Chittenden is the largest town in the state, however, the ridge of the Green Mountains runs down the entire eastern side, as a result, only the western part of the town has ever had much in the way of settlements.

A section in the northwest part of Chittenden is known as Philadelphia or Old Philadelphia. The name comes from another town which was chartered the same day as Chittenden, but which never did succeed as a town. Called Philadelphia, this town was granted to Samuel Beach, a brother of the first named grantee of Chittenden.