The Round Church / Richmond, Vermont

This 16-sided church, Richmond's first meeting house, was built by a group led by William Rhodes in 1812-13 on land donated by Issac Gleason & Thomas Whitcomb. The first Proprietors were members of five denominations: Baptist, Christian, Congregational, Methodist, & Universalist. Richmond Town Meetings were held here for 160 years, until 1973, when it was closed due to structural problems and for restoration. Maintained by the Richmond Historical Society, and staffed by volunteers, this National Historic Landmark is used for tours, meetings, ecumenical services, weddings, and concerts. -continued on back side of marker- RICHMOND, VERMONT Richmond sits along a natural east-west corridor, the Winooski River. The Abenaki used this corridor for 10,000 to 12,000 years. Archaeologists have established a fall hunting site used around 1500 AD at the mouth of the Huntington River. Richmond was created by an Act of the Vermont Legislature on October 27, 1794 from parts of the towns of New Huntington, Williston & Jericho. A small section of Bolton was annexed on October 25, 1804. The first businesses in town were located near this church. Richmond was also a stopping point for early travelers on the Winooski Turnpike (US Route 2) between Burlington and Montpelier. After the railroad was completed in 1849, the town center shifted to the north.