Montpelier, city, capital of Vermont and seat of Washington County, on the Winooski River, in the Green Mountains, in the north central part of the state; incorporated as a city in 1895. It is a commercial and insurance center situated in an agricultural and granite-quarrying area. State and local government activities and tourism are also important to the city's economic base. Major manufactures include finished granite, wood and plastic products, and processed food. Among the points of interest are the Greek Revival style State Capitol, completed in 1859 and built of local granite; the Thomas W. Wood Art Gallery, with a collection of early 20th-century U.S. art; and the birthplace of Admiral George Dewey. Institutions of higher learning include Vermont College (1834; part of Norwich University), New England Culinary Institute (1980), Woodbury College (1975), and a community college. Hubbard Park, located here, offers a picturesque view of the Winooski valley. The community, settled in the 1780s, is named for Montpellier, France. It became the capital of the state in 1805 and a county seat in 1811. Population 8,241 (1980); 8,247 (1990); 7,734 (1998 estimate).
