February: “Memoirs of a Mill Girl” — Anne Bugbee

The story of Mary Palmer a young girl who arrived in America in 1859 and began working in a cotton mill in North Bennington as a spooler. In 1906 she wrote “Reflections of a Mill Worker” describing her experiences. At this Historical Society Meeting at the Bennington Museum Anne also talked about the fire and explosion in 1874 at the Bradford Mill which killed many women who were working that day.

March: “Orphan Trains” — Dr. Daniel Bean

The story of orphans from New York City that were put on trains from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s and transported across the country in hopes of finding homes for them. These trains made their way through Vermont and Dr Bean’s father was one of the orphans who found a home in Vermont.

April:”Bennington Vermont in the Civil War” — Bill Morgan

August: “Vermont and the American President” — Mark S. Hudson

September: “John Stark, Maverick General” — Ben Rose

John Stark played a decisive role in defeating the British at the Battle of Bennington.

November: “The Life and Times of Jedidiah Dewey” — Don Miller with Charles Dewey and Jamie Franklin

Tthe first minister and early settler of the town of Bennington, Vermont. Don Miller, local historian, Jamie Franklin, museum curator and Charles Dewey, a direct descendant, discuss Jedidiah Dewey’s influence on the town. His iconic tombstone has a quotation from Shakespeare on it and is located in the Bennington Museum and a recently carved replica is located in the Old First Church Cemetery.

December : “The Russell Collection of Vermontiana” — Bill Budde

Mr. Budde is the curator of the Russell Collection at the Arlington Library. Dr. Russell started collecting books, journals, newspaper clippings and other Vermont memorabilia as a young boy. His collecting lasted a lifetime and eventually he had impressive documents on Vermont history and the town of Arlington from the early days of its settlement. The collection is housed in a special room in the Arlington Library that is open to the public for research.