Orange County, Vermont

New 38-Page Booklet

Early days in Orange County, VT, are recalled through a mix of colorful tales, factual data and trivia, in this new 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). The 38-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: Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Stafford, Thetford, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Farlee, and Williamstown.

Among the items of interest is the story of Samuel Sleeper "who was always awake to mischief", plot to capture General Bailey, other Revolutionary War heroes, like Richard Wallace, who swam through two miles of icy water to deliver dispatches; Samuel Morey's early steamboat; Thomas Davenport, who invented the first electric motor, etc.

The WPA excerpts, while not up-to-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?