Vermont Historical Society awarded grant to research Vermont’s 1970s Counterculture Movement

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded the Vermont Historical Society Museums for America grant funds in support of “Colleges, Communes and Coops: 1970s Counterculture and Its Lasting Influence on Vermont”, a two-year project about the history of a movement that played a key role in shaping present-day Vermont. With this award, the Society will research and document the political, social, and cultural changes of the 1970s in Vermont, preserving this period’s history and providing programs about it throughout the state.

“The Vermont Historical Society is grateful and excited to present a variety of programs in regions around the state about ‘Colleges, Communes and Coops,’” stated Jackie Calder, Vermont Historical Society curator. “By collecting objects, papers, and oral histories we will be creating a body of information for this pivotal period in our state history, making it available for generations to come.”

The 1970’s in Vermont were a time of radical change in culture, population, politics, and social life. An influx of young men and women who wanted to build a better life made Vermont an epicenter of commune living as they experimented with local, organic food systems and progressive politics. Many of the state’s colleges also fostered social and community engagement, and young people who came for college stayed and made a lasting impact on the state’s history. Many of the features that are today considered quintessentially Vermont, such as its politics, local food movements, and offbeat culture, have their origins in this period of recent history.

Executive Director Mark Hudson said, “Receiving a grant from the IMLS is a significant achievement. IMLS grants are highly competitive, library and museum professionals from throughout the United States review grant applications and make recommendations on projects most worthy of funding.”

The Vermont Historical Society will post information about this programming on their website: vermonthistory.org. Contact Jackie Calder for more information at (802) 479-8514 or jackie.calder@state.vt.us.