Historical Society Seeks Sprinkler System Bids

by Elizabeth Dow, Community Journalist

HARDWICK – The board of directors of the Hardwick Historical Society (HHS) held its regular monthly meeting on July 11, at the Depot. The HHS’s biggest artifact, the Depot building itself, built in 1882, has only four fire extinguishers as fire protection. The board had an engineer draw up plans for a sprinkler system for the building, and at Monday’s meeting it voted to send the plans out to bid.

President, Elizabeth Dow, reported that complete runs of “The Hardwickian,” a weekly newspaper edited by Roger LeCours in the 1970s, the “Sports Express”, a sports weekly edited by Pat Hussey in the 1980s, and “Our Community Journal,” a good-news weekly edited by Sherry Lussier in 2001 and 2002, have all gone to Pennsylvania for microfilming and digitization. When they return in the fall, the microfilms will go to the collection at the State Archives and the digital versions will get mounted onto newspapers.com. The HHS will retain the original paper issues.

The board approved public programming for the immediate future.    Elizabeth Dow will present an evening of instruction on “How to Search the Hardwick Gazette and other Vermont Newspapers Online — for Free.”    Dow has planned the program for Wednesday, August 10, at 7 p.m., at the Depot. Free, and open to the public. She will present a program in September on how to preserve family papers.   

Also in September, author Ron Romano will present a slideshow and lecture on a “curious form of grave marker…produced in New England in the mid-1800s,” as presented in his 2020 book, “Curious Gravestones in Northern New England.” Hardwick has at least one of them.   

The HHS board will meet again on August 1. The Hardwick Historical Society’s museum at the Depot is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.