History

History Corner: Early Berlin’s Pauper Auctions

September 22, 2026

How did Vermont townspeople support their poorest neighbors before the days of food stamps and housing vouchers? They auctioned them off to the lowest bidder. In a process called “Dutch auctions” as…

Vermont Historical Society Tells the Story of the State Through 50 Artifacts

July 3, 2026

by Kyle Neece | Community News Service

Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship MONTPELIER — On Friday, July 3, the Vermont Historical Society will open an exhibit…

July Fourth: The Day We Celebrate

July 2, 2026

by Glen Houston

By Glen Houston Independence Day celebrations in 19th century Vermont ranged from the profound to the absurd. Fourth of July observances have a long…

Vermont 250 — Revolutionary War Soldiers Stories from Montpelier/East Montpelier

July 2, 2026

by Tim Jerman

The Montpelier and East Montpelier Historical Societies, representing what was one community until 1848, have identified 49 local soldiers who fought in the American…

image of red and white fireworks against a black sky

Vermont State Historic Sites Commemorate 250th Birthday of the United States of America

July 2, 2026

by Press Releases

MONTPELIER — On July 4, the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation invites visitors to readings of the Declaration of Independence at State Historic Sites. …

History Corner: A Look Back at the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration

July 1, 2026

by Carla Occaso

On the eve of this country’s semiquincentennial, I remember the fuss made about the bicentennial celebration 50 years ago. East Montpelier started planning in…

History Corner: Early Water Systems of Montpelier Village

April 15, 2026

by Carla Occaso

How did Montpelier residents get water before the current water system was built? Around 1820, Roger Hubbard, a local merchant, ran water to his…

Then and Now, April 1, 2026

April 7, 2026

by Paul Carnahan

In the 1930s and ’40s, the stately home at 174 Elm Street was known as “The Walton Homestead.” Run as a guesthouse, it was…

History Corner: Thomas Jefferson’s Sweet Trip to Vermont

March 18, 2026

by Carla Occaso

The year 1791 was a busy one for founding father Thomas Jefferson (who was the third U.S. president from 1801 to 1809). But in…

Then and Now, Mar. 4, 2026

March 12, 2026

by Paul Carnahan

The first Union Block on State Street was built in 1875 after two major fires devastated the downtown. The building’s name celebrated the Union’s…

How the Rev. Jesse Jackson Helped Shape Vermont’s Progressive Moment

February 19, 2026

by VTDigger

The civil rights icon, who died Tuesday at 84, campaigned for president in Vermont at a key turning point for the state’s progressive movement.…

History Corner: Remembering America’s First Scoutmaster

February 18, 2026

by Carla Occaso

Did you know that the first Boy Scout troop in the United States began in Barre? Scout Troop No. 1 was formed in 1909…

The Art of Antiquing

February 10, 2026

by Carla Occaso

Antiquing in central Vermont has a group of devotees creating community and friendly competition around items from the past. Two local enthusiasts talked to…

History is on the Side of Vermont’s Abenakis

February 6, 2026

by sarah

By Giovanna Peebles Canada’s Odanak and Wolinak/Becancour First Nation tribes (Canadian Abenakis) and their allies are working to extinguish the four Vermont state-recognized Abenaki…