A special town meeting gives pause for the delivery of mail from the front lines.
We'll go to Holland.

Holland was holding a town meeting on this day in 1864. The Civil War was on everyone's mind, as brothers, fathers, sons and husbands continued to fight on southern fields in the name of freedom. Every family had been touched.

Holland, on the Canadian border in the northeast kingdom, wanted townspeople to meet to discuss enrollment. On this day they authorized their selectmen to borrow $900 "to help send agents to enlist" more men.

During war time, it was customary for work to pause at the time of mail delivery. Today's meeting paused as well, looking to the mail delivery for any word from the front.

Photo courtesy the Vermont Historical Society.

July Archives | July 9