THE EXPO: PART TWO

One of the many responsibilities of the Vermont Historical Society (VHS) is to be liaison between the many small local historical societies and historic museums across the state. VHS runs The League of Historical Societies & Museums, an umbrella network that provides such services as educational programs and workshops, awards, a newsletter and collection care assistance. They also organize the Vermont History Expo where every historical society and museum is invited to create a “pop-up” exhibit relating to the year’s theme. This year’s theme was H20: The Power of Water in Vermont’s History. Towns shared stories about historic floods, water-powered mills and factories, river-based commerce, bridges, winter sports, and many other topics. Over 100 organizations curated original pop-up exhibits for the event. Prior to the Expo, VHS even offered a workshop on curating traveling exhibits. At the Expo I was informed that Vermont has more town historical societies per capita than any other state in the nation. Their website states there are, “more than 280 local historical societies, museums and heritage organizations throughout the state.” Considering that the population of Vermont is just over 600,000, it does seem like a tremendous amount of historical institutions.

If there is one understanding that I took away from my experience at the 2016 Expo, it is the level of pride that Vermonters have for the heritage and history of their individual towns. Other events at the Expo, besides the two large barns housing the historical society exhibits, included author talks, a bookstore, a living history village, livestock shows, food vendors, live music in the bandstand and a children’s learning area. However, at every moment of the day visitation in the historical society’s barns surpassed all other areas. When talking to expo-goers, it indeed seemed that the town exhibits are what visitors walked away remembering. The intentional partnerships VHS has made with the many town historical societies help to create a wonderful display of ubiquitous history at the Expo. The story one receives is the historical experience of hundreds of towns at once. What is significant to the members of one historical society is often entirely different from their neighboring town, and some of these towns have only a few hundred residents!  

            During the afternoon on both days, the program coordinator handed me a digital recorder and sent me into the crowd to interview visitors about their experience at the Expo, and what it was about Vermont history that they connected with personally. She wanted to collect these recordings for a future project, most likely for a podcast that is still in the process of being developed. Feeling confident in my interviewing skills having recently taken an oral history class, I jumped at the opportunity, not to mention any excuse to get out of the selling tickets in the parking lot. In interviewing roughly 50 people for 6 minutes each, essentially what I was collecting is what oral historian Donald Ritchie might call a, “broad sweep of a community’s history.” (2015, 36) An ideal oral history interview would last up to two hours (2015, 77) but without that sort of timeframe, my goal was to simply try and capture a brief understanding of how visitors were connecting to the Expo on an individual and emotional level.

All except for one person that I approached agreed to do an interview with me. I found this surprising. Putting a microphone in front of someone can make them feel uneasy. I would assume this would be heightened if the interview is a surprise and there is a chance that the recording will be placed on a public platform like the Internet. Post-expo I found myself pondering why so many visitors agreed to be recorded. To explore this I began to dissect how visitors may have perceived me as an interviewer. Oral historians hold that the interviewer has equal agency with the interviewee in the making of the historical document. (Grele 1991, 247) This is exhibited in their research-based knowledge of the interview topic and/or subject as well as their interviewing skills. Ronald Grele notes that oral historians are often insiders in the communities that they engage with. (1991, 254) In turn, interviewees understand that the oral historian is invested and a trust of intention can naturally form. Almost every visitor I interviewed was from Vermont. The few that weren’t were from the neighboring regions of New Hampshire and New York. I shared with every interviewee what town I grew up in. They knew the town; it was not unlike the towns where they came from. This I think made room for a natural ease of familiarity in the interview. I was also aware of my physical appearance. I am twenty-nine years old but am often mistaken for being younger than I am. This may have given me a certain advantage. Seeming “green” could have put interviewees at ease, not perceiving me to be an expert in anything. My other thoughts on the high number of willing participants in my interviews: upon propositioning interviewees I incorporated the words “quick” and “easy questions” into my spiel. Also, they may have held trust or admiration for my representative institution.   

On a separate level, Vermont Historical Society was making what some would consider a brilliant PR move by sending me out there with a recorder. VHS was taking steps to strengthen their connections in the community as well as boost their institutional presence. Ritchie observes that, “oral history offers unique opportunities for reaching members of a community who might not otherwise use a library or archive.” (2015, 189) Increasing their institutional name may lead not only to an increase of visitors at their archives but also an increase in membership and other types of funding for the institution. In addition, VHS now holds these 50 or so interviews. Working these into an interesting public product, such as a podcast, could boomerang that individual’s connection to the institution. By releasing a VHS podcast, the interviewees voice, their opinion and experience, is validated by a respected institution. Social historian Tamara Hareven asserts that the average citizen can find, “great difficulty in making the connection between their own lives and the historical process.” (1996, 249) That is to say that some people find it hard to understand why their lives are historically significant if they are not famous or have not been involved in a famous event.

 A standard question that I asked every visitor was, “what do you like/love about Vermont?” I enjoyed asking this question because it seemed to provoke the most thoughtful and emotional responses from my interviewees. As they wandered the Expo they read signage that created a patchwork of stories forming a historical framework of experience in the state. No doubt they were grappling themselves with what made this region unique and how they fit into it, and if they agreed or disagreed with the history that was being presented. I was excited to be able to record their reactions and I’m glad that VHS created a space to do this.

References:

            Ritchie, Donald A. Doing Oral History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.

Grele, Ronald J., Envelopes of Sound: The Art of Oral History, 2^nd ed. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1991.

Hareven, Tamara. “The Search for Generational Memory.” In Oral History: An Interdisciplinary Anthology, 2^nd ed. edited by David K. Dunaway and Willa K. Baum, 241-256. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press, 1996.

THE EXPO

            The first week of my internship with The Vermont Historical Society (VHS) was spent helping out with the 2016 Vermont History Expo. The Expo is a biennial event organized by VHS and held at the historic Tunbridge Fairgrounds in Tunbridge, Vermont. Tunbridge is a half-hour drive from the VHS center in Barre. The location is ideal for a history fair. Another event, The Tunbridge World’s Fair, has been held here every September since 1867. The entire village center (which includes the fairgrounds) is listed with the National Register of Historic Places as an Historic District. The fairgrounds consist of a series of large barns and grandstands, painted white, surrounding racetracks and outdoor arenas used for livestock shows. Steep, forested, green hills surround the low-lying fairgrounds in all directions. It’s quite stunning. Besides its historic appeal, Tunbridge is a fairly central location in the state. However, it is not in a highly populated place. Tunbridge has just over 1,000 residents. Surrounding towns barely surpass 2,000, and the entire population of Orange County is a mere 28,936. Comparing that with Chittenden County, Vermont’s largest at 156,545, (also home to the states largest city, Burlington) it is understandable why VHS has begun to consider moving the expo to a place like this.   

Thursday is my first day as an intern. The entire VHS staff is sprawled across the grounds preparing for the weekend, each with their own assigned jobs. The curator, librarians, reception, maintenance, education team, everyone is here sweating a lot in the June heat. It takes two days to set up and one to break down, besides a few volunteers there is no extra help. I am immediately aware of the type of office comradery that is formed during this event. One staff member mentions to me that she loves how the hierarchy of the office disappears during the expo. Authoritative positions are flipped on their heads and all the sudden a junior staff member may be giving orders to their superior. I chat with the new director of VHS as we laboriously tack red, white and blue bunting across the outer walls of all the site buildings. Like me, this is his first expo. He tells me that moving the expo to a place such as Chittenden County would most likely bring more visitors, giving VHS better exposure that they can leverage for funding and other purposes. Perhaps they can even create a rotating expo with different locations every two years. The idea seems great to me. I can’t however help but feel a tinge of disappointment. In part it is nostalgia. Tunbridge is a few towns from where I grew up. I remember coming to the expo when I was younger. The first history expo was in 2000 and every since it has been held here; it has become a staple of summer events in the area. Moreover, the expo brings thousands of visitors to Tunbridge and surrounding rural townships and the tourist dollars are sorely needed in this area. It seems unfair that Chittenden County, the richest in the state, could be awarded yet another cultural event! 

My hesitation is not unfounded in history. Throughout 20^th Century rural Vermont counties have had long power struggles with their large, developed neighbor to the northwest. When it comes to politics the tensions are particularly heightened. Perhaps the most emotional episode came in the mid 1960’s when the Supreme Court ruled that the Vermont House’s system of representation was unconstitutional and must be reapportioned. Up to that point Vermont had a one-town one-representative system. This meant that each town had one vote, no matter if the town had 100 or 10,000 residents. This democratic set up created a strong and unique rural power in the state. (Sherman 2004, 508) The Supreme Court ruling created a heated blowout that perhaps some Vermonters have still not entirely digested. During the proceedings, one representative actually chained himself to his seat in protest. (Sherman 2004, 510.) The 1960s saw many other changes that vastly impacted life in the state. These included the election of Philip Hoff, first democratic governor, which ushered in an unhalted era of progressive politics and increase in state control. The construction of Vermont’s interstate system also impacted Vermont’s small towns, bringing droves of new residents, second homers and tourists who now had easy access to their home cities to the south. (Sherman 2004, 523-525) In short, many residents, especially those in rural areas, felt undermined by the structural changes they observed in their lifetimes. Blame is often pointed at Montpelier and the state’s urban centers. As I greeted people at the gate over the weekend I noticed that a large majority of visitors (not to mention volunteers) came from the immediate surround region. Of course to move a large community-centered event such as this out of Tunbridge would not go unnoticed. To relocate to Chittenden County, the sometimes villain, I think may do more than raise eyebrows.

Needless to say relocating the expo makes sense; I believe it is a smart idea for the future of VHS. Likewise, it will provide more Vermonters, that would not otherwise make the drive, with the opportunity to experience their state heritage festival. Orange County has been lucky to play host for almost two decades. My personal vote: a traveling expo. 

References:

National Register of Historic Places, Vermont-Orange County-Historic Districts, http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/vt/orange/districts.html.

United States Census Bureau, Orange County, Vermont, http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/50017,50007.

United States Census Bureau, Chittenden County, Vermont, http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/50007.

Sherman, Michael and Sessions, Gene and Potash, Jeffrey. Freedom and Unity: A History of Vermont Barre, VT: Vermont Historical Society, 2004.

Thrid Blog Post about NEM

Third Blog Post about NEM

By Chelsea Mueller 

The National Electronics Museum provided me with new opportunities to explore various aspects of museum work utilizing both my strengths and weakness.  While I have worked for historic institutions previously, I never realized the range of responsibilities independent museum employees performed.  From the beginning of this internship, I was a welcomed part of the museum, working alongside employees and interns gave me a greater appreciation for the detailed work that goes unnoticed in historic preservation. 

My primary responsibility was assisting in the storage move; however, each day brought a different task that allowed me to learn more about museum maintenance.  Tasks that were integral to the institution often included maintaining its appearance, as it not only had to be informative and educational, but pleasing to the sight.  My supervisor, Alice Donahue discussed her own experiences in learning how to keep the general public engaged and satisfied.  These can often be small details such as providing seats for the visitors throughout the exhibit or clearly indicating were the restrooms are located.  I also learned the importance of maintaining not only the aesthetic of the museum, but it’s welfare.  Ms. Donahue instructed me in how to properly conduct myself in the case of severe weather.  Some procedures were common sense, such as making sure any gusts were aware of NEM’s procedures in case of an emergency, as well as continually monitoring the weather.  Additionally, this included ensuring emergency plans and kits were up-to-date and in their proper location.   There were multiple task assigned to me that I had never consideration integral to museum work.

Previously, I had little experience in handling historic artifacts or cataloging materials, therefore this internship was an invaluable experience.  I learned how to handle and clean specific artifacts and how to research and properly record a specific object in NEM’s computer system.  Near the end of my internship, all the artifacts had been moved to their new location and the museum staff had confirmed and recorded their new location and was in the process of recording this information into the data system.  During the course of the move, there were occasions when I physically had to move artifacts which provided me with an opportunity to examine them in more detail and learn about its personal history.   When performing the inventory at the new storage location, I found a Hallicrafters Model SX-28 Communications Receiver.  On the receiver was a sticker that read “O’s 74,” there were additional faded stickers of flags scattered across its surface.  In keeping these stickers, NEM provided a more personal interpretation of this receiver.  Not only did it have historic value, it was loved and used by an individual, and part of their story is now preserved making it unique from other communications receivers. 

I greatly enjoyed my internship with the National Electronics Museum.  I gained invaluable insight in the handling of various electronics devises. The work was satisfying, especially seeing the progress I had personally made throughout the move.  In performing various tasks, I was able to have a better understanding of the areas I excelled in and would like to peruse as a career in the future.

Schifferstadt Architectural Museum Post 2

In the following weeks at Schifferstadt Architectural Museum, I began working on a main project, an event known as Frontier Day.  Frontier Day is an annual event held at the museum (this is its third year) that celebrates the history of Frederick during the period of the French and Indian War. This event is the second time throughout the year that the museum presents living history.  

When learning about living history in preparation for the events of Frontier Day, I turned to Amy Tyson’s The Wages of History which details the role of living history among museum professions while describing the emotional and financial toll that it often takes on its interpreters.  At the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum the reenactments are on a much smaller scale than Tyson describes in The Wages of History, with only around 13 people participating in total.  We had a blacksmith, frontiersman, spinners, weavers, and a rifleman who taught eager young children and adults how life was perceived in the 1700s. The emotional toll was in no way comparable to Amy Tyson’s during her time at Fort Snelling but similar problems came about when dealing with how to tell history through reenactors.  We questioned what history or facts would be included and what would be left out and determined the openness with which our reenactors would communicate to visitors.

                Alongside living history reenactors, during Frontier Day we presented archaeological materials that had been found on the Schifferstadt site from digs in 1975, 1989, and 1995.  My boss was aware of my background in archaeology and tasked me with presenting and displaying various small artifacts that had been found at Schifferstadt throughout the years.  Our artifacts included a milk pan dated to the early 1800s, a utensil handle made of bone dated 1810-1850, a complete medicine bottle displaying the words “Dr. D. Jayne’s Indian Expectorant” (1840-1849), and smaller finds like a copper alloy thimble (1750-1770), a clay marble (1760-1850), and a floral teacup (1850-1849). One of the collections that I was most excited to work with was a small collection of arrow flints donated to the museum by a Frederick resident, who had found them on the Schifferstadt property as a boy on his way to and from school.  Through this collection of arrow flints, I could see the connections between a small museum and its community in how history was collected, maintained, displayed, and shared. 

                Another interactive event I planned for Frontier Day was a mock archaeological dig for the children who would be visiting the museum that day. Though Schifferstadt mostly has older adult visitors during regular hours, during events children are often present and it is essential to include them in the day’s activities. We decided to build a mini-dirt box that would contain “fake” artifacts, meant to represent the actual finds that were made by archaeologists at Schifferstadt. It was great to see children interact with history in a fun and informative manner. Meanwhile, their parents could view the real artifacts in display cases stationed next to their frantically digging children.

From working on this project, I have come to see how events like Frontier Day are important for small museums like the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum.  These events help fundraise, bringing in money for the museum, and help to get the local community involved in its history.  In the following weeks, I look forward to beginning to work on Schifferstadt’s next major event, Oktoberfest.

References: 

Tyson, Amy. The Wages of History: Emotional Labor on Public History's Front Lines. University of Massachusetts Press, 2013.