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Middlebury, Vermont, is the seat of agricultural Addison County. When Gamaliel Painter, a pioneer from Connecticut, noticed the potential in the falls of Otter Creek in the mid-18th century, he and his friends began to harness the waterpower for industry. Stone mill buildings were erected and were later influential in the architecture of Middlebury College, one of the first colleges in Vermont and the country. The first marble industry in Vermont began in Middlebury and exported tons annually. By the mid-19th century, Italian stonecutters were provided with a more efficient way to export their product via the railroad, but economic emphasis eventually shifted to agriculture and animal husbandry. However, two local farm boys, Henry Sheldon and Clinton Smith, distinguished themselves and created a lasting legacy in Middlebury. Sheldon, who was a musician and curator, founded today's Sheldon Museum. Smith was a builder and architect, and his mill below the falls produced the building materials for Middlebury's town hall, a courthouse, and the Methodist church.

Established in 1922, the Champlain Valley Exposition held its first four-day fair at the Essex Junction, Vermont, fairgrounds in 1923. In its early years, the grounds included a racetrack, grandstand capable of holding 4,000 people, racing stables, horse and cattle barns, and commercial and industrial exhibits buildings. A century later, the exposition's signature Champlain Valley Fair has grown to become the largest annual event in Vermont--aptly described as the "Ten Best Days of Summer." Its agricultural and commercial exhibits and vibrant midway complement the grandstand concert series, which features some of the biggest names in entertainment. Modern indoor facilities now make the exposition not only the destination to celebrate Vermont's agricultural heritage but also one of the state's largest year-round venues for concerts, special interest events, trade shows, indoor soccer, and community gatherings.

Tucked against the Deerfield River, Wilmington has long espoused the Vermont traits of rugged self-sufficiency coupled with a strong sense of community. Founded in 1751 by hardy settlers in the Green Mountains, residents held logging bees, barn raisings, and community dinners, with neighbors helping neighbors to construct a town where all could thrive. When new roads connected nearby towns in the early 1800s, Wilmington's residents banded together in 1833 to pick up and move the town to the valley via oxcarts for better economic opportunities afforded by the river and new roads. A variety of social clubs, fairs, and other events filled the community, keeping it close-knit and earning Wilmington a reputation as a place where visitors from the city could escape the hustle and bustle of urban living. That history of community continues today in the vibrant and enduring tradition of Old Home Week, a town-wide reunion held every decade since 1890 where former Wilmington residents the world over return home to celebrate friends, neighbors, community, and fond memories.

In 1905, Middlebury was a vibrant town with a new main street, rebuilt after a series of devastating fires. Many of the earliest homes and public buildings were still significant features in the center of town. During the next thirty-five years, major changes took place in Middlebury, at Middlebury College, and in nearby villages that shaped the modern Addison County landscape. A series of historical postcards documented these important events. Around Middlebury, with nearly 200 postcard images from the period 1905 to 1940, describes the development of the area. Images from Brandon, Bristol, Vergennes, Lake Dunmore, and Bread Loaf are included in this engaging publication.

Putney, Vermont owes much to its early farming settlers who established the town's spirit of hard work and ingenuity, and to its mill workers whose labor sustained the town's economy for over 200 years. Agricultural advances, social experiments, and a devout commitment to education and artistry helped this community earn world renown with such institutions as the Putney School, America's first co-ed boarding school; Landmark College, the only U.S. two-year college devoted to students with learning differences; the Yellow Barn, an international music school with a famous annual music festival; and the Experiment in International Living. Putney celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2003, marking a tradition of overcoming internal strife and economic hardship to prosper through innovation and industry.