Early days in Orange
County, VT, are recalled through a mix of colorful tales, factual
data and trivia, in this booklet comprised of excerpts from three
rare vintage books: The
Geography and History of Vermont by S.R. Hall (1871); History
and Description of New England - Vermont by A.J. Coolidge and
J.B. Mansfield (1860); and Vermont, a Guide to the Green Mountain
State, written by the Workers of the Federal Writer's Project
of the WPA (1937).
The 38 page booklet is printed single-sided
on 60# opaque paper
with the print size enlarged as needed to fit the 8 1/2 x 11 size.
A vinyl sheet has been added to protect the front cover.
A major part of
the booklet consists of histories of each township (town), which
vary in size depending on the prominence of the town and its historical
significance: Bradford, Braintree,
Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph,
Stafford, Thetford, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Farlee,
and Williamstown.
Among the items
of interest is the story of Samuel Sleeper "who was always
awake to mischief", plot to capture General Bailey, other Revolutionary
War heroes, like Richard Wallace, who swam through two miles of
icy water to deliver dispatches; Samuel Morey's early steamboat;
Thomas Davenport, who invented the first electric motor, etc.
The WPA excerpts,
while out-of-date as a tour guide, remain a fascinating source of
historical tidbits.
The booklet has
a few illustrations, but their quality is only fair.
Wouldn't this make a unique
gift?
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