Historical Society Book Receives Award

DANVILLE – A group gathered at the Danville Historical Society (DHS) on Hill Street, on Thursday, Nov. 17, to witness the presentation of two awards for the recently-published book, “West Danville, Vermont Then and Now, 1781-2021,” published by the Danville Historical Society.

Steve Perkins, executive director of the Vermont Historical Society presented the Richard O. Hathaway Award, and Eileen Corcoran, director of programs and outreach for the Vermont Historical Society, presented the League of Local Historical Societies and Museums award to the co-authors, Patty Houghton Conly and Jane Bolton Brown. Both awards are given annually to recognize outstanding contributions to Vermont History by individuals or organizations for collecting, preserving and sharing Vermont history. The Hathaway Award included a check for the historical society.

Accepting the awards, Conly paid tribute to two deceased members of the original committee formed in 2013: Jane Hastings Larrabee, local historian, and fellow author Dorothy Ayer Larrabee. Both women died before the book was published.    Conly explained that this was a joint effort that took eight years of research and writing, and it would not have been possible without the efforts and support of many people, including family, friends and individuals who were interviewed or who gave information or donated news clippings or photos for use in the book.

Jane Brown credited their editor, Linda Bishop; DHS staff member Randee Leightcap for cleaning and restoring old photographs; Howard and Peggy Tuttle of Foster Design Collaborative for their design of the book; and Nate Somers for creating the aerial view cover photo.

Copies of the award-winning book are available through the Danville Historical Society by emailing book@danvillevthistorical.org, or at Hastings Store, Joe’s Pond Craft Shop, or at Stop Inn Shop at Walden Four Corners.