Putney Historical Society

We are thrilled to announce that the Fresh Sound Foundation has granted the Putney Historical Society and Next Stage Arts Project an additional, substantial grant of 25K. We have just finished a grant cycle of 10K from Fresh Sound, which paid for essential work to the stage, and electrical work. We are so grateful!

The Putney Historical Society will hold its Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 8 at 1:30 pm at 15 Kimball Hill/Next Stage. In addition to the regular business meeting, we have a nice program lined up, with Civil War historian Charlie Marchant presenting a program on local Putney soldiers. He’s a fine speaker, and we feel sure those in attendance will be satisfied with both our program and the refreshments.

Putney Historical Society, Inc.
Incorporated September 21, 1959
By-Laws (as amended August 14, 1994)

Article 1—Membership and dues
Sec. 1: Any person interested in the purpose of the Putney, Vt., Historical Society who applies for membership and tenders the necessary dues shall thereby become a member.
Sec. 2: Classifications of membership and amount of dues shall be decided by the Board of Directors.
Sec. 3: Dues are payable by August first, which shall be the beginning of our fiscal year. Present life memberships will be honored.
Article 2—Meetings
Sec. 1: The annual meeting of the Society shall be held in the month of August or later at the discretion of the board of directors.
Sec. 2: Other meetings may be called by the president or the board of directors.
Sec. 3: The board of directors shall meet whenever they feel it appropriate.
Article 3—Officers and Board of Directors
Sec. 1: The officers of this Society shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer, who shall be elected for a term of one year; and from three to nine directors who shall be elected for three years. When appropriate, however, a term may be of one year, so that the terms of approximately one third of the directors will expire in each of the three ensuing years.
Sec. 2: The officers and directors shall constitute the board of directors.
Article 4—Election of Officers and Directors
Sec. 1: All officers and directors shall be elected at the annual meeting.
Sec. 2: A committee on nominations shall be appointed by the board of directors prior to the annual meeting, and shall submit to the annual meeting a slate of officers and directors for election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, and shall be added to the slate of candidates upon affirmative vote of a majority of members present at the annual meeting.
Sec. 3: Officers and directors shall take office at the end of the annual meeting, and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected. In the event of resignation or incapacity of any officer or director, except the president, the vacancy may be filled for any unexpired term of office by a vote of the board of directors.
Article 5—Duties of Officers and Directors
Sec. 1: The president shall have executive supervision over the activities of the Society within the scope provided by these by-laws. The president shall preside at all meetings, report annually on the activities of the Society, appoint the chairpersons of committees with the approval of the board of directors.
Sec. 2: The vice-president shall assume the duties of the president in case of absence, incapacity, or resignation of the president.

Sec. 3: The secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings of the Society and of the board of directors, maintain a list of members, and render an annual report. The secretary shall also acknowledge all gifts to the collections of the Society.
Sec. 4: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the funds of the Society and for maintaining adequate financial records. The Treasurer shall deposit all monies received with a reliable banking company in the name of the Putney Historical Society, Inc.; shall pay bills as authorized by the board of directors; shall collect dues and render an annual report.
Sec. 5: The board of directors shall have the power to conduct all affairs of the Society. It shall decide questions of policy that for any reason cannot be acted upon at a meeting of the Society, and perform such other functions as designated in the by-laws or otherwise assigned to it. The board of directors shall have the power to authorize the treasurer to pay bills. At any meeting of the board of directors, five members shall constitute a quorum. The board of directors will elect its own chairman, and through the chairman, shall render an annual report at each annual meeting.
Article 5—Committees
Sec. 1: The Society may have the following Committees:
Library Committee: responsible for receiving, collecting, cataloguing, the care, arrangement, and repair of books, manuscripts, newspapers and other historical source material.
Museum Committee: responsible for receiving, collecting, cataloguing, cleaning, repair and storage of historic objects; for arranging museum exhibits, and the correct historic interpretation of those exhibits; for the care and upkeep of museum quarters.
Publications and Publicity Committee: responsible for finding ways and means of publishing joint or individual research studies; for a newsletter to members; for publicity; for staging radio and television programs.
Historic Sites Committee: responsible for establishing the historical validity of sites proposed for marking; for marking historical sites; for arranging historical tours.
Program Committee: responsible for arranging suitable programs; for setting time, place and date of meetings.
Membership Committee: responsible for membership drives.
Ways and Means Committee: responsible for plans to raise sums of money, in addition to membership dues, for the support of the Society.
Sec. 2: Chairmen of these committees may choose members of their respective committees.
Sec. 3: Special committees may be appointed by the president as needed.
Article 6—Amendment
This constitution may be amended at any regular or adjourned meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided written notice, together with a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments, has been given to all members at least twenty days before the date of the meeting. Or they may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with such notice and a two-thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the board of directors.
Article 7—Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Society except in such cases as are governed by the constitution or by-laws.

Article 1—Name
The name of this society shall be the Putney Historical Society, Inc.
Article 2—Purpose
The purpose of this Society shall be to bring together those persons interested in history, and especially in the history of the Town of Putney, Vermont; to discover and collect any materials such as books, papers, manuscripts, genealogical records and museum material, illustrative of life, conditions, events, and activities of the past and present, pertinent to the history of Putney; to acquire property or rights in interest of property in order to preserve historic resources. The Society shall provide for the preservation of such material and for its accessibility, as far as may be feasible, to all who wish to examine or study it; shall cooperate in efforts to preserve historic buildings, monuments and markers. The Society may disseminate historical information through the media of newspapers, or radio and otherwise, and may, from time to time, hold public meetings with historical programs. The Society shall cooperate with the state and county historical societies.
Article 3—Amendment
This constitution may be amended at any regular or adjourned meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided written notice, together with a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments, has been given to all members at least twenty days before the date of the meeting. Or it may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with such notice and a two-thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the board of directors.
Article 4—Limitations
No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article 2 hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of political statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this corporation shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of this corporation.
Article 5—Dissolution
Upon the dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes with the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

The Putney Historical Society (PHS) is celebrating the re-opening of the Putney General Store on Saturday, Dec. 10. We hope it is a day to showcase all of Putney’s businesses and the renaissance of a vibrant downtown. We will have events and activities from 11am through the evening with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the store at 2pm. There will be open houses at Putney General Store (4 Kimball Hill) and 15 Kimball Hill (the former church and new home of Next Stage) offering free refreshments (courtesy Putney General Store, The Putney School, and others), prizes, and entertainment.
96.7 WTSA FM will broadcast live from the store from 11 till 1 courtesy of the new store operator, Ming Chou, and the PHS. Folks who come down Saturday before 1pm to either open house can pick up a raffle ticket to win gift certificates/prizes from the Putney General Store, Hickory Ridge House, Peekabootique, Offerings, The Front Porch Café, Morning Glorious Vintage, Sandglass Theater, Hidden Springs Maple, and Swirl. We will draw winners on the air.
In 15 Kimball Hill, there will be a Putney Historical Society display featuring the Fairchild Collection of old photos and Next Stage will offer free popcorn with holiday and classic cartoons upstairs on the big screen while we have an open house downstairs. There will be informational and demonstration tables hosted by Transition Putney, Yellow Barn (offering discounts to concerts), Sandglass Theater, Post Oil Solutions, Putney Family Services, Hidden Springs Maple, Emily Peyton, Sadelle Wiltshire and Zentangle Creativity, Wisdom of Healing, Soveren, Richard Taylor Woodcarving, and other local artists and craftspeople.
On the street and in 15 Kimball Hill/Next Stage we will also have live music throughout the day by Mike Mrowicki, Amelia Struthers, Leon Cooper, Amy Cann’s Fiddle Group, and Liz Rogers as well as dancing by the Windham Morris group. Later in the evening Twilight Music will be presenting
the Sweetback Sisters Country Christmas Sing Along at Next Stage at 7:30 pm.
It will be day of enjoying Putney’s many opportunities to shop local. The following businesses
will be open and many are having specials and sales on Saturday:
Putney General Store (6am – 10pm) Free samples and specials
Offerings Jewelry (10am – 6pm) –20% off storewide
Eklections (formerly Silver Forest & Connecting Lines) (10am – 6pm) Free pair of earrings to
those who stop in – no purchase necessary
Morning Glorious Vintage (11am – 5pm)
Sacketts Brook Gallery Will be open
Front Porch Café (8am – 4pm) Open for breakfast and lunch
Penelope Wurr Contemporary Glass (10am – 6pm) Select items on sale
2 of 3
Florali (10am – 6pm) It is their Grand Opening too with a raffle of gifts and 10% off storewide
J.D. McCliments Pub (4pm – 12pm) Open for dinner
Basketville (9am – 6pm) 50% off all Christmas ornaments and free wine tasting at Putney Mtn.
Winery from 11am – 5pm
Mountain Paul’s General Store (7am – 9pm) Offers free coffee on Sundays
Peekabootique Childrens Consignment (open at 11am) 10% off any item
Shear Madness (8am – 2pm) 20% off storewide, free Biolage samples with every cut, win
special prizes and get a discount card on next hair cut
Putney Village Pizza (11am – 9pm) Open for lunch and dinner – 10% off all size pizzas
including new gluten-free pies
Putney Diner (6am – 3pm) Open for breakfast and lunch -check in for daily specials
Edel’s Art Glass (11am – 6pm) Offering free glass demonstrations
Unique Antique (9am – 6pm) 20% off storewide on prints, paintings, books, maps, ephemera
Putney Food Coop (7:30am – 8pm)
Putney Inn (7am – 9pm) Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Green Mountain Spinnery (10am – 5:30pm) Offering tours by request
West Hill Shop (10am – 6pm) Annual Holiday Sale all weekend (Friday through Sunday)
And just outside of the village:
Hidden Springs Maple (10am – 6pm) 50% off select grades of syrup and free syrup tasting Green Mountain Orchards (8:30am – 5:30pm) Wreath making and Christmas trees for sale.
After 3 ½ years, two fires, and many challenges, the Putney Historical Society is proud to re-open the Putney General Store. In May 2008 Putney village was devastated by a fire that severely damaged the General Store. The community rallied and the Putney Historical Society voted unanimously to take on the daunting task of rebuilding the store. With the help of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, many dozens of community members, and the financial support of the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the building was purchased and stabilized and the final rehabilitation work was ready to begin. Then on November 1, 2009, an arsonist set the building ablaze and within minutes it was totally destroyed. The community was devastated but again the community and volunteers at the Historical Society showed incredible determination and agreed to rebuild the place that was the economic and social center of their community.
With the continuing support of the VCDP, a grant from the Village Revitalization Initiative- a partnership between Senator Patrick Leahy and the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Windham Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, Harris and Frances Block Foundation, Pepsi Refresh program, Thomas Thompson Trust, People’s United Bank, Riverledge Foundation, Woodtiger Foundation, and over 400 local donors; the Historical Society has raised well over $1 million and is now ready to re-open the store. The new building was designed by Maclay Architects of Waitsfield and constructed by Ingram Construction Corp. of W. Swanzey, NH with a timber frame hand crafted and donated by Cross Creek Farm using donated Putney trees. The custom front doors were handcrafted by Putney woodworker, Abijah Reed, the new store signs were hand made by artist, Will Parmelee, and the new counter was hand made by local furniture maker, Steve Kenzer.
An experienced operator, Ming Chou formerly of Appletown Market in Massachusetts, is ready to serve Putney with a 20-year lease signed. His plan closely approximates the scale of the pre-fire Putney General Store business with a full service grocery store and butcher shop as well as a full range of prepared foods and a seating area with options for indoor or outdoor dining to enjoy them in. With this plan, we are truly restoring the community gathering place that inspired so many to donate to this project, and ensuring it is sustainable into the future.