Vermontiana Research Guide

Introduction

The Vermont Collection, located on the lower level of the Main Library, contains most of our material relating to the history, politics and culture of Vermont. Except for the periodicals, this material circulates and may be charged out at the Circulation Desk. Older material (pre-1900) and fragile and rare material is shelved in a locked area in Special Collections and does not circulate. Material in the locked portion of the collection includes early Vermont Maps, Vermont Postcards, the Bailey Collection of Vermont Pamphlets, the Rutland Railroad Archives and the Crown Point Road Archives. All of the Bailey pamphlets may be found in Midcat and there is an online finding aid for the Rutland Railroad Archives.

Subject searches in MIDCAT

Midcat, the online catalog provides subject, author, and title access to books, regardless of whether they are shelved in the Vermont Collection or in the stacks. Start with a subject search if you are looking for books on a specific subject but don't have a particular author or title in mind. Use the most specific subject heading possible, especially when you are looking for information on a geographic area. Broad subject headings are often subdivided by time or aspect of the subject. Examples of subject headings used in our online catalog are given below:

Abenaki Indians--Vermont
Addison County (Vt.)--Biography

Addison County (Vt.)--History
Indians of North America--Vermont

Middlebury College--History

Middlebury (Vt.)--History

Vermont--Biography

Vermont--Census--1810

Vermont--Census--1810--Indexes

Vermont--History--to 1791

Vermont--History--Revolution, 1775-1783

Vermont--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

Vermont--Maps

Vermont--Officials and employees--Biography

Vermont--Statistics, Vital

Books shelved in the Vermont Collection are shelved on the lower floor of the Main Library and are arranged by Library of Congress classification number. A few useful call numbers are given below if you would like to browse portions of the collection:

F48 Biography

F52 Vermont History to 1791

F53 Vermont History, 1791-1865

F54 Vermont History, 1865-1950

F55 Vermont History, 1951-

F57 Vermont county histories

F59 Vermont town histories

You may find it easier to look up Vermont state documents by their title since the proper author form of entry for many state agencies may not be easy to determine.

Search the Library Catalog

Advanced Search

Guides and Bibliographies

Basic Sources for Vermont Historical Research.

Vt. Coll. F49 A1 B3 1981

Bibliographical Guide to the Vermont Legal System.

Vt. Coll. KFV1 W57 1989

Guide to the Papers of Vermont's Governors.

Vt. Coll. JK3051 G8 1985

Guide to Vermontiana Collections at Academic, Special and Selected Libraries.

Ref. Z688 .L8 C37 1994
Vt. Coll. Z688 .L8 C37 1994

Guide to Vermont's Repositories.

              Vt. Coll. CD3551 G8 1986

Inventory of the Town,Village and City Archives of Vermont.
              Vt. Coll. CD3550 H47

Vermont, A Bibliography of its History.
              Ref. F49 A1 V4

Periodicals

Vermont Business Magazine.
Current year: Periodicals
Previous years: Vt. Coll. Oversize HF5065 V5 V25
Includes special issues, such as the annual Book of Lists, which provides lists of Vermont trade associations, chambers of commerce, radio and TV stations and statistics on colleges, banks, income taxes, tax rates by town, employment by industry, etc. Indexed by LexisNexis Academic Universe, 1986 to date and available online from computers on campus or through our proxy server.

Vermont Environmental Report. Vt. Coll. Periodicals Library has: 1976 to date. Starting with 1990 this is indexed in Environment Abstracts Annual (Ref. Index Area GF1 E57) Vermont History. Vt. Coll. Periodicals Library has most years, 1860 to date. Former titles: Vermont Historical Society. Proceedings and Vermont Quarterly. Cumulative indexes for vols. 1-10, 11-20, 21-45, and 46-55 are shelved with the bound volumes. From 1907 to 1990 it was indexed in Writings in American History (Ref. Index Area E174 A1 W7) and since 1964 it has been indexed in America: History and Life, (Ref. Index Area E171 M6) Since 1982 it has also been indexed on the online version of America: History and Life, which is accessible through computers on campus or through our proxy server for off-campus students. Since 2000 it is available full-text online. Vermont Labor Market. Vt. Coll. Periodicals Library has 1986 to date

Vermont Law Review. Periodicals Library has 1976 to date Since 2005 issues are available full-text online to all users. Since 1998 issues are available full-text online to members of the Middlebury academic community through LexisNexis. This is a subscription resource; for off-campus access, enter your Middlebury username and password when prompted.

Vermont Life Periodicals Library has 1946 to date. Has cumulative indexes for vols. 1-20 and 21-32. Vermont Magazine Periodicals Library has Sept. 1989 to date. Vermonter Vt. Coll. Periodicals Library has 1895-1945 Has cumulative indexes for vols. 18-44. From 1906 to 1940 it was indexed in Writings on American History (Ref E174.A1 W7)

Newspapers

The Library has extensive microfilm runs and indexes for recent years of the two leading newspapers in Vermont.

The Library's collection guide to newspapers contains a list of about 20 additional discontinued Vermont newspapers for which we have partial runs on microfilm and in print. Runs of additional Vermont newspapers are available in paper at the Sheldon Museum and in microfilm at the Ilsley Public Library in town.

Burlington Free Press
Microfilm #205
Library has 1848 to date.
Index for 1848-67 is bound in the Reference Index Area. (Ref. AI21 .B8)
Index for 1959-83 is on 16 mm microfilm in the Microforms Area
Index for 1984 to date is available on microfiche in the Microforms Area.
Online index for 1985 to 2009 is available.
Rutland Herald
Microfilm #27
Library has 1835 to date.
An index for 1970-83 is on 16 mm microfilm in the Microforms Area.
Online index for 1984 to 2009 is available.

Middlebury Campus, 1905-1985

The Vermont Newspaper Project has digitized more than a dozen early Vermont newspapers and they are available online from the Library of Congress through their Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers website

Biographical Resources

Biographical Encyclopedia of the Nineteenth Century
Vt. Coll. F48 B61

Not in alphabetical order. Use table of contents.

Biographical Sketches of State Officers and Members of the General Assembly.
Vt. Coll. JK3030 V39

Library has 1931, 1945 to date.

Biographical Sketches of Vermonters.

Vt. Coll. F46 V53

Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons.

Vt. Coll. F48 D64

Vermont Historical Gazetteer; A Local History of all the Towns in the State, Civil, Educational, Biographical, Religious and Military.
Vt. Coll. F46 V51

By Abby Hemenway. Five volumes plus index.

Men of Progress: Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Leaders in Business and Professional Life in and of the State of Vermont.

Vt. Coll. F48 M53 1898

Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont.

Vt. Coll. F48 U41

Successful Vermonters: A Modern Gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties.

Vt. Coll. F57 C2 J4

Successful Vermonters: A Modern Gazetteer of Lamoille, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties.

Vt. Coll. F48 J463

Population Schedules

The United States federal census schedules for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 contain the names of and demographic information about all residents of households at the time the census was taken. The earlier census schedules include only the heads of households.

Heads of Families of the First Census of the United States, taken in the Year 1790. Vermont.

Vt. Coll. HA671.5 1790b

Heads of Families of the Second Census of the United States, taken in the Year 1800. Vermont.

Vt. Coll. F48 U55

Second Census of the United States [1800]

Microfilm #598

Third Census of the United States [1810]

Microfilm #599

Fourth Census of the United States [1820]

Microfilm #600

Fifth Census of the United States [1830]

Microfilm #592

Sixth Census of the United States [1840]

Microfilm #593

Seventh Census of the United States [1850]

Microfilm#594

Eighth Census of the United States [1860]

Microfilm #595

Ninth Census of the United States [1870}

Microfilm #596

Tenth Census of the United States [1880]

Microfilm #597

Twelfth Census of the United States [1900]

Microfilm #624

Thirteenth Census of the United States [1910]

Microfilm #625

Fourteenth Census of the United States [1920]

Microfilm #741

Fifteenth Census of the United States [1930]

Microfilm #868

The original 1890 population schedules for Vermont were destroyed by a fire in Washington in 1921. There are name indexes to many of the census schedules listed above:

Vermont 1800 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 V56 2000

Vermont 1810 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 J3

Vermont 1820 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 J32

Vermont 1830 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 J325

Vermont 1840 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 J33

Vermont 1850 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 J332

Vermont 1870 Census Index

Vt. Coll. F48 S74 2000

The library pathfinder titled Guide to Genealogical Research in Vermont lists additional resources in our collection which may be useful for delving into family history.

Statistical Resources

Area Wage Survey. Vermont.
Govt. Docs. L2.122/45:

Library has 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992

County Business Patterns. Vermont.
Govt. Docs. C3.204:
Library has 1971 to date

Provides statistics on employment and payrolls, number and employment, size of establishments by detailed industry. 1971-73 classed in Govt. Docs. C56.233:

Demographic and Political Guide to Vermont: Towns, Cities and Places.

Ref. HA675 .D45 1995

Financial Statistics: Vermont School Systems
Vt. Coll. L208 B37
Library has 1976 to date

Includes school and enrollment data

2000 Census of Population

2010 Census of Population

Population and Housing Unit Counts

Govt. Docs. C3.223/5:990/A47

Summary Population and Housing Characteristics

Govt. Docs. C3.223/18:990/B47

Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics

Govt. Docs. C3.223/23:990/C47

Summary Characteristics for Governmental Units and SMSA's

Govt. Docs. C3.223/23:990/D47
More detailed statistics for Vermont are available on several CD-ROM series, known as Summary Tape Files, which are available at the CD-ROM workstations in the Government Documents area. Census information for previous decennial censuses is also available in Government Documents. Ask at room 211 or 216 for assistance in finding and using these.

Public Health Statistics Bulletin
Vt. Coll. Periodicals

Library has 1977 to date

State of Vermont Economic Indicators
Vt. Coll. Periodicals

Library has Sept. 1990 to date

Vermont Facts and Figures
Vt. Coll. HA671 O33
Library has 1972, 1973, 1975

Source notes lead to more detailed information sources.

Vermont Higher Education Information Sourcebook
Ref. LB2331.73 V5 V4
Library has 1979, 1982 to date.

Earlier editions are in the Vermont Collection.

Vermont Population and Housing Estimates
Vt. Coll. HA671 .E85

Library has 1989 to date.

Vermont Tax Statistics
Vt. Coll. HJ11 V557

Library has 1978 to date.

Annual Bulletin of Vital Statistics
Vt. Coll. RA407.4 V4 A32

Library has 1951to date.

Handbooks, Manuals, Guides

Demographic and Political Guide to Vermont: Ref. HA675 D45 1995

Vermont; A Guide to the Green Mountain State: Ref. F54 F45 1968

Vermont Almanac: Ref. HC107.5 V49; Library has 1989 to date

Vermont Almanac and Government Guide: Ref. JK2358 V52; Library has 1970 to date

Vermont Business Directory: Ref. HF5065 .V5 V47; Library has 1993/4 to date

Vermont Buyer's Guide: Ref. T12 V45; Library has 1974 to date. Former title: Vermont Directory of Manufactures.
Earlier editions are in the Vermont Collection.

Vermont Educational Directory: Vt. Coll. L903 V5 A3; Library has 1978 to date

Vermont Environmental Directory: Ref. HC107 V53 V47

Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual: Ref. JK3031 A1; Library has 1867 to date.; An online version of this covers the current session.; Earlier editions are in the Vermont Collection.

Vermont Yearbook: Ref. F47.5 V45; Library has 1811 to date.; Former title: Walton's Vermont Register. Earlier editions are in the Vermont Collection.

Legal Resources

Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont.: Vt. Coll. KFV25 A3; Volumes for 1798 to 1898 are shelved in Vt. Coll. Restrict.; Each volume has an index. An online version of this covers the current session

Shepard's Vermont Case Names Citator: KFV59 .S5 1991; A compilation of case names and citations of Vermont cases decided from 1789 to present.

Shepard's Vermont Citations: KFV59 .S54; A compilation of citations to Vermont cases reported in various series of Vermont reports and in the Atlantic Reporter.

Vermont Key Number Digest; Covering Cases From State and Federal Courts.: KFV47.1 V4; This is a topical digest of cases from the courts of Vermont as well as all reported federal cases arising in Vermont. Entries are arranged alphabetically by topic. Kept up to date by pocket parts and quarterly supplements. Includes a defendant-plaintiff table of cases, a descriptive word index and a words and phrases index.

Vermont Statutes Online.: VSO is a consolidation of all Vermont laws currently in force, arranged under 33 subjects or "titles." The official version of this title is available on LexisNexis Academic Universe.

Vermont Supreme Court. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Vermont.: KFV45 A2; Library has vol. 3 to date.; Each volume includes a table of cases in that volume.; Current Opinions

Geographical Resources

Atlas of Addison Co., Vermont.: Vt. Coll. Oversize G1228 A2 B4 1971; This is one of a series of atlases originally printed in the 1870's by F. W. Beers. The town plans show individual residences with the names of the owners.

Critical Habitat Maps.: Vt. Coll. G1226 D4 V4

Flood Insurance Study...Vermont.: Govt. Docs. FEM1.209:; Studies are done for individual towns and include maps. Some studies are issued in microfiche.

Historic U. S. Geological Survey Maps of Vermont (from the University of New Hampshire)

Maps and Atlases

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Vermont, 1867-1970.

An unrivaled source of information about the structure and use of buildings in Vermont. The arrangement is alphabetical by name of town or city. Within each town or city the maps are arranged chronologically. Access is restricted to the Middlebury College community.

Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer.: Ref. Atlas Case G1225

Vermont Place Names: Vt. Coll. F47 S84

Vermont Road Atlas and Guide: Ref. G1226 .P2 N6 1989

Water Resources Development...Vermont.: Govt. Docs. D103.35:V; Library has 1981, 1989, 1991, 1993.; Includes maps and photographs

In addition, Armstrong Library in Bicentennial Hall has U. S. Geological Survey topographic maps covering all of Vermont. A second set of these maps is available in the map case near the Reference Desk. Customized maps for any area in Vermont may be created and printed using TIGER/Line Files on CD-ROM disks, available in the Government Documents area.

Weather Information

Vermont Climate
          Vt. Coll. Periodicals
          Library has May 1982 to date.
          Title changed to Northern New England Climate in July 1987.

Vermont Monthly Local Climatological Data.
Govt. Docs. Microfiche C55.286/6-47: Library has 1984 to date.
Issues for 1984 are classified in Govt. Docs. C55.287/48.

Internet Resources

Addison County Information Resources
Addison County Solid Waste Management District
Addison Independent
Archives can be searched for articles from October 1999 to date
Atlas of Vermont Life
Bennington Banner
Burlington Free Press
Burlington, Vt. Home Page

Times-Argus (Barre-Montpelier)

Includes search function for articles from October 1999 to date

University of Vermont. Center for Digital Initiatives
University of Vermont. Special Collections
Vermont; A Guide to the Green Mountain State
Vermont Archaeological Society
Vermont Chronicle Index
Index to marriage and death notices, 1826-1880
Vermont Collection Books and Pamphlets (Online)
Vermont Community Data Bank
Vermont Daily Briefing
Vermont Directory of Foundations Online
Vermont eBird
Vermont Enviro-Source
Vermont Eugenics: A Documentary History
Vermont Folklife Center
Vermont Geographic Information Center
Vermont Guardian; For the Independent Mind
Vermont Historical Society
Vermont History FAQ
Vermont Home Page
The official State of Vermont home page
- Vermont Housing Awareness Campaign
Vermont In the Civil War Home Page
Vermont Indicators Online
Social and Economic Indicators
Vermont Labor Market Information
Vermont Land Trust
Vermont Lyme Network
Vermont Population and Housing Estimates
Vermont Postcards (Online)
Vermont Swimming Holes
Vermont Public Radio Public Newsroom
Search function allows searching for recent Vermont news articles
Vermont State Archives and Records Administration
Vermont Vacation
Vermont Weathervane--A Journal of Vermont Country Life
Virtual Vermont
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 1999
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2000
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2001
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2002
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2003
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2004
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2005
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2006
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2007
Vital Statistics of Vermont, 2008
WCAX
WPTZ News
Weathering Heights
Weather forecasts for Vermont

Other Resources

Our Vermont Collection attempts to complement rather than compete with other collections of Vermontiana in the state:

Special Collections at the University of Vermont. Papers of Vermont governors, archives and manuscript material of early Vermont businessmen and organizations, and early Vermont imprints.
Vermont Historical Society. Vermont Collection, genealogical research, Royall Tyler manuscripts.
Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburg [Home of author Rowland Robinson] Mary Stevens Putnam letters, 1850-1900; Robinson family letters, 1770-1960; Stevens family letters; Ferrisburgh history. http://www.rokeby.org/home.html
State Library in Montpelier: Vermont state documents and newspapers.
Sheldon Museum in Middlebury: All Addison County newspapers since 1801. Many books, account books, diaries, letters, business and organization records, and family papers from Middlebury and Addison County. The online catalog of their research archives is available at http://biblio.middlebury.edu/search~S16
Vermont State Archives in Montpelier The Archives hold various state government records dating from the mid- 18th century to the present. An online union catalog of their holdings, ARCCAT, is available at http://arccat.uvm.edu/