2024 Calendars Now Available!

The 2024 Putney Historical Society calendar is available now from the historical society and at the Putney General Store, Putney Coop and Hidden Springs Maple Store.  It features images of carriages, wagons and sleighs from the Fairchild collection of Corser photographs.

Made in Putney: A Boot Warmer

The Putney Historical Society recently received a donation of a boot warmer that was made in Putney during the early 20th century.  The boot warmer was donated by John Anderson of Dummerston.  A fragmentary label indicates it was made in Putney but lacks any other information.  The item is clearly handmade, possibly from scraps of … Read more

Historic Photo Published

An historic photograph from the Putney Historical Society’s collection has been included in Ken Burns’ new book Our America: A Photographic History.   The photograph shows a tug-of-war taking place around 1900.   Learn more>

Putney Town Hall Building Study

by Lyssa Papazian Last July, the Putney Historical Society signed a 25-year lease with the town for use of the upstairs of the historic 1871 town hall (now unused due to inaccessibility and no heat, etc.). We are partnering with the town on developing and funding (raising funding) for a joint rehabilitation project. There will … Read more

Pews Looking for Homes

We have several of the 1893 pews from the former United Church (now Next Stage) that we’d like to distribute to people interested in putting them to use. Great for hallways, porches, mudrooms or right in your living room! They come with almost new cushions. Some of the pews have two ends, some have one, … Read more

The Washburns in Putney – Chapter 3

The third chapter of Bill Darrow’s book about the Washburn family explores the rift created by John Humphrey Noyes and his radical religious sect of Bible Communism. This chapter delves into the historical context of the Second Great Awakening. The Washburns in Putney – Chapter 3  

Putney in the History in the 252 Project

The Vermont Historical Society initiated their History in the 252 project. The Putney Historical Society submitted information on John Humphrey Noyes that was included in the project website: https://vermonthistory.org/history-in-the-252. Keep an eye out for the next PHS newsletter that will include an article by Bill Darrow that continues his history of the Washburn family and … Read more

Snapshots in Time: At Home in Putney

The Putney Historical Society’s collection of late 19th/early 20th century photographs containsmany photos of Putney families gathered on their porches or in their front yards. This summer, the Putney Historical Society asks Putney residents to carry on this tradition, and update our town’s historical record, by submitting family photographs taken in front of their homes. … Read more

Remembering Elka Schumann

by Nancy Olson Elka Leigh Scott Schumann, (1935 – 2021) is perhaps best known in Vermont as the co-founder with her husband Peter Schumann of Bread and Puppet Theater, located in the town of Glover, in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. But she also has some interesting ties to the town of Putney. First, some background on … Read more