Bristol Historical Society

Accomplishments for 2025

We hope this letter finds you healthy and safe in 2026. As always, your support and membership continue to be very important to us.

The Executive Board meetings of the Historical Society were held monthly, January through April. In May, we resumed our regular monthly meetings with a presentation by the late Gertrude Bingham in a video she made in 2007 on Boarding House Living in the 1930s and 1940s'. In June Kevin Hanson spoke about his great-great-grandfather 'Joel Carpenter's General Store in Starksboro', followed by Reg Dearborn in July speaking on 'Bristol Main St. Fires from 1871 to 1974'. In August Martin Arthur Fleming, from Milton, presented an entertaining program on 'Vermont in The Civil War". In September, the program was Show and Tell' with attendees bringing in artifacts, special personal items and many personal memories. Although there is not a large audience for this presentation, it is always a great time. Finally in October, we had an open house that was well attended, with lots of information being exchanged. We would like to thank everyone for the great turnout for these programs and hopefully look forward to another year of programs in 2026.

The Historical Society once again enjoyed many visitors this past year looking for information. We were also able to be open a couple of times this past year for people to just stop in and browse, a practice we hope to continue in 2026. It has been very satisfying to answer and supply information to all the questions that have been asked in the past year. We are available anytime to anyone who has questions or would like to visit the museum, simply by contacting any member of the Executive Board listed below.

In 2025, the Society again awarded two Historical Society Merit Scholarships of $1,000 each to Mt. Abraham seniors. They were asked to write an essay on "What in your town do you believe should be remembered for future generations?" The 2025 winners were Idries Twyman and Ryan Cross.

In 2025, Historical Society plaques were placed on two more homes in Bristol. The first at 39 Pleasant St. built by Frank & Jeanette Hill in 1899. The second was placed at 46 East St. built by William McGee in 1890.

The Historical Society also facilitated the repair of a historic stained glass window in the Federated Church that had been damaged by wind in the 1980s. It should be reinstalled in the spring.

106 items have been received from donors and catalogued in 2025. Among these acquisitions were a Photo Album by Geo Lathrop of pictures of some of Bristol's past citizens, and ‘Sam’ McKinnon's extensive collection of over 500 Native American artifacts and arrowheads. Thanks to everyone who donated all the items. Thanks to Leslie Leggett, we have continued to update displays of Bristol items, including clothes, signs and quilts.

In closing, the BHS Executive Board would like to express our thanks and appreciation to our 109 current annual members and 63 Life Members who support our activities through membership fees, donations and the purchases of books available at the museum or through committee members. We look forward in 2026 to our guest speakers from May through October at our monthly meetings and our open houses.

We are available anytime to anyone who has questions or would like to visit the museum, simply by contacting any member of the Executive Board listed below.

Reg Dearborn, President 802-453-3526 dear4@gmavt.net
Nancy Dike, Vice-President 802-452-3454
John Burbank, Secretary 802-453-2907
Ted Lylis, Treasurer 802-453-3751
Member at Large: Catherine Mey