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Vermont

Image: Italianate style villa, French Second Empire roofed tower and bay windows.  This negative was found near Bethel or Randolph, Vermont, Notice the scale of the people in this photograph in comparison to this mansion.  The windows must be at least 10 feet tall.  No one with 10 foot windows could ever be accused of liking dark interiors. Imagine how much fabric they required to create the fashionable curtains of the era.   An establishment on this scale required both a large indoor and outdoor staff.   A glass stereopticon negative,  circa 1875.  Private collection.

Vermont statewide and regional organizations

select vermont counties, cities and towns

caledonia county

chittenden county

washington county

windham county

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VERMONT STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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vermont division for historic preservation

Vermont’s rich legacy of historic resources is as diverse as it is engaging. From 12,000-year-old Native American sites to rambling 19th century farms, railroad-spawned villages of the 1870s to gleaming, streamlined diners that sustained auto-borne patrons road tripping through the 1930s, each of the buildings, structures, and spaces tell a story of who we are and what we cherish.
The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation keeps hundreds of years of history alive and vital, engaging people of all walks in Vermont’s past through collecting, preserving and discovering a shared priority and value for the human spirit that preceded us.

One National Life Drive
Davis Building, 6th Floor
Montpelier, VT 05620-0501
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Vermont State historic preservation officer (SHPO)

The office of the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) is in the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

​State Historic Preservation Officer
One National Life Drive
Deane C. Davis Building, 6th Floor
Montpelier, VT 05620-0501
802-828-3222
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Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development

With evidence of Native American occupations extending as far back as 13,000 years ago, Vermont has a rich cultural, historical, and architectural legacy. This significant heritage manifests itself in the state’s ancient Native encampments, agricultural farmsteads with timber-framed barns and rising silos, villages with white-spired churches and town halls marking the valley bottoms and maple-strewn hillsides, downtowns centered on railroad depots and sites of early industrial centers, summer retreats surrounding lakes and ponds, and ski resorts nested on the slopes of the green mountains. The strata of history is a component of the built and natural environment, recounting the stories of Vermont’s buildings, economy, and communities. This legacy does not endure by chance.

State Historic Preservation Officer
One National Life Drive
Deane C. Davis Building, 6th Floor
Montpelier, VT 05620-0501
802-828-3222

Northeastern Vermont development Association

NVDA provides technical assistance with Historic Preservation projects. From grant application to implementing downtown revitalization projects,...
The Vermont Downtown Program provides technical assistance and training to communities to help them develop skills and strategies for their downtown revitalization efforts.
​Many of the historic buildings in village centers and downtowns can benefit from this program. Towns that receive downtown designation are eligible for special tax credits, loans and grants from various state agencies.
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Northeastern Vermont development Association
36 Eastern Avenue
PO Box 630
St Johnsbury, VT 05819
info@nvda.net
​(802) 748-5181
(800) 639-5011
FAX (802) 748-1223

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​Vermont Downtown Development Program

This community revitalization program helps to preserve the historic character and enhance the future of medium to large-sized historic centers.  Since 1999 Downtown Designation has provided communities with financial incentives, training and technical assistance supporting local efforts to restore historic buildings, improve housing, design walkable communities and encourage economic development by incentivizing public and private investments.
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...The downtown program utilizes the Main Street Approach which is a proven strategy that encourages communities to take steps to enact long term change, while also implementing short term, inexpensive activities that attract people to the downtown and create a sense of enthusiasm and momentum about their community....

Downtown Program Coordinator
One National Life Drive
Deane C. Davis Building, 6th Floor
Montpelier, VT 05620-0501
802-828-3220


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​Vermont Heritage Network

​Designed in 1996 by graduate students in the University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program as a working framework of information for residents, tourists, teachers and students, the mission of the Vermont Heritage Network (VHN) was to stimulate awareness and appreciation of Vermont's cultural heritage and built environment.

Vermont Heritage Network
Historic Preservation Program
Wheeler House, University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
www.uvm.edu/histpres
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vermont historical society

The Vermont History Center is the home of the Vermont Heritage Galleries, located in the beautiful historic Spaulding School building at 60 Washington Street in Barre.

Vermont Historical Society
60 Washington St. 
Barre, VT 05641
(802) 479-8500​​​
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Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Mission
(a) The dual goals of creating affordable housing for Vermonters, and conserving and protecting Vermont's agricultural land, forestland, historic properties, important natural areas, and recreational lands are of primary importance to the economic vitality and quality of life of the State. 

(b) In the best interests of all of its citizens and in order to improve the quality of life for Vermonters and to maintain for the benefit of future generations the essential characteristics of the Vermont countryside, and to support farm, forest, and related enterprises, Vermont should encourage and assist in creating affordable housing and in preserving the State's agricultural land, forestland, historic properties, important natural areas and recreational lands, and in keeping conserved agricultural land in production and affordable for future generations of farmers.

Vermont Housing And Conservation Board.
58 East State Street 
Montpelier, VT 05602
​PH: 802.828.3250 
TTY: 1.800.253.0191 
FX: 802.828.3203 
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Preservation Trust of Vermont 

The Preservation Trust of Vermont maintains a strong presence in the Vermont Statehouse.
We work with Smart Growth Vermontand a variety of partners to pass legislation and galvanize local advocacy to strengthen Vermont's downtowns and village centers, and encourage support for Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.
For years, big-box retailers, strip development, and neglect have threatened our historic resources, small-town nature and rural landscape. We believe the preservation of Vermont's downtowns and village centers goes hand-in-hand with the conservation of our rural landscape.
Some of our areas of high activity include participating with the Vermont Natural Resources Council in controlling large scale Wal-Mart developments in St. Albans and Bennington Vermont, and controlling out-of-scale Lowe's and Home Depot developments in other areas of the state.

Preservation Trust Of Vermont
104 Church Street
Burlington, Vermont  05401
802-658-6647
​http://www.ptvermont.org/
Image: Italianate style villa, negative found near Bethel or Randolph, Vermont, circa 1875.  Note that the  brackets along the eaves ignore the spacing of the windows below.  One half of a glass stereopticon negative.
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Select Vermont Counties, Cities And Towns

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Caledonia County

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St. Johnsbury

​St. Johnsbury History and heritage center

'Our mission:
'The St. Johnsbury History & Heritage Center, a nonprofit organization, acquires and preserves historic collections and conducts purposeful educational programs that interpret the rich heritage of St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
'History:
'The Center’s vision is to provide a stimulating environment for the citizens of the St. Johnsbury community and the state of Vermont in order to celebrate and enrich the town’s history. By engaging people of all ages, the Center builds the foundation of its beliefs and objectives on the importance of preserving history, teaching history, exhibiting history and instilling history for generations to come.
St. Johnsbury History & Heritage Center
421 Summer Street
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
(802) 424-1090 
Image:  The Green Mountain House Hotel was located in Pittsfield, Rutland County, Vermont.  This hotel was a classic example of a temple-fronted Greek Revival style building.  All the details were there.  The free standing columns sat directly on the deck of the porch, as Greek inspired columns would have.  The entabliture, the horizontal beam across the top of the columns, supported a full triangular pediment with a fine half moon window. The doorway is partly hidden by a column, but it's also a good example of the style: a tall door flanked by tall sidelight windows, each with an ornamental grillwork.  The hotel building probably dated to the 1840's.  
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There are well over a dozen people in this photograph, with a donkey cart, and a horse drawn carriage.  In addition, the photograph shows the  fine hotel sign, allowing accurate documentation for this ca. 1890 copy photograph of an original and much earlier photograph.  Imperial cabinet card format.  Private collection
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Chittendon county

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Burlington

​The City of burlington Historic Preservation

Burlington's rich heritage is illustrated in the many archeological, historic and architecturally significant places found throughout the city. Included are structures, districts, corridors, landscapes, sites, and many other unique cultural environments, which add greatly to the city's character, economy, and sense of place and time.
Burlington has a tradition of protecting and celebrating historic and architecturally significant places. This tradition is illustrated through a long-standing commitment to conserve and protect elements of the City's heritage through planning, public and private re-investment, and public outreach. Burlington's heritage and architecture is part of what sets the community apart from "just another place," and creates an authentic experience of place. Burlington's efforts at advancing historic preservation in our community serves as important land use, housing, and economic development strategies that benefit both current future generations.

Historic Preservation
Department of Planning & Zoning
City Hall
Burlington, Vermont 05401
802-865-7188
Fax: 802-865-71954

Preservation burlington

Preservation Burlington is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the historic architecture and livability of Burlington through education and advocacy.

Preservation Burlington was founded in 1998 by local residents and preservationists.  Over the past decade our accomplishments include: preserving the Varney House at 76 Cherry Street, Henry’s Diner, and the Captain White House; passing the “four unrelated adult” ordinance to help bring families back to historic neighborhoods in the core of the city; and recognizing a variety of local projects and individuals with yearly preservation awards.

Preservation Burlington
PO Box 481
Burlington, VT 05402
info@preservationburlington.org
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washington county

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Montpelier

Montpelier Historic Preservation Commission

The Montpelier Historic Preservation Commission's main role is planning and advocacy for the protection and appreciation of Montpelier's historic and architecturally significant resources. How this is to be accomplished is a broad charge. The creation of the MHPC and commitment to certain activities will enable the City of Montpelier to become a Certified Local Government (CLG), which will make a number of financial and technical assistance resources available to carry out a number of initiatives that have been on the waiting list for a long time. In fact, becoming a CLG has been on the waiting list since the adoption of the 2000 Master Plan. 

Montpelier Historic Preservation Commission
Planning & Community Development
39 Main Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: 802-223-9506
Fax: 802-262-6080
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windham county

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Brattleboro

Brattleboro Historical Society

Brattleboro is a river town rich in history. It was the site of the first permanent English settlement in Vermont, Fort Dummer, in 1724. The town was chartered in 1753. It has been a printing town since William Fessenden began publishing books in 1805. For more than 100 years Brattleboro was the home of the world famous Estey Organ Company. Wells Fountain, pictured on the Society’s logo, stands at the north end of Main Street and was designed by architect William Rutherford Mead, who grew up in Brattleboro.

Brattleboro Historical Society
230 Main Street #301
Brattleboro, VT 05301-6392
Email: histsoc@sover.net
Phone:802-258-4957