HSWC News & Events

West River Railroad Museum, Cemetery Hill Road, Newfane. Ted Lawrence brings us a piece of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus where he was a clown working under the Big Top and living on the railroad. Ted sets up the steamer trunk he used while touring the U.S. in the 1980s, and as he puts […]

The annual meeting of the Historical Society of Windham County will be held at NewBrook Firehouse (Route 30, Newfane) on Friday, August 27.  A brief business meeting at 5:30 will be followed by the traditional storytelling program at 6:00. This year’s storytellers will be Dr. Robert Backus of Wardsboro and Dr. Robert Tortolani of Brattleboro.  […]

2021 History Fair Schedule of Events Step back in time at the Eighth Biennial Windham County History Fair on Saturday, August 14th from 9:00 to 4:00. Held on Historic Newfane Common (Route 30, Newfane), the Fair is a festival of vintage exhibits, demonstrations and historic tours featuring Windham County’s rich heritage. The Vermont Historical Society, […]

Due to COVID-19, this year’s meeting will not feature the traditional pot-luck and the story telling program as we had originally planned. However, an August annual meeting is a requirement of the Historical Society’s Bylaws, and will take place for the election of officers and the approval of the Society’s annual budget. The Meeting will […]

NOTE:  Any changes to the Museum’s scheduled events and opening hours due to COVID-19 restrictions will be updated on this website.  Check back here regularly for the most up-to-date information.  

Due to COVID-19, the Trunkside Tales program scheduled for Sunday, June 14th, will be rescheduled at later date. West River Railroad Museum, Cemetery Hill Road, Newfane Ted Lawrence is a gifted storyteller and veteran of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Enjoy witnessing his transformation from Everyday Joe into a genuine bigger-than-life Ringling […]

Sunday, March 29th Annual Soup Fest & Silent Auction Postponed   In light of the COVID-19 concerns and in the interest of public health, The Historical Society’s Soup Fest and Silent Auction scheduled for Sunday, March 29th is cancelled.  At this time, it is the hope of the Board of Directors to reschedule the Silent […]

Friday, August 23 — 5:30  HSWC Annual Meeting, Pot-Luck, and Vermont Trivia NewBrook Fire Station, Route 30, Newfane 5:30  Annual Meeting of the Historical Society of Windham County 6:00  Pot-Luck — Bring a dish to share.  Drinks provided. 7:00  Vermont Trivia Night!  Do you know about the unusual animal fossil discovered in Charlotte in 1849? […]

Sunday, August 11 — 1:00 Old Newfane Common, Top of Newfane Hill Road Join us and special guest, Niels Rhinehart, Archaeologist and Board Member of the Vermont Archaeology Society, as we explore the original site of the Shire Town of Newfane where it was first settled on top of Newfane Hill.  The walking tour of […]

COME ONE, COME ALL!    TO THE WINDHAM COUNTY HISTORY FAIR! On the Historic Newfane Common, Route 30, Newfane Step back in time at the Seventh Biennial Windham County History Fair on Saturday, August 10th from 9:00 to 4:00.  Held on Historic Newfane Common (Route 30, Newfane), the Fair is a festival of vintage exhibits, demonstrations and […]