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 shor…

Nadine Hubbs; Recorded May 29, 2024 - America ushered in twentieth-century modernity with new technologies, aesthetics, and national status as a global power. With the rise in economic and political standing came new cultural pressures: American concert music was deemed far behind its European counterparts and in urgent need of catching up. Years o…

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.Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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 hos…

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.…

York Lo; Recorded February 1, 2024 - York Lo retraced the footsteps of Chinese in the New England area over the past two centuries —from the first known Chinese immigrant to the recent election of Michelle Wu as the first Asian and female mayor of Boston. Highlights of this talk included the story of the first known Chinese immigrant in the area an…

Seth Goldstein; Recorded February 22, 2024 - Historian Seth Goldstein discussed the economic ties between Maine and the luxury-producing plantations of the West Indies and explored the various commodities, such as lumber, draft animals, and salt cod, that Maine supplied to West Indian plantations. Concurrently, enslaved Africans in the Caribbean la…

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 Bratt…

Recorded March 27, 2024 - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was the most popular and successful poet of his day. Living in Cambridge, Massachusetts he was a member of the literati that made Boston the literary hub of the country; Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell, and John Greenleaf Whittier were all Longfellow friends or associates. But 20 …

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.…

Recorded May 2, 2024 - What's the big deal about rock and roll concerts in Maine? Back when there were just a handful of AM radio stations and only three TV channels, this small and remote state got way more than its share of live performances by big-name rock and roll musicians. When the rock and roll stars of the day were planning tours, southern…

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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 …

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 in…

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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 3…

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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.Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

In 1976 Walt Harrington led an archaeological dig on the Fort Dummer site along the Connecticut River. This is the story...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian's Forum featured an interdisciplinary l…

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian’s Forum featured an interdisciplinary l…

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian's Forum featured an interdisciplinary l…

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

Recorded October 11, 2023 - Rising seas and coastal flooding present a threat to cultural resources in historic coastal communities. Greater Portland is at considerable risk according to sea level rise projections and local communities are already experiencing recurrent flooding, erosion and increasingly intense storms—threats that are projected to…

Genevieve LeMoine; Recorded November 16, 2023 - Robert Edwin Peary Sr. was an American explorer and officer in the United States Navy who made several expeditions to the Arctic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is perhaps best known for, in April 1909, leading an expedition that claimed to be the first to have reached the geographic Nor…

Michael Blaakman; Recorded October 4, 2023 - During the quarter-century after 1776, the new United States was swept by a wave of land speculation so unprecedented in intensity and scale that contemporaries and historians alike have dubbed it a "mania." From Maine to the Mississippi and Georgia to the Great Lakes, wily merchants, lawyers, planters, …

Lisa Massie; Recorded September 14, 2023 - Bees and other pollinators are essential parts of all ecosystems on earth and are fundamental for the long-term survival of flowering plants; the role they play in Maine's environment is one of the many topics explored in CODE RED: Climate, Justice, and Natural History Collections. This talk with the Xerce…

Bill McKibben and Steve Bromage; Recorded November 30, 2023 - As we approached the last month of CODE RED, our landmark exhibition examining topics around the climate and biodiversity crisis, it seemed only fitting to take the time to reflect on what we’ve learned, and to look forward and envision "What comes next?" In this informative dialogue wit…

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.Por Brattleboro Historical Society

Christoph Irmscher; Recorded August 8, 2023 - Christoph Irmscher, author of Louis Agassiz: Creator of American Science, reflected on Agassiz's legacy, his friendships with Emerson, Henry Wadsworth and Fanny Longfellow and others, and how his own thinking about Agassiz has (and hasn't) changed since he published his biography 10 years ago. The talk …

Recorded July 11, 2023 - How has the notion of a Maine “fishing community” changed with time? How has the relationship the people of Maine have with natural world changed over thousands of years? When the Island had Fish is the story of a tiny island, Vinalhaven Maine, that offers a close look at the significant history of Maine fishing particularl…

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.Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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 Brattle…

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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…

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.Por Brattleboro Historical Society

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...Por Brattleboro Historical Society