This Place in History: Hitchcock Memorial Museum & Library

“We’re on Route 100 in Westfield,” Mike Hoey said. “Steve, what brings us here this week?”

“Mike, we are going to go see an absolute jewel box of a museum,” Vermont Historical Society executive director Steve Perkins said. “This is the Hitchcock Memorial Library & Museum — describes what it is. (It has a) somewhat unassuming façade here, but wait ’til we go inside! The director of the library, Jennifer Johnson, is going to meet us.”

“This is actually the 125th anniversary of the Hitchcock Memorial Museum & Library,” Johnson said. “It was built in 1899 by Aaron Hitchcock, who was a Westfield resident. He donated the land and the funds for the building and for many of the specimens. The rest of the funds were put in a trust for future preservation of the institution.”

Perkins asked, “Did he intend for it to be both a museum and a library from the beginning?”

“He did, yes,” Johnson replied. “That was his intention, to have a library on the first floor and have a natural history museum on the second floor.”

“Which I understand was very commonplace in that era,” Hoey noted. “You could often find collections of both types of materials in the same setting.”

“Absolutely, yes,” Johnson continued. “The sort of ‘cabinet of curiosity’ model that was popular in Europe certainly made its way over here, too. I think the very cool thing about this building is that every step you take, you see something new, you learn something new, and there are so many little hidden treasures all around that even if you come back four or five times, you’ll see something you didn’t see the last time.”

“It looks like there are some really old pieces here,” Perkins observed. “I can tell by the labels, you know? And then, some are typewritten; some are labeled 1983. How did that happen?”

“Yeah, it’s just — over 125 years, people stop in and they want to donate their items,” Johnson replied. “And if it has to do with local history or natural history, for the most part, we did accept many of those specimens.”

“You can find local geology samples, waterfowl, various kinds of aquatic life, various types of other wildlife, too,” Hoey said. “It’s an incredible array within a space of this size. It’s quite impressive.”

“Thank you so much! We’re very proud of it, (especially) the butterflies,” Johnson said. “My favorite part of the collection is actually a newer addition that was born in 1987 right here in Westfield, and that is our two-headed calf. It was born in Westfield on, actually, one of our Selectboard members’ farms — unfortunately, born stillborn. People remember it and still talk about it and they come specifically to see it. I do say hi to it every time I come in the morning to turn the fans on!”

“And (it’s) prominently displayed between two dioramas,” Perkins noted. “Similar to what you would see at the National History Museum in New York, or the Boston Science Museum, or across the way in St. Johnsbury at the Fairbanks Museum.”

“Absolutely,” Johnson continued. “The craftsmanship of the dioramas and other pieces of our collection — it’s just really, really amazing to find it right here in Westfield, which has a store and a church and that’s about it.”

Perkins interjected, “And this wonderful place!”

Hoey asked, “So then, Jennifer, if anyone wants to come visit this wonderful place, how can they?”

“We are open three days a week,” Johnson concluded. “You can look on our website for the hours. It’s free to visit. All you have to do is pop in and say hello, and you’re welcome to come upstairs and check out the collection.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.