The Town Clerk’s office contains a treasure trove of documents that can be useful to genealogy researchers. Birth, death, marriage, land and cemetery records are housed in the town’s collection.
You are welcome to visit the collection during Town Clerk’s office hours or email the clerk an inquiry. middletown@vermontel.net
The Middletown Springs Historical Society also has a great collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts relating to the town’s history. Their museum is open on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer and fall. You can visit their website at https://mshsvt.org/ for information on their latest events and exhibits.
Middletown Springs Gold-Headed Cane
The Gold-Headed Cane “In Trust”
The gold-headed cane tradition began in 1907 when a town-wide celebration honored Alpheus Haynes on his 100th birthday on July 29. The affair was organized by members of the Baptist Church, where Haynes was a deacon for 70 years. The event included a band concert, speeches and a poem.
Deacon Haynes was presented with a gold-headed cane inscribed “To the Oldest Person of Middletown Springs, VT., in Trust”. The cane was purchased for $90 from a fund raised for the day’s expenses and it was understood that upon Deacon Haynes death the cane would be passed on to the oldest person.
The tradition of presenting the cane to the oldest Middletown Springs resident has continued. The current list of recipients follows.
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