The Brattleboro Historical Society Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brattleboro Historical Society
Since its founding in 1982, the Brattleboro Historical Society has worked to shelter and share locally significant facts and artifacts so present and future generations can learn from the past.
When President John F. Kennedy visited Berlin in 1963, he requested that his personal security detail athis residence be made up of soldiers from New England. Among those chosen to stand guard was Brattleboro’s Joe Jacques.Joe later recalled standing at rigid attention on the balcony of Kennedy’s residence, a youngNew England soldier far from home, posted at one of the symbolic front lines of the Cold War. Here's the story...
August 4, 2026 there will be a day of celebration at the Creamery Bridge on Western Avenue as part of Vermont Covered Bridge Week. The bridge was built in 1879 and is the last existing covered wooden bridge in Brattleboro. We hope to see you there between 4 and 8 pm.
Arden Humphrey was a farmworker at the Brattleboro Retreat. In 1889 he would disappear. State-wide newspapers declared it was the biggest Green Mountain mystery in 25 years! Here is the story...
moved to Bainbridge, NY. Many of these transplants were Revolutionary War veterans from Brattleboro, Guilford and Dummerston. Here's their story...
Brattleboro may have had a few men at the first Vermont public reading of the Declaration of Independence. This is the story...
during the American Revolution by both the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. This is her story...
The Centerville Covered Wooden Bridge was built in 1879. Eight years later the Brattleboro Creamery Association constructed a plant nearby that converted local dairy cream into butter. The business operated until 1911 and produced more than 200,000 pounds of butter a year.
Long before European powers fixed their gaze on the Connecticut River Valley, the region that would become Brattleboro was part of a broader Abenaki homeland. The Connecticut River and its tributaries—especially the West River and Whetstone Brook—were more than waterways; they were transportation corridors, food sources, and cultural anchors...here's the story...
Hosea Beckley wrote a Vermont geography/topography/history book in the 1840's. The book has wonderful descriptions of our region and gives examples of how geography impacted early settlement in Windham County.
Spencer M. Clark was born in Brattleboro. Eventually, he moved to Washington, DC and became the first Superintendent of the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing. In 1866 he placed his own image on United States currency, a five-cent note, and had the notes circulated as legal tender. US Congress had not authorized this action and a scandal ensued. This was not Spencer M. Clark’s first scandal....
Nellie and Patrick McCarthy married in St. Michael Roman Catholic Church in 1893. They were a hard-working couple and well-respected by their peers. Here's their story...
The Hopkins family moved to Vermont in 1879. Both parents were immigrants and their thirteen children sought better lives in the Green Mountain State. Here's a bit of their story...
After months of initial planning, the Brattleboro Historical Society Board of Trustees is thrilled to announce our latest project – bringing this town’s history out of storage and into the land of the light, with a museum. As you may know, BHS has developed exhibits and displays in numerous locations over the years and even in Montpelier at the Vermont Historical Society. This new project continues that tradition – but all in one place – Brattleboro’s own Municipal Center hallways!
. Ninety years ago he was elected to office and also operated one of the largest plant nurseries in New England. This is the story...
Brattleboro's Little League began in the early 1950's. Larry Robinson played during the inaugural year of the league and remained involved in the development of youth baseball for many years. Here's the story...
Co. Rule Manufactory began in Brattleboro. The owner would go on to become the President of Stanley Tools. Here's the story...
beer who found himself in court during Vt. Prohibition. By 1900 the company was the largest bottler in Vermont. The business was located on Flat St. With various owners, it continued to operate into the 1970's.
Vermont’s baseball history expert, Dana Sprague, has recently placed local highlights of his baseball artifact collection in the display case on the first floor of the Municipal Center. We hope you will find time to visit the display next to the Town Clerk’s Office. Here's the story...
In 1907 fifteen local women met to organize the Mutual Aid Association. It's goal was to help neighbors in need of support during times of medical challenges. This is their story...
For nearly two decades Belinda Lashway was a Brattleboro PD dispatcher. In this episode she shares stories of some of the intense moments with the job.
For more than 40 years Clara Antonetti was a major contributor to the local community. This is her story...
. The actor visited town and helped raise money for a children's local mental health clinic. This is the story of how a Broadway actor had connections to Brattleboro...
pin from Brattleboro Ski Patrol Leader Ruth Lane. Nick would then regale the banquet with stories from the ski patrol's past. Here's some of what he had to say...
Ruth Lane joined the Brattleboro Ski Patrol in the 1950's and volunteered at local ski areas up until last year. A little while ago, she came into the Municipal Center and helped us create a Ski Patrol display. While she visited, we asked her a few questions...
Ruth Lane volunteered for the Brattleboro Ski Patrol in the 1950's and continued to volunteer at various local ski areas until she retired her skis in 2025. Here's her story...
The Clark family has donated many artifacts to the historical society. Their family lineage traces back to the Mayflower...Allerton Avenue is named after one of their ancestors...here's the story
In 1942 Torger Tokle was the first to retire the Winged Ski Trophy at the Brattleboro Outing Club Ski Tournament. Tokle would join the US Army and serve in the 10th Mountain Division. Many local skiers also joined the mountain fighting unit. This is the story...
After World War II there were millions of refugees displaced by the war. The subsequent scramble for control of Eastern Europe between the Soviet Union and the Allies brought about more upheaval. The Refugee Relief Act of 1953 gave some refugees a chance to come to the United States. Here's the story...
Bailey was also a successful horticulturalist who developed a new chrysanthemum and named it after his wife. He was also a hypnotist, Vaudeville, and circus performer! Here's the story of one of Brattleboro's most famous showmen!
Public School District Consolidation is a current issue. The Vermont Legislature has debated school consolidation for more than 150 years. Brattleboro's Vermont Governor Levi Fuller weighed in on the issue back in 1892...here's the story...
WTSA has recently changed hands, Dan Taylor began working for the local radio station more than 50 years ago. He recently retired...this is his story...
Vermont's roadside billboards were banned in the 1960's. It took 8 years to clear the Green Mountains of the advertising eyesores. We have a photo collection of local World War II billboards that were taken by Lewis R. Brown. Here's the story...
In the 1950's Florence Switzer was featured in two national publications as the taxi driver who was also a great-grandmother! Florence was born in Brattleboro in 1877 and retired from taxi service in 1951. She began her business in 1925. This is her story...
Brattleboro's New Year's Eve story is given a bit more context in this episode. Washington, D.C., Abraham Lincoln, Larkin Mead, Wells Fountain, Brooks Memorial Library, Westminster's Old Cemetery, and Sarah and Henry Willard are featured in the podcast. Happy New Year!
Zephyr Designs and the Clements family celebrate their 50th anniversary this year. Zephyr Renaud began the business in 1971...Robert Clement bought the business in 1975, when it was in the Van Doorn building on the southern end of Main Street. Twenty five years ago, the business moved to its present location in the Ryther Building, former home of Capt'n Bullfrog's Music Store. This is their story...
Before there were cars and trucks there were carriages and wagons. Brattleboro has a robust history featuring many manufacturers of these means of transportation. In fact, in the mid-1800's the largest maker of these items in the state of Vermont was located in Brattleboro.
The Creamery Bridge was built in 1879. There had been a bridge over Whetstone Brook in that location since 1810, and maybe even earlier. This episode shares some of the history of the bridge through the years.
in 1914. Ten years later, one of six or eight copies made by French was placed upon a Dummerston granite fountain at the southern end of Main Street, in the newly created Plaza Park. 100 years later the statue can be found in the Main Room of Brooks Memorial Library. Here's the complicated story of how the statue traveled from the southern end of Main Street to the northern end by way of a detour to Pennsylvania...
The history of local florist shop Taylor for Flowers goes back to the 1890's. This story traces the shop's history and shares some of the changes that have taken place over the past 130 years. The Unwin's have operated the shop since 1976.
In 1909 Harry Clark signed a contract with AG Spalding to provide ash stock to the sporting goods company. For more than 50 years Clark supplied the wood needed to make Spalding tennis rackets. He was also a community leader who convinced other businesses to settle in town. This is his story...
As Veterans Day approaches we focus on a story of family sacrifice and patriotism. Six brothers who volunteered to serve during World War II.
For more than 20 years, Hilltop Montessori middle school students have been investigating local stories of the past. Visits to the Brattleboro Historical Society and Brooks Memorial Library are part of the project. Students pursue their interests in real-world settings and create imaginative products that represent their learning and creativity. We are pleased to be part of their adventure!
In 1876 Brattleboro celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with 22 1/2 hours of various events. Most of the activity took place downtown and on the Common. Here's the story...
Mollie was on the Brattleboro Reformer editorial staff and wrote two columns for the paper that were often shared by the Bennington Banner and the Rutland Herald. Upon her retirement in 1938 it was said she had a regular southern Vermont readership of almost 50,000 followers. Here's her story...
Jacob Estey and John Carnahan were two Brattleboro leaders separated by more than 100 years, but with many qualities in common. Both worked to improve the social and civic life of the community. Here is a bit of their stories...
James Offutt was a World War 1 veteran who worked at the Vermont Wheel Club. His story, and many others, will be shared when we tour the Locust Ridge Cemetery and Morningside Cemetery during the next few weeks.
In the 1860's the highest paid newspaper columnist in the United States spent her summer vacations in Brattleboro. She worked for a New York City paper but, during the summer months, telegraphed her columns to the paper from Main Street's American House. Her pen name was Fanny Fern and she appreciated the natural beauty of this area. Here's the story...
Nighttime raids by government officials...neighbors unable to trust neighbors...residents split into opposing factions that result in shooting deaths on both sides...it's 1784 in southeastern Vermont and these are the Great Cow Wars!
This week's recording tells the story of hillside farming in the 1870's through the 1930's and reminds folks of the Hillside Farmers Club; a group that promoted NEIGHBORLINESS and worked to support its members.
Approximately 150 years ago the Dummerston Hill neighborhood, in northwest Brattleboro, consisted of hill farms and families who looked out for one another during challenging times. This is their story...
Electric Trolley Cars were a technological innovation that came to Brattleboro in 1895...by 1923 another technological innovation forced trolleys off the town's public roads; the automobile...here's the story
Controversy surrounded the arrival of the trolley. Vt. Governor, US House of Representatives member and famous author opposed the electric railroad; working class appreciated the convenience, cost and accessibility of the new technology...
This week we tell the story of Brattleboro's connection with the Battle of Bennington. Most soldiers from the area joined the local militia and the militia didn't arrive in Bennington until the battle was over. However, six Brattleboro soldiers joined Seth Warner's Battalion and five of them found themselves in the middle of the conflict with the British Empire on August 16, 1777.
Joel Bullard built this bridge in 1857. The wooden, covered bridge remained until 1895, when the selectmen voted to replace it with an iron bridge. The span was located where the concrete bridge near the intersection of Melrose St. and Western Avenue is now.
It was this week, 102 years ago, that Vermont's Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as President of the United States...the Coolidge family, and Plymouth Notch, have a connection with Brattleboro's Estey Organ Company and this recording tells the story...
Summer is a time for relaxing with a good book. This week we recommend 4 local historical fiction books for your enjoyment.
Have you ever wondered about the cement foundations and island in the middle of the Retreat Meadows? This recording explains the origins of the cement structures and the man-made island. The recording was written by Brattleboro Historical Society President Lee Ha.
Jennie Melchen was accused of possessing one of the finest stills ever confiscated in Vermont. She was a refugee from the Russian Empire and one of the first immigrants to sail past the Statue of Liberty in NYC Harbor. Here's her story...
Tony Jones was a fighter pilot from Brattleboro who gave his life during World War II. He grew up on the corner of Putney Road and Bradley Avenue. His family operated the Jones Oil Company. At the time of his death, Tony was 25 years old and had hunted German bombers over enemy European territory for almost two years. This is his story...
John Ballard was working at Arthur F. Roberts’ houseware and paint store on Main Street when he received a draft notice telling him to report to Rutland, Vt. for medical examination by the Army. Here's his story...
The Brattleboro Historical Society will hold a ceremony in the small park between Wells Fountain and the courthouse at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 28th to introduce “Moments in Brattleboro History” markers. These local history markers will appear on signs and buildings throughout town. Each sign will be attached to a building or post and include a brief text explaining some of the history of that place. In addition, there will be a QR code on the sign that can be scanned with a phone. The QR code will connect the phone with a four to five minute audio-video clip designed to share historical images and stories of the location. The signs are the historical society’s latest attempt to share local history with the public. Each sign will be attached to a building or post and include a brief text explaining some of the history of that place. In addition, there will be a QR code on the sign that can be scanned with a phone.
In 1879 the Bushnell Block on Elliot Street began as a two and a half story wood frame house. In 1887 the size of the building was doubled and partially converted into a boarding house. In 1915 Jason Bushnell moved his grocery store into the building and continued to expand. Here's the story...
Joseph Kellogg was the longest serving commander of Fort Dummer. He established trade with local Natives and was known for his skills as an interpreter. Kellogg was involved with many of the New England and New York treaties negotiated during this time. Here's his story...
Sarah Harris wrote about her honeymoon experiences among the Mormons in 1851. This recording explains how the Brattleboro newlyweds found themselves in multiple life-threatening situations in the days of the Wild West...
The Plows of the Valleys are NOT the Plows of the Hills...in the 1800's Brattleboro's Fred Holbrook designed sidehill swivel plows that were popular in northern New England. Here's the story...
Three generations of women owned and operated a millinery business in Brattleboro for over 75 years during the eighteen and nineteen hundreds. One of the women, Mary Donnell, also spent a great deal of time representing the interests of the seamstresses and female factory workers who were supposed to benefit from the Thompson Trust. Here's the story...
In 1942 Estey Organ on Birge St. went into wartime production for the government. Ammo boxes, pontoon bridges and portable organs for chaplains in war zones were made at the complex. Employment went from 90 to 350 and one third of the employees were women. here's the story...
Anthony Van Doorn came to Brattleboro in the early 1800's and became the largest furniture maker in Vermont. Pieces of his are on display in the Bennington Museum, Historic Deerfield Museum and the Brattleboro Historical Society. Here's his story...
Immigration and Deportation have both recently been in the news. The 1880's thru the 1920's saw major changes in these policies throughout the US and in Brattleboro. Here's the story...
Ernest Gibson Jr. became governor in the 1940's and established the Vermont State Police. Twenty years later he found himself criticizing the organization he helped start. Here's the story...
Brattleboro was chartered in 1753 but not organized as a town until 1761. This is the story of that process, and the first Brattleboro settler acknowledged by the New Hampshire government. His name was Oliver Willard. Here's the story...
Bayard Grant was born in Brattleboro in 1916. He would go on to fulfill a vital military role during the Berlin Airlift in the late 1940's. He benefitted from the belief that furthering one's education could help the individual, and also contribute to the well-being of society. Here's his story...
It took six years for the Harmony Parking Lot to progress from an idea to a reality...that was too long for the Dix-O-Dell Red and White Super Market. Here's the story...
In 2008 Walter Meyer donated handwritten minutes of four Brattleborough Town Meetings to the historical society. They date from 1781 and 1782. The minutes were recorded by Town Clerk Stephen Greenleaf. We summarize the actions of the freeholders in this recording...
This week Westminster, Vt. commemorated the 250th anniversary of what became known as the “Westminster Massacre”. In 1775 two local men, William French and Daniel Houghton, were killed during a confrontation at the Westminster Courthouse between New York-leaning Tories and those who opposed the British/New York government. Here's the story...
In 1823 the Bradshaw's rented a two floor wooden building on Main Street. The building was originally a harness shop, but the Bradshaw’s had other ideas for the structure. They were the first African American family to settle in Brattleboro. Here's the story...
On March 4, 1791 Vermont officially joined the USA. Brattleboro's representative to the convention to ratify the US Constitution was from one of the most loyal Tory families in New England. Here's the story...
Remember when dairy farms used to dot the Vermont countryside? Fifty years ago, there were almost 4000 Vermont farms milking cows. Now, the state has less than 500 dairy farms. Here in Windham County the numbers are similar. Thirty years ago, there were about 75 dairy farms in the southeastern corner of Vermont. Today there are less than 20. This week's story focuses on a few of the local dairies that operated in Brattleboro...
Brattleboro Historical Society is about to unveil a project to reach locals and visitors who are either in Brattleboro for a look or visiting via the BHS website. The project is titled “Memories of Brattleboro”. We are in the process of developing historic site markers for Brattleboro’s historic properties. A brief description will include a QR code taking the viewer, if desired, to a more in-depth media presentation about the property. This recording shares info that will be available at the Hooker-Dunham building on the eastside of Main Street.
In 1912 soprano Mary Howe was the featured performer at the four day Brattleboro Pageant on Island Park. The Pageant was an historical review of Brattleboro's past. We thought this might be an appropriate topic for our 500th podcast of local history. These podcasts are an effort, on our part, to expand on our understandings of Brattleboro's past.
The first moving pictures to play in Brattleboro came to town in 1899. In 1921 the first major motion picture filmed in Vermont was shown in the Town Hall Auditorium. It starred Lillian Gish and was filmed north of here in the Connecticut River Valley. The movie was said to be "the greatest entertainment of its kind ever seen in Brattleboro.”
This week is about Jim Fisk...the man who caused an economic panic known as "Black Friday". He was quite a wheeler-dealer and had several ties to Brattleboro. 7th grade BAMS students tell his story and rap about his impact on the country.
Edward C. Crosby was part of the 2nd generation of Crosby's to have a positive influence on Brattleboro. He was a prominent businessman who balanced his self-interests with the needs of the community. Here's his story...
BAMS students rap and tell the story of local hero Clarina Irene Howard Nichols. She was a pragmatic, hands-on advocate for Women's Rights, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Temperance Movement. Throughout her life she campaigned for equal opportunity and the protection of the vulnerable. This is her story...
7th grade students created a rap about local hero Clarina Nichols with the help of artificial intelligence. This is their recording...
Jimmy Carter visited Brattleboro in January of 1976. He was one of fifteen candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Here's the story...
Elm Corners is located at the intersection of Maple and Guilford Streets. This is the history of this section of Brattleboro which used to be the southeastern boundary of Centreville village. The story goes back to the 1750's...
In the 1980's a concerted community effort led to the creation of Wells Fountain Park in the area of town that used to be known as Toad Hill. This is the story...
Larkin Mead was a world-renowned sculptor with many pieces on display in museums across the country. Locally he is remembered for his Recording Angel, Ceres-the Goddess of Agriculture atop the Vt. Capitol Building, statues of Ethan Allen and Abraham Lincoln. Here's the rest of his story...
A pre-1835 silver spoon was recently donated to the historical society. It was made by local silversmith John Burnham. Here's the story of how the 200 year old spoon made its way to our collection...
This week we feature an interview with local 80 year old motorcyclist Joe Spano. Joe visited Brattleboro Area Middle School last week and shared his experiences with the local history class.
In late July, 1910, Brattleboro was in the middle of a railroad strike. The town was at a standstill and financial tensions filled the air. There were about 20 trains that stopped here on a daily basis. At the time, most industries in Brattleboro shipped their goods by rail, and passenger transport along the lines was also a preferred way to get from one town to another. Here's the story...
Gene Ferriter was the train depot gatekeeper for 57 years. He saw many changes during his time with the railroad. Here's a bit of his story...
Daylight Savings Time first came to the United States during World War I. This recording shares how Brattleboro dealt with the shift in time...
The creemee first arrived in Vt. in 1951. The first creemee stand in this area was in Dummerston, next to Dutton Pines State Park in 1952. Brattleboro's first stand was the Freeze King Creemee Drive In on Canal Street, built in 1953. In 1955 it became the Hillside Dairy Freeze. Here's the story...
Stephen R. Bradley, from Westminster, was one of Vermont's first US Senators. In fact, he was on the negotiation team that sealed the deal with New York and the United States, and brought Vermont into the Union. As Senator he put forth the bill which created the Flag Act of 1794. This law placed 15 stars and stripes on the US flag. He also proposed the 12th amendment to the Constitution, which modified how Presidents and Vice-Presidents were chosen.
Stephen R. Bradley was very influential in the negotiations between Vermont, New York and the U.S. government when Vermont requested to join the United States. This recording tells the story of Bradley's involvement in the judicial, military, and political aspects of the negotiations.
Stephen R. Bradley was instrumental in winning recognition of Vermont by the newly established United States of America. This is a story of his early experiences in Vermont.
This recording marks the tenth year of BAMS students' collaboration with the historical society in the production of these local history recordings. For a span of approximately 100 years the Estey Company built over 500,000 reed organs and 3,000 pipe organs. The Estey Organ Company is said to have been the largest, and longest lasting, reed organ company in the world. This recording focuses on four employees who made great contributions to the success of the company.
Our artifact collection continues to generate stories from the past...Here are two tales researched and told by BHS President Lee Ha...a doctor's scale and an 1830's foot warmer used at church
Carol Farrington shares information about the life of Dr. Edward R. Lynch, founder of Melrose Hospital in West Brattleboro, which operated from 1907 until the Doctor's death in 1930...
In the next few weeks the Brattleboro Historical Society and Estey Organ Museum will offer many opportunities to explore the history of the Estey Organ Company AND experience various free performances featuring Estey reed organs. Here's the story..
Mary Rogers was likely a child of an enslaved family. She became a housekeeper and may have been the first woman of color in Brattleboro to vote for President in the 1920 election. Here's her story...
In 1944 pianist Mary Lou Williams did something that had never been done before. She headlined an integrated traveling musical revue that toured the country to advocate for a particular Presidential candidate. In the 1940’s most stage and concert performances were segregated. However, this multi-racial revue featured a mixture of musical styles. Woody Guthrie was one of the featured performers. Here's the story...
At the young age of 22 Benjamin Hall began compiling early Vt history from the eastern side of the state. In the mid-1800's most Vt history books focused on the western side of the Green Mountains. Benjamin Hall fixed that problem. Here's the story...
Superior Court Justice Harrie B. Chase sentenced Klan members to the Windsor State Prison 100 years ago as the KKK attempted to establish a foothold in the Green Mountains. This was a time when bigotry and racism were openly promoted by some Vermonters. Here's the story...
In 1968 a young Roger Haydock hitchhiked to Chicago to protest at the Democratic National Convention. Here's his story...
The Ladies Enterprise Society bandstand, built in 1914, is a tangible artifact of the organization's commitment to the Esteyville neighborhood. The Society provided baskets of food, meals, and child care for families experiencing sickness or injury. The organization also donated to many local agencies like Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the Reformer Christmas Stocking. Band and, later, the First Regiment Band. Society chairs, tables, utensils, cups and other supplies were stored under the bandstand for these gatherings. Here's the story...
Brattleboro Historical Society Trustee Peter Root recently shared memories of his father's local trucking company. He spoke about growing up in Brattleboro in the 1940's and 50's and how the company changed with the times...
In 1973 Ry Cooder played at Windham College. The concert was one of many arranged by Putney Folk. This is the story of two of the main forces behind Putney Folk and how their careers led to many accolades, including an Oscar...
Nancy and Victor Olson remember the 1970's and the music created at Misty Meadows Farm...
An early version of local musicians, The Stockwells, began in the 1970's as The Green Mountain Boys. Here's how they started, and found themselves playing with many accomplished performers at Windham College. Putney Folk, the promoters of several performances, is also discussed in this recording...
One hundred and ten years ago the Esteyville neighborhood bandstand at Fuller Park was dedicated in a ceremony organized by the Ladies Enterprise Society. An audience of 500 attended the dedication and listened to the inaugural band concert. The future of the bandstand will be discussed in the coming weeks. This recording shares some of the bandstand's history...
In 1955 Clif Taylor moved with his young family to Brattleboro. He became President of the Outing Club and offered ski lessons at Living Memorial Park. He began experimenting with shorter skis to speed up the learning process for beginning skiers. In 1961 the Stephen Greene Press published Instant Skiing, a how-to book for learning to ski with short skis. Here's the story...
In 2022 town government placed a corrective plaque near the Civil War Soldier's Monument on the Common. This recording is a collection of excerpts from the ceremony with added context from current BAMS students.
The northwest corner of West Brattleboro’s Mather Road Cemetery is a solemn spot. The back row of uniform gravestones with inscriptions facing the woods are people who died while under the supervision of the town. Some were living at the Town Farm, others resided at the Brattleboro Retreat, and a few bodies were unclaimed after they died at the hospital. Here are their stories...
Sue Mitchell will be retiring from Brattleboro Area Middle School this year. She has worked more than forty years in local schools. Sue was born and grew up in Brattleboro, attending St. Michael’s School until it closed, and then finishing her high school years at Brattleboro Union High School. This is a bit of her story...
In 1906 the “Defenders of the Union” monument on the local fairgrounds was dedicated during a well-attended ceremony at the old military camp. U.S. member of Congress, Kittredge Haskins, was one of the dignitaries who spoke at the commemoration. Memorial Day and a history of the monument are discussed in the recording.
In 1928 a local columnist, Vrest Orton, wrote an article for the Brattleboro Reformer entitled, “A Weird Writer is in Our Midst.” The column was about H.P. Lovecraft. Howard Phillips Lovecraft was a writer from Providence, Rhode Island who would later become well-known for his science fiction/fantasy/horror stories.Here's the story of how the Brattleboro area played a prominent role in one of Lovecraft's better known stories...and later became a full-length movie...
Mary Palmer Tyler wrote a healthcare book in 1811. It was called "The Maternal Physician" and was the first book of its kind in the United States. A book written for women, by a woman, that addressed health and domestic issues...a second edition was published in 1818. Tyler moved to Brattleboro in 1801, had 11 children and lived to be 91 years old. This is the story...
200 years ago Daniel Webster was a strong advocate for keeping the United States together during tumultuous times. He also had some connections with Brattleboro...here's the story...
From 1837 to 1950 Brattleboro operated a Town Farm to provide support for those who could not financially take care of themselves. This is the story...
BAMS students interviewed Ben Robb of Robb Family Farm concerning this year's sugaring season. The Robb's have been sugaring on Ames Hill in West Brattleboro for four generations. It was a wide-ranging interview touching upon the polar vortex, the Canadian Maple Federation, changing taste palates, evolving technology and predicted long term trends in the local industry.
Irah D. Spaulding was 19 when he earned his pilot's license in 1912. Irah grew up on Elliot Street. He was the first person to fly an exhibition biplane at the Valley Fairgrounds. He served in World War I and continued flying experimental planes for the Navy after the war. Injuries caused him to leave the military in 1922. He would later have an insurance claim against the Navy settled by the Supreme Court...
Pleasant Valley Reservoir is a vital piece of the Brattleboro water system. Here's the story of its 1909 construction and how Italian workers were involved in many of the major infrastructure projects of the time...
The last major solar eclipse to pass over Brattleboro occurred in 1932. Radio was still a fairly new technology and scientists studied the impact of a solar eclipse on commercial radio signals. The press called this the first "spectator eclipse" as many people traveled to see the rare, natural phenomenon. Here is the story...
Carrie Balestier and Rudyard Kipling were married and moved to Vermont in 1892. They would remain in the Brattleboro area until a family feud caused them to move to England in 1896. Local historian Mary Cabot was a family friend and wrote about what caused them to leave...here's the story (portrait of Carrie Balestier Kipling)
Caroline Balestier, a young woman from Brattleboro, married world-famous author Rudyard Kipling in January, 1892 while both were in London, England. The wedding took place during a flu epidemic that was sweeping through England at the time. This is the story of how Carrie and Kipling met and chose to settle in Brattleboro.
This week’s vocabulary word is hyperbole.In 1893 Daniel Griggs declared Brattleboro “The Best Place on Earth”. Griggs was half of a business partnership that produced a promotional real estate booklet claiming the town was “full of beauty, health and goodness.” Here's the story...
In 1961 Brattleboro switched to Representative Town Meeting.177 candidates filed petitions to become one of the 105 Representative Town Meeting members. There was a robust vote and the Representatives were chosen. The meeting took place in the high school gym. In this episode reasons for the 1961 government switch are offered. This year there are 35 candidates running for the 62 open Representative Town Meeting seats.
Warren Pease recently celebrated his 90th birthday. For much of his life he worked at the Retreat Farm. The Historical Society interviewed Warren about his farm experience. Here is a summary of the interview...
The wood fiber/polymer material known as Texon was developed in Brattleboro by DuPont in the 1930's. It is presently used in many products that include footwear, athletic wear and protective gear. Here's the story...
The Willard family is very connected to the history of Fort Dummer. This podcast follows four generations of Willards, from the mouth of the Connecticut River in the 1600's to Fort #4 in the 1700's.
The first African American family burial plot in Brattleboro was purchased in 1859 by Francis (Frank) Green. The plot is located in the Prospect Hill Cemetery. Frank Green moved to Brattleboro in the mid-1830’s. Here is the story...
In 1976 Walt Harrington led an archaeological dig on the Fort Dummer site along the Connecticut River. This is the story...
In December 1723 the colony of Massachusetts decided to build a fort on the northern frontier of their colony to protect settlements along the Connecticut River Valley and establish trade arrangements with the Natives. Alliances between Europeans and Native Americans shifted with changing circumstances. Here's the story...
In 1803 John Gore was born in Halifax, Vermont. He moved to Brattleboro and opened a blacksmith shop with his brothers. He also became very involved in the design and construction of steam boilers and engines. His mechanical genius became well known to many. Here's his story...
In 1939 the Wizard of Oz played at the newly opened Latchis Memorial Theatre. As part of the movie promotion, the original Munchkin Land Carriage from the movie set was on display during a parade featuring local youngsters dressed as the movie characters. This is the story...
In 1824 Stephen Greenleaf wrote a description of Brattleborough for Zadock Thompson's Vermont Gazetteer. The 200 year old overview of town is shared in this podcast...
Sixty years ago the Puerto Rican Little League champions played in Brattleboro as part of the New England Little League Championship. Enrique Rivera was the 2nd baseman for the team. Recently he visited the Little League field on South Main St to help remember the experience...
Bob Cornellier joined the BHS Trustees in 2020. He has made many contributions to the Society. These contributions include images from far below the water's surface and high above the tallest structure in our community.
In 1958 the Creamery Bridge was decorated for the holidays by the Lions Club. The lights remained on until Winter Carnival. This was a tradition for many years.
Barrows Mussey moved to the Brattleboro area in the 1930's. He wrote many stories with local historical connections. He also translated Mein Kampf for a NYC publisher and wrote many textbooks for magicians. Here's his story...
In 1971 snow began to fall late on Thanksgiving Eve. The National Weather Service had anticipated light precipitation in the Brattleboro area. However, a Nor’easter arrived instead of light snow and the town plows were on the road by 4 am Thanksgiving morning. They ran continuously for the next twenty hours as fifteen inches of snow fell in Brattleboro. Here's the story...
Between the 1850’s and the 1950’s Brattleboro’s Estey Organ Company built more than 500,000 reed organs. Jacob Estey, founder of the business, could not play an instrument, but was instrumental in the development of American musical tastes. This is the story of how it all began...
In the late 1800's French Canadian immigrant Frank Curtis invented a machine that could automatically make screws. He and his sons would go on to refine the machining components and further develop his invention. Eventually, the machining platform developed by Curtis would be used to create products for a variety of industries. Today, many vehicles around the world contain Curtis-manufactured parts. The image shows the original Curtis Mill in West Brattleboro. Here's the story...
From 1974-1981 the Chelsea House Cafe and Folklore Center operated in an old barn in West Brattleboro. Philadelphia transplants Carol Levin and Bill Gehman began the non-profit organization and brought Folk and Traditional Music performers from all over the world to the area.
Thomas Akeley moved to Vermont in 1776. He had already fought against the British at Lexington the year before. He would make contributions to the war effort while living here as well. This is his story...
In the 1800's there was a civically-minded trend to beautify town graveyards. This podcast shares how the Village Burying Ground became the Prospect Hill Cemetery. Prominent residents led a movement to create a resting space for the living and the dead...
In 1824 there was a woolen mill at the end of Birge Street. By the 1880’s Henry Fletcher had converted the old woolen mill into a sawmill. The sawmill continued to operate under various owners until 1953. An investigation into the site is happening now to get a better understanding of what life was like for the mill workers. Here's the story...
The portrait was prominently displayed in the Reading Room of the old Brattleboro Library for more than 50 years. Colonel Tyler was only 21 years old when he died from wounds sustained at the Battle of the Wilderness. The surviving men of his Regiment asked that his portrait remain on display to remind the community of the service, sacrifice and faithfulness demonstrated by those who gave their lives in the war. Here's the story...
Esteyville was a town within a town. Two stores had most everything one needed. There was a neighborhood school, a church, Fuller Park and the bandstand. This little community was held together and enhanced by the Ladies Enterprise Society. Here's the story...
In 1924 four young people joined an after school club at Brattleboro High School. They would go on to win the state debate championship at UVM in 1925. We wanted to know what happened to them after high school. Here are their stories...
Robert Gordon Hardie, Jr. came into the world in 1854 - the son of Major Robert Gordon Hardie, Sr. and Frances Whiting Hyde. He would go on to become a portrait painter and rise to fame in the art world. He grew up on Canal Street but traveled the world in pursuit of his art. Here's his story...
Josh is the creator of the Instagram page "Landmarks of Brattleboro". It is an excellent source for images, and the history, of various locations in the area. This episode explores Josh's connections with Brattleboro...
Estey Organ Co. made over half a million reed organs and more than 3,000 pipe organs. The "made to order" pipe organs are featured in churches, clubs and mansions throughout the world. Each unique set of design plans has been preserved for reference. Recently these records were shipped to the Organ Historical Society in Pennsylvania. Here's the story...
In March, 1933 Ulric Rolin was the head bookkeeper at Manley Brothers Company, an automobile dealer in Brattleboro. Auditors arrived to check the books and Ulric Rolins disappeared. This is the strange story that unfolded...
Edward Heights became a public road in 1947. This was part of the building boom after World War II. Developer Edward Gagnon established 5 houses on the road and there were plans for 5 more. Fuller Drive was another section of town opened up at the same time. This is the story of Edward Heights...
102 years ago the current bridge between Brattleboro and Hinsdale was put into place. Now a replacement bridge is in the process of construction. This will be the 8th bridge that has spanned the Connecticut River between Brattleboro and Hinsdale. Here's the story...
Prospect Hill Cemetery was once known as the East Village Burying Ground. It began in 1796 with the burial of Freedom Clark, a woman who died during childbirth. Her daughter, also named Freedom, survived. This story, and others about the beginning of the cemetery, are shared in this podcast...
“My life is recreation. I do it, I live it, I love it and I’ll continue to do it,” said Frank Dearborn on the day he retired as longtime Superintendent of Parks and Recreation for the town of Brattleboro on May 25, 1990, a day that was declared “Frank H. Dearborn Day.” Here's his story...
In 1961 a local cable company built a tower on Wantastiquet for better reception. In the '80's the tower was replaced, and last month it was taken down...here's the story
Recently the United States government came to an agreement that averted a federal default on its debt payment. There is a history to this, and we will turn the clock back to the early 1970s when America’s debt was growing, and dissatisfaction was being expressed...
There was a time when the local fire department would host a banquet for the BUHS football team. These banquets honored the efforts of the local athletes and also served as a recruiting tool for the fire department. Here's the story...
The very first organized fire fighting force in Brattleboro dates back to December 1831, when the Brattleboro Fire Society was formed on Main Street. The organization operated out of the old Chase's Stage House, which stood where Vermont Artisan Designs is today. There have been a few changes since then...
In the 1960’s Denny and Don Robinson, twin brothers from Dummerston Elementary School, joined with Phil Natowich of Brattleboro to form a powerful athletic threesome at Brattleboro Union High School. They would play baseball and football together, winning a state football Division I championship on the heels of bringing the Brattleboro American Legion program its first ever state championship, both in 1965. Here's the story...
In 1951 Junior High Science teacher Ruth Atkinson wrote about the history of Brattleboro's trees for a local history and folklore publication. We share that story in this week's podcast...
The Interstate highway system in Vermont linking Massachusetts to Canada was completed in 1978, a full 20 years after the first section of Vermont Interstate was constructed. The destination of that first stretch of Interstate was Brattleboro...
In 1954 Marshall Frizzell and the FFA planted European Larch trees at the Clark farm on Guilford Street. Frizzell would later die while serving in Vietnam. The trees would become part of Living Memorial Park and, in 1980, they were designated as a living memorial to those who served in the Korean War. Here's the story...
In 1965 the Melsur Corporation purchased land in northeastern Brattleboro on Old Ferry Road from Robert and Ruth Allard. Financing was arranged with the help of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. A 2 ½ story, 15,000 foot manufacturing plant was built on the old Allard property by Loney Construction. For the next 25 years school furniture was made in the factory...
Joe Shield grew up in town and went on to play for the Green Bay Packers. Here we read part of the speech he gave at the BUHS Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2020. He will be inducted into the Vermont Principal's Association Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend...
During World War I almost 700 Vermont soldiers were transported to France on the largest troopship in the world, the Leviathan. About 30% died as a result of contracting influenza while on board. Brattleboro's Ernest Gibson wrote about the tragedy and we share the story...
Deidrich (DeDe) Stolte contributed a great deal to the athletic and moral upbringing of Brattleboro's young people 100 years ago. The current high school sports complex is dedicated to his memory. This is his story...
Florence Anderson was a 1951 BHS graduate. She wrote an essay about a local hero of hers..Mary Howe. The essay was featured at the BHS commencement ceremony. Mary Howe was an international opera star who grew up in Brattleboro in the late 1800's...here's the story, read by historical society trustees...musical interlude by Phillip Chapman
In Brooks Memorial Library you will find a few sculptures by local artist Larkin Mead. He made them while living in Italy but they both made their way to Brattleboro. Here's the story...
In 1901, 53 year old Annie Grout passed away. Many people remembered her contributions as an educator, her commitment to social justice, and her love of the natural world. She was born at a South African mission, she taught at one of the original HBCU schools after the Civil War, and pursued botanical and wildlife preservation hobbies while living in Brattleboro. Here's her story...
In 1967 a book compiled and edited by T.D. Seymour Bassett was published by the local Stephen Greene Press. It was called “Outsiders Inside Vermont” and featured thirty writers commenting on life in Vermont over a period of more than 350 years. Rudyard Kipling was one of the authors who had writings published in the book. Here's what he had to say...
Brattleboro sugar makers were at the forefront of establishing, maintaining, and marketing the purity and quality of Vermont Maple products. It all began in the 1880's...
Ben is the 6th generation to work at the Robb Farm. In 1907 his family moved to Ames Hill in West Brattleboro and began a farming operation. For many years the land supported a dairy herd, but in 2011 the family shifted its emphasis from milk production to raising beef and focusing on its maple sugar operation. Recently Brattleboro Area Middle School students spoke with Ben about maple sugaring. Here's the story...p.s. musical interludes by Phill
Brattleboro Winter Carnival has been a local tradition since 1957. In this episode we highlight some of the events and participants from 60, 50 and 40 years ago.
The 1st Brattleboro Winter Carnival took place in 1957. In our archive collection we found a program from the inaugural carnival. In this podcast we share information from the program and a little background about what led up to the creation of the carnival...
The Bean's home stood adjacent to the covered bridge and Connecticut River on Bridge St. and was attached to the Brattleboro Gas Works. The company house was provided for the gas maker’s family. Charles Sr.'s job was to fill the huge round building with gas. Charles Jr'.s job was to run the East Eagle Distillery on the nearby island between Brattleboro and Hinsdale...here's the story...
On January 31, 1922 Evelyn and Fred Harris took the first trial jumps off the newly constructed ski hill. The jumping course was about 750 feet long with a drop of approximately 300 feet. A few days later the best male ski jumpers in the region competed in the Vermont State Amateur Ski Jumping Championship at what would become Harris Hill...
George Houghton was a local photographer who traveled with Vermont Civil War Regiments from 1861 to 1863. This is a little bit of his story...
T.W. Higginson knew abolitionist Lucy Stone, supported John Brown, edited Emily Dickinson, led an insurrection against the Fugitive Slave Law, and fought beside Harriet Tubman. Brattleboro historian, Mary Cabot, also said he was a good dancer...here's his story
Local historians Mary Cabot and Henry Burnham wrote that Francis Goodhue was the most influential merchant and developer in Brattleboro History. Here's his story...
In the final few moments of 1941 a secret train traveled south through Brattleboro as it headed to Washington, D.C. On board was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The train was somewhere in Vernon when the old year passed and 1942 arrived. Here's the story...
In 1945 Mrs. Amy Jones Rice spoke to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Her talk focused on the history behind the creation of BMH. This is the story she shared...
In 1934 the Vermont DAR purchased an historic farm property in Addison, Vermont. They dedicated the land to Florence Gray Estey, a charter member of the Brattleboro chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Here's the story...
Many scrapbooks have been donated to the historical society. Some are collections of newspaper articles, some are full of family memories, and some focus on a particular interest of the creator. Carrie Smith graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1889 and, for a time, taught at Canal Street School. Mrs. Smith’s scrapbook of newspaper clippings shows her interests in local and world events over her lifetime. Another donated scrapbook tells the personal history of Valentine Morehouse. Here are the stories...
Substance addictions have been part of our culture for a long time. In the late 1900's society began to look at substance addiction as a medical condition and some doctors began to treat it as such. The local branch of the Morrell Liquor Cure Institute of Vermont opened in Brattleboro in 1893. Here's the story...
This summer a Howard Street homeowner contacted the historical society about a contraption boxed up in an old barn. We investigated the device and researched the story. Not all inventions are successful...
This week’s local history is provided by Brattleboro Historical Society board member Carol Farrington. She remembers her days working at Dunham Brothers. The company came to Main Street in 1885 and moved to the old cotton mill in 1966. Here's Carol's story...
In the early 1800’s France and Great Britain were again at war with one another. The US traded with both countries and found itself drawn into the conflict. Enter John Henry, a spy lately from Vermont, who gets mixed up in the middle of political intrigue...
In 2015 the historical society received a package in the mail from a family in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The passing of one generation had caused the next generation to sort through boxes of “Dad’s stuff”. In one of the boxes were Brattleboro-related items that the family decided to donate to our organization. One of the items was William Whipple’s membership card in the Washington Benevolent Society, dating from 1811. Another was an copy of the Washington Benevolent Society’s publication of President Washington’s Farewell Address. The third item was a Society ribbon that could be worn like political pins are worn today. These family artifacts had passed from generation to generation for more than two hundred years. Here's the story...
In the late 1970’s a section of the south side of Elliot Street was purchased by the town in order to build a small park. The park was part of a larger Elliot Street re-vitalization project that was funded through federal grants secured by the Brattleboro Community Development Office. Here's the story...
Governor Holbrook served as Governor for 2 years during the Civil War. He lived on Walnut Street, used the Brattleboro House for his executive offices and rented space in the American House for official correspondence, (the telegraph office was in the American House). He believed he had a warm, influential relationship with Abraham Lincoln...here's the story...
One hundred and sixty years ago the United States was in a major battle for its soul. The Civil War was a little over a year old and it was clear there would be no easy resolution. In 1861 Brattleboro's Frederick Holbrook was elected Vt. Governor. This begins his story...
During the 1940's more than 1,000,000 Spalding baseballs were sewn together in Brattleboro. Most of the work was done by women and young people not directly involved in the war effort.
The historical society accepts donations of local items of historical significance. These items are catalogued and stored in AB boxes. The AB is short for Artifact Box. This past weekend; while placing a newly donated item into an AB box for medals, pins, jewelry and other small artifacts, we decided to share stories attached to some of the items in the box. Here are stories about some of the contents of AB 18...
Have you ever played the 1990's game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? In this edition we play a modified version known as Six Degrees of Fairbanks Moore. Moore was the first English colonizer to settle along the West River in the 1750's and we trace an early 1900's Harness Maker's sign to him in six steps...
In 1869 two days of heavy rain throughout New England caused floods along tributaries of major NE rivers and lakes. Water power was the main source of energy for factories and mills. A great deal of destruction and loss of life resulted from these freshets. This is the story of two families facing the consequences of a natural disaster...
Here's the story of how Dr. Frank O'Connor brought the Valley Fair back from bankruptcy and set it on a path for success in the 20th Century...
Dr. O'Connor played major league baseball for a short time but achieved two distinct statistics that will keep him in the record books for a long time. This is part 1 of a two part story explaining how he lived in Brattleboro for less than a decade but had a lasting impact on the community...
Holton Home has served the elderly in Brattleboro for 125 years. The facility closed this summer. Here is the story...
West Brattleboro’s Arthur H. Goodenough passed away on September 18, 1936. He was a full-time hill farmer and an amateur poet. Upon his passing he left over 3,000 poems. Here's a story about his poems...
Twenty years ago two high school students, Ben Tucker and Mike Cohen, began the first iteration of the Brattleboro Historical Society website. This recording shares how things have changed for us in the world of social media since then.
Tom Finnell was a volunteer assistant of BUHS sports teams for two decades. He represented Brattleboro at many athletic venues around the state and was respected throughout Vermont. Here's his story...
This week we share the story of local radio station WTSA and hear anecdotes from John Clark and Ian Kelly, two people who have served in the DJ seat at WTSA
Rob Farnham and Joe Juscen were two local football linemen who went on to play college football. Here's their stories...
Next Saturday, August 6, the park east of the railroad station with be transformed into “RiverFest Village”. It will be part of a broad offering of free family-friendly activities that will take place on both sides of the river. The historical society will be there to celebrate the history of the Connecticut River. An overview of the day and a little history is included in this recording.
It is golfing season and recently at the Brattleboro Country Club two tournaments were held, the Vermont Amateur and the BCC championship. The local championship has some history, and it is fitting that we take a look back at two premier golfers, Shawn Baker and Hugh Barber...
In 1949 the Brattleboro Maples semi-pro baseball team won the Northern League pennant. It was a team made up of major league "has-beens" and "never-weres". On the last day of the 70 game season they won the league by a few percentage points over the rival Montpelier team. Here's the story...
In 1918 the US was dealing with staggering inflation and food shortages as a result of World War I The government recruited school children to grow food during the summer months and women were asked to work on the farms...here's the story...
A local company adopted the slogan “the Best Seat in the House” to promote its most popular product. The business was named after its founder, C.F. Church. The most popular product of the Church Manufacturing Company was a toilet seat. Here's the story...
In 1920 a large portion of the Bradley farm north of the West River was purchased by the Windham County Cooperative Milk Producers Association. The Milk Producers Association purchased the 75 acre property and planned to build a milk plant on the sight. The milk plant was a cooperative effort of the dairy farmers in the area. Originally, 115 farmers joined together in the cooperative and within a year, 170 farmers were delivering their milk to the plant. Here's the story...
In 2020 three middle school activists visited with the Town Manager to discuss the Civil War Soldiers' Monument. In 2022 a corrective bronze tablet will be added to the site to present a more comprehensive representation of those who fought and died for Brattleboro during the Civil War. Here's the story...
Henry and Janet Schroeder moved to Ginseng Hill in West Brattleboro in the 1950’s. He was an accomplished scientific researcher and she was an accomplished sculptor. By happenstance a litter of rats at the Schroeder laboratory would help change the world of science. Here's the story...
BAMS Local History students read Richard Hamilton's Memorial Day speech he delivered on May 27, 2022. More than 400 students, staff and community members were in attendance.
Charles Alvah Smith built over 600 wooden clocks that included wooden internal movements to keep time. In 1944 he was featured in the Saturday Evening Post. He was a self taught artisan who spent much of his life in his woodworking shop on Canal Street...
Richard Hamilton, World War II veteran, is scheduled to speak during this week's Memorial Day Remembrance at Brattleboro Union High School. BHS Alumni who died while serving during World War I will be honored.
In 1936 the Massachusetts State Police reported that the Vernon Dam had burst. Radio stations broadcast the news and phone lines were jammed with frantic callers. Turner's Falls began evacuating the local hospital. Here's the story...
1900 Valley Fair in Brattleboro...30 year old Jessie Tarbox Beals took photos for the Vermont Phoenix and the Windham County Reformer. The Reformer published her name with the photos and, according to photography historian Alexander Alland, Sr., Beals became the first recognized female photojournalist in the United States. This is the story...
250 years ago the Greenleaf's built a home and business on a road that would become Main Street. At the time there were about 20 families living in Brattleboro. They were the first family to settle on the stretch of the Great River Road that would later become Main Street...
In 1955 the Clark Farm was purchased in order to secure a spot for the Living Memorial Park. A plan for the development of the 53 acre recreation area off Guilford Street progressed through the year. The Recreation Board stressed the need for a swimming pool as soon as possible, as “the present facility at the West River is unreliable, uneconomical and dangerous.” Here's the story...
The first town beach was established on the north end of Island Park in 1922. In 1934 the second town beach started on the West River. Here is the origin story of both...
How does a Russian astronomer name an asteroid after a Brattleboro native? Why is a crater on the far side of the moon named after the same man? Listen to the story of how Edwin B Frost became a leading astrophysicist in the last century...
St. Michael's Episcopal Church was moved from Main Street and relocated to the corner of Putney Road and Bradley Avenue. A Woolworth's went onto the lot, which was later replaced by a Key Bank. This is the story of the church's beginnings and its move along Main Street...researched by BAMS student Bibi Johnson.
This is Brattleboro High School’s 190th year. The school began in 1831 and was incorporated by the Vermont Legislature in November, 1832. It was originally a private enterprise led by prominent community members John Holbrook and John Dickerman. The establishment of a public high school evolved with time and the changing needs of the community...
Brattleboro High School began 190 years ago...Brattleboro Historical Society began 40 years ago...here's a little bit about both entities and the changing nature of each enterprise
In the 1930's and 40's "ski trains" and buses traveled to Brattleboro from all over New England to experience the outdoor sports community...snowshoe hikes up Mt. Wantastiquet during a full moon, tobogganing down Round Mountain, ski jumping at Cedar Street and skiing at the Guilford Street ski tow were some of the attractions...
The story begins in 1793 when Lucy Goodell was born in Brattleboro. In 1812, while living in Marlboro, Vt., she married Harrison Blake. Over the next eight years they would produce five children who were born in Brattleboro, Marlboro and Newfane. By 1821 the family moved to Salem, New York, and during their first winter away from home they attempted to travel back to visit relatives in Dec. 1821. Here's the story...
January, 1896 local paper quotation, "One of the largest and most elegant parties given in Brattleboro in a long time occurred at the Brooks House Wednesday evening…A company of 125 was present, and many extremely rich and handsome toilets were worn.” Here's the story of Brattleboro toilets...
Susannah Bradshaw grew up in Brattleboro in the 1820's and 30's. She was African American and her parents arranged for her to attend a boarding school to gain a first-rate education. At the same time, Ona Judge was an African American living in New Hampshire as an escaped slave of the Washington family. Ona Judge had run away from the President's House in Philadelphia during George Washington's presidency. Both women died in 1848.
Winter memories shared by folks who lived in Brattleboro from the 1940's to more recent times...they are read by BAMS 8th graders from posts on our Facebook page
8th Grade BAMS students interviewed Tim Arsenault, Zach Young and Mary Linney to learn more about the Hunt House, CCV and the BUHS Costume Loft. Here's the story...
January 19, 2022...John & Mary Carnahan honored at the Vermont State Capitol by Brattleboro’s 3 State Representatives; Mollie Burke, Emilie Kornheiser, and Tristan Toleno for their decades of service to the local community...
Mount Snow is located in West Dover, Vermont. Over the years it has had a large impact on the local economy. In this podcast we share the history of its origins and recent Olympic connections.
100 years ago the Harris Hill Ski Jump was created. This recording gives context as to what was happening at the time, how the hill came to be, and how it has changed over time.
A brief history of commercial steamboats on the upper Connecticut River and the story of Alanson Wood, buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery...
In 1907 Santa rode into town from the north on the back of a Shetland pony. He was headed to EJ Fenton's Department Store at the bottom of Main Street (present location of Twice Upon A Time). Unfortunately, he ran into some trouble...
Samuel Wells was the wealthiest landowner in town. He was also a British spy during the American Revolution. This is a part of his story...
On December 7, 2021 the Brattleboro Select Board voted to accept a proposal from the Civil War Monument Committee to establish a new interpretive plaque at the Civil War Soldiers’ Monument on the Brattleboro Common. This is a project that members of the historical society and students from BAMS have been working on for six years. We are pleased with the progress.
A few weeks ago BUHS Assistant Principal Chris Day contacted the BAMS Local History class because of an interesting discovery in a closet next to the BUHS gym. A heavy, dusty bronze tablet was uncovered in the back of the unused closet. No one working at the school could remember the last time the closet had been opened. The closet is under the northeast staircase and brings to mind the place where Harry Potter slept while living with his relatives. The bronze tablet was in the back of the closet, under the staircase, and seemed like a discarded relic from a different time. The students of the Local History class cleaned up the bronze tablet and began to investigate the history of the artifact. In 1920 the 14th B.H.S. Alumni Reunion took place and more than 400 people took part in the parade and activities. The Alumni Association led the parade up and down Main Street. Here's the story...
In December of 1886 local machinist Charles Barrett installed the first electric bulbs in his shop along the Whetstone Brook. The machine shop was in the Tyler Block on Main Street and specialized in the manufacture of paper-making machines. Within a few months the village voted to use electricity to power 4 lights on Main Street. Here's the story...
Corky and Peter Elwell sat down with the historical society and shared their experiences as town managers of Brattleboro. This episode focuses on the development of Putney Road...podcast script read by BAMS students...
Community Service and Volunteerism are both celebrated in this recording highlighting the history and contributions of the local garden club...
In 1901 somnambulism, a loaded bedside gun, and a pesky skunk lead to the death of a college chum. Here is the story...
In the 1950's Edgar Lawton built a race track on farmland in West Brattleboro. Sonny Rabideau began his racing career here and became a New England Stock Car Racing Legend. Here is the story...
1n 1875 it was thought that the Bickford Family Knitting Machine Company would help anchor the Brattleboro economy. Local investors sank $150,000 into the joint stock company in hopes of earning a valuable return. It didn't work out. Here's the story...
The 1869 fire was devastating for Brattleboro's commercial district. Local historian Richard Mitchell took painting classes with Jean Pratt Fisher in the 1970's. He painted a scene of the west side of Main Street before the 1869 fire and the painting is in our collection. Norman Rockwell finds his way into this story as well...
Brosnahan Square was dedicated in 1935 to World War I soldier Private John Brosnahan, who was killed in action in 1918 while serving in France. After more than 70 years the Square had faded from the town's consciousness. In 2008 Steve Barrett and the Public Works Department worked with stonemason Peter Welch to reimagine the park. Barrett invited the Brattleboro Garden Club to populate the Square with plantings and the Club has maintained the flowers ever since. In 2013 Sergeant Charlotte Marcy began to volunteer at the Square as well. She was a veteran who had served two tours in Iraq. This is the story of how Charlotte became involved with beautifying and maintaining the Square.
Madame Sherri moved to Chesterfield, NH in the late 1920's. There are many stories about what happened at her property on Gulf Road. You probably haven't heard this one from someone who shared the property with her from 1929 to 1940...
The Annals of Brattleboro is a two volume history of town that ranges from the 1600's to the end of the 1800's. Mary R. Cabot compiled and edited the 1100 page history. It was published 100 years ago. The first volume was printed during the end of 1921 and the second volume came out in the beginning of 1922. This is the story...
This week marks the 70th anniversary of the opening of the high school on Fairground Road. We interviewed Barbara Rau, longtime administrative secretary at BUHS, and share the story of the old school bell from the wooden high school on Main Street...
From 1861 to 1865 the fairground at the southern edge of Brattleboro served as a military camp and hospital. Over 1/3rd of all Vermonters who served in the Civil War passed through this military complex. Brattleboro's Governor Holbrook was very influential in establishing these entities here...
F.W. Woolworth came to Brattleboro in 1916. The company moved in the 1950's to northern Main Street and in 1972 there was a massive fire that destroyed the store. This podcast tells the story of Woolworth's in Brattleboro...
This week’s focus is on some of Brattleboro’s street names. Many streets were named after prominent Brattleboro citizens. Some names were changed to reflect changes in town, and sometimes people tried to change street names but were unsuccessful. A 1932 Reformer article on this topic was the catalyst for much of our research. The origin of Allerton Avenue was one of the more surprising stories...
In 1896 a drinking trough was constructed and dedicated on Ames Hill to the memory of Barna Clark, a well known businessman in town. This is one of two public drinking troughs for horses and people that still exists in Brattleboro. The other is the Wells Fountain on Main Street. The story behind the Clark Drinking Trough is shared in this podcast...
The Battle of Bull Run occurred 160 years ago and was the first major conflict of the Civil War. Over 30,000 soldiers from the North and the South participated in the battle. 85 men from the Brattleboro area comprised Company C of the 2nd Vermont Regiment. They were there. Here is the story...
In 1889 a “remarkably strong and substantial” suspension bridge was built across the Connecticut River to connect Brattleboro with Chesterfield, NH. Here's the story...
From 1903 to 1910 Croll built homes on Oak Grove, Highland, Pine, and Pellet Streets. He also built tenements in this area. In 1907 Croll also remodeled the Melrose Hotel in West Brattleboro. It was converted into the Lynch Hospital. Island Park was also one of his building projects. The Croll’s moved to Brattleboro during the “building boom” of the early 1900’s and had a significant impact on the construction footprint of town.
Levi Redfield enlisted to fight the French during the French and Indian War. Instead, he ended up on a ship sailing to Havana, Cuba to fight the Spanish. His experiences made him disillusioned with the British Empire and led him to join the Sons of Liberty in 1775. Here's his story...
With the exception of the Civil War era the Vietnam War era was the most divisive period in American history. Vietnam divided the country between doves and hawks, hippies and rednecks, conservatives and liberals. Here are the stories of some of the local people on both sides of the issue...
The Vietnam War was part of one of the most contentious periods in U.S. history. In 1988 a forum was held to allow participants in the conflict to share their experiences of the war years. Young people heard stories from those who were there. Here's the story...
Buford Posey spent many summers here in Windham County. He was from Mississippi and, in the 1960's, became heavily involved in uncovering the murders of three Civil Rights volunteers. Here's his story....
For 5 seasons the Brattleboro Union High School Tennis Teams of 1970-1974 put together an unprecedented 64-0 winning streak in regular season play. They also captured the 1973 Vermont State Championship. Here’s the story…
A young man from Canada met a young woman from Ireland and they married. Soon they settled in Brattleboro and raised a family of eight children. image of Hattie Brasor (Stella Brazzi). Here's the story...
People have used the Connecticut River for many things; food, transportation, trade, leisure, swimming, waste disposal, power...this is the story of the changing uses of our eastern boundary
This week we remember the silver maple tree at the Beal House. It has witnessed the passage of a great deal of time in West Brattleboro.
This week we share the history of two military monuments on the Common and remember Dorr Sprague, who gave his life during World War II
Brattleboro-born Richard Morris Hunt designed the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty. He was architect to the rich and famous and worked on many significant projects in the US, including the World's Fair in Chicago. This is a story about the Statue, the pedestal and the architect.
Laundry, Chinese Exclusion Act, Female Businesses, Technology, Immigration...this story has it all! The first commercial laundries emerged in the 1840's with Steam Laundries appearing in the 1870's...the Custom Laundry (female-owned) began in 1887 and operated until 2010
Between the 1830's and the 1890's a majority of New Englanders went from farming and raising their own food to living in the city, earning a wage, and buying their food. In Brattleboro there were attempts to provide an anecdote to the impersonal mechanization of society. This is the story...
In the 1800's William Conant made over 1000 violins while living in Brattleboro. He selected the wood for these violins from local trees. Here is his story...
Benjamin Wheaton was the 1st African American to own property in Brattleboro. He purchased land and built a home and business in the West Village in 1786. This story shares some of the events happening in the early days of Brattleboro's history...
In 1777 the Vermont Constitution banned some forms of bondage. In the historical society collection are indentured servant contracts that are examples of how some forms of bondage continued into the 1890's...almost 30 years AFTER the 13th amendment to the US Constitution banned slavery and indentured servitude. Here's the story...
People contact the historical society in hopes of gaining information about family ancestors. These are stories about two of those requests...Dorr Sprague, World War II Purple Heart recipient and Edward Bloxsom, foreman on the Pleasant Valley Reservoir project image of Mary O'Leary Bloxsom and Edward Bloxsom
In 1939 Brattleboro HIgh Hockey claimed the state championship with an undefeated season. The hockey team dominated the 1930's. This is the story of their coach, LeRoy Johnston and their greatest player, William "Bud" Fraser. Both were originally from Canada and both served in World War II...
Walter Childs was a science buff...in 1878 he connected the first telephone line in Brattleboro and then arranged for the construction of a weather station on the pinnacle of Mt. Wantastiquet. Here's his story...
Irish arrived in Brattleboro with the railroad in the late 1840's. Here's a story of their struggle...
Marshall Twitchell was from Townshend, Vt. He enlisted in the 4th Vermont Regiment in August, 1861. He was severely wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness and came home to recuperate. Upon his return to duty he decided to apply for an officer's commission in the newly formed regiments of the United States Colored Troops. He led African American soldiers at the Siege of Petersburg and watched Lee surrender at Appomattox. Twitchell next took a position with the newly created Freedmen's Bureau and was stationed in the Red River Valley of Louisiana. His job was to serve as sheriff, judge and jury in a former Confederate hotbed while supporting newly freed African Americans as they worked to establish themselves in a post Civil War South. There were at least 4 attempts made to assassinate Twitchell. White supremacy groups sprang up in Louisiana to violently oppose the federal efforts taken to enforce the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution. Twitchell left the Freedmen's Bureau, married a local Louisiana woman and settled in the area. He became a successful businessman and politician. He invited his relatives to join him in Louisiana. Eventually, white supremacy groups murdered his brother, his brothers-in-law and his property manager. Twitchell was shot six times and left for dead. He survived the attack but lost both of his arms by amputation. After this last attack Twitchell returned to Vermont for a short time before taking a job representing the federal government in Canada. In August, 1877 Twitchell had a conversation with recently chosen President Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes was visiting family in the area and the two spoke about Hayes decision to abandon Reconstruction efforts in the South. Listen to the podcast to hear the rest of the story...
The parents of Rutherford B. Hayes were both from Windham County. The year Hayes was selected President of the United States (1877)he visited Brattleboro. Here's the story...
George Crowell was a land developer, philanthropist, and businessman in Brattleboro. From the 1880's until his death in 1916 he made many contributions to the local community.
BAMS students share the story of the connections between Joseph Clark and Arnold Hines...two manufacturers who operated mills at the same location on the Whetstone Brook at different times
Jacob Cartledge was an African American Civil War veteran who lived in Brattleboro for more than 50 years. BAMS students share his story...
BAMS students share Baby Boomer stories about growing up in the 1950's and 1960's that were the most surprising...
BAMS students read passages from the remembrances of those who grew up in the area during the 1950's and 1960's
Esteyville School, the old, wooden Academy School and the one room schools of Guilford are discussed in the memories shared by people who grew up in the area in the 1950's and 1960's. The stories are read by BAMS students.
In the poem, “Chase’s Cascade”, Higginson writes about the serenity of the waterfall. He relates how the sounds, sights and smells of the cascade connect him with the spiritual side of Nature, as represented by Undine, “the green-woods loveliest daughter”. In ancient mythology Undines are female water spirits. Undines can fall in love with humans but will die if the human they fall in love with is unfaithful to her. An interpretation of the poem could be that the cascade is represented in the Undine and the author is attracted to the spirit. The author’s time spent with the waterfall is wonderful but he does not know how he can leave her for the “common” world. He is torn because returning to society means hurting the Undine.
George Crowell developed a water system that became the Brattleboro Water Works. Eventually, after almost 30 years of controversy, the village of Brattleboro bought the water system in 1925 and it became the basis of the town's municipal water system. Here's the story...
A water tower on Western Avenue...until 1925 Brattleboro residents purchased water from up to twelve different private water systems, the last private aqueduct ceased operations in 1958 because of the arrival of Interstate 91. This is the story...
100 years ago the town faced real challenges...the bridge connecting Brattleboro and Island Park was washed out, national strikes limited affordable goods, dairy farmers faced a financial squeeze from out of state processors and the community struggled with how to properly honor those who fought in World War I. Here's how Brattleboro faced these challenges...
Ernest E. Perry and Charles A. Harris were neighbors on North Street. Perry had owned a downtown business since 1887 and Harris had become the Brattleboro Savings Bank treasurer in that year as well. They were both avid hunters and fishermen and often traveled to northern New Hampshire to hunt and fish in the Connecticut Lakes region. Here's their story...
On March 2, 1870 the Boston Post reporter Sallie Joy visited town and wrote “Brattleboro has had a fire and a flood, and now it has a Woman Suffrage Convention. I saw an old farmer yesterday with the inevitable blue woolen frock and cart whip snugly stowed under his arm, reading one of the posters announcing the meeting. Patiently he waded through it, then turned on his heel and wondered aloud, ‘What in the thunder’ll come next.’”
The young reporter, originally from Brattleboro, went on to write that no one was able to tell the old farmer what might happen next but she offered that local women might see the push for women's rights as the Biblical coming of the Millennium…a time when all wrongs would be put right and all evils would be cleansed from the earth. Here's her story...
In a bold front page headline on November 13, 1908 the Reformer declared that Brattleboro was facing a smallpox epidemic. Doctor Henry Holton, the Secretary and Executive Officer of the Vermont State Board of Health came to town and closed all churches, schools and pool halls. People were forbidden to assemble in any place for any purpose until the epidemic was brought under control. Here's the story...
In the summer of 1850 a traveling daguerreotype artist arrived in Dover with a horse and cart. In the cart were the camera, chemicals and materials needed to make images appear on silver-coated copper plates. Daguerreotypes were an early version of what later became photographs. Dover resident Caleb Lysander Howe was fascinated with the images. He bought the cart from the traveling man and began his own daguerreotype business. Here's the story...
Brattleboro has a rich and varied history of authors, printers and publishers. The story of Kipling and Conland is one of many which highlight how this place and its people have had an outsized impact on the written word. The new publication, Print Town: Brattleboro’s Legacy of Words will soon add to the story.
Jennie Powers spent almost forty years of her life as a righteous humanitarian. At a time when politics, personal ambitions, and private interests are occupying so much of our public conversation it is important to remember a person whose life was spent compelling thoughtless and mean-spirited people to be kind. She devoted the best years of her life to battling cruelty - cruelty to animals and cruelty to children. Here is her story and a summary of BHS during the past year.
Forty years ago the Brattleboro Union High School Marching Band was riding an unparalleled level of success having won numerous local, state and regional band contests and having been named the finest marching band in Vermont. The band was soon to be recognized as Vermont’s representative to the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Here's the story...
Abby Estey was born in 1842, the first child of Jacob and Desdemona Estey. Jacob Estey was the founder of the Estey Organ Company. Miss Estey attended Brattleboro schools, including the Glenwood Seminary in West Brattleboro. The Estey’s lived on the east side of Canal Street. In 1865 Abby married a machinist and mechanical engineer with the Estey Organ Company, Levi Fuller. Fuller would go on to become Vice President of the Estey Organ Company and, in 1896, Governor of Vermont. In 1928 a compilation of Abby (Estey) Fuller’s addresses given to the Brattleboro Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution were published. The following story comes from her written recollections of Brattleboro in the Civil War years.
The observance of Hallow Eve was transplanted to Vermont by the people of Ireland and Scotland. It was believed in many parts of the British Isles that ghosts, fairies and spirits appeared that night. For many immigrants it was the custom for gatherings to take place at family firesides, where fortune telling, stories, games and dances served to pass away the evening. Here's the story of early Vt. Halloweens...
John and Mary Carnahan came to Brattleboro in 1957. John was born and raised in Kansas and went to high school in Texas. In 1946, John enrolled at Harvard University, graduating in the Class of 1950. He proceeded to law school, receive his law degree and moved to Brattleboro. Here's the story...
The polio virus attacked a young person’s central nervous system and could cause physical deformities and paralysis. Parents were afraid for the health of their children but they did not know how to fight the invisible virus. In the 1940’s and 50’s people were urged to avoid crowded areas like movie theaters and swimming pools. Windham County responded like many communities in the country. Here's the story...
William French lived on the Brattleborough/Dummerston town line. He was born in 1753 and died in 1775, 8 days shy of his 22nd birthday. His early death arrived in a hail of gunfire at the Westminster courthouse. His body was struck by five bullets fired by his neighbors. How does a community get to the point where neighbor will shoot neighbor? The early days of Brattleborough were contentious. Some settlers were loyal to New York, some to New Hampshire, some liked British rule, and some despised it. In those first years, those loyal to New York and the King of England controlled town government.
In the 1760’s, at the end of the French Indian War, the provenance of Brattleboro was in question. Land in this area had been granted by the Dutch of Albany, some by the French, and some by the Colonies of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and New York. Here's the story by Lewis Grout, written in the 1890's...
In 1861 Streeter volunteered to serve in the 1st regiment of the United States Sharp Shooters. Research by students at Brattleboro Area Middle School found that Streeter lived a great deal of his short adult life under a cloud of suspicion and died in 1864 of circumstances unrelated to the Civil War. Here's the story...
What was it like to be a young African American family settling into 1820’s Brattleboro? In 1823 a young couple in their twenties, with a small child, moved to Brattleboro from Massachusetts. Andrew and Phoebe Bradshaw rented a building on Main Street to begin their new life. According to available information they were the only Black family in town. Here's their story...
The cotton mill’s main building was a large, rectangular, red brick three-floor structure. In the main building, the bottom floor housed the raw cotton, the second floor was the weaving room, and the third floor was the spinning room. There was also storage and a machine shop in the main building. The administration building was attached to the southern front of the mill complex and the boiler room was in the back. The mill was built by a Rhode Island firm who brought Italian workers to the area to construct the building. Tenement housing was constructed near the mill. The development was called Fort Dummer Heights. When the mill began a five room tenement was ten dollars a month. Each tenement contained a kitchen, dining room, parlor, three bedrooms, and a bathroom. The immigrant workers who moved into the housing were mostly French Canadian, Irish, Polish and German. Recruiters also traveled throughout New England and upstate New York to entice rural folks to adopt mill life. Here's what happened...
In 1922 the business community was pretty excited. Companies along Vernon Road were having a great deal of success. The White River Chair Company, Crosby Milling and Fort Dummer Cotton Mill had all settled into the southeast corner of town and caused a housing boom. Adding to the excitement was the announcement that Presbrey-Leland of New York was building a granite cutting shed at the location of the Maine-based Snow Flake Canning Company. The corn canning company had located on Vernon Road in 1898 but was a seasonal employer, while Presbrey-Leland promised year round skilled union jobs. Here's the story...
In 1920 the leader of the local chapter of the Women’s Suffrage Association was Carrie L. Hamilton. She was a very active community member involved in much of the social life of the town. Mrs. Hamilton was a leader of the local Eastern Star organization, often serving in state-wide office. She also belonged to the Grange, Brattleboro’s Woman’s Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution. This is her story...
Lucy Terry Prince, Clarina Nichols, Edward R. Tyler, and Frederick Douglass are a few of the people who, in the past, worked locally to bring the struggle for racial and gender equality to our region. On the weekend after a Black woman was put forth as the nominee for US Vice President, and the weekend before the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, we remember their efforts...
The west end of Birge Street, as it rises to a hill overlooking the Whetstone Brook, was once known as Thomasville. Elihu Thomas was a Brattleboro businessman who had his hand in many local enterprises. He partnered with others to start or expand numerous industries. He owned three separate paper-making businesses. He also had a pin and comb manufacturing company and a fanning mill company. As the years progressed he struggled financially and moved to Boston. The area was bought up by John Birge. Here's the story of how the Thomasville neighborhood became known as Sawdust Alley...
In May 1996 the Town Crier announced plans for the first Gallery Walk in downtown Brattleboro. Sally Fegley of Tom and Sally’s Handmade Chocolates said, “The idea is to stroll from gallery to gallery. Meet the artists. Enjoy the refreshments and music. We want to make the first Friday evening every month something special in downtown Brattleboro”. Here's the story...
Vermont sheep farming began to gain popularity in the early 1800’s and peaked in the 1840’s. As the United States continued to expand West and railroads developed, small-scale woolen mills like the Brattleboro Woolen Factory struggled to compete with large woolen mills located along the railroads of southern New England. The Brattleboro Woolen Mill operated for over 40 years. Here is the story...
By 1900 the C.E. Allen Florist & Seedsman business was easily the largest in the state with his 13 greenhouses and acres of gardens and orchards. And due to his green thumb, business prowess and energy he had reached national recognition, able to ship goods to nearly every state and he even had connections in Europe to fulfill orders via telegraph in mere hours. This would become the beginning of the Oak Grove neighborhood in a few decades. Here's the story...
In the late 1940’s the building now known as Solar Hill acted as Vermont’s Governor’s mansion. World War II veteran Ernest Gibson Jr. was elected Vermont Governor in 1946 and his large family home set back from Western Avenue took on a new role. In 1946, across an ocean 3700 miles away, Hugh Mulligan met Brigid Murphy outside a church in Frankfort, Germany. Mulligan was a recently discharged GI from Long Island and Murphy was a secretary from Armagh, Ireland working for General Eisenhower’s military command in the German city. Within two years all three veterans of World War II would be living together on Western Avenue. Here's the story...
There is no American Legion baseball being played this summer and it begs the question, “Has this ever happened before in Brattleboro’s American Legion baseball history?” The answer, surprisingly, is ‘yes’. Brattleboro American Legion Post 5 won its first State Championship in 1965, but two years later, in 1967, could not find a coach. With no coach, the Legion did not field a team that year. Here's the story...
There are certainly different ways to measure this, but it could be said that this summer is really the 250th anniversary of functional town government in Brattleboro. On June 19, 1865, seventeen African Americans credited to Brattleboro during the Civil War were traveling through Texas when US Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to proclaim that “all slaves are free”. Here are these stories...
In June, 1956 Eleanor Roosevelt traveled from Hyde Park, NY to Putney, Vt. to give a commencement address at the Putney School. This was not her first time in the area. She spoke about integration of our society during the time of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Here's the story...
This week our focus is on a manufacturing concern that operated in Brattleboro from 1890 to 1952. During that time thousands of women were employed in the production of overalls and other garments. The company is best remembered as Hooker, Corser and Mitchell Overall Company but it began in 1890 as Corser, Hidden and Company. Here's the story...
Barb Barrett's athletic achievements are both prodigious and staggering. When Barb was 12 she participated in the Pepsi Hotshot contest put on by the Brattleboro Rec. Dept. She won the local competition and traveled to Roxbury, Mass for the next level. She won that event and traveled to the Boston Garden for the New England Championship. The first round of the shooting competition took place before a Boston Celtics/Houston Rockets game. She was behind after the first round but the final round took place at halftime in front of the Boston Garden crowd. Barb made her first 6 shots and won the New England Championship! It was the beginning of a wonderful sports career...
In the spring of 1944 the national government turned to young people as a new challenge faced the country. Vermont boys and girls were being asked to help save the lives of servicemen by collecting milkweed floss to be used for filler in life jackets. Here's the story...
In lieu of a local spring sports season, we feature two of the most prolific spring track and field athletes in Brattleboro Union High School history, Ray Smith and Jan Carlson. These two, over 40 years apart in their BUHS careers, set a torrid pace in their individual and team accomplishments. Here's the story...
Shortly after the Civil War ended in 1865 a woolly mammoth tusk was found in Brattleboro. It is believed to be over 10,000 years old. There are numerous written accounts of this discovery and the tusk is presently on display in the Brooks Memorial Library. The mystery we are trying to solve revolves around the place where the tusk was originally found. We don’t know where it is. Maybe someone out there knows the answer, here's what we know.
During World War II the United States was facing a crisis. War production, supply chain disruption and worker scarcity meant that many products were not readily available. In January 1942 the US Congress passed the Emergency Price Control Act to combat inflation and federally organize the production and supply of scarce products like tires, sugar, gasoline, fuel oil, coffee, meats, shoes, and processed foods. Here is how it played out in Brattleboro...
In a late April game against Northampton, MA, during that 1951 championship season, Peter Faridoni struck out 27 batters in 12 ⅓ innings of work, 20 of those came in the first 9 innings. In the state championship game in June of 1951, Faridoni pitched Brattleboro to a 9-2 victory over Spaulding of Barre, VT. He struck out 14 batters in the 9-inning game.
The newest library, the George J. Brooks Memorial Library, completed in 1967, has continued the plans of its founder by providing the town with cultural and educational advantages. Annabelle Pike was an assistant librarian at both the old library and the new. Here she distributes the 10,000th library card to Mark Bennett.
The Coronavirus has caused us to shelter in our homes for the foreseeable future. One of the few reasons to leave home would be to get some outdoor exercise. Fortunately our area is blessed with many great walking trails. This is the history that can be found along one of them. 110 years ago this week surveyors for the Boston and Maine Railroad were in Hinsdale mapping out a rail route along the east side of the Connecticut River. In 1911, newspapers reported that 1,200 men were working on the construction of the Fort Hill rail line, a majority of them were immigrant Italian laborers. Building the rail line, from the Asheulot River to the east side of the Connecticut River opposite today's Riverside Industrial Center, was dangerous and expensive. Here's the story of the trail...
One hundred years ago seventy year old Cornelius Flanigan left Hoadley’s Restaurant in the Barber Block on Main Street and walked past Police Chief Wilson. Flanigan told the officer he was heading home. Flanigan lived on the island in the Connecticut River. Wilson told him the bridge was unstable but Flanigan headed across the bridge anyway. Here's the story...
The 1887 Civil War Monument on the Common says 385 soldiers served for Brattleboro and 31 died. After months of research, BAMS students and the historical society have identified 427 Civil War soldiers and sailors born here, living here, or substituting for those drafted from here. 55 died as a result of serving during the war. We believe our list, while more comprehensive, should also be considered incomplete. Inconsistent recruitment practices during the “Great Rebellion” led to inaccurate assignment of some recruits to particular towns. This is the story...
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Arthur Goodenough was born in 1871 and his first published poem appeared when he was fourteen years old. He spent his entire life on the family farm in West Brattleboro and, as an amateur poet, wrote thousands of stanzas. In 1931 Goodenough argued against the adoption of sterilization as a means of promoting the eugenics movement in Vermont. Here's the story...
The first Brattleboro death from the flu epidemic occurred on September 30, 1918. The victim was a 36 year old Fort Dummer Cotton Mill worker named Isidor Bellair. He was a French Canadian immigrant who had moved his family to Brattleboro two years earlier in order to find work at the mill. He was survived by his wife and six small children, the youngest being only 5 months old. The 1918 flu has been called the worst pandemic in the history of the world. The disease attacked the lungs, caused high fever, delirium and terrible pains in the back and limbs. It was accompanied by nausea and spread quickly. Victims were often worn down by the flu and then died from pneumonia. In a fifteen month period approximately 650,000 people in the U.S. died from the illness. There was no vaccine to protect against the flu and no antibiotics to treat the resulting bacterial infections like pneumonia. Strategies promoted by the Red Cross to combat the illness were quarantine, good personal hygiene, and limited public gatherings.
One of the highlight performances in the Community Hall was the August, 1928 appearance of 74 year old John Philip Sousa and his Band. The band consisted of 75 musicians and performed 23 numbers in front of a 1,500 person audience. A short history of the Community Hall and Armory follows...
The 1863 Civil War Military Draft Act allowed a draftee the option of providing a substitute to take the place of a drafted citizen. 261 drafted men in the 2nd Vermont Congressional District procured substitutes to take their place. Typically draftees paid substitutes a fee or bounty. Here in Brattleboro records indicate that at least 35 local draftees opted to pay others to take their places in the war. Some of those substitutes did not survive the war. These are their stories...
Late last fall we interviewed Karen Robb of the Robb Farm in West Brattleboro. The family has been farming at that location for over 110 years. Mrs. Robb explained that the Robb Farm produces about 1000 gallons of maple syrup a year. They also produce maple candy, maple cream and maple sugar; but the syrup is definitely the most popular item. In this episode we share a bit of Maple Sugar history and interview Mrs. Robb.
In the 1930’s Vermont towns worked to attract winter sport enthusiasts from northeastern cities by offering outdoor activities. The Vermont government promoted skating, skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, ski jumping and tobogganing facilities in over 30 towns across the state. The hope was visitors from northeastern urban areas would help the local economy of these towns during hard financial times. The ski jump hill on Cedar Street attracted serious jumpers but Brattleboro was looking for ways to increase winter visitors by offering other activities. A plan to diversify offerings was devised and on February 14, 1932 a toboggan chute on the hill opened for the first time. Here's the story...
Frugality, thrift and free enterprise were some of the watchwords that marked the beginning years of the United States. Locally, John Holbrook personified these traits and was instrumental in the early development of Brattleboro’s economy. Here's the story...
In 1952 John Latchis, Fred Harris and Terry Tyler combined to build the Latchis Jump. Terry Tyler was from Dummerston and had been one of the best Class B jumpers in the country. Tyler realized there wasn’t an intermediate jumping hill in the Brattleboro area. The high school team had to travel to Dummerston or Vermont Academy to practice jumping. Harris Hill was a 70 meter jump that was too difficult for those attempting to learn the sport. Tyler believed a jumping hill near the school was needed in order to develop young jumpers. It should be small enough so the novice jumpers could learn proper techniques and large enough for experienced jumpers to perfect their style. Dave Lane is a jumper from the 1960's. He shares his story...
Alexander Darbins was a twenty year old African American who had escaped slavery in Virginia. He traveled to Vermont and signed to be Joseph Albert Taylor’s substitute. Taylor was a 29 year old Brattleboro businessman who had been drafted, but did not want to serve during the Civil War. This is their story...
Wednesday, June 21, 1905 was a bustling day in Brattleboro. Rumors were flying that a convicted killer would arrive by train for a federal hearing to determine whether the murderer should be executed on Friday, or allowed to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. There had not been an execution in Vermont for thirteen years. Convicted criminals had been sentenced to death during those years, but the Vermont Legislature voted to commute their sentences. This case seemed to be different. For one thing, the convicted murderer was a young woman, Mary Rogers. Here's the story...
It was in the 1950’s when the idea of a Fort Dummer State Park was first mentioned by the Vermont Historic Sites Commission. The Historic Sites Commission had been formed in 1947 by the Vermont Legislature with primary interest in acquiring and preserving the Calvin Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth, Vermont. Here's the story...
Our research indicates that at least five African Americans with ties to Brattleboro served during the Civil War as part of United States Colored Troop regiments. Another seventeen African Americans came to Brattleboro from southern states to serve as substitutes for Brattleboro men who were drafted but did not want to serve. Here's the story...
On June 17, 1887 the Soldier’s Monument on the Brattleboro Common was dedicated. It was a veteran’s organization who began fundraising in the mid 1880's and at the 1886 Town Meeting in March, voters chose to create a monument to honor those who fought in the Civil War. this proved to be controversial. Here's the story...
One of our busiest intersections, and what some might call the center of town is the corner of High and Main Street. The development of this corner and some of the people associated with buildings there, brings to life a bit of the fascinating history of Brattleboro. This is the story...
In April, 1872, the completion of the Brooks House hotel, located on the corner of High and Main Streets, was big news throughout Vermont. Over 100 miles away, in a little newspaper in Newbury, Vermont this was written about the Brooks House, “It is a magnificent structure, and will be supplied with every modern convenience and comfort for transient and permanent guests; and the people of Brattleboro rejoice in its construction…” Here's the story...
The land which will become the Brattleboro Museum and Arts Center has seen much activity in the town’s history. Here's the story...
In 1840 an itinerant revivalist minister named Emerson Andrews came to Brattleboro and preached a series of sermons which challenged the status quo. At that time the town was dominated by English-descended, Congregationalist residents who owned many of the influential businesses and property in the community. Here's the story of what happened next...
The First Baptist Society of Brattleboro was incorporated May 29, 1866 to build a new church on Main Street. Jacob Estey and his son, JJ Estey, and C.L. Brown formed the new corporation with Pastor Henry Peabody. They became the financial managers of the project. In June, 1866 a Main Street house lot was purchased from Dr. O. R. Post, a parishioner of the Baptist Church. The brick house was removed from the lot and the foundation of the church was completed in 1867.
In January 1983 Audrey Marie Hilley had been working at the Book Press for a few months. She was living under an assumed name with a false identity. Audrey was wanted by the FBI as a suspect charged with the murder of her husband and attempted murder of her daughter. Here's her story...
Through history the Kyle Gilbert Memorial Bridge has gone by other names. For a long time it was simply known as the “Whetstone Bridge”. Then, shortly after the 1869 freshet, it took on the name “Main Street Bridge”. Kyle Gilbert was a young person with a twinkle in his eye, and a love of the hills and valleys that make up this community. It seems fitting that he is remembered at the confluence of the Whetstone Brook and the Connecticut River. Here's the story...
During World War I, on November 11, 1918, a negotiated armistice was declared and the truce effectively ended the war. In 1919, on the first anniversary of the truce, Brattleboro held a large celebration to remember those who had died during the war, and honor those veterans who were able to return home. Here's a story that begins with Brattleboro's first Armistice Day and weaves its way through the West Brattleboro Cemetery, the Civil War and World War II.
It was 1886 and a local committee decided to hold an agricultural fair on the outskirts of town. The first year resulted in a $300 profit and from there the Valley Fair Association was formed. The organization purchased land which presently includes the high school, middle school, career center and town garage, and the Fairgrounds was established. Here's the rest of the story...
On the east side of Main Street, a grocery store clerk, West Brattleboro farm boy and Italian immigrant each left their marks downtown with the construction and maintenance of the Union Block. Here's the story...
Burton Minshall and his family moved to Brattleboro in 1944. Thus began the short story of electronic organ production on Birge Street. Minshall-Estey started operations in Estey shop building #5. Based upon Minshall’s plans, the joint venture began using Minshall’s electronic pickups and amplifiers to enhance the sound of Estey’s modified reed organs. Minshall went on to produce over 10,000 organs. Here's the story...
74 years ago this month, a decision that would forever change the development of Brattleboro was made. In the beginning of September 1945 World War II ended. Brattleboro was able to catch its breath and contemplate its future for the first time in years. As a result, as September came to a close, the town zoning board recommended to open Putney Road development to commercial and business interests. This was a real game changer. The image is the present location of Hannaford's Store on Putney Road. It was the Thomas Farm at the time of the photo.
High School students in 1988 had no personal memory of the Vietnam War. BUHS teachers organized a week long series of speakers to share first hand accounts of the tumultuous war years. It proved to be very enlightening.
In 1851 the post office began to issue nationally accepted stamps, the telegraph arrived and Brattleboro's first newsstand was established near the railroad station. Information was moving at a faster pace than ever before. BAMS students are back and they'd like to share the story...
Brattleboro Area Middle School teachers tell the story of Clarina Nichols. She was the editor of the local paper, Windham County Democrat, in the 1840's and 50's. Clarina was in the forefront of change as an advocate for women's rights, abolition, temperance and child labor laws. The 19th Amendment finally became law 40 years after her death. This is the story of Vermont's foot-dragging on the issue of equal rights for women.
The old Centerville Mill on Larkin Street was where the Estey Organ Company and Crosby Milling Company, two of the most influential businesses in the development of Brattleboro, both had their origins. Here's the story...
Some places are full of history. Beginning thousands of years ago, when people first came to this area, the confluence of the West and Connecticut Rivers has been central to the development of community. Here are three stories that highlight the cultural significance of this location. There are many more...
In May of 1982 the Ku Klux Klan held a recruitment rally at the Common. It was not the Klan's first visit to Brattleboro. Here's the story...
In 1909 a group of outside investors successfully completed construction of the Vernon Dam. With the advent of local hydroelectric power, many of these investors from southern New England saw an opportunity to bring industry to Brattleboro. This is the story...
In 1946 Brattleboro celebrated the one year anniversary of VJ Day by holding a parade. At the end of the parade Senator George Aiken was the main speaker on the Common. Here's the story...
People are complicated and can do good and bad things at nearly the same time. As a society we are trained to look for heroes and villains. We like narratives to be simple. We look to place people in categories like "idols" or "scoundrels". Levi Fuller was complicated. A governor of Vermont, leading Brattleboro businessman, humanitarian and; according to newpapers of the time, a few other things. Here's his story...
On June 21, 1949 the town voted to build a new high school in the southern part of town, on the Old Military Camp and Fairgrounds. Here's the story...
This past week BAMS students visited the Estey Organ Museum on Birge Street. John Carnahan and Barbara George were gracious hosts who warmly greeted the 7th graders and provided them with insightful hands-on tours. Genevieve Redmond took notes during the visit and wrote much of this week's podcast. The recording chronicles the visit, and an overview of the Estey Organ Company.
The Brattleboro Words Project has been promoting digital audio recordings of the history of local people, places and events. The Historical Society has been working with the Project for a few years and we're beginning to get the hang of it. Former radio personality John (Clark) Kilduff volunteered to record our Digital Walking Tour of Main Street and WTSA allowed us to use their recording studios. On this recording, BAMS students explain the process and invite you to our inaugural run through of the walking tour.
Bill Holiday and John (Clark) Kilduff combined to create an introductory walking tour of downtown Brattleboro. WTSA donated the recording facilities and John read from research collected from many Historical Society volunteers over a number of years. This is our first effort, we plan to add to our work. Please begin at the Retreat Farm and head south to the junction of Elliot and Main Streets. We hope you enjoy the recording!
In 1978 the Flat Street Nightclub opened. Last week Bill Holiday interviewed the founding Smith brother and sister combo of Dennis and Linda, as well as a few of their friends...here's the story...
Ricky Davidson has worked at the Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro for 15 years. He is the Executive Director and; in this interview, he shares the history of the Brattleboro Boys and Girls Club, how it has changed over, time, its goals, and hopes for the future.
On August 12, 1916 the Union Station opened for railroad customers. The original construction of the building was a long, complicated process. The state government of Vermont and the local Brattleboro government negotiated with two railroad companies, the Central Vermont, and the Boston and Maine, for over ten years to make Union Station happen. This is the story...
“Black ‘47” – two words which resonate with horror for the Irish. As peasant families in all corners of Ireland struggled to survive the winter of 1846-47, desperate men, women, and children turned to the British government, (who had controlled Ireland since 1801), for help. The help was not forthcoming. A potato blight was destroying Ireland's staple crop. Meanwhile, British landowners in Ireland exported food, while the Irish starved. The government offered little support as corn meal prices tripled. Charles Trevelyan, head of the British Treasury said the starving Irish must learn how to become self-sufficient as he cancelled corn shipments to Ireland and closed corn depots. Those Irish who could find a way off from the island emigrated to new lands in hopes of surviving what was known as the Irish Famine. -from the Boston Irish Reporter Some of those Irish landed in New England and helped build the emerging railroad systems of the time. Construction of the rail line to Brattleboro began in 1847 and it was constructed by Irish "Railroaders". Here's the story...
Transportation has been linked with commerce since the beginning of Brattleboro. Here is the story of two airport attempts in Brattleboro during the 1900's...
Jim Fisk had many nicknames. He was known as Big Jim, Diamond Jim, and Jubilee Jim. Many historians place him in the group of wealthy men known as the Robber Barons of the Gilded Age. After researching his story we tend to think of him more as a wheeling, dealing, boisterous circus worker and peddler who learned his ways traveling the quiet country roads of New England. Here's his story...
Don McLean is a knowledgeable local historian in our area. He sat down with a few of our BAMS students and explained the history of the Guilford Grange and how the Grange continues to be active in community life today.
Clarke Fitts and Fred Gale squared off in the beginning of the last century and had a showdown that ended in the Vermont Supreme Court. It was a battle over a brewery on the island between Brattleboro and Hinsdale. The battle led to the creation of Island Park. The image is a post card created by George Fox, one of the owners of Island Park...click to hear the story
The Island Park Amusement Company was formed by the two owners, Michael Moran and George Fox. They bought the island property at auction. They were both progressive Brattleboro businessmen and were highly influenced by their wives to purchase the island property. The island in the Connecticut River had a disreputable reputation as gambling, alcohol and prostitution were linked with the previous business. Mrs. Moran and Fox were both very involved in the Temperance Movement and wanted to change the reputation of the island. The tag line for the new amusement park was “the home of clean amusement”. The intent of the park was to provide Brattleboro citizens, and visiting tourists, the opportunity to bring their families to the park for entertainment that would not include alcohol. Here's the story...
BAMS students interviewed local historian Rich Holschuh about his research into William Brattle, our town's namesake. Rich explains how Brattleboro gained its unique name, and also shares insightful background information about early relations between the English and Native Americans.
In March of 1936 the largest flood in the history of Brattleboro raged down the Connecticut River. Here's the story...
Larkin Mead spent much of his career as a sculptor in Italy. It is said his wife was the model for this marble piece. Mead grew up in Brattleboro and began his career here. What follows is his story...
Indian eradication and slavery are two topics not usually associated with Brattleboro's past. Here are a few stories which demonstrate that Brattleboro's history can be complicated and uncomfortable...
Wells Drinking Fountain, at the top of Main Street, was created in 1890. As Main Street has evolved through the years, the fountain has remained. Here's the story...
In 1914 Marion McCune Rice, and some of her friends, sailed to Europe for a three month tour of the continent. One month in, Franz Ferdinand was assassinated and World War I began. The six women had to find a way home. Here's the story...
In 1870 Brattleboro was in a lot of trouble. Northern New England was experiencing a post-Civil War recession; and Brattleboro had just had a flood and fire that destroyed much of its business district. For 8 months town leaders traveled to New England's larger cities looking for investors to help re-build the town. There were no takers. Here's the story of how Brattleboro rose from the ashes and created the infrastructure that still defines the town today...
In Vermont, sociologists now recognize that the term “gypsy” was often applied to the indigenous Abenaki peoples, and their kin, some of whom adopted an itinerant peddler version of their annual subsistence cycles. In the nineteenth century, a local physician-cum-cartographer, Charles William Grau created a map of Brattleboro, noting an area off, what is today Cedar Street, as the “Gypsy Grounds.” If the the misapprehended Abenaki were in fact Dr. Grau’s, “Gypsies,” - and we know they were - than the misapplied moniker nevertheless hints at a truth within the Gypsy Grounds even deeper than Dr. Grau would ever imagine. The earliest European settlers understood lands around Brattleboro sheltered Abenaki homes and villages prior to influx of European settlers into southern Vermont. But labeling the Abenaki presence on these lands as pre-contact fails to express the magnitude of that history and character of this place. The Abenaki presence in this area doesn’t just predate European settlers, it predates western civilization. By a lot. As civic ideas started to slowly accrete in the ancient middle east, the Abenaki’s ancestors had already been living throughout this area for over 5,000 years. It is perhaps fitting that ancient peoples would seek and find safety and sustenance in the shadow of a formation old even by geologic standards. Today, upon the erstwhile Gypsy Grounds, we find a cornfield that is commandeered by cars to form a parking lot for two days each winter. And atop the Abenaki’s four-hundred-million year old outcropping of windward protection, rests Fred Harris’ ski jump, Harris Hill.
In 1922 Fred Harris sparked a winter sports tradition now on the cusp of its centennial anniversary. Here’s the story…
Last episode we explored some of Mary Wilkins' early writings. In this episode we focus more on her personal life in Brattleboro.
In 1867, when Mary Wilkins was fifteen years old, her family moved to Brattleboro from Randolph, Massachusetts. For the next seventeen years, Mary Eleanor Wilkins lived here while she began her professional writing career. She went on to become one of the first financially successful, independent female authors in the United States. Here's her story...
14 year old Helen Dorr had a very traumatic childhood, but went on to earn nationwide recognition when she was awarded the Carnegie Hero Medal in the 1920s. Here's her story...
Chris Lamb is one of the bright lights of our Harris Hill Ski Jump here in Brattleboro.
He started competing here at age 11, and is a two-time winner of the Winged Trophy Award, setting the hill distance record in 2010.
Chris was on the USA Ski Jumping Team, and is on our local Harris Hill Ski Jump Committee.
He completed a bachelors degree in philosophy and environmental studies at Marlboro College, and he is currently a Ski Jumping coach with the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage.
On the Hill: An Audio Memoir was written by Chris Lamb & produced by the Brattleboro Words Project in partnership with the Brattleboro Historical Society, with music by Ty Gibbons & The ETC Kid.
In the 1850's the Wesselhoeft building, on the corner of Elliot and Church Streets, provided services for the world's elites...by the 1920's Brattleboro's Health Officer was calling the building "a den of iniquity", here's the story...
7 years ago BAMS student Jake Atwater found a 1906 newspaper article that proved to be the "Rosetta Stone" of the Fairground Road area. The article included information identifying the location of the Civil War hospital buildings in relation to the Valley Fairground buildings. This information, combined with Sanborn maps of the area, will help BAMS students create a map of the area linking buildings from three time periods...Civil War, Valley Fair and BUHS #6
It was D.E. Barrett, from the working class of West Brattleboro, who convinced the powerful in town to give electricity a chance, and it was the working people of town who outvoted the powerful business owners to make electric power a reality in Brattleboro. Here's the story...
In 1855 "the finest house in Brattleboro" was converted into Main Street's first mini-mall. John R. Blake turned his home into a commercial enterprise that consisted of seven businesses. The Blake Block stood where People's United Bank is now located.
Charles Frost grew up on Flat Street and was a local shoemaker. He was a modest man who made important contributions to science and humanity because of his interests and beliefs. Here's his story...
As part of an economics unit, BAMS students visited and interviewed local businesses in the old Cotton Mill, now owned by the Brattleboro Development Corporation. Here's the origin story for one of the businesses, Shapeshifters...
As part of an economics unit, BAMS students visited local businesses and recorded their origin stories. There are many businesses located in the old Cotton Mill, now owned by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. Here's how fancy chocolatiers, Tavernier Chocolates, began...
The Vermont Folklife Center has provided our BAMS students with collaborative ethnography strategies for conducting longer interviews with the community. This is an interview conducted by two BAMS students with one of the founders of St. Brigid's Kitchen...the image is a photo of the blessing of the Kitchen when it first opened in 1982
Brigid's Kitchen, on Walnut Street, is the oldest operating "soup kitchen" in Vermont. Carolyn Pieciak was one of the founders of the kitchen and shared her story with us. This is a highly edited version created to fit within a 4 minute time frame. The full interview, around 20 minutes, will be made available at a later date.
BAMS students researched, wrote and recorded this edition. Rudyard Kipling moved here with his young wife, built a house and began a family. While here he wrote the Jungle Book and Captains Courageous. He also had a falling out with his in-laws. Here's the story...
100 years ago Brattleboro was working to establish itself as a destination town for the surrounding area. The Board of Trade created Guest Day and invited people from nearby towns to visit Brattleboro and experience free exciting events every half hour. Over 3,200 visitors registered in Brattleboro that day...
For stamp collectors, the Brattleboro Stamp is a valued treasure. This episode is the first completely researched, written and produced by 2018 BAMS 7th graders. We hope you enjoy the program...
Jason Bushnell wanted to save the Civil War cannon on the Common but the World War II scrap metal drive came calling. Here's the story...
In 1942 "Bond Bombshell" Dorothy Lamour visited Brattleboro to raise money for the war effort. Here's the story...
In 1925 Robert Frost summed up his approach to teaching by saying, “You never can tell what you have said or done till you have seen it reflected in other people’s minds”. In 1947 Marlboro College began, Robert Frost was an influential Trustee in the early years of the school. Here's the story...
In 1898 the Vermont Phoenix declared the best musical performance ever held in Brattleboro took place in the Town Hall's Auditorium. Here's the story...
Silas Waite was a well-respected bank president until almost $500,000 turned up missing in the First National Bank. Here's the story...
In 1906 a Civil War Monument was dedicated at Fairground Road. A military camp and hospital was on-site during the war years. Here's the story...
100 years ago Smith and Bradley were two of the three largest employers in Brattleboro. It was a time before computer chips, when young people entertained themselves with their imaginations, wood and cast iron toys. Here's the story...
A new batch of 7th graders have arrived at BAMS and this is their 1st effort at sharing Brattleboro History. Arch Street is one of the earliest roads in town. Here's the story...
The U.S.S. Brattleboro served during World War II and continues working today. Here's the story...
Fort Dummer Neighborhood began in 1912. Here's the story. Music for this episode comes from the Alan Lomax collection in the Library of Congress. Excerpts from the 3 tunes "Polish Wedding March", "Irish Washerwoman" and "Contredanse" were recorded in 1938.
Brattleboro had many neighborhoods develop in various parts of town. Here's the story of Esteyville...
Famous Sculptor Larkin Mead is given credit for carving the original statue that graced the Vermont Capitol Building. We know who really carved the statue, (and it wasn't Larkin Mead). Here's the story...
The Estey Waltz introduces us to the Defining Decades: 1870 to 1920. The BHS has created an exhibit now on display at the Pavilion in Montpelier that highlights those formative decades of Brattleboro's past. We hope you will get a chance to visit as the display runs for 6 months in the Vermont Historical Society Museum. We had fun putting it together and hope you will enjoy the showcase of Brattleboro's past as well.
We experience the world through all of our senses. Our relationship with Nature should be nurtured...
Marshall Twitchell is the personification of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Here's his story...
A little known 3rd water cure in Brattleboro, opened by a guy named Blackall. It lasted for less than a year.
Brattleboro is well-known for its printing and publishing history. Smead, Holbrook, Fessenden and Hildreth are some of the names associated with these industries. Here's a part of the story...
Before interstates and trains there was the Connecticut River. Flatboats brought goods back and forth along the Connecticut and connected Brattleboro with the world. Here's the story...
Until the 1970's Memorial Day was observed on May 30th, here's an untold Brattleboro story of the Civil War and how we recognized those who served...
Mount Wantastiquet has been known by many names... Rattlesnake Mountain, Chesterfield Mountain, West River Mountain and Fall Mountain are a few. In the 1870's Walter Childs decided to bring a little science to the hill. Here's the story...
Clarina Nichols was an advocate for human rights. She published a local newspaper in the mid-1800's. Here's her story...
In 1972 a freight train bound for Brattleboro was struck by another train. Local men Harold Bullard and Harold Green were killed in the crash. Here's the story...
Beginning May 4 the Black Lives Matter flag will fly under the American flag at BAMS, BUHS and the Career Center. Here's the story...
North of us is the Upper Valley, south of us is the Pioneer Valley. We thought this stretch of valley between Bellows Falls and the Massachusetts border needed a name as well. Here's our recommendation...
Harry Frost was the engineer on the last steam train to pull into Brattleboro. Here's the story...
"Ernie Johnson pitched in the World Series and defeated the Yankees. Here's his story..."
New England is known for saltbox and cape-style houses. How did three octagon-shaped houses end up in Brattleboro? Here's the story...
The bronze "Spirit of Life" statue in the window of the Brooks Library Reading Room is a distant cousin to the statue of Lincoln in Washington D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial. Here's the story...
Lucy Stone was a famous abolitionist and suffragist who was a good friend of Clarina Nichols. She spoke in Brattleboro on numerous occasions. Here is her story...
Elizabeth Thompson's compassion for the working women of Brattleboro in the 1860's has continued to impact our community today...
Emma Bailey moved to Brattleboro in the mid 1940's and needed an income to support her family. What she did next was unheard of at the time...
Brattleboro stopped having Town Meetings in 1960. Representative Town Meetings have taken their place. Here's the story of how our Town Offices have moved over the years...
A mob showed up outside an Elliot Street chapel in 1837, the rioters blasted cannons, banged on pans and did whatever they could to disrupt the meeting inside. Here's the story...
In 1918 a new strain of flu devastated the world. Here's what happened in Brattleboro...
This week Turner, an 8th grader at BAMS, explains how Harris Hill gets covered in snow...
The Winged Trophy has been the prize of the Harris Hill Ski Jump for 95 years. Here's the story of the five who have retired the trophy, including Brattleboro's Hugh Barber...
Many believe slavery was never allowed in Vermont. Royall Tyler's time as Vt. Supreme Court Justice tells another story...
The most “respectable” and well-to-do Vermont residents brazenly engaged in the support of slavery in our state. In this week’s show we hear the story of Brattleboro’s Royall Tyler, a judge whose outrageous ruling, in the case of an enslaved Windsor woman, betrayed the tenor of a society perfectly willing to accept double-standards along the dividing lines of class, sex and race.
Rev. Lewis Grout lived in Africa for fifteen years. While New England and Zulu cultures were very different from one another, he found value in both. Here's his story...
JJ Green was the Newfane Stationmaster of the West River Railroad and did not survive the 1886 bridge collapse in Brattleboro. Here's the story...
In the 1960's Southern Vermont's UVM Extension Agent declared Pages Ice Cream the best in the state. Steven Page reveals the family secrets...
Famous author Mary Wilkins grew up in Brattleboro. Here she reflects on the wonder of our town's natural world...
145 years ago, on Christmas Eve, the ghost of Charles Dickens visited Brattleboro. Here's the story...
Page's Ice Cream operated within the Page family for almost 30 years. Here's the story of Brattleboro's favorite Dairy Bar...
Brattleboro has a history of strong, independent women. Here's the story of Evelyn Harris. She was an adventurer whose life was cut short...
Robert Frost said, "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in"...here's the story of a few organizations that have stepped up to meet our residents needs for almost 40 years...
"This week we share a history of Thanksgiving..."
The kids were gone so I asked some of the teachers to record and they did a pretty good job...a lot less editing...Happy Thanksgiving!
In 1972 the local Woolworth store on Main Street burned to the ground. Here's the story...
When the Great War ended in 1918 there was a wild three day party throughout town...here's how Brattleboro's Armistice Day began...
The grave of Alanson D. Wood who was killed instantly on this river by the explosion of the steamboat Greenfield May 18, 1840”. Here's his story...
BHS Podcast e122 - Marion McCune Rice, World War 1 and Halloween by Brattleboro Historical Society
How did schools and communities deal with spreadable diseases one hundred years ago? Here's an answer from Brattleboro's past...
100 years ago Brattleboro was a very different place, or was it? The country was at war, traffic accidents happened, con artists existed, and agriculture was an important aspect of our community. Here's the story....
Plans for a new Brattleboro-Hinsdale Bridge are in the works. Here's some history on the subject...
The Guilford Fair first began on Labor Day of 1942. This week a BAMS student came home with 13 ribbons from the Fair. Here's the story...
Asa Field worked for three generations of Estey's and retired after working for 50 years at the organ company. Here's his story...
In 1974 McDonald's Restaurant came to Brattleboro. It had a large impact on the development of Putney Road and Main Street. Here's the story...
Released August 31, 2017.
Local resident Peter Root spent his early years on Canal Street in the 1950's, skating at Crystal Ice and Fuel, swimming at West River Beach and walking downtown... Here's the story.
Released July 27, 2017 Produced by Joe Rivers
Local resident Peter Root remembers Vet's Village, where the present Little League in located...
Posted on July 19, 2017.
Here's a story from the 1700's that asks the question; should there be a time when the needs of the government trump a free press?
Released July 13, 2017.
Three BAMS students interviewed the wandering Joe Powers whose hobby is walking the woods of Windham County. Here's the story...
John Holbrook was instrumental in moving the financial heart of Brattleboro to Main Street...here's the story...
Released June 29, 2017.
100 years ago Vt. textbooks stated that Native Americans had never permanently lived in Vt. Here's what archaeological research says...
BHS Podcast e106 - Historic Preservation Suggested in the 1800's by Brattleboro Historical Society
In 1957 the Celtic legends Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Sam Jones played in the Brattleboro High School gym. Art Freeman remembers them well, but also remembers unsung hero, power forward Jim Loscutoff. Here's the story... Full interview with Art Freeman.
This week we're going to tell you about the 1st automobile built in Vt.; local machinist John Gore designed and constructed the vehicle. Here's the story...
The New England Youth Theater was founded in 1998 by Stephen Stearns. Here's the story from a student perspective...
In 1957 the Celtic legends Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Sam Jones played in the Brattleboro High School gym. Art Freeman remembers them well, but also remembers unsung hero, power forward Jim Loscutoff. Here's the story...
Lucy Terry Prince was one of the first African American poets published in America, but the richness of her life goes beyond the written word...here's her story...
This week we want to tell you about Estey Organ's early years. Jacob Estey began working with organs in the 1850's, here's the story...
BHS Podcast e100 - Addison, Fort Dummer and the Next Generation by Brattleboro Historical Society
The Guilford Street Ski Tow began in 1938. It was one of the 1st three ski tows in New England and led the way as nearly 700 community and neighborhood ski areas sprang to life in Vermont alone. In the intervening years 620 of those once-thriving community ski hills have closed, but the Guilford Street Ski Tow remains.
Here's the origin story of Brattleboro’s favorite ski hill and subsequent creation of a 4-season, Living Memorial Park, to honor all those who served in the second world war.
In 1840 Dr. Robert Wesselhoeft moved to Boston from Germany. He was publicly humiliated by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes and driven from town. Wesselhoeft moved his family to Brattleboro and opened a "Water Cure"...here's the story...
In 1911 an amusement center named Island Park opened on the island between Brattleboro and Hinsdale. Here's the story...
Brattleboro has had a public library since 1882. It has existed in three locations along Main Street. Here's the story...
In 1820 Charles Wood was born in Centreville. Who knew he would join the circus, work with the 1st lion tamer to place his head inside a lion's mouth and finish his career with P.T. Barnum? Here's his story...
81 years ago this week the largest flood in recorded Brattleboro history struck our town. Here's the story...
"In 1974 Mary Shiminski broke up with her boyfriend, Bert Salva. What followed inspired poetry, art and song. Here's the story..."
Keene Sentinel link
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/a-local-love-story-worth-repeating/article_39660ebe-5673-50bc-8077-ec431436d780.html
In the 1840's Brattleboro was in the mix of towns competing for a railroad. In 1849 the railroad made it's way to town, some people prospered and some lost out. Here's the story...
In 1786 Benjamin Wheaton was the first African American to buy land in Brattleboro. As our nation made Vermont the 14th state and the century turned to the 1800's,the land you see on the left side of the photo contained his house and workshop. Here's the story...
Late 19th century Fake News! A rich politician using scare tactics to manipulate the press and the public! Welcome to the Trolley Wars!
Anna Marsh witnessed the horrors of mental health care in the early 1800's through the tragic experiences of a friend and a family member.
Here's the story of the origins of the Brattleboro Retreat as researched by Maggie, a BAMS student...
Windham County women have long been involved in the fight for Women's Rights. Here's the story of Ada, a BAMS 7th-grader who marched in Washington this last weekend, and Clarina Nichols who argued for women's' rights before the Vermont legislature; two women separated by close to two centuries, united in the cause of justice...
According to the website Fansided, Vermont's greatest college quarterback of all time is Brattleboro's Joe Shield. Here's his story...
There are murder mysteries and strange names associated with a few small hollows in our region...here are a couple of stories...
Mary Wilkins Freeman was one of the first female authors in America able to financially support herself through her writing. She moved to Brattleboro at the age of 15 and began working on her craft. Here is her story...
The Vernon Dam and the Brattleboro Retreat were linked together by the Verrnont Legislature 110 years ago as a way to protect the Retreat from damages caused by the construction of the Dam. Here's the dam story...
Originally there were plans for two dams, one in Brattleboro and one in Vernon, here's the story of what happened...
This week BAMS students traveled to Burlington to present our podcast to the Vermont Alliance for Social Studies Conference at the Hilton. Ethan and Ira Allen were sketchy land speculators during the 1770's, as well as, Vermont independence heroes. This is the story...
Released December 1, 2016.
Produced by BHS trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at the Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Orly Munzing, Dwight Miller and the genesis of Brattleboro's Strolling of the Heifers.
Released November 24, 2016.
Produced by BHS trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at the Brattleboro Area Middle School.
"This week in Brattleboro History we heard Brattleboro Historical Society President John Carnahan’s explanation of the relocation of the Wells Fountain in November of 1987. If you would like to hear other stories of historical relocations and restorations please visit the Brattleboro Historical Society website or facebook page for the extended interview that includes the Defenders of the Union monument, the Commons Bandstand, Larkin Mead’s Snow Angel and the Beal House."
Released November 15, 2016
It was 146 years ago that Jacob Estey moved his organ factory to Birge Street. Bella plays a tune on an Estey Children's Organ at the History Center and the students tell the story...
Released October 28, 2016.
Brattleboro is fortunate to have a vibrant community of amateur and professional historians actively exploring the history and historiography of this area, often challenging established histories with original research and compelling new evidence.
Rich Holschuh serves on the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs and spends his nights and weekends investigating the story of Brattleboro and its peoples, dating to a time 12,000 years before William Brattle was even a twinkle...
In this podcast, Joe Rivers speaks with Rich about his work uncovering the history of Brattleboro's first peoples and reconnecting modern peoples to that rich history.
Early Vermont histories portrayed this area's aboriginal peoples as transients who occasionally passed through southern Vermont, en route to and from Northern New York and Canada, but were ultimately not residents of the area and therefor had little claim on these lands.
In this podcast Joe Rivers and his intrepid band of middle school historians show that those early Vermont histories were very much mistaken.
This podcast is part I of a two-part series.
Produced October 20, 2016
In 1892 Brattleboro celebrated its first Columbus Day. Here's the story...
Released October 14, 2016
This week we learned a new vocabulary word that describes many politicians and an old phrase not used too much these days, although it sure describes Western Avenue during the spring thaw...
Released October 7, 2016
In the spring of 1909, the completion of a new hydro-electric dam in Vernon created at 28 mile long lake, from Vermont's southern boarder with Massachusetts to Bellows Falls, as waters began to back up and subsume much of the river-adjacent countryside. On average, the water level rose 30 feet and eventually flooded more than 150 farms. Among the lands subsumed by permanent flood waters were a series of petroglyphs sites near the confluence of the West River and Connecticut River dating from a precolonial epoch, in the lands now known as Brattleboro, Vermont.
In August of 2015, after a 30-year search, underwater explorer Annette Spaulding found one of the petroglyph sites, subsumed in 1909 and unseen by persons for over a century.
It was 105 years ago this week that King and Queen, the Arabian Diving Horses from Coney Island, were once again traveling to Brattleboro to perform at the Valley Fair...
In 1954 the business climate in Brattleboro was changing. Dutch Walsh, from the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, and our new batch of BAMS 7th graders reflect upon the economic challenges 62 years ago and how the BDCC has evolved since that time...
Five years ago, this week, a freak-show hurricane cum tropical storm, called Irene, dropped unprecedented amounts of rain on the state of Vermont. Brattleboro's many waterways swelled beyond their banks, including the Whetstone Brook, which crept, uninvited, on to Flat Street, creating a brown, muddy lake, damaging buildings and closing business.
BHS Trustee Joe Rivers spoke with Boys & Girls Clubs interim director, Ricky Davidson, about the day Irene visited Brattleboro, the damage no one saw coming, and the equally tremendous swell of community spirit and generosity that aided a remarkable recovery.
Photo courtesy of Peter LaMorder.
16 years ago this week Governor Howard Dean visited the state-sponsored summer food program at Moore Court and sought help on a controversial decision he had to make in less than a month. It turns out, the kids at Moore Court had the answer for him. Here's the story...
Ten years ago this week the Brattleboro Farmers Market announced it would purchase the old Creamery property in order to expand the Market. Have you ever wondered about the land where the Market is located? Here's a bit of it's history...
50 years ago this week, John Hooper, publisher and editor of the Brattleboro Reformer, honored the history of printing and publishing in Brattleboro. Here, we attempt to do the same...
In 1977 the world was a different place, local car mechanic Henry Diemer reflects on the changes in Brattleboro and in the automotive world...
Joe Rivers talks to board member Barbara George about the origins of the American Legion Post 5 Band.
60 years ago this week Brattleboro saw the Interstate construction plans and impacted landowners had to make plans. Here's the story...
Nine years ago a naked skateboarder was stopped by police and warned that he could be fined $25—not for nudity---but for skateboarding on a Brattleboro sidewalk. Here's the story...
BHS Podcast E56 - Island In The Stream by Kate Lecuyer, read by Elizabeth McCollum by Brattleboro Historical Society
44 years ago romance, culture and inspiration were found at the Marlboro Music Festival. Here's the story....
This podcast contains music used under CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0
SCHUBERT - Cello Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op. 163 by Musicians from Marlboro Selections Summer 2012
This Week in Brattleboro History
In 1951, out on the west end of town, a stock car race track emerged from farm fields, and shortly afterwards, Brattleboro's Sonny Rabideau became a New England racing legend. Here's the story...
In 2000, BHS trustee and former head ball coach of the BUHS football team, Bill Holiday, interviewed venerated Brattleboro sports legend, the late Andy Natowich.
The BHS Podcast is proud to present that interview, in its entirety, for the first time.
Recorded in 2000 by Bill Holiday Andy Natowich interviewed by Bill Holiday Podcast Produced June 2016 by Reggie Martell
Dick Mitchell was an active Trustee of the Brattleboro Historical Society. He was born in Brattleboro in 1917 and passed away in 1990. What follows are memories of his growing up in the 1920's...
In 1952 the first class at the new million dollar high school graduated. Here's the story...
The Diedrich Stolte Memorial Cup is the most prestigious athletic award presented at BUHS graduation. Here's the story of the man behind the award...
A special Memorial Day edition focusing upon the Brattleboro servicemen honored during the Vietnam Remembrance Ceremony at BUHS on May 27. Each recording centers upon two young men who fought and died in Vietnam.
In this program we remember Joseph LaRose & Stanley Baker and BAMS alumnus Kyle Gilbert.
A special Memorial Day edition focusing upon the Brattleboro servicemen honored during the Vietnam Remembrance Ceremony at BUHS on May 27. Each recording centers upon two young men who fought and died in Vietnam.
In this program we remember Stanley Baker & Paul Dartt.
A special Memorial Day edition focusing upon the Brattleboro servicemen honored during the Vietnam Remembrance Ceremony at BUHS on May 27.
In this program we remember Bill Bassignani & John Blake.
This week Joe Rivers and his intrepid band of young historian-cum-pioneering podcasters, traveled to the beautiful campus of Burlington's Champlain College, where they spoke to a packed house of educators at the Dynamic Landscapes conference about this here podcast, and the joys of bringing local history to the radio airwaves of Brattleboro and to the shiny fibers of the world wide web.
This edition of This Week in Brattleboro History features a Burlington bend (in honor of our hosts) and was recorded live in front of the audience attending our talk at the Dynamic Landscapes conference at Champlain College.
This week's episode features the story of former Brattleboro doctor, H. Nelson Jackson, who, in 1903, was the first person to drive across the United States in an automobile. Here's his story...
Written and Directed by Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School Produced by Reggie Martell
In 1927 famous jazz musician and composer Fats Waller recorded the first organ jazz records using a modified Estey Pipe Organ from Brattleboro. This is the story of Fats Waller, the Estey Organ and Brattleboro...
It was 103 years ago this week that the largest headline in the Brattleboro Daily Reformer asked, “What Is A School For?” In 1913, the Vermont Legislature created a Commission to examine the state of public education in the Green Mountains. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching evaluated the Vermont school system and gave recommendations intended to improve education. Today’s BAMS students read a summary of the ancient report and reacted. Here’s the story.
It was 97 years ago this week that Brattleboro celebrated the return of her World War I soldiers, sailors and nurses with a parade up and down Main Street. An estimated 8,000 spectators watched 50 local organizations join together to honor the 470 men and women who served during the “War to end all Wars”. Here's the story...
It was 150 years ago this week that Brattleboro’s Overseer of the Poor signed an Indentured Service contract with a farmer in Dover for the services of a ten year old boy named Robert Drake. That’s right! In 1866, one year after the Civil War ended, and 4 months after the United States Congress abolished slavery, a ten year old boy from Brattleboro was made an indentured servant until he reached his 21st birthday. Here's the story...
Donald Trump is currently complaining about how Republican delegates and presidential candidates are selected during Republican State and National Conventions. He says it's a rigged system!
It wasn't until 100 years ago that Vermont held its first primary and allowed citizens to choose their candidates. 112 years ago this week 560 Republican insiders met in Burlington and chose Theodore Roosevelt as their candidate. Here's the story...
It was 103 years ago this week that the Vermont Phoenix reported that the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was locating and marking the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers in Brattleboro and nearby towns. You may not be aware that Brattleboro is virtually surrounded by the history of the American Revolution.
It was 86 years ago this week that the writer HP Lovecraft was home in Providence, Rhode Island creating his story, “The Whisperer in Darkness”. Lovecraft was a self-described writer of “weird tales” which often blended fantasy, horror and science fiction. “The Whisperer in Darkness” is one of those weird tales set in a fictionalized Vermont in an area much like our own Brattleboro.
This Week in Brattleboro History by Joe Rivers and BAMS, et. al. Friday, April 1, 2016 “The Trophies”
This podcast of Brattleboro history is sponsored by Brattleboro Savings & Loan, the bank of Brattleboro.
It was 52 years ago this week that the Brattleboro-based rock n roll group, “The Trophies” recorded their first record, “Walkin’ the Dog.” It became the #1 record in New England and resulted in their signing with a major record label. The Trophies had five members: Paul Oblum, Tom Howes, Richard Erikson, Wayne Harvey and Jack Dunham. In the summer of ’64 they performed here in Brattleboro at the Gibson Aiken Center on Monday nights.
According to Jack Dunham, the English Invasion was just beginning. In the spring of 1964 the Beatle’s appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time and their song “I Want To Hold Your Hand” hit number 1 across the country.
It was in this environment that the Trophies adapted the rhythm and blues song “Walkin the Dog” to the Beatles-type sound and recorded it in Boston. (play 1st cut)
With the popularity of their new hit single, the Trophies bought a used van from R.S. Roberts, had it painted to look “mod” and headed on the road to gigs in places like Saratoga, NY and Boston. The band was signed by Kapp records and began touring the northeast, promoting their record and playing with the likes of Chubby Checker, Del Shannon, the Shirelles, Dione Warwick and Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.
On these tours the Trophies would perform their songs and also act as the backup band for other artists. Jack Dunham says he most enjoyed backing up Chubby Checker and Del Shannon. The Trophies stayed together for four years and then went their separate ways. In 1983 Jack and Richard reunited and formed the Solid Gold Cadillacs with other local musicians. This oldies band performed steadily into the mid 1990’s.
According to Jack Dunham, two of the five members of the Trophies have passed away…Paul Oblum and Tom Howes. Richard Erikson and Wayne Harvey live a town or two away from Brattleboro and Jack now spends his time in Florida.
It was 52 years ago this week that the Trophies recorded their hit 45, Walkin the Dog. We’d like to thank Paul Rounds, Jack Dunham and the crack BAMS galaxy team for the research and ______________ for reading this week in Brattleboro History. Play 2nd cut
It was 100 years ago this week that Brattleboro saw the end of an era as the Connecticut River log drives came to an end.
This week BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his intrepid band of young historians at the Brattleboro Area Middle School examine this fascinating piece of Connecticut River history.
Released 3.25.16
It was 106 years ago this week that the luck of the Irish visited Brattleboro’s Harriet Howard when her grandmother willed her $1,000,000.00, amidst celebrations of St. Patrick in Brattleboro.
It was 100 years ago this week that Brattleboro was in an uproar about the sale of alcohol in our town.
This week BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his intrepid band of young historians at the Brattleboro Area Middle School examine the prohibition era.
Released 3.12.16
It was 56 years ago this week that Brattleboro held its last traditional town meeting.
This week BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his intrepid band of young historians at the Brattleboro Area Middle School examine the start of representative town meeting in Brattleboro.
Released 3.1.16
In this Week in Brattleboro history where Joe Rivers and his crack staff of Brattleboro Area Middle School student historians explore the discovery of the famous Brattleboro Rat and provide a peek behind the curtain of TWiBH’s production.
It was 115 years ago this week that the Dunham brothers held their annual banquet for employees and their two-day school for traveling shoe salesmen.
This week BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his intrepid band of young historians at the Brattleboro Area Middle School examine the Dunham Brothers shoe company.
Released 2.18.16
Many thanks to Jack Dunham for his generosity of time and spirit, and invaluable insight while corresponding with our young historians during the research and writing of this week's edition of TWiBH.
BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his band of young historians at the Brattleboro Area Middle School examine the West River Railroad and Robert Burns.
Released 2.11.16
Special thanks to Friends of the West River Trail for this week's accompanying photo.
It was 101 years ago this month that Island Park weathered its worst ice flood!
BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his band of young historians at the Brattleboro Area Middle School examine the fraught relationship between Island Park and the Connecticut River.
Released 2.5.16
Ex-Slave Jacob Cartledge
BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his history students at the Brattleboro Area Middle School bring you this week's edition of, This Week in Brattleboro History.
Released 1.28.16
It was one 120 years ago this week that a fancy dinner party at the Brooks House was attended by 125 of the most prominent citizens in Brattleboro, and a local paper reported to each attendee wore extremely rich and handsome toilets.
Eh, toilets?
BHS trustee, Joe Rivers, and his history students at the Brattleboro Area Middle School answer this riddle with a story of history and etymology, on this week's edition of This Week in Brattleboro History.
Released 1.22.16
Brattleboro House
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 1.14.16
What is sauce for the Goose...
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 1.7.16
It was 1 year ago this week that the Vermont Yankee ceased producing electricity...
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 12.31.15
It was 108 years ago this week that Santa almost didn't survive his visit to Brattleboro...
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 12.24.15
It was 116 years ago this week that Booker T. Washington came to Brattleboro...
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 12.17.15
It was 129 years ago this week that electric light came to Brattleboro...
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 12.9.15
Clark Fitts
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 12.3.15
Granite Plant & Valgar St.
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 11.18.15
The Armory and Gibson Aiken Center.
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 11.11.15
http://brattleborohistoricalsociety.org/photo_journals/HTML/020209.armory.html
The Battle of Bennington Historiography
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 11.5.15
Brattleboro Historical Society founder Walt Harrington and the Fort Dummer dig.
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 10.29.15
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 10.22.15
Sokoki Part I
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 10.15.15
The Valley Fair
By Historical Society trustee, Joe Rivers and his young historians at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 10.8.15
Progressive Republican Politicians
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 10.1.15
Vermont's Catamounts.
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 9.24.15
Brattleboro Public Library
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 9.17.15
The Hurricane of 1938 and the Grand Opening of the Latchis Theater.
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers and his students at Brattleboro Area Middle School.
Released 9.10.15
Wells, Arms and the origins of Brattleboro.
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers.
Released 8.20.15
Brattleboro Dairy Cooperative
By Historical Society Trustee, Joe Rivers.
Released 8.6.15
Longtime area doctor Robert Tortolani, MD talks about his experience serving as a US Army Physician in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, as part of the Brattleboro Historical Society's Oral History series on the Vietnam War and its impact on the Brattleboro community.