West Windsor Historical Society

06/17/2026

Here are two cool history outings this weekend that we want to share. We helped with some of Pat's first research on the quarries:

A History Weekend on Mt Ascutney
Pat Nowlan • Mountains Edge Rd, Brownsville

Event
When: Jun 20, 9:30 AM to Jun 21, 2026, 10:30 AM
Where: Mt Ascutney State Park, Back Mountain Road, Windsor, VT

HIKE TO THE LITTLE-KNOWN ENRIGHT QUARRY ON ASCUTNEY
SATURDAY JUNE 20 9:30am

Windsor lawyer Joseph Cornelus Enright was the most enthusiastic proponent of quarrying on Mt Ascutney. His own granite quarry, on the east side of the mountain and worked over 100 years ago, is a hidden part of local history. There are even a few historic pictures of the quarry when it was in use. Learn about the quarry operations, and its successes and failures. What happened to Joseph Enright? Join the State Park Interpreter on an off-trail, moderate to difficult hike to the quarry. About one mile on the easy Norcross Trail and another ½ mile on a steeper somewhat bushy path. Meet at the parking lot across from the entrance to the State Park.

THE CCC (THE CIVIL CONSERVATION CORPS):
TOUR THEIR CAMP SITE AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR WORK ON ASCUTNEY
SUNDAY JUNE 21 9:30

The CCC was a depression era program set up by President Roosevelt in 1933 and called "The Emergency Work Act". It was a program to recruit thousands of young men in a peace time army to work in forests, parks, on land, and in waters, and to provide funds for their families back home.

In the early 1930's, more than 300 men were stationed at the bottom of the mountain. They built a large encampment, complete with an officer's quarters, mess hall, canteen, hospital and dormitories. The CCC, or Civilian Conservation Corps, built Mt Ascutney State Park and what was called the "Mt Ascutney Parkway". There are a great many pictures of the camp and of them working on the mountain. Join the State Park Interpreter on a tour of the camp site, see the pictures, and some remains of the buildings. Meet at the parking lot across from The entrance to the State Park. The hike will be about a mile of fairly easy walking on Park roads.

06/11/2026

If you're having fun with the History Hunt, leave a note for others on the discussion tab and encourage them to take part. https://www.facebook.com/events/1014137967683282/?active_tab=discussion

Send a message to learn more

06/11/2026

We want to share information on an event taking place this weekend at Weathersfield, VT Historical Society

05/19/2026

Join us this summer for a fun "letterboxing" History Hunt for all ages! Letterboxing is an intriguing “treasure hunt” style outdoor activity wherein small, weatherproof boxes are hidden in publicly-accessible places and participants decipher clues to find the boxes. We will be distributing Passport booklets that will contain clues to 8 historic sites in West Windsor. The letterbox at each site will contain a stamp to enter into your passport as proof that you solved the clue, a logbook to sign in, and a fuller description of the site and why it is significant. Whether you do a marathon search - all at one go - or spread it out throughout the summer, there is lots of fun to be had! This is a perfect activity for families, individuals, kids and kids-at-heart - even a fun adventure to do with your visiting grandchildren! At the end of the summer we’ll come together to compare experience and compete in a West Windsor Historical Trivia contest for fun and prizes.

Come by the Historical Society’s Grange Hall on Sunday June 7th between 2 and 3 to pick up your passport and meet with others taking part in the summer history hunt. Additional passports will be available through the library if you miss the kick-off event. Let the games begin!

05/12/2026

Something else to look forward to, after the bean supper, taking place in the old East Parish

The Homes and People of Windsor During Windsor’s Industrial Boom- New Walking Tour to Premiere on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Join us for a walking tour that explores the homes and people of Windsor during the industrial expansion of the early 20th century. The precision tools of Windsor were in high demand in the years leading up to World War I. As factories expanded and the population doubled, Windsor faced a housing crisis. We’ll explore the range of housing solutions employed at the time, from do-it-yourself shanties to company housing, to boarding houses and tenements. At each stop we’ll consider the designs of the homes, profile the people who lived there, and consider how Windsor’s solutions fit into broader regional and national trends. We’ll also look at the impact of part-time residents and the homes of business owners and professionals in the same period.
When: Saturday, May 23rd at 1:00 PM
Place: Windsor Station Restaurant and historic train station
Length: Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes
What to Bring: Walking shoes and water
Participation is limited to 15 participants and pre-registration is required. The tour is free.
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-homes-and-people-of-windsor-during-windsors-industrial-boom-tickets-1989245134747?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/10/2026

Since we connected with Thrive we haven't had to throw a single leftover item into the dump. It's such a relief to have another step in the process of finding new homes for the many, many wonderful items that our community donates for this event

We love a good “full circle” moment 💛
A huge thank you to the West Windsor Historical Society for generously donating the remaining items from their Nearly New Sale to Thrive Thrift! It’s such a gift to see these treasures continue their journey and support our community in a new way.

04/20/2026

The ever-popular West Windsor Nearly New Sale is coming back to the Town Hall on May 8th and 9th, featuring clothes, kitchen and household items, baby items, jewelry, lamps, art and much much more! Sales benefit the West Windsor Historical Society. We've included information on what items are accepted in the comments section below.

To help out, visit our sign-up site at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E4CA5AF2EA7F85-63422765-2026 #/
A popular benefit for our volunteers is the opportunity to check out what's been donated in advance — and maybe even take part in a Thursday evening volunteer pre-buy (for those who have worked one or more slots each day)!

Goods may be donated upstairs at the Town Hall on Tuesday, May 5th and Wednesday, May 6th from 10 to 7, and on the morning of Thursday, May 7th from 9 to noon.

No drop offs. All donated goods must be reviewed before they can be accepted. We look forward to seeing you — and your nearly new donations!

04/14/2026

We're sharing what we think may be an interesting opportunity:
Open House/30th Anniversary Celebration at VT Genealogy Library

Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 10 AM - 4 PM

Our society is celebrating 30 years helping people find their ancestors. We have the resources to help you with your family history research, whether you are exploring connections to Vermont, New England, or New York; whether you have Irish, English, German, Italian, or French-Canadian ancestry, we have resources to help you.

Plan to visit and learn more about us and all that our library at 57 River Road in Essex can offer. We will be open from 10 to 4 with tours of our facility and 20-minute mini workshops. There will be a huge book sale of antique and second-hand history and genealogy books, along with food, cake, and fellow researchers to chat with. This is free and open to the public so plan to join us and bring a friend. All are welcome.

03/31/2026

Love Maps (and who doesn't!)? Drop in at The Grange any time between 10 am and 6 pm on Saturday, April 11, for our exhibit on historical maps of West Windsor, including maps from the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s — as well as the map of original land grants, location of homes and their residents from the mid 1800s, and a range of related historical documentation. Staff will be on hand to help with interpretation and research. We look forward to seeing you and answering any questions!

03/13/2026

If you missed our recent program on local sugar houses - past and present, here is a link to a video of the program when we did it a few years ago. You can also still visit the exhibit on Fridays 3-5 pm through the end of March.
https://vimeo.com/809928898?fbclid=IwAR26tB3-WGam56tUrY8khu-ILi16zLvMJdzyQgtLPmNPlQvdcCDgS0N6yn8

This is "Sugar Houses of West Windsor, VT" by Windsor On Air on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.