St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-02-22
St. JOHNSBURY HISTORY
Rev. Edward 7. Fairbanks Pre-
pairing Historical Sketches
of the Town.

OF the Town.
To all who are interested therein
Greeting:
am hoping to prepare for publi-
cation a volume of historical and
descriptive sketches of our town.
This is undertaken in response to
many and urgent requests and in
particular under auspices of the St.,
John de Crevecoeur Chapter of
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton.
The object of this letter is to in
vite suggestions or contributed
material; especially to request addi-
tional information If any is obtain
able, relating to the early settlers,
or to events prior to 1830-whether
it be facts, incidents, documents, ira
ditions, or anythingwh AS COM
pared with other neighboring towns
the material for our early history is
both scanty and uneventful; we were
not distinguished for any remarkable
events; we must therefore pick up
and utilize relatively unimportant
items. 1t is worth while to look into
old letters or diaries or records, to
recall the traditions or anecdotes or
descriptions that have foated down
from a former generation, for the
least bit or fragment of a story may
serve to light up or give color to the
social life and civic conditions of
other days. More or less of all this
1 have already gathered in, but it
may be that some "reminiscences of
| the early time have been handed
down, which, like the few remain
ing trout in our brooks are lingering
in quiet coves of memory here or
there, and if so | would like to fish
them out. So then if any one will
give me an incident or an interview
or direct me to sources of informa-
ton 1 will much appreciate the
| favor. This work being taken on in
addition to other regular duties can
not be pushed rapidly, but if now in
our 125th year we can get story
of the town well under way we may
hope within reasonable time to have
the finished record for reading and
reference. A word at this point re-
specting
The Athenaeum as Town Deposi-
tory.
In the natural course of things quite
a number of old accounts, journals,
record books, including records of
two of the older school districts,
have been brought to the Athenaeum
for safe keeping. Some years ago
the town authorized the obtaining of
incidents in it's early history, to-
gether with plans locating sites of
the first buildings erected, the same
to be deposited for preservation and
use in the Athenaeum. Something
nf h oil ~
would be distinctly for the general
good if the Town Library should be-
come a recognized depository for
such records, documents or other
material relating to Town Events, as
individuals may choose to commit to
it's keeping. The Athenaeum does
not care to accumulate such mis-
cellany, but as public institution
it would willingly act as custodian
for anything left in it's care, to be
kept in the St. Johnsbury Town
H1story--Cabinet, subject to the
order of the depositor. Material that
have personally acquired is desig-
mated to this collection, and whatever
any other persons may hereafter add
will increase it's value as well as Sc
cure safe keeping.
Attention may again be called
to the library collection of more
recent and current st. Johnsbury-
ana which is becoming practi-
ca1ly valuable for reference. This
includes full sets of the town direc-
tories,of the town, village and school
annual reports, of catalogues and
year books of various sorts. of local
booklets, folders, programs, menus
some of which for their literary flaw
or deserve welcome in library, and
appetite is good for more of the
like sort. This miscellaneous col
lection of current printed matter will
be of great interest to men and
women of the future, and additions
to it will be appreciated.
With thanks for any response
which this communication may elicit
and with friendly salutations to all
our townspeople.
EDWARD T. FAIRBANKS.
In connection with the foregoing
announcement | will give here some
account of
The First House in st. Johnsbury
In the spring of 1887 DR.. Arnold
got an up and down lumber saw in
to position at The Falls near the
present village water works. Here
were turned out the boards and
timbers which he presently iointed
together into a small dwelling
house just above the Park that now
bears his name. Except the little
clearing he had made at this
point the entire Plain was an
unbroken forest. This was the first
and for a long time the only framed
house in the township. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY intended for temporary shous-
ing only, lodge in the wilderness.
1t was low posted, "a by 80 feet
square, of rough boards unclap-
boarded, rooted with split shingle.
A cobble stone fireplace and chimney
furnished necessary comfort and
cooking facilities. Four years later
the cobblestones were pulled out
making way for brick, manufacture
ed On the hillside hr