Washington County VTGenWeb

My name is Bob Jenkins and I am the Washington County Coordinator.

We have many genealogical resources available here.
We would appreciate any contributions you would like  to make to this site. 

Washington County, Vermont

Washington County—originally known as Jefferson County until 1814—sits at the geographic heart of Vermont and has long been a crossroads of government, industry, and rural life. Established in 1810, the county grew around small agricultural villages, early mills along the Winooski River, and the developing civic center that would become Montpelier, now the smallest U.S. state capital.

During the 19th century, the county’s economy expanded through granite quarrying and stonecutting, especially in Barre, whose granite became nationally known for its quality and craftsmanship. At the same time, farming communities across towns like Northfield, Moretown, and Waitsfield maintained the traditional Vermont pattern of family homesteads, mixed agriculture, and tight-knit village life.

The arrival of the railroad in the mid‑1800s connected Washington County to wider markets, encouraging population growth and the establishment of schools, churches, and civic institutions. Many families who appear in early census records can be traced through these expanding town centers, mill districts, and farmsteads.

By the early 20th century, Washington County had become a blend of industrial skill, agricultural heritage, and political significance, with Montpelier serving as the state’s administrative hub and Barre as a major center of immigrant stoneworkers from Scotland, Italy, and Quebec.

For genealogists, the county offers rich resources: long‑standing town clerks’ offices, extensive cemetery records, early church registers, and a deep tradition of preserving local history. Families who settled here often left clear documentary trails through land deeds, vital records, and the county’s active civic life—making Washington County an excellent place to trace Vermont ancestry.