Old Constitution House

In the 1770s the land that became Vermont was claimed by both New York and New Hampshire, and its settlers, resisting outside control, declared their own independent republic. Delegates gathered to write a framework of government for this self-declared state.

They met in Elijah West's tavern in Windsor in July 1777. As they debated, word arrived of the British advance in the Champlain Valley during the Revolutionary War, and the delegates pressed on to finish their work even as danger loomed.

The constitution they adopted established Vermont as a functioning republic that would remain independent for fourteen years before joining the United States as the fourteenth state in 1791.

The 1777 Vermont constitution stood out for provisions that were radical for the era. It was the first constitution in the emerging United States to prohibit adult slavery outright, and it extended voting rights to men without the property requirements common elsewhere.

These were landmark statements of principle. Historians note that ending slavery in practice took longer than the words on paper, and enforcement was imperfect, but the document put antislavery and broad suffrage into a founding charter decades before such ideas took hold nationally.

That combination of ideals makes the Windsor tavern a meaningful place in the longer American story of freedom and citizenship, not just a local landmark.

The tavern was later moved and restored, and today it operates as a state historic site with exhibits on the constitution, the delegates, and Vermont's path to statehood. Its modest scale is part of its power: momentous decisions were made in an ordinary public house.

Windsor itself rewards a short visit. The town became an important center of precision manufacturing in the 1800s, part of the birth of interchangeable-parts industry, a legacy preserved in a local museum.

Just outside town, the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, among the longest covered bridges in the United States, crosses the Connecticut River to New Hampshire, tying together the region's history and scenery.

The historic site is generally open in the warm months, so late spring through fall is the window to see the interior and exhibits.

Fall adds Upper Valley foliage and the scenic river setting, a fine time to combine the house with the covered bridge.

Winter typically finds the site closed, though the town and the bridge can still be seen from outside; confirm seasonal hours before a cold-weather trip.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.