Dummerston Historical Society

OUR BEGINNINGS AND OUR WORK TODAY: The Dummerston Historical Society was founded in 1976 by Harrison Evans, Thomas Johnson, and Richard Virkstis, three Dummerston residents committed to preserving the stories, artifacts, photographs, maps and other items of historical significance to the town. Today, the DHS continues to preserve, document, and educate on the history of Dummerston, Vermont. The Society is based in the former Center Schoolhouse in Dummerston Center, once a one-room schoolhouse that has been restored and added onto to create a meeting place and exhibition and archival space for the Society.

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CURRENT STATUS 2023: We are open! In person quarterly meetings are planned for January, April, July and October. In addition, there will be two exhibits for you to enjoy. The first, with a grand opening on June 11 and curated by Chuck Fish, is entitled “Faces of Dummerston: a Work in Progress”. Over 150 photographs of Dummerston residents line the walls of our Schoolhouse for your perusal and
enjoyment. (June 11 – August 9 th .) The second exhibit is entitled “Artisans of Dummerston”. Local artisans will exhibit samples of their art or craft at the Schoolhouse with a grand opening on August 13 th . (August 13 – mid-October) Exact dates and times for all of these opportunities will be posted under Events as they are determined. A visit to our historic Schoolhouse offers an opportunity to explore genealogies, review photographs of past exhibits, search scrapbooks and discover the many artifacts in the Society’s collection. Albums featuring Slab Hollow, Dummerston Center, West Dummerston Village, Houses of Dummerston, Artists of Dummerston, Authors of Dummerston, and many others are available for viewing. Please contact us with any questions.

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 2022:  Although the Schoolhouse is currently closed to the public due to Covid-19 restrictions, the work of the Society goes forward and we have exciting plans for 2022. Until we are able to resume our exhibits, special programs and quarterly meetings, we will use Zoom to connect with our membership and friends. The Directors will continue to meet virtually each month and to create albums, organize our collection and work on special projects individually. We look forward to sharing those with you as soon as we are able to return to a more “normal” schedule. Our Society  continues to welcome and encourage anecdotal stories, photographs, poetry, artwork or just thoughts about your “life during the Covid-19 pandemic.” We plan to compile these recollections as a record of our experiences during this unusual time. These contributions should be emailed to dummerstonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com or mailed to the Dummerston Historical Society, P.O. Box 8064, Brattleboro, VT 05304.

When open the Schoolhouse offers an opportunity to explore genealogies, review photographs of past exhibits, search scrapbooks and discover the many artifacts in the Society’s collection. Albums featuring Slab Hollow, Dummerston Center, West Dummerston Village, Houses of Dummerston, Artists of Dummerston, Authors of Dummerston, and many others will be available for viewing and discussion.  

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The Society is handicapped accessible and free of charge. For more info, call 254-9311 or 257-9358.

 

MEETINGS & PROJECTS: The DHS holds four meetings a year – one annual meeting in January and three others quarterly, held in the third week of April, July, and October. The Society also plans one to four public events per year, which include photography and art exhibitions, educational programs, and open houses. A project documenting current history called “Making History” and efforts to record oral histories are ongoing.

 

VOLUNTEERING: The DHS is a nonprofit that relies entirely on the volunteer work and generosity of its members, and new volunteers are always welcome. Your interests and time available will be appreciated.

 

DONATIONS: Tax-deductible donations are always gratefully accepted. If you wish to donate, please contact us via email.

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MEMBERSHIP:

 

CONTACT: For information on upcoming events, donating, becoming a member, or accessing the society’s archives, please refer to the information on this website, and for further questions email dummerstonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com and a board member will respond to you as soon as possible.

 

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