Early days in Orleans
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) and A History of Coventry, Orleans County,
Vermont by Pliny H. White (1859).
The
62 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. The towns and villages include
Albany, Barton, Brownington, Charleston, Coventry, Craftsbury, Derby,
Glover, Greensboro, Holland, Irasburgh, Jay, Morgan, Newport, Salem,
Troy, Westfield, Westmore.
Tales of Rogers
Rangers, the international border, Lake Willoughby, Craftsbury Common,
the phenomenon of Runaway Pond, Early settlers, etc. are among the
items of interest. The special section on the town of Coventry is
filled with details of early life in Orleans County, as well as
names of many early residents.
The WPA excerpts
include a separate section on Newport. The other 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out-of-date as a tour guide, remain a fascinating source of historical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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