From a thunderstorm’s fiery aftermath to a brief presidential wave from a train car, the second week of August has seen everything from infrastructure crises to acts of wartime patriotism in northern New England. Here’s what happened this week in local history.

Lightning Destroys Barn in West Fairlee – August 8, 1892
A powerful thunderstorm passed over Orange County on August 8, 1892, and a lightning strike destroyed the barn of A.H. Eastman in West Fairlee. The fire consumed two horses, several cows, and a season’s worth of hay before neighbors could respond. According to contemporary accounts, the barn was not insured, making the loss devastating.

President Roosevelt’s Train Passes Through Wells River – August 10, 1903
President Theodore Roosevelt’s special train passed through Wells River on August 10, 1903, en route to a speaking engagement in New Hampshire. Though he did not stop, locals gathered at the depot and caught a brief glimpse of the president as he waved from the rear platform. The event was recorded in regional railroad histories and newspapers of the day.

Norwich University Suffers Campus Fire – August 11, 1841
A significant fire on August 11, 1841, damaged several buildings at Norwich University’s original campus in Norwich, Vermont. Though the university would remain in the town for another two decades, the fire marked the beginning of a slow relocation process. The school eventually moved to Northfield, where it remains today.

Orange Men Respond to Civil War Call – August 12, 1862
On August 12, 1862, the town of Orange met its Civil War enlistment quota in response to President Lincoln’s summer call for more Union troops. Seventeen men volunteered that day, joining the 15th and 16th Vermont Infantry regiments. Their names were later recorded in the Adjutant General’s report and local newspaper accounts praised the town's swift response.

Train Derailment Near St. Johnsbury Yard – August 14, 1901
A Central Vermont Railway freight train derailed just outside St. Johnsbury’s freight yard on August 14, 1901. Three cars carrying lumber overturned after a coupling broke on a curve. No injuries were reported, but service was delayed for hours while the debris was cleared. The incident prompted renewed scrutiny of rail safety in the region.

Sources for This Week’s Stories

Barre Daily Times, August 9, 1892 – report on West Fairlee lightning fire

Boston Evening Transcript, August 11, 1903 – Roosevelt’s train tour

Norwich University: 1819–1911 by William Arba Ellis; and Norwich University Archives, Early History Collection

Green Mountain Freeman, August 13, 1862 – Civil War enlistment reports

Annual Report of the Adjutant and Inspector-General of the State of Vermont, 1863

St. Johnsbury Caledonian, August 15, 1901 – freight train derailment coverage

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Local History Collection (St. Johnsbury, VT)

Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society archives

If you have a family letter, photo, or local memory that connects to one of these events — or anything like it — we'd love to include it in a future edition. Email me at joshua@thebridgeweekly.com. Your town’s past is worth preserving, one story at a time.

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