Vermont

Vermont history hums with the American spirit of independence. That determined spirit armed Revolutionary forces at the Battle of Hubbardton and fortified the settlement of populist Daniel Shay. Since independence must be preserved once it is attained, a tradition of stewardship also remains as much a part of Vermont’s landscape as its iconic covered bridges. Our Vermont history books celebrate the distinctive heritage of the Green Mountain State, from the shores of Burlington to the halfpipes of Stratton Mountain. [View all Vermont books]

121 products

Sort

Hidden History of Vermont

Westminster, Vermont, 1735-2000:

$39.99

Putney:

$24.99

Burlington Firefighting

$24.99

Colchester

$24.99

Historic Crimes and Justice in Burlington, Vermont

$21.99

Brattleboro Remembers

$24.99

Chronicles of Colchester

$21.99

Holland and Its Neighbors

$24.99

Redfield Proctor and the Division of Rutland

$21.99

Bennington in World War II

$21.99

Williamstown, Vermont, in the Civil War

The Lepine Girls of Mud City: Embracing Vermont

Previous 1 2

Johnson

9780738576251

$24.99

Johnson lies in the central part of Lamoille County, situated between Sterling and Butternut Mountains.

Johnson is a rural community with an agricultural and retail presence, plus an abundance of educational opportunity with both Johnson State College and the Vermont Studio Center. The town is snuggled between two ski areas, Mount Mansfield at Stowe and Smuggler's Notch at Jeffersonville. While many mills from the early days no longer exist, the Johnson Woolen Mill and Parker and Stearns Lumber Company continue to operate. Johnson captures the physical, social, and cultural essence of the town's early days. Each picture records for posterity the faces of those who helped to make Johnson the community that it is today.

Wines of Vermont

9781467118132

$21.99

Vermont's extreme climate may not seem ideal for wine production, but industry pioneers are proving otherwise. For nearly half a century, local winemakers developed distinctive fermentation techniques and adopted select crops to withstand icy winters. In 1970, Frank Jedlicka used traditional recipes to make wine with apples, maple and honey. North River and Grand View followed with other orchard and berry fruits. Harrison Lebowitz planted French hybrid grapes on a Lake Champlain island in the 1990s, and soon Vermont hosted some of America's first true cold-climate vineyards. Fresh tastes and resurrected flavors now symbolize the Green Mountain State's ripening wine industry. Todd Trzaskos reveals Vermont's identity as an innovative and maturing wine producer.

Hidden History of Vermont

9781625859006

$23.99

A look back on the riveting history of Vermont, featuring stories from the American Revolution and the summoning of spirits.

Vermont's history is marked by fierce independence, generosity of spirit and the saga of human life along its steep slopes and fertile valleys. Meet the widow who outwitted Tories and may have spied for the Green Mountain Boys. Encounter the family who gained a national following by summoning spirits. Discover why one governor opposed women's suffrage and how that may have involved spirits of another sort. Visit an island retreat where Harpo Marx cheated at croquet and satirist Dorothy Parker wore nothing but a garden hat. Historian Mark Bushnell offers a glimpse of the Green Mountain State rarely seen.

Shoreham

9781467120166

$24.99

Located on the western border of Vermont, Shoreham's 36 square miles are comprised of rich farmland, wooded areas, and swift-flowing streams that powered a variety of mills and an iron foundry over the years. An excellent grade of black marble was quarried from the shore in the 19th century and sold in both the United States and Europe. The main industry in Shoreham is agriculture, though it changed from being the largest sheep producer in Vermont during the 1800s to mainly dairy farms and apple orchards in the 1900s. A congressman, two governors of Vermont, a vice president of the United States, and many scholars all were born, raised, and educated in Shoreham. This little town and its indomitable people continue to innovate and thrive as it enters the 21st century.

Williamstown

9780738597690

$24.99

The cultural landscape of Williamstown has been strongly influenced by the settlers who traveled far and wide to get there. Originally, a large number of Scots, French Canadians, and Italian craftsmen were lured to the west hills of Vermont to take advantage of the promising granite quarries. Williamstown used many of its natural resources to develop into a small, thriving community. Today, the village still has its classic white churches and small stores where residents once gathered with their neighbors to socialize and share local news. The expanded rural areas outside the village have retained much of what they once had, including historic farmhouses, open fields, stone walls, and Ainsworth State Park in the Williamstown Gulf.

Putney:

9780738524306

$24.99

Putney, Vermont owes much to its early farming settlers who established the town's spirit of hard work and ingenuity, and to its mill workers whose labor sustained the town's economy for over 200 years. Agricultural advances, social experiments, and a devout commitment to education and artistry helped this community earn world renown with such institutions as the Putney School, America's first co-ed boarding school; Landmark College, the only U.S. two-year college devoted to students with learning differences; the Yellow Barn, an international music school with a famous annual music festival; and the Experiment in International Living. Putney celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2003, marking a tradition of overcoming internal strife and economic hardship to prosper through innovation and industry.

Burlington Firefighting

9780738546124

$24.99

Burlington Firefighting richly illustrates the triumphs and tragedies, the hauntings and secrets of the Burlington Fire Department. Originating as a series of bucket brigades, the fire department developed from competing companies that served as elite social clubs into a professional organization that was incorporated in 1895. The transitions from hand-drawn to horse-drawn carts and pumpers to steam engines and motorized trucks largely shaped the evolution of firefighting in Vermont as a whole.

Colchester

9780738513416

$24.99

An interesting history of Colchester, one of Vermont's oldest and largest communities.

Chartered in 1763 and rumored to be one of Vermont's best-kept secrets, Colchester is among the state's oldest and largest communities, with twenty-seven miles of shoreline on Lake Champlain. Colchester's spirit reflects the bustling industrial activity of Winooski Falls and the agrarian roots of its pioneers. Ethan and Ira Allen were notable early residents, as was the flamboyant Captain Mallett, after whom Lake Champlain's largest bay is named. Colchester is divided into five distinct geographic parts-Colchester Village, Malletts Bay, Clay Point, Fort Ethan Allen, and Winooski (the urban village that would separate from Colchester in 1922)-and includes many images of the glorious lake that continues to influence the town's character.

Historic Crimes and Justice in Burlington, Vermont

9781467118408

$21.99

Burlington Police Department detective Jeff Beerworth explores the nature of crime and justice in the Queen City.

As Burlington grew into a city out of wilderness, more citizens meant more opportunities for crime. Horse thefts, murders and drunken brawls swamped the young and prosperous city. Those misdeeds inspired the first officers of what would become the Burlington Police Department to serve and protect. Step behind the scenes of the Griwold murder case, the Mad Riot of 1898 and the murder of Officer James McGrath. Glimpse the dangers of police work and the shared human experiences of the city's officers and the citizens they serve.

Brattleboro Remembers

9780738508726

$24.99

Family stories are a part of oral history. They are told to inform younger generations about events heretofore not recorded. Brattleboro Remembers is a collection of such stories accompanied by the rich assortment of historical photographs that stirred these memories of earlier days in the southeastern corner of Vermont.

Brattleboro Remembers emerged as a result of writing workshops sponsored by the Brattleboro Historical Society and made possible by a grant from the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont. The workshops, facilitated by poet and writing partner Verandah Porche, took place on winter Sunday afternoons. The walls of the room in which the group met were covered with copies of historical photographs. The workshop participants, most of whom still live in Brattleboro, selected photographs that brought back strong recollections. After studying an image, they wrote autobiographical pieces based on what came to mind. For those shy about putting pen to paper, volunteer scribes were on hand to listen to the stories and help the participants get their reminiscences down on paper.

Chronicles of Colchester

9781596296220

$21.99

Since its charter in 1763, Colchester has been known for its remarkable early settlers, among them Ira Allen, founder of the state of Vermont, and for its picturesque setting on the shores of Lake
Champlain. Author Inge Schaefer, well known locally as the founder of the Colchester Chronicle, combines interviews, historical documents, and personal research in this series of articles on
Colchester's past. Schaefer traces the stories of the town's oldest families, like the Munsons and the Porters, from summer evenings dancing at Bayside Pavilion to the keeping of the Colchester
Reef Lighthouse. With a fresh perspective on twice-told tales of school days at Colchester Point, summers at the Brown Ledge Camp, and the heyday of Fort Ethan Allen, where the celebrated Buffalo Soldiers briefly resided, Chronicles of Colchester captures the
hearty spirit of this Lake Champlain community.

Redfield Proctor and the Division of Rutland

9781609492410

$21.99

Nothing in Redfield Proctor's early life suggested greatness. He almost died in the Civil War, squandered his inheritance and disliked farming and practicing law. But in 1869, a scheming woman enlisted his help in gaining control of a bankrupt marble mill. Proctor turned it into the largest marble operation in the world, creating his greatest legacy--Washington, D.C., with its many marble monuments and buildings. Using his fortune, he founded a political dynasty that elected four Proctors as governor, handpicked a president and made Proctor a cabinet secretary and a U.S. senator. Yet to get to the national stage, he had to divide a town. Linda Goodspeed presents his story in this historical novel about the passions and ruthless ambition that characterized him and his time and changed Rutland forever.

Bennington in World War II

9781467149228

$21.99

The attack on Pearl Harbor changed the lives of the people in Bennington in dramatic ways. Almost overnight, men and women--many of them still too young to vote--went from playing basketball, hunting deer, nursing patients at Putnam Hospital and fishing in the Battenkill to parachuting from burning planes, digging foxholes in Italy, tending to the combat wounded and racing across France with Patton's tanks. They landed at Normandy on D-Day, were in the first planes to bomb Berlin, saw the flag raised on Iwo Jima and were captured at the Battle of the Bulge. At home, they bought war bonds, collected scrap and worried about friends and relatives far away. Join local author Anthony Marro as he recounts the service and sacrifice of Bennington's citizens.

Williamstown, Vermont, in the Civil War

9781596296909

$21.99

Though it was far from the front lines of the War Between the States, Williamstown, Vermont, made undeniable contributions to the victory of the United States Army. The proud sons of Patriots fell on the fields of Gettysburg, Antietam and Shiloh, and many gallant soldiers were lost in lesser-known skirmishes. These men fought for honor, for country and at times for money. Many men made the ultimate sacrifice, and others who returned home bore the scars of battle for the rest of their lives. With the support of the Williamstown Historical Society, author Paul Zeller honors the Williamstown soldiers and ordinary citizens who fought to preserve the Union and presents their incredible stories of adventure and bravery.

Norwich

9780738554525

$24.99

In 1765, pioneers spent their first long winter on the banks of the Connecticut River in the section of wilderness that would become the town of Norwich, Vermont. These settlers and their families fought hard to turn the rough terrain into a thriving farming and manufacturing community that would soon boast 20 school districts and a prominent military academy. Although winters were harsh and the demands of daily chores were never ending, the residents of
Norwich still found time to lead full and varied lives. The manufacturing and military communities are gone now, but that fascinating past will come alive in these remarkable images of Norwich families at work and at play.

Glastenbury

9781596293373

$21.99

Founded by a famously scheming New Hampshire governor, Glastenbury struggled for over a century to break triple digits in population. A small charcoal-making industry briefly flourished after the Civil War, yet by 1920 Glastenbury counted fewer than twenty inhabitants. The end came officially in 1937, when the state, following a spirited debate, formally disincorporated the town. Yet Glastenbury's legacy lives on in Tyler Resch's lively and amusing history. Follow Resch as he chronicles the community's compelling, if always precarious, existence. From mysterious murders and curious development schemes to the township's eventual annexation by the U.S. Forest Service, Glastenbury narrates the ultimately redemptive tale of a community that lost its political status, only to gain a national forest.

The Lepine Girls of Mud City: Embracing Vermont

9781609494315

$21.99

The Lepines" story began in Quebec, from where Maurice and Imelda immigrated to Vermont during the Great Depression. The family farmed, lived off the rich Vermont landscape and instilled a love for it in their daughters, Gert, Jeanette and Therese. As adults, "the Girls" taught school, traveled the world and worked for President Johnson but never forgot their roots. All three returned to Mount Sterling Farm, raising their famed Jersey cows and embodying Vermont's agricultural tradition. Their story is one of hope and valor--of a family who loved their home and neighbors and left their land as a lasting gift for the world.

North Williston:

9781609491895

$21.99

With the advent of the railroad in 1849, North Williston changed from a small collection of
farms to a thriving economic center in Chittenden County. Transportation access spurred industries such as Smith Wright's cold storage plant, a butter tub factory and a gristmill. The general store, with the telephone switchboard and the post office, served as the community's central gathering place during the village's prosperity. Richard H. Allen has drawn on a wide variety of sources to capture the essence of this era, and perhaps most enchanting are the words of North Williston residents who recall the time before rail service declined and the village all but disappeared.

Montpelier

9781596295018

$21.99

Once a small clearing in the woods, Montpelier today sits at the center of Vermont's civic and cultural life. Its artists, legislators, innovators and leaders have made the nation's smallest state capital a crossroads for all. Glimpse the only surviving photographs of the second State House--taken just years before it burned--and the welcome given to Admiral George Dewey, fresh from victory in the Spanish-American War, by the largest crowd the city has ever seen. Survey the wreckage of the 1927 flood, learn how Montpelier's glorious historic district came to life and follow the footsteps of presidents passing through town.
Gathered together for the first time, these timeless images show Montpelier's citizens in their grittiest, saddest, happiest and most triumphant moments.