Historic Photos tell Montpelier's History

Anyone interested in Montpelier's history will want to take a look at the new book, Montpelier: Images of Vermont's Capital City, put together by Paul A. Carnahan and Bill Fish. The book is full of historic photos of Montpelier and the people who lived here beginning with a sketch of our little city that was done by Sarah I. Watrous in 1821. There are photos of floods and fires, parades, street scenes with horses and buggies, and some of the businesses that used to thrive on State Street and Main Street.

Ever wonder what the school looked like that educated Montpelier's children before Union Elementary School? It's in the book. Did you know that Montpelier's bridges at one time were covered bridges? Can you imagine the hill behind our State House without any trees?

Still, some of the photos look as if they were shot yesterday except that the cars in the setting are from the 1920s and 1930s.

From snow rollers and sleighs to the trolley that ran in Montpelier, this book will give a whole new perspective on how Montpelier has changed and yet stayed the same over its 200+ year history. Be sure to check it out.

Montpelier's Commercial History Along the Winooski RIver

Local historian, Manuel Garcia, will present a slide show called, THE HISTORY OF MONTPELIER'S COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY Along the Winooski River Valley, Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 7pm. Garcia will share photos of many of the earlier business establishments, large and small, along the Memorial Drive, Berlin Street, River Street, Barre Street area neighborhoods. The presentation includes the Manufactured Gas and Electric Generating plants along with some pictures of the Railroad, and Trolley systems that traversed this valley, and the early single span bridges that crossed the Winooski River. This program is for those of you who love local history.