical sites from past centuries are still in existence. Examples of these sites include the Town House, built in 1822 and still used for town meetings, and the Marlboro Meeting House Congregational Church, built in 1931. Perhaps the most unique landmark in Marlboro is the Whetstone Inn, first constructed in the late 18th Century and still operational as an inn and gourmet restaurant.
Although Marlboro is certainly a small community, it is actually quite well known by those that don’t live in Vermont or the surrounding New England area. That reputation is mainly due to Marlboro College and Marlboro Music. Marlboro College is a small and very unique institution modeled around progressive education that caters to both undergraduate and graduate students. And each summer, the campus plays host to Marlboro Music, a classical music festival that attracts musicians from around the world.
Given how exceptional the natural landscape of Marlboro is, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are nearly endless options to explore the outdoors in town and in the surrounding area. On Marlboro’s western border with the town of Wilmington are the Hogback Mountain Conservation Area and Molly Stark State Park. A trip to the Hogback Mountain gift shop or a short hike to the fire tower atop Mount Olga allow for spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, the defunct Hogback Ski Area has acres of cleared trails for excellent backcountry skiing, and in the summer there are many secluded swimming holes to explore.
Marlboro has the completely authentic feel of a small Vermont town, yet it offers so much more than simply a pretty landscape or what one might expect of a rural community of its size. The connection to culture, a deep history, and the natural beauty of the area is important to those that live there, and those shared feelings and ideals among the town’s residents make Marlboro the incredibly unique community it is.
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