The Brattleboro Historical Society Podcast

The New England Youth Theater was founded in 1998 by Stephen Stearns. Here's the story from a student perspective...

In 1957 the Celtic legends Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Sam Jones played in the Brattleboro High School gym. Art Freeman remembers them well, but also remembers unsung hero, power forward Jim Loscutoff. Here's the story...

Lucy Terry Prince was one of the first African American poets published in America, but the richness of her life goes beyond the written word...here's her story...

This week we want to tell you about Estey Organ's early years. Jacob Estey began working with organs in the 1850's, here's the story...

BHS Podcast e100 - Addison, Fort Dummer and the Next Generation by Brattleboro Historical Society

The Guilford Street Ski Tow began in 1938. It was one of the 1st three ski tows in New England and led the way as nearly 700 community and neighborhood ski areas sprang to life in Vermont alone. In the intervening years 620 of those once-thriving community ski hills have closed, but the Guilford Street Ski Tow remains. Here's the origin story of Brattleboro’s favorite ski hill and subsequent creat...

In 1840 Dr. Robert Wesselhoeft moved to Boston from Germany. He was publicly humiliated by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes and driven from town. Wesselhoeft moved his family to Brattleboro and opened a "Water Cure"...here's the story...

In 1911 an amusement center named Island Park opened on the island between Brattleboro and Hinsdale. Here's the story...

Brattleboro has had a public library since 1882. It has existed in three locations along Main Street. Here's the story...

In 1820 Charles Wood was born in Centreville. Who knew he would join the circus, work with the 1st lion tamer to place his head inside a lion's mouth and finish his career with P.T. Barnum? Here's his story...

BHS Podcast e93 - Maple Syrup & Sugar by Brattleboro Historical Society

81 years ago this week the largest flood in recorded Brattleboro history struck our town. Here's the story...

"In 1974 Mary Shiminski broke up with her boyfriend, Bert Salva. What followed inspired poetry, art and song. Here's the story..." Keene Sentinel link http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/a-local-love-story-worth-repeating/article_39660ebe-5673-50bc-8077-ec431436d780.html

In the 1840's Brattleboro was in the mix of towns competing for a railroad. In 1849 the railroad made it's way to town, some people prospered and some lost out. Here's the story...

In 1786 Benjamin Wheaton was the first African American to buy land in Brattleboro. As our nation made Vermont the 14th state and the century turned to the 1800's,the land you see on the left side of the photo contained his house and workshop. Here's the story...

Late 19th century Fake News! A rich politician using scare tactics to manipulate the press and the public! Welcome to the Trolley Wars!

Anna Marsh witnessed the horrors of mental health care in the early 1800's through the tragic experiences of a friend and a family member. Here's the story of the origins of the Brattleboro Retreat as researched by Maggie, a BAMS student...

The 1961, Man of the Year was Dr. Grace Burnett. Here's her story...

Windham County women have long been involved in the fight for Women's Rights. Here's the story of Ada, a BAMS 7th-grader who marched in Washington this last weekend, and Clarina Nichols who argued for women's' rights before the Vermont legislature; two women separated by close to two centuries, united in the cause of justice...

According to the website Fansided, Vermont's greatest college quarterback of all time is Brattleboro's Joe Shield. Here's his story...

There are murder mysteries and strange names associated with a few small hollows in our region...here are a couple of stories...

Mary Wilkins Freeman was one of the first female authors in America able to financially support herself through her writing. She moved to Brattleboro at the age of 15 and began working on her craft. Here is her story...

The Vernon Dam and the Brattleboro Retreat were linked together by the Verrnont Legislature 110 years ago as a way to protect the Retreat from damages caused by the construction of the Dam. Here's the dam story...

Originally there were plans for two dams, one in Brattleboro and one in Vernon, here's the story of what happened...

BHS Podcast e79 - Eliza Morse and a long life by Brattleboro Historical Society