Windsor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 57,753. The shire town (county seat) is the town of Woodstock. The county's largest municipality is the town of Hartford.
History
Windsor County is one of several Vermont counties created from land previously ceded by the Province of New York and abandoned by the newly formed State of New York, established on January 15, 1777, when Vermont declared itself to be an independent state (the Vermont Republic). The land originally was contested by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Netherland, but it remained undelineated until July 20, 1764, when King George III established the boundary between the Province of New Hampshire and the Province of New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. New York assigned the land gained to Albany County. On March 12, 1772, Albany County was partitioned to create Charlotte County, and this situation remained until Vermont's independence from New York and Britain.
Windsor County was established on February 16, 1781, from parts of Cumberland County and organized the same year.
Windsor County is notable for being the birthplace and burial site of Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. President and one of two Presidents born in the state (the other being Chester A. Arthur). Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, was also born in Windsor County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. It is the largest county by area in Vermont.
Adjacent counties
- Orange County - north
- Grafton County, New Hampshire - northeast
- Sullivan County, New Hampshire - east
- Windham County - south
- Bennington County - southwest
- Rutland County - west
- Addison County - northwest
National parks
- Green Mountain National Forest (part)
- Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
- White Rocks National Recreation Area (part)