Vermont history is a long and fascinating study. Some things in Vermont have changed, others have stayed the same. Here are some amazing photos from 1940 that show us what Vermont life looked like in the Green Mountain State over 75 years ago. Let’s take a look at these historic photos of Vermont.

1. Townspeople at town meeting to ballot on whether or not intoxicating liquors should be sold in Woodstock.
Marion Post Wolcott
2. One of the town selectmen voting at a town meeting.
Marion Post Wolcott
The women who gave him the ballot said, "If you vote yes for liquor, you'd better put your ballot in a box in a different town. We won't let you stay around here long."
3. A mailman in Woodstock makes deliveries after a heavy snowfall.
Marion Post Wolcott
4. Horse and sled of a garbage and rubbish collector.
Marion Post Wolcott
5. Sawing wood on a farm.
Marion Post Wolcott
6. Weekend skiers, often from New York, can get warm and dry and refreshments in a ski hut built by Clinton Gilbert, a farmer in Woodstock.
Marion Post Wolcott
7. Mr. G.W. Clarke coming to town to sell butter on Saturday. He was seventy-one years old in this photo and was a lifelong resident of Vermont.
Marion Post Wolcott
8. Proprietor of pool room and townspeople playing cards on a winter morning.
Marion Post Wolcott
9. Hauling water in milk cans after pipes have frozen.
Marion Post Wolcott
10. Hired help resting after day's work on Upwey horse farm in South Woodstock.
Marion Post Wolcott
11. Farmers bring their cans of milk to the crossroads early every morning, where they are picked up by large cooperative farmers trucks.
Marion Post Wolcott
12. Farmer's son and collie dog driving the cows back to the barn after watering them at the brook.
Marion Post Wolcott
All other sources of water supply were frozen for two months during very severe winter.
13. Townspeople going to vote by ballot on whether or not pinball machines should be allowed.
Marion Post Wolcott

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14. Skiers eating lunch in tollhouse at the foot of Mount Mansfield.
Marion Post Wolcott
15. A Vermont homemaker fixing supper on a winter night.
Marion Post Wolcott
16. Walter N. Gaylord dripping the boiled-down maple syrup sap to see if it has reached correct consistency for syrup.
Marion Post Wolcott
He is making maple syrup on a King evaporator in Waitsfield, Mad River Valley. He averaged about 150 gallons of syrup annually, this particular year he tapped 600 out of his 1000 trees because of an unusually deep snow and late spring.
17. Farmhouse and milk cans near Saint Johnsbury.
Marion Post Wolcott
18. Young daughter of Frank H. Shurtleff sitting outside sugar house where sap from maple trees is boiled down into maple syrup.
Marion Post Wolcott
The Shurtleff farm had about 400 acres, and was originally purchased by the grandfather in 1840. He raised sheep, cows, cut lumber and made maple syrup for about 35 years. Sugaring brings in around one thousand dollars annually. Becasue of the deep snow this particular year he only tapped 1000 of his 2000 trees on this farm in North Bridgewater.
19. Farmer with his freshly-dug potatoes near Bristol.
Louise Rosskam
20. Silver salesman who travels from farm to farm trying to sell his wares to a farm woman near Lincoln.
Louise Rosskam
21. Pitching pennies at a band concert in Lincoln.
Louise Rosskam
22. Raffle of a ten-pound bag of sugar conducted to raise funds for the church in Lincoln.
Louise Rosskam
23. Old man and his wife preparing their popcorn roaster in front of the town hall in Bristol, Vermont in the 1940s.
Louise Rosskam
24. Farmer's son shoveling snow out of a driveway near Putney.
Marion Post Wolcott
25. Corner of Main Street, center of town after a blizzard in Brattleboro.
Marion Post Wolcott
26. Every available space for parking is used by skiers on weekends at Clinton Gilbert's farm in Woodstock.
Marion Post Wolcott
The house was purchased by Gilbert in 1929. He had about 150 acres, mainly a dairy farm with twenty three cows. He also made about one hundred gallons of maple syrup every year.

What are some moments of the history of Vermont will you never forget? Let us know below in the comments section. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and reading your stories.

Looking for more nostalgic photos and Vermont history? Check out these houses!

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Vermont history

Luke | August 03, 2020

Where can I find more of the best photos of Vermont?

If you are looking for more old historic photos of Vermont, Vermonthistory.org offers a great collection of fascinating Vermont photos, where you can find all sorts of old gems, along with other resources. If you are looking for landscape photography of Vermont's pristine countryside, there are several books and online places to check out as well. The best is to go to a local bookstore and browse around the VT section.

What are the best things about living in Vermont?

A few things that make Vermont truly a great place to live are: access to pristine and natural areas and parks, organic and healthy food, environmentally and socially aware residents, friendly locals, and a relaxed and casual way of living life. Vermont is an amazing place to call home if you are looking forward to living in a little city or small town. If you’re fond of the outdoors and want to live a healthy and slow-paced life, Vermont is simply one of the best places to live in the U.S.

What stereotypes are there about Vermont?

Vermont is a wonderful state that has so much to offer, but some think that all we have is nature and wilderness. So, the first stereotype about Vermont is that there’s not a whole lot except for mountains, forests, lakes, and more nature. Vermont also has the stereotype of being the holiday destination spot for city folk. Some other prevalent stereotypes are that we never have a spring season and that our winters last half a year. In reality, Vermont has much more to offer than just cold temperatures and nature spots (see above).

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