Governor Douglas and Lola P. Aiken hosted Celebration of Historical Governors at Vermont Historical Society Museum
MONTPELIER: There was standing room only at the Celebration of Historic Governors in the Snelling room at the Vermont Historical Society Museum in Montpelier held on June 5. Governor Douglas and Mrs. Lola P. Aiken hosted the June 5th afternoon Celebration at the Pavilion Building, next to the State House.
Descendants of the historic governors came from as far away as Georgia and Massachusetts.
“Thomas Chittenden is my children’s seventh great grandfather!” said Stephanie Vidrine, a math teacher from Woodstock, Georgia, who brought her three children with her to the event. “We planned our Vermont vacation around this celebration,” she added. The Gibson familiy was also a great presence there, with several generations coming for the celebration.
Governor Douglas spoke at the event: “We gather as a community of those interested in preserving the past, and keeping it preserved for future generations. The good works of these governors is evident in our lives to this day.”
Twelve new rocking chairs, each named for a historic Vermont governor were unveiled at the ceremony, and the chairs will continue to occupy the porch of the Pavilion Building for the rest of the summer to commemorate the important work our state leaders.
The rocking chairs were donated by VHS trustee J. Brooks Buxton of Jericho. They will be on the porch all summer, and visitors are welcome to sit, enjoy, and celebrate our state’s great history of independent thought and strong leadership.
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Photos: Top, Governor Douglas with descendents of Governor Thomas Chittenden: Joshua, Matthew and Rhianna Vidrine, who came from Georgia. Lower photo: The Gibson Family gathered from several states to help honor their gubernatorial ancestor.
