History of textiles explored at Manchester community library
MANCHESTER - Manchester Community Library (MCL), 138 Cemetery Avenue, in partnership with Manchester Historical Society (MHS), announces “Threads of History,” an interdisciplinary program series exploring the intersectionality of Vermont history through textiles, news, and society.
MCL and MHS drew inspiration for the initiative from the Vermont Reads 2026 selection, “Charity and Sylvia” by Tillie Walden. This graphic novel draws on the lives of its subjects, Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake, who lived as romantic partners and worked as seamstresses in early 19th-century Vermont. This story is used as a springboard to examine how textile production shaped communities, commerce, and culture across southwestern Vermont, and how those threads connect to the nation’s history.
The series is anchored by three hands-on workshops that guide participants through the historical process of making paper from heritage textiles.
On Saturday, October 3, at 3 pm, MCL and MHS present “Taconic Music with Tunes and Textiles of the Past.” Participants will attend a concert of 18th-century chamber music performed by the Taconic String Quartet while sorting through archived natural fiber textile materials supplied by MHS, cutting them into squares for use in papermaking.
The following Satuday, October 10, at 11 am, the program “Pulping the Green Mountains: How Manchester Helped Feed the Nation’s Hunger for Paper” will be offered. John Vincent of A Revolutionary Press will process the prepared textile squares and period-appropriate paper materials into a paper beater. While the beater works, MHS Curator Shawn Harrington will discuss the history of Vermont’s paper and textile industry, before leading attendees to pour the mixture into molds and set it to dry.
Finally, on Saturday, November 14, at 11 am, Vincent will lead “Broadside Printing with A Revolutionary Press,” transforming the handmade paper into broadsides designed by MHS, creating history printed on history.
Interwoven with the workshops, complementary programming will feature topics such as the Jane A. Stickle Quilt, the history of the Manchester Journal, and local figures such as Fred Nicklewhite, a Black tailor and business owner. Programs are designed for adults and teens. No advance registration is required, though participants are encouraged to attend all three papermaking sessions for the fullest experience. All programs will be free and open to the public and will take place in MCL’s fully accessible facility.
For more information and to view the Library’s ongoing additions to the Vermont Reads program offerings go to the Library’s website at mclvt.org, call (802) 362-2607 or visit the library’s front desk in person.
