[1] The town of Stowe was settled in the early 19th century, with the first building in what is now village center a tavern built in 1811.

This area was better suited for both industry and the growth of a village than older settlements to the north and south, and it was recognized in the 1840s as the town center by the placement of the post office.

The tourist trade arose early in the town, with visitors drawn to the mountain scenery, promoted by W.H.H.

[2] The historic district is roughly centered on the three-way junction of Vermont Route 100 (Main Street to the south and Maple Street to the northeast) and Vermont Route 108 (Mountain Road), which leads to the Stowe Mountain Resort.

The architecture of the village is characterized by wood-frame construction in a diversity of popular 19th-century styles, with a uniformity of setback and scale in many areas.