Putney Historical Society

By Stuart Strothman, June 2002

For every land where reasonable law is held as the standard for society, there must be people to enforce the law. These people are in a demanding position, not only because bravery and clarity are required as a matter of course, but because a careful balance must be found between law enforcement, peacekeeping, and respect for the constitutional rights of citizens. William Graham, as a longtime citizen and well-respected law enforcement officer in the town of Putney, with more than thirty years spent as Windham County Sheriff, seems to have created a comfortable balance in his lifetime, as has Henry Farnum, also of Putney, fourteen years his chief deputy and recently county sheriff. Though many people in Windham may not realize, citizens of the town of Putney have played a very important role in the development of reliable law enforcement, county wide. Read the entire post: William Graham: Law enforcement in Putney

Location: Putney Cares Barn

Members present: Ruth Barton, Laurel Ellis, Barbara Taylor, Lindley Speers, Jane Rawley, Stuart Strothman, Tom Jamison, Jacquie Walker.
Also present: Laura Heller, Marilyn Loomis, Bill Darrow Jr., and about forty others.

Minutes
The meeting was called to order by president Ruth Barton, who began by mentioning the accomplishments, and sad passing of Elaine Dixon, whose loss we felt deeply. Read the entire post: Annual Meeting: September 11, 2005

Location: Pierce’s Hall, East Putney

Members present: Barbara Taylor, Ruth Barton, Stuart Strothman, Lindley Speers, Laurel Ellis, MaryJane MacGuire, Jane Rawley
Also present: 18 people, including Marilyn Loomis of the East Putney Community Club.

Meeting called to order by Ruth Barton. Read the entire post: Annual Meeting, Sept. 24 2006

By Stuart Strothman and Laurel Ellis, August 2005

Putney has long been rightfully proud of its fire department, which in 2004 responded to a record 343 calls, and gave 4300 additional volunteer hours over to maintenance, education, and training. As we look forward to our new firehouse on the solid ground of the old salt shed property across from the Co-op, it seems like a good time to look back and consider some of the ways our fire department has served our community, and how things have changed over the years. Read the entire post: The Putney Fire Department

By Laurel Ellis and Leon Cooper, August, 2005

The history of the Putney Community Center can be said to rightly begin even before the construction of the Baptist Meeting House Church which was to become its home.

The 1883 Meeting House deed indicates that a one-family dwelling house was already standing on the site where the Church was slated to be built. A close examination of the present structure makes a strong case for the rear portion of the building being in fact the dwelling house referred to in the 1883 deed. An exterior-wall window is still visible from the interior stairway leading to the second floor, making it clear that the rear part of the building must have once stood as an independent structure. Read the entire post: 80 Years and Still Going Strong: The Putney Community Center