Collections | Lincoln History

Lincoln Historical Society Collections

The Lincoln Historical Society's collections include objects, textiles, photographs and other images, historical papers and documents, newspaper clippings, books, and ephemera. These items document the history of the town, villages, agriculture, schools, industries, businesses, arts, recreation, religious organizations, and of course, the people.

The LHS produces annual exhibits on topics relating to Lincoln, Vermont and history that may be viewed at the Lincoln Library and at the museum.

A sampling of the collections are highlighted below.

LHS Postcard Collection

The Lincoln Historical Society holds a collection of vintage postcards depicting landscapes, areas, buildings, and people in and around Lincoln, Vermont. Many are no longer extant, and these are the only images we have. Thanks to a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation and ARPA funds from the Lincoln Selectboard, we have cataloged and scanned our postcard collection and many of them are now available for viewing on the LHS's Flickr page. Please click here to access the LHS's Flickr Postcard Album.

Enjoy perusing the collection!

Framed Oval Portrait of Charles A. Purinton (1875-1956)

Charles A. Purinton was co-owner with C. R. Bicknell of the Bicknell-Purinton Store in Lincoln Center for decades. He also served as Town Clerk from 1920-1940. 2020.001.004 Gift of Beverly Purinton Brown

Mason & Hamlin Parlor Organ

This Mason & Hamlin pump organ comes complete with detailed scroll work and is stenciled with beehives, butterflies, and birds, lamp brackets, a large music storage section at top center, and on each side of the nine stops are replicas of gold medal awards received by the company through the years.

Purinton Family Hair Book

To learn more about this unique and fascinating Lincoln treasure, visit "Connected Through Strands: The Purinton Family Hair Book" link below.

Two-man Crosscut Saws

Designed for use by two sawyers standing at each end, these saws were primarily used to cut wood.

Lincoln Cornet Band Drum

This drum was played by Hoyt Smith and Ernest Sargent in the Lincoln Cornet Band around the early 1900s.

Sleigh

This style of sleigh is modeled after a Portland cutter, one of the most popular types of American sleighs in the 19th and early 20th century. It is a light sleigh with a single seat board, square bodied, with a curved dash attached to the upward sweep of the runners. The sleigh could be used by a single or pair of horses.

Victrola

Victrola, Victor Talking Machine, Camden, New Jersey, 1926

Lincoln Reds Wheelbarrow

Lincoln Lumber Mill Clapboards

Clapboards manufactured and stamped with the names of lumber mills located in Lincoln during the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as the Lincoln Lumber Co., Jackman & Garland, Hanks-Parmelee, DE Hanks, and others.

Cloth Samples Notebook, Woven by Cleora Guindon Page

This cloth sample notebook, which belonged to Flora Purinton was made carded, spun and woven by Cleora Guindon Page (1836-1924). Donated by Beverly Purinton Brown in 2019.

Wooden Yolk

This hand-made wooden yolk was used most recently in 1961 by Roy Cram to bring water to his residence, the “Benton Place” on East River Road.

Ice Tongs

Before refrigerators became popular in the 1950s, food was kept fresh using ice cut from lakes and ponds. Tongs were used to lift and carry the ice to homes and businesses. These tongs are probably locally made and came from David Morrison’s barn.

LHS Research Collection

In addition to its original historical collections, the Lincoln Historical Society also has research materials available in the museum and online.

Lincoln, Vermont Obituaries

We have over 1,200 obituaries of people who lived in Lincoln from the 19th to 21st centuries available in both paper and digital forms thanks to a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation and ARPA funds from the Lincoln Selectboard. Click here to view a list of the obituaries. If you would like a pdf copy of a particular obituary, please email lincolnvthistory@gmail.com.

Other research materials are available at the LHS Museum Library. Some of the topics are included below. We will continue to digitize these materials and make them available online.