Business of Hartford, Vermont: Hartford Business Oral History Project

O'Shea, Kaitlin

From part one: "In 2003, the Hartford Oral History Program was launched. With assistance from a CLG grant, it focused on training to set up a volunteer oral history program. It also resulted in the first ten interviews. In 2005, a second oral history grant resulted in completing transcriptions of most of the interviews. In 2012, a third oral history grant project was undertaken which focused on the agricultural oral history. To date, approximately 90 people have been interviewed for the Program. Hartford is located in the heart of the Upper Valley region and consists of five villages (White River Junction, Hartford, Wilder, Quechee, and West Hartford) and several smaller hamlets. With a population of 10,000 residents, Hartford is the ninth largest community in Vermont. First chartered in 1761, Hartford has three major rivers (Connecticut, White, and Ottaquechee) along with a rich mill history. The first railroad train in Vermont left White River Junction on June 26, 1848 and for the next century White River Junction had the distinction of being one of the busiest railroad towns in new England. In the past 50 years, Hartford and the Upper Valley region have undergone many changes. The Interstate Highway system provided access to the region at the same time passenger and freight rail declined. White River Junction, which had served as the retail service center of the region was replaced by development in adjoining West Lebanon and then last of the Town’s textile mills closed. Many farms ceased operations and farmland was converted to residential and commercial use to accommodate population growth. Hartford has a rich business history that evolved with the changes. This project seeks to document the experiences of Hartford residents who owned or worked for a Hartford business." Funding for this project was provided in part through a 2013 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Town of Hartford (project number VT-13-023) administered by the Vermont State Historic Preservation Office (grant number P13AF00143) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Hartford, Vermont is a Certified Local Government.

Business of Hartford, Vermont: Hartford Business Oral History Project

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