Welcome to the Peacham Historical Association
Our mission is to celebrate and preserve the rich history of Peacham, Vermont. This website will give you an overview of the Historical Association’s collections, publications, programs and other offerings.
We hope you will join us at an upcoming event or sign up for a membership. Check back often to find out what’s new about Peacham’s history.
Summer Exhibition 2024
Picture Perfect: Postcards from Peacham’s Past
We are exhibiting an exceptional group of postcards of Peacham made by the Eastern Illustrating and Publishing Company in the early 20th century, courtesy of Penobscot Marine Museum. Based in Belfast, Maine, this company sent photographers throughout New England, making beautiful, high quality images of many towns. Meant to be sent as greetings to friends and family, they have become invaluable records of small town buildings and landscapes. These postcards also played a significant role in establishing Peacham’s reputation as one of the most iconic, picturesque hill towns in Vermont. We will also exhibit the cameras used to make these images, as well as many additional postcards of Peacham from the PHA’s own collection.
Open Sundays in July and August from 1-4pm
Open Labor Day, September 2 from 1-4pm
Open Fall Foliage Day, Thursday, October 3, 11am-4pm.
Historical House, 149 Church Street, Peacham.
Peacham
Peacham, a picturesque hill town in northeastern Vermont, has a population of 732 people that swells to over 1,000 in the summer months. The village center with its cluster of early to mid-19th century Federal and Greek Revival homes has been designated a National Historic District. Several large working farms are located a short distance from the village. The rolling fields, together with secluded ponds, brooks, and dense woodlands, give the town its distinctive rural character.
Peacham lies on lands historically Abenaki, serving as a seasonal home. First settled by Europeans in 1776, Peacham has played a substantial role in the history of Vermont and of the nation. Thaddeus Stevens, abolitionist leader and US senator during the Civil War period, is the most prominent of a roster of distinguished residents past and present.
Peacham continues to play a vital role in the life of the region. The Historical Association was incorporated in 1921 and has actively sought to preserve and display the town’s history through exhibits in its Historical House, Ghost Walks, and publications. Our small town hosts a number of well-attended annual events, including its July 4th celebration featuring a tractor parade, ghost walk, games, and pig roast. The Snow Roller Barn features several of the large horse or oxen-drawn rollers that were once used to maintain our snowy winter roads. The Northern Skies Observatory was constructed in 2010 through the efforts of local citizens and offers schools and the community opportunities to study and contemplate the skies. The Peacham Acoustic Music Festival draws visitors from near and far in mid-August. The Fall Foliage Festival and the Winter Carnival are also popular Peacham events. You can learn about current events in Peacham on the Town’s website.