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| Historical Society of Vermont | |
|---|---|
| Name | Historical Society of Vermont |
| Formation | 19th century |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Vermont |
| Region served | Vermont |
| Leader title | President |
Historical Society of Vermont
The Historical Society of Vermont is a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the documentary and material heritage of Vermont and its people. Founded in the 19th century during a period of rising local antiquarianism alongside institutions such as the New England Historic Genealogical Society and the American Antiquarian Society, the Society has worked with museums, libraries, and archives including the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Vermont Historical Society to support scholarship on figures like Ethan Allen, Jacob Davis and events such as the Vermont Republic and the Ethan Allen Raid.
The Society emerged amid 19th-century movements exemplified by the Columbian Exposition, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the formation of the Massachusetts Historical Society and American Philosophical Society. Early leaders drew inspiration from antiquarians connected to Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Vermont. Throughout the 20th century the Society intersected with national efforts such as the Works Progress Administration documentary projects, collaborations with the National Archives and Records Administration, and responses to preservation crises similar to those addressed by the Historic American Buildings Survey. The Society's archives document Vermont participation in conflicts including the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and local political episodes involving figures tied to the Whig Party and the Republican Party (United States). Later partnerships included cultural initiatives like the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and regional networks such as the New England Museum Association.
The Society's stated mission echoes the objectives of institutions such as the New-York Historical Society and the Massachusetts Historical Society: to preserve manuscripts, artifacts, and printed materials related to Vermont history and to promote public access. Activities include collecting personal papers of Vermonters who served in legislatures like the Vermont General Assembly, in federal bodies including the United States Congress, and in civic organizations such as the Grange (organization) and the Freemasons (Freemasonry). The Society supports research into topics tied to the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism in the United States, Women's suffrage in the United States, and the development of industries connected to figures like Ethan Allen (company) and inventions akin to those of Samuel Slater.
Holdings include manuscript collections comparable to those at the Newberry Library, printed ephemera, maps akin to holdings in the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, and photograph collections similar to those in the National Portrait Gallery. The archive preserves diaries and correspondence from Vermonters who fought at engagements such as the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Vicksburg, business records connected to mills like those on the Winooski River, and political papers linked to governors such as Thomas Chittenden and Calvin Coolidge. The Society's material culture collections contain textiles, agricultural implements related to Shakerism contacts, and objects associated with railroads like the Central Vermont Railway and industries influenced by entrepreneurs comparable to Samuel Colt and Oliver Evans.
The Society publishes periodicals and monographs in the tradition of the American Historical Review and regional journals like the New England Quarterly. Publications include collected primary sources, annotated diaries similar to editions of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, and thematic compilations on topics such as Vermont's role in abolitionism and rural electrification akin to national studies produced by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Collaborations have occurred with university presses such as the University Press of New England and academic departments at institutions like the Middlebury College and the University of Vermont.
Educational programming parallels initiatives by the Smithsonian Institution and state historical organizations like the Massachusetts Historical Society: traveling exhibitions, teacher workshops modeled on National History Day, public lectures echoing formats used by the American Historical Association, and youth outreach similar to the Boy Scouts of America historical merit programs. The Society offers genealogy clinics using standards promoted by the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) and online resources comparable to collections hosted by the Digital Public Library of America.
Governance follows a nonprofit board model comparable to governance at the American Antiquarian Society and New-York Historical Society, with trustees drawn from academic, legal, and civic leaders connected to institutions like Middlebury College, Vermont Law School, and the University of Vermont Medical Center. Funding sources include membership dues, grants from foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, project support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and contracts with state agencies analogous to partnerships with the Vermont Department of Libraries and cultural funds like those administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The Society's facilities include archival stacks, reading rooms, and exhibition spaces comparable to regional institutions such as the Bennington Museum and the Shelburne Museum. Storage and conservation facilities meet standards promoted by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, and digitization projects have employed protocols similar to those at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution Digital Volunteers. The Society collaborates with local historic sites including the Bennington Battle Monument, the Hildene (Home of Robert Todd Lincoln), and a network of town historical societies across counties like Chittenden County, Vermont and Bennington County, Vermont.
Category:History of Vermont Category:Historical societies in the United States