Dominated by the golden dome of the State House set against a deep green back-drop of evergreens, Montpelier is the cultural center of Washington County and central Vermont. The smallest state capital in the country, it is also the only one without a McDonald's restaurant. The little city has with a couple of movie theaters, several fine bookstores, an outdoor farmers market and many popular restaurants all packed into a tiny, well-preserved downtown. Here, at lunch hour in any of the city's many small eateries, state officials and politicians mix with local residents known for their easygoing, down-to-earth manner. The city is also home to one of the states largest and oldest employers, National Life of Vermont, along with a nationally known cooking school, the New England Culinary Institute.
