Dummerston Historical Society

CURRENT STATUS 2026:  We are open! We’re looking forward to upcoming Quarterly Meetings that will feature interesting programs from local presenters, in the comfort of our historic Schoolhouse.

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  The PHOTOGRAPHY of LEONARD OPPENHEIM  

Opening Reception - Sunday, April 12th at 1:00 pm

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The Dummerston Historical Society invites all to a new exhibit “Faces and Places, Snap, Snap, Snap”, featuring photographs by Leonard Oppenheim at the opening reception on Sunday, April 12, from 1-3 pm, with a remarks by Len at 1:30 pm.  Len, a full time resident of Dummerston since the early 2000’s, first visited Dummerston as a Peace Corps trainee in July – October, 1964.  His two-year Peace Corps assignment was in Afghanistan. Exotic, colorful, wondrous!  A terrific place for photography.  And the rest is history!  Over the years, Len has traveled many places worldwide (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan, USA, Uzbekistan and more), always keeping a camera with him. Snap, Snap, Snap, capturing photographs of life – individuals, groups of people, landmarks, the environment– in each country and here in Dummerston, his home.  Every photograph has a story!

 

Bonus:   CLICK HERE to get a little background on Len – who's also a valued contributor to our annual Views of Dummerston calendar.

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  DHS QUARTERLY MEETING and PROGRAM  

Business Meeting, then, the Coroner Lady! - Thursday, April 17th at 7:00 pm

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The Dummerston Historical Society invites members and visitors to its April quarterly meeting on Thursday, April 16th at 7 pm at the Dummerston Historical Society in Dummerston Center.   Following a short business meeting,  Julie Johnson-McGrath will present a program on “Why the Heck Were Doctors Always Bleeding People?  Medicine before the 20th Century”.  After regularly visiting dear friends in Dummerston for over 30 years, Julie Johnson-McGrath and her husband Ed retired here in 2023.  Julie has lectured widely and taught at the University of Pennsylvania (where she earned her PhD in the History and Sociology of Science), Harvard, and the Wagner Free Institute of Science.  She still maintains her consulting practice, coronerlady.com, where she advises authors of fiction and non-fiction and family historians on current and historical forensic science, medicine, technology and causes of death for genealogists.

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The Dummerston Historical Society in Dummerston Center adjacent to the Town Office is accessible, admission is free and is open the first and third Sundays of the month from 1-3 pm, or by appointment.

Exhibits rotate quarterly.  Volunteer board members will be glad to help with your inquiries.  Information: kiddsing2772@gmail.com or gailsvt@gmail.com

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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.

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.

 

The Schoolhouse is open the first and third Sunday afternoons of the month from 1 pm - 3 pm. The Society is handicapped accessible and free of charge. For more info, call 802 490-0728 or 802 321-8791.

 

 

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.

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SOCIAL MEDIA:  Visit our Facebook page by clicking this link.              Don't have/do Facebook? No problem! You can still view all the very latest Right Here.

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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.

 

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.