Vermont Business Magazine Every year the Vermont Historical Society presents the League of Local Historical Societies & Museums Achievement Awards. These awards recognize the exceptional work being done by individuals and community heritage organizations throughout the state to collect, preserve and share Vermont’s rich history. Four Awards were presented this year in conjunction with the League of Local Historical Societies and Museums Annual Meeting on October 15, 2016 in Castleton, VT.
An Award of Excellence in Exhibits & Public Programs went to the Orwell Historical Society. At this year’s Vermont History Expo they created a ‘Country Kitchen of the early 20th Century’ right in the middle of Expo, including the ‘Beast’... a 1920 Village Crawford 6 burner stove, a kitchen sink, and an antique style pitcher pump that really drew water. Award judges noted that the exhibit really “stood out” from others at the History Expo and they felt the interactive aspects were a fantastic addition.
A Group Achievement Award went to the outstanding group of volunteers from the Saint Albans Museum - Ron Anstey, Barb Duval, Louise Haynes, AJ McDonald, Charlotte Pedersen, Patty Rainville, and Jill Snap. They were honored for their efforts to create a new women’s history exhibit at the Museum for its 50th Anniversary. The team performed a complete overhaul of an exhibit area that had not been updated for well over a decade and performed an exhaustive search of collections storage, to ensure that the new objects and images to be displayed would provide a fresh perspective on the history of women in the context of their community.
The first of two Individual Achievement Awards went to Gloria McEwen for her work with the Isle La Motte Historical Society. Gloria has been Curator and a key board member of the Isle La Motte Historical Society for the past 15 years, and has actively promoted the preservation of the Society’s collections since 1991. As one supporter noted “She has been a real leader for all the volunteers, encouraging us with her knowledge and skills.” The second Individual Achievement Award went to Margaret “Peggy” Pearl for her work with the St. Johnsbury History and Heritage Center. Peggy is the volunteer director as well as the force behind the creation of the St Johnsbury History & Heritage Center.
The Vermont Historical Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier, the Leahy Library and the Vermont Heritage Galleries in Barre, and programming throughout the state. Established in 1838, its purpose is to reach a broad audience through outstanding collections and statewide outreach. The Vermont Historical Society believes that an understanding of the past changes lives and builds better communities.