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.โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

In this fortieth episode I have an in-depth discussion with my friends about the Silent Hill 2 Remake by Bloober Team! There's also a video version of the podcast uploaded to my WhitneyPlays youtube channel that includes a lot of pictures and videos of the things we are discussing!โดย Whitney Chavis

John Babin and Avery Yale Kamila; Recorded September 30, 2024 - Reaching back 300 years, MHS’s exhibit, Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History features stories of Mainers who changed what vegetarians eat and opened access to plant-based foods. Co-curators John Babin and Avery Yale Kamila discussed this little-known history with plenty of food for though…

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 fr…

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

Daylight Savings Time first came to the United States during World War I. This recording shares how Brattleboro dealt with the shift in time...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

Ann Powers; Recorded October 7, 2024 - Did you know that Joni Mitchell’s eighth studio record, Hejira, was inspired by a cross-country road trip Mitchell made to and from the midcoast village of Damariscotta? For decades, Mitchell’s life and music have enraptured listeners, and yet, while Mitchell has always been a force beckoning us still closer w…

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…

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.โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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.โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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 c…

A historical account of the development of Jewish communities in the Indiana Dunes Country region from 1830 to 1950. The author examines the early settlements of Jewish settlers in the area, including LaPorte, Michigan City, Valparaiso, Crown Point, and Lowell. The primary focus of the paper is on Hammond, Indiana, the first of the four industrial …

This biography of Minnette Baum, published by the Indiana Jewish Historical Society, highlights her extraordinary life as a social worker and Zionist. The document recounts her impactful work in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she established programs for youth, immigrants, the blind, and disadvantaged women. It also explores her passionate commitment t…

A history of Congregation B'nai Torah in Indianapolis, Indiana, starting with its founding in 1923 as Central Hebrew Congregation. The text details the congregation's early struggles for survival, its growth under the leadership of Rabbi Nandor Fruchter, and its moves to more extensive facilities. The text includes anecdotes about the congregation'…

John Jacob Hays was Fort Wayne, Indiana's first known Jewish resident. The text outlines his family history, his early years in the American wilderness, his role as an Indian agent, and his contributions to the region's development. The authors examine his challenging experiences, including his efforts to mediate between Native American tribes and …

The history of Beth Shalom, a Jewish congregation in Bloomington, Indiana, focuses on the impact of a firebombing in 1984. The event profoundly affected the congregation, fostering a sense of unity and increasing their sense of community. The fire also brought an outpouring of support from the surrounding non-Jewish community, which bolstered the c…

Rabbi Morris M. Feuerlicht served the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation for fifty years. The memoir details Feuerlicht’s career in the Jewish community, highlighting his contributions to social justice, his commitment to American Judaism, and his experiences with other faiths and cultures. Feuerlicht discusses his work with the Indianapolis Jewish F…

The essay "The Scapegoat in Steeltown: Unraveling the Legacy of Morris Lieberman" examines the life of Morris Lieberman, a Jewish immigrant and successful pharmacist in Gary, Indiana, during the early 20th century. Lieberman, a respected community member, became the target of a conspiracy theory during the Red Scare of 1919, falsely accused of orch…

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 churchโดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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..โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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. Wo…

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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. The attached image is a photo of Harrie B. Chase. Here's the story...…

Arlene Palmer Schwind; Recorded July 9, 2024 - It is perhaps unusual that a small state like Maine can claim connections with several opera divas who enjoyed international acclaim between the 1870s and the 1920s. In her illustrated presentation, Arlene Palmer Schwind explored the fascinating lives and careers of Annie Louise Cary, Lillian Nordica, …

In 1968 a young Roger Haydock hitchhiked to Chicago to protest at the Democratic National Convention. Here's his story...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

Nathan D. Gibson; Recorded July 16, 2024 - In the late 1950s, Maine was home to one of the most dynamic and exciting recording studios and record labels in the country—Event Records. Co-founded by Al Hawkes and Richard Greeley in 1956, the label recorded bluegrass pioneers (The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover), rockabilly icons (Ricky Coyne and Curti…

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 Reforme…

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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 a Grammy...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

Nancy and Victor Olson remember the 1970's and the music created at Misty Meadows Farm...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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...โดย Brattleboro Historical Society

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 bandsta…

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.โดย 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...โดย 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...โดย 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 …