Vermont Historical Society,
Barre, Vermont
www.vermonthistory.org
Press Contact: Jane Campbell, jane.campbell@state.vt.us,
802-479-8516
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Left to right:
Mrs. Laura Bush, Director J. Kevin Graffagnino,
community member Marilyn Blackwell, and IMLS Director
Anne Radice. Click image for a larger version. |
For 170 years, the Vermont Historical Society
has set the standard for connecting Green Mountain state
residents, scholars, educators, and students with their
rich heritage and with one another.
Vermonters share an inherent pride in their
history. But as a state whose population is dispersed
in rural communities, often isolated from one another,
it can be challenging to create programming that reaches
and relates to diverse audiences and interests. With that
in mind, the Vermont Historical Society has done something
no other institution has been able to do: it has become
the only institution with a collection that reflects the
entire history of every geographical area and time period
in Vermont.
Headquartered in Barre, with its museum
near the state house in Montpelier, the Vermont Historical
Society is the only organization of its kind to partner
with all 192 of the state’s small public libraries
and 200 local museums and heritage organizations. It provides
free consultation on collections care and the use of technology
to enhance rural access to historical information.
The Historical Society’s educational
outreach program serves thousands of students, educators,
and families each year through learning and development
workshops, genealogy courses, history lending kits, curriculum
guides, and field trips. The Community History Partnership,
founded in 2001, has created cross-generational partnerships
in 23 communities, joining elementary and secondary school
students with their local historical societies and town
libraries. Furthermore, the Vermont History Expo, an annual
summer event since 2000, is the only statewide exhibition
of local historical societies in the country, drawing
more than 6,000 visitors each year.
“I nominated the Vermont Historical
Society for this award in part because the Vermont Historical
Society does an excellent job preserving Vermont’s
rich history," said U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
“But it does far more than preserve the past. It
uses its exhibits to connect present-day Americans, and
in particular the citizens of Vermont, with the traditions
of our wonderful state. Groups across the nation can learn
from the society’s innovative outreach program connecting
people with their history. The Vermont Historical Society
is, and should be, a model for bringing the fruits of
research to the general public, and reaching out beyond
museum walls to make sure our common heritage is available
to all.”
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) noted
that, “As a Vermonter, I am extremely proud of the
services that the Vermont Historical Society provides
to our state. This award is well deserved, as it commends
the Society for its exemplary work in preserving Vermont’s
heritage.”
“The Vermont Historical Society continues
to provide a tremendous public service to Vermonters and
communities throughout the state. Their continued commitment
to making Vermont’s rich historical traditions accessible
to so many Vermonters, young and old, is truly remarkable,”
said U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-VT).
Community Member Marilyn Blackwell
– Hooked on History
It was a beautiful summer day more than 35 years ago when
Marilyn Blackwell first walked into the library at the
Vermont Historical Society. She was a young escapee from
the city– just married and looking for work–
but resigned to volunteering for any worthy organization
she could find until she could discern a new pathway for
her life. Her volunteer activities and many hours in the
stacks at the VHS library launched her on a track back
to graduate school for a master’s degree and then
a doctorate in U.S. history. With the guidance of a welcoming
and skilled librarian and the numerous scholars, antiquarians,
and genealogists who regularly congregate at the archives,
she got hooked on history!
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