2Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
The Charlotte News
Charlotte, Vermont
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Charlotte.
1958 to 2024Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
48,138Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Charlotte, Vermont.
Explore the past of Charlotte, Vermont through newspapers in The Charlotte News' digital archive. The archive includes Charlotte News and The Charlotte News, with material from 1958 to 2024.
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Selected titles
A selection from The Charlotte News: “Charlotte News” and “The Charlotte News”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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A closer look
Newspaper pages connect individual accounts with a wider story, preserving how events were reported and presented to the readers of the day.
Reporting from the time can reveal how people described the events, work and concerns of their day, placing a local story within the history unfolding around it. Whether you are tracing a family connection, exploring a local event or sharing history with a class, there is more to discover than names and dates alone. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Explore Charlotte News and The Charlotte News through 48,138 digitized pages, with material from 1958 to 2024. This collection is shared through The Charlotte News' partnership with Advantage Archives. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
A family story or a question about a familiar place can lead somewhere unexpected. Browse the titles below and see which detail draws you in.
Charlotte News
1,176 pages from 2016 to 2017
The Charlotte News
46,962 pages from 1958 to 2024
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About the Archive
About The Charlotte News Archives
This digitization project was made possible by a generous anonymous donor and the efforts of Alex Bunten and Kali Adams. The project has received support from The Charlotte News board members and the Charlotte Library. Special appreciation goes to all who have contributed to the newspaper's legacy over the decades.
The Charlotte News archives offer a treasure trove of information for researchers, historians, and anyone interested in the history of Charlotte. Whether you're looking for an article you wrote years ago, researching local business development, or seeking an obituary for a friend or family member, the archives provide a valuable resource.
At the beginning of the project, the archives were scanned in bi-tonal (black and white) rather than greyscale to save server space and enhance text recognition during searches. This decision, however, resulted in hazy photos in early issues. For better photo quality, hard copies are available at the newspaper's office. More recent editions are of higher quality and in full, vibrant color, capturing all the details of every moment in every image.
About the Community
About The Charlotte News
The mission of The Charlotte News is to engage and inform Charlotte and nearby communities by publishing rigorous, in-depth reporting on town affairs, providing a home for stories from neighbors and friends, and reporting on how other towns have addressed challenges similar to those in Charlotte. As an independent, nonprofit news source, The Charlotte News is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of journalism and fostering a sense of community. With a commitment to community-driven journalism, The Charlotte News plays a crucial role in keeping residents informed about local government decisions, school activities, community events, and more. The newspaper also serves as a platform for local voices, featuring columns, letters to the editor, and stories that reflect the diverse perspectives and experiences of Charlotte's residents.
Partner Story
The History Of The Charlotte News
The Charlotte News published its first issue on July 18, 1958, sandwiched between the Vietnam War and the first human in space, and has been recording the stories of the people, places, and events that shaped the community ever since. The paper was established thanks to countless volunteer hours, community support, and a deep love of local journalism. From its humble beginnings, The Charlotte News has grown into a trusted source of information and a vital part of the community's fabric. Over the years, The Charlotte News has adapted to changing times, embracing digital technology to make its archives searchable and accessible online.
About the Community
About Charlotte, Vermont and Surrounding Areas
Charlotte, Vermont, is a picturesque town chartered on June 24, 1762, by Royal Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. The town has a rich history rooted in agriculture and community development. Initially dominated by farming and lumber industries, Charlotte has evolved into a vibrant community with a deep appreciation for its historical heritage. Throughout its history, Charlotte has faced and overcome various challenges, drawing on the strength and resilience of its residents. The town's development has been shaped by its agricultural roots, with a gradual shift towards dairy farming in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, Charlotte continues to preserve its rural charm while embracing modern amenities and services. The surrounding areas, including nearby towns such as Shelburne and Hinesburg, share a similar historical background, with agriculture playing a central role in their early development. These communities have also adapted to changing times, fostering strong local cultures and economies that reflect their unique histories and contributions to the region.
Local History
Did You Know?
Charlotte, Vermont, is a picturesque town chartered on June 24, 1762, by Royal Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. The area began to see significant settlement following Vermont's admission as a U.S. state in 1791. By the turn of the 19th century, the majority of the town’s land had been sold, and the population had grown to 316 residents.
In its early years, Charlotte's economy was driven by farming and the lumber industry. The town's landscape, like much of Vermont, was extensively cleared for agriculture, particularly sheep farming. At one time, up to 8,000 sheep grazed the hills and valleys of Charlotte. However, as agricultural practices evolved, Charlotte, along with the rest of Vermont, transitioned to dairy farming. This shift saw the establishment of over 100 farms in Charlotte, though today, only nine remain operational. This transition allowed much of the previously cleared land to revert to forest.
Charlotte has a rich history of community development and resilience. The town has faced and overcome various challenges, drawing on the strength and determination of its residents. The development of local infrastructure, schools, and businesses has been a testament to the community's spirit and dedication. Charlotte's beautiful landscapes and commitment to preserving its natural environment have made it a desirable place to live and visit.
The surrounding areas, including nearby towns such as Shelburne and Hinesburg, share a similar historical background, with agriculture playing a central role in their early development. These communities have also adapted to changing times, fostering strong local cultures and economies that reflect their unique histories and contributions to the region.
The Charlotte News continues to play a crucial role in keeping the community informed and connected. As a nonprofit organization, it relies on the support and involvement of local residents to continue its mission. Whether through volunteering, contributing stories, or supporting fundraising efforts, the community's engagement ensures that The Charlotte News remains a trusted and cherished institution.
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More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Compare accounts as you trace a story
A family name, a familiar street or a story passed down through generations can lead to a closer look at the history of Charlotte. The digital archive shared by The Charlotte News offers a place to begin. When using historical newspapers, try alternate spellings and nearby dates, then read the surrounding page to place a local story in its time. Compare later reporting or another available title to explore different perspectives rather than treating one account as the whole story. Use a report's date to look for earlier or later coverage where those issues are available. Compare what each account says and what it leaves out, treating a related mention as a lead rather than a complete history.
Compare each newspaper account with a nearby dated issue where available, noting what changes or stays consistent. Keep alternate versions and unresolved details visible rather than blending distinct sources into one story. Use those differences to frame a next question, not to settle the account before the sources support it.
Keep source details beside each quotation or observation. If accounts differ, preserve both references and note what remains unresolved. Let the evidence, rather than a smooth retelling, show where the sources agree and where the story is still open.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of The Charlotte News, its community, and Advantage Archives. Together, these partnerships preserve local sources and give people a way to explore, learn from, and share the history around them.
Advantage Archives covers ongoing archive hosting, storage, development, and maintenance. The institution and its community do not pay a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or other recurring archive-service charge. Local history remains a community resource, not a subscription to maintain.
Would you like to see more of your community's history preserved and accessible? Start a conversation with your library, newspaper publisher, historical or genealogical society, museum, or school about the materials they would like to share and a possible partnership with Advantage Archives.
Learn about partnerships
Stories, research tips, and archive news
Read All About It connects archive research with the people and institutions preserving local history. Explore partner and community stories, project updates, research ideas, and perspectives on digitization, education, and working with primary sources. Use the articles as a starting point for your next question or a new way to share a discovery.
May 7, 2025
Why Microfilm is still important in 2023
Preserving documents on microfilm has been a popular method of storage for many years, and it still holds many benefits today. Here…
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May 7, 2025
Don’t Search For An Obituary By Only Searching For An “Obituary”
In the quest to trace our roots and understand our heritage, obituaries often serve as a crucial starting point. Obituaries are undoubtedly…
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April 9, 2025
Unveiling the Hidden Mysteries: Exploring Cold Cases and Unconventional Clues
Even the most esteemed police forces in the county encounter perplexing cold case files. These unsolved mysteries often leave investigators and genealogists…
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April 1, 2025
This Week in History: March 31st through April 6th
Discover History in The Community History Archives. This week in history, there is absolutely nothing to talk about… April Fools! April…
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March 24, 2025
This Week in History: March 24th through March 30th
Discover History in The Community History Archives. It has officially been a year since I started writing This Week in History,…
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March 18, 2025
It’s Your Community’s History, So Why Rent Something You Own?
We believe that history belongs to the communities where it was made - not locked behind paywalls or inaccessible due to budget restrictions. Subscription-based services and large content aggregators are generally more concerned with "content" and less concerned with the history that content contains. Their models typically involve a reoccurring charge for a plan that renews annually or licensing agreements with the library based on population served or circulation numbers. You are essentially Renting Access To YOUR History.
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