Did all of Vermonts nine current cities derive from incorporated villages within their respective towns?
No. In most cases, however, Vermont’s cities were incorporated villages within their respective towns, before becoming distinct municipalities through special legislative acts. Vergennes, Vermont’s first city, was formed from parts of New Haven, Panton, and Ferrisburgh through a 1788 legislative act. The act may have been in response to St. John de Creveoeur’s 1785 letter to Ethan Allen requesting the creation of Vergennes and other municipalities in recognition of France’s role in winning the American Revolution. The City of Burlington was an unincorporated village within the Town of Burlington before becoming a city in 1864. Vermont’s most recent city, South Burlington was a town prior to incorporation as a city. The Town of South Burlington was, in turn, the remnant of the old Town of Burlington after the unincorporated village of Burlington incorporated as a city in 1864. top of page When a village breaks away from the parent town to become a city, do town, as well as village, resi
