[middtube envs0350a-f08 mp3:leastman_melendy’s_102908]

Luke Eastman

Interview with Marylin and Lum Melendy

Jersualem, VT

10/29/08

Marylin and Lum Melendy are an elderly couple living in Jerusalem. They’ve been in VT for longer, but moved to Jim Dwire Road in 1985. Lum runs a chainsaw shop right near the house and they own a campground (I didn’t get to see either because it was nighttime). They describe a very positive experience in town, but also the sentiment that they don’t have much to do with Starksboro itself.

This interview ran for about an hour and a half (hence the copious timestamps), and was unfocused at times. Some good historical tidbits and stories are in this interview, though.

1:00 – 2:20 Marylin – Born in VA, 1930, lived in VT since 17, Lum – Born in St. Johnsbury, 1926, lived in Jeffersonville, South Burlington with wife until 1985.

2:20 – 4:20 The couple had $100, bought 4 acres of land in Jerusalem, built a camp. Funny story about the bridge, how it was tough to navigate

4:30 – 7:30 Positive comments on neighborhood security. Story about fire next to Jane Cooper’s house. Details of the Ladies’ Home Circle that Marylin is in (active since 1920’s) – they cook for the victims of the fire.

7:30 – 11:20 Memories of a schoolhouse teacher they knew (did not attend it). “it’s our community building.” Details of Halloween party there recently. Road history of the area.

11:25 – 14:15 Describing what the Ladies’ Home Circle did (She has notes going back from 1921….sewed, put on plays, made meals) and what they do now (don’t sew, cook).

14:50 – 16:30 Reasons for coming (originally built camp in 1959). Was a getaway when they lived in south Burlington. Son uses it with family.

16:30 – 18:50 and 21:00 – 28:15 Sugaring in Jerusalem (Lum’s experience of 14 years, stopped 4 years ago; and some history of other sugarers)

28:20 – 36:00 Lum’s career in selling chainsaws – started shop in South Burlington, then moved it to Jerusalem right at his house for reasons of “downsizing” the business. Describes his customers (all sorts of people use chainsaws in VT), and changes in business.

36:45 – 40:40 Marylin describing son’s education in VT, is now a forester at Johnson lumber. They have 3 sons and a daughter. – in Hinesburg, Middlebury, Huntingdon, Berry.

42:50 – 45:50 Cool stories from Lum about his Dad’s police job during Prohibition chasing down gangsters smuggling alcohol through from Canada.

45:50 – 46:15 Harry Truman’s grandson lives in Starksboro.

46:20 – 48:25 – Short bit on Lum’s WWII experience

49:30 – 51:15 ; 52:50 – 55:30 “No, we’d rather not sometimes [have anything to do with Starksboro]” They definitely think that Jerusalem is quite separate. They don’t really do too much in Starksboro at all. “Well there’s nothing to do!” [in Starksboro].

55:10 – 57:30 Telling me about Bertha Hansen’s book about Starksboro history.

57:40 – 1:00:25 Talking about Stony Mason.

1:01:30 – 1:04:35 Jerusalem used to be called Orvisville. People who went to the schoolhouse: Greg Orvis, Gary Orvis, Cathy Bushy, Linda Barnard, Bruce Rublee(sp?).

1:04:45 – 1:09:00 No real disappointments about their experience in Starksboro. Kind of resent the necessity for transportation. General satisfaction.

1:14:30 – Marylin tells funny story about founding of Jerusalem (she misquoted it).

1:18:00 – “when you’re talking to people around here you wanna pay attention.”

1:23:00 – Had an easy time connecting to people when they moved in because of the shop and the people they met.

1:34:00 – Story about how Rodney Orvis helped their son decide what to do.

[middtube envs0350a-f08 mp3:charvey_jdunham_bdunham_102408.mp3]

October 24, 2008

Dunham residence

Ireland Rd., Starksboro, Vermont

Interviewed by Chester Harvey

The Dunhams have been Starksboro residents since 1976. They now live in a house they built themselves on 320 acres at the top of Ireland Rd. where they raise about fifteen beef cattle and have a productive sugarbush. Elizabeth uses the road’s high speed internet connection to telecommute to her job with Lockheed Martin. Jeff is an architect working for a firm in Waitsfield.

The interview was conducted in the Dunhams’ home. Their dog, Ellie, can be heard in the background of the recording.

0:00 – Middlebury College, early time in Starksboro during College and as recent graduates

4:10 – Jeff: Starksboro was sort of like the “end of the world” back then

10:15 – The Ireland Rd. community

14:00 – The Dunham’s understanding of Hillsboro and Ireland Rd. History

15:00 – Land stewardship, farming, sugaring

22:15 – Kids, maintaining the homestead, their childhoods

24:30 – “Everywhere you go, up here, is ten miles away”

32:00 – Betsy’s career, Lockheed Martin, working from Starksboro

37:45 – Telecommuting on Ireland Rd.

43:00 – Jeff’s career, architecture in Waitsfield

43:50 – Betsy: “In both of our cases, … we chose where we wanted to be knowing that we were going to have to figure out how to make it work, and knowing that we might even seriously compromise our material career prospects. But it was more important for us to be here, and to have this kind of life.”

46:00 – Jeff’s involvement with Starksboro planning, the early planning process

48:00 – ‘Spaghetti’ lots

52:30 – Town planning forums

54:30 – “One way or another, they all cared [about the town] … That was very clear.”

56:30 – Agricultural corridor planning, incentives to put housing in the woods around the edges

57:40 – Jeff: “There was a strong feeling in town not to extend town roads back into the wilderness area … in the middle, so there were strong disincentives for that.”

58: 20 – Jeff: “The town went from being run by the traditional group, who were very dedicated people, to being much more of a democracy. … It included more and more people. The more people who feel like they’re part of the process, [the more people] take ownership of the results.”

59:45 – Betsy: “Starksboro will continue to be a bedroom community for folks who work somewhere else.”

Following their interview, the Dunhams noted that the planning process helped to solidify the relationship between and ‘old timers’ and the new ‘hippies’ who were coming into town. It helped prevent many problems that might have occurred throughout the past twenty of thirty years had a cross section of the town’s population not been encouraged to meet and understand each other on their own terms so early on.

[middtube envs0350a-f08 mp3:charvey_testey_102108.mp3]

October 21, 2008

Starksboro Town Garage, Starksboro, Vermont

Interviewed by Chester Harvey

Tom Estey is the Starksboro Road Crew Foreman and the Chief of the town’s volunteer fire department. He has lived in Starksboro all his life, growing up in the village on the farm that is now Lewis Creek Farm. He and his wife Cheryl, who is the Starksboro Town Clerk, continue to live in the village.

Tom was interviewed at the Starksboro Town Garage on Rt. 116. The office’s CB radio is sometimes audible in the background.

0:00 – origins

4:00 – road crew

5:00 – Cheryl, high school

6:00 – history of road crew

9:20 – snowstorms

11:20 – fire department

16:40 – historic Starksboro village

17:00 – Mountain View Creamery, Robinson Creamery

21:00 – views on Starksboro development and planning

27:00 – Starksboro Village infrastructure

28:00 – perspectives on town interior

32:00 – historic Starksboro village (cont.)

36:00 – sledding and playing ball in the middle of Rt. 116, Robinson School

42:00 – hunting, Thibault’s camp

43:00 – Town Garage operations

57:00 – Town History

58:00 – Tom: “It’s a pretty nice place to live.”