Middlebury

New Old Images of Middlebury

Joseph Watson

Recently, thanks to a tip from the friend of a friend we purchased some antique stereoscope views of Middlebury College and the Town of Middlebury in an online auction. (Shout out to the friend of Prof. Kevin Moss!)

Main Street Middlebury, looking northeast, before the great fire, circa 1880.
Notice the high meadows on Chipman Hill behind the church steeple.

Stereoscope cards hold two identical photographs, mounted side by side and slightly offset. When they’re viewed through a stereoscope viewer, a three dimensional image emerges.

A state of the art and thrilling parlor entertainment throughout the late nineteenth century, these rare images don’t need to be viewed in stereo to be appreciated online today.

Main St. looking west over Otter Creek after a fire obliterated most of the buildings in the picture above.
Old Stone Row viewed from the top of Kitchel House, 1881
Old Stone Row taken in front of Starr Hall, circa 1880
Old Chapel, circa 1880
We were initially thrown off by this house due to the view of Chipman Hill in the distance. A little sleuthing confirmed a 19th century snapshot of Weybridge House
Weybridge House on the corner of College St. compared to today
The cards all appear to be from the studio of O. C. Barnes

Winter Carnival Films from the 1940s

Joseph Watson

Fun in the snow at Middlebury College!  These recently digitized 16mm films haven’t been seen in more than fifty years.

This silent film montage shows scenes of the 40 meter jump on Chipman Hill, early ski trails at the Snow Bowl and the “new” 50 meter ski jump, Mountain Club outings to the winter woods, and even “aero-skijoring” on Lake Champlain. Winter Carnival the way it was in the middle of the last century!

And this newsreel, produced by Paramount Pictures in 1949, is an entertaining glimpse back into a unique moment in time.  It was shown in movie theaters throughout the country before the feature film.


 

Middlebury women take a snowy ride to Ripton, ca. 1940s

Rebekah Irwin

In this holiday-themed film clip, and part of the ongoing effort to preserve our large collection of historic 16mm films, members of the Women’s Forum of Middlebury College gather behind Forest Hall to load up holiday gifts and head to the Meeting House in Ripton. Upon their arrival (after what must have been a cold and harrowing ride in the back of a wood-slatted truck), surprisingly underdressed local children run (and slide, trudge, and sled) to meet them. The Middlebury women, joined by a costumed Santa, distribute holiday gifts.

Established in 1937, the Women’s Forum was originally organized to further interest in economic, political, and social issues of the day. In 1944 the group merged with the Student Action Assembly and focused on social and service work. This clip likely dates from the early to mid 1940’s.

Happy holidays from all of us at Special Collections & Archives.