Porter C. Thayer Photographs

This archive contains 1300 photographs made by Porter C. Thayer,scanned from silver gelatin prints, held in the collection of the Brooks Memorial Library. The prints were made in 1980 from the 5x7 glass plates negatives created by Porter Thayer. These images are also available on microfilm at the Brattleboro library. Porter Thayer was born Porter Charlie Thayer on January 6, 1882 on Main Street in Williamsville, Vermont. He grew up in the red house called the Tillotson Place in the Parish section of Newfane, Vermont. He photographed Windham County, Vermont, beginning in 1906 through around 1920. Like most Vermont men of his generation he was a farmer, specifically an apple orchardist, managing his 50 acre apple orchard on Baker Brook Farm in Newfane. He turned to his apple business after ending his photographic career. The postcard craze that most likely reached Vermont by about 1905, was perhaps the impetus for Porter Thayer starting up a photographic business. His diaries tell that he sold 1,197 postal cards during a six-month period at the height of his career. The cards were for sale as souvenirs to summer tourists at small general stores, local inns, boarding houses and hotels. Local folks purchased his photographs as well, especially around the Christmas season, to send to distant relatives. A Brattleboro, Vermont directory of 1909 lists Porter as advertising that he would come to anyone’s home and make images for a reasonable fee. Around 1911 he recorded that he had 720 customers. Eventually he photographed in all the towns within a 25 mile radius of his home in Newfane. Porter Thayer perfectly fits the archetype of the town photographer. He traveled the narrow dirt roads in his buggy, behind his faithful mare Lady, who accompanied him daily. He could apparently take extended naps while Lady brought him safely home, as she always knew the way. He used two cameras: a 5 x 7 and a 6.5 x 8.5 view camera and made glass dry-plate negatives. He traveled with stacks of postcards to be delivered at stores along the way to his days work. Working continually through seasons and years, Porter Thayer left an archive that is a cultural treasure for southeastern Vermont. The quality of his work shows that he was able to combine business needs with aesthetic ones. During the time period Porter worked, Vermont was extremely poor and rural, yet held a close-knit population that shared the labors of life. Farmers helped one another to survive in a subsistence and barter economy. For women, men, and children, life meant constant work. Thayer’s images describe the work and the tools involved. His landscape images reveal this working landscape, which today is mostly hidden by trees. The fruits of his labor as a photographer have grown in importance, as both the landscape and culture of Vermont has shifted into modern spheres of living. Written by Jessica Weitz and Forrest Holzapfel, 2010.

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318 still image
Miniature of Portrait of a man standing outside his house, West Dover, Vt.
Portrait of a man standing outside his house, West Dover, Vt.
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    • Date Created: 19--
    • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
    Miniature of The Seeley Place, with residences, dogs, and horse cart out in front, South Newfane, Vt'
    The Seeley Place, with residences, dogs, and horse cart out in front, South Newfane, Vt'
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      • Date Created: 19--
      • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
      Miniature of Mr and Mrs Carpenter, Newfane, Vt.
      Mr and Mrs Carpenter, Newfane, Vt.
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        • Date Created: 19--
        • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
        Miniature of Homewood Farm, Ames Hill, Vt.
        Homewood Farm, Ames Hill, Vt.
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          • Date Created: 1911
          • Description: Homewood Farm, also known as Meadowbrook Farm, a summer home with large wrap-around porch and small footbridge; on Ames Hill Road in Western Brattleboro.
          • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
          Miniature of Hill Scenery, Green River, Vt.
          Hill Scenery, Green River, Vt.
          Image nop
            • Date Created: 1911
            • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
            Miniature of Main Street, West Halifax, Vt.
            Main Street, West Halifax, Vt.
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              • Date Created: 1911
              • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
              Miniature of Res. J.H. Sturgis, West Dover, Vt.
              Res. J.H. Sturgis, West Dover, Vt.
              Image nop
                • Date Created: 1915
                • Description: Two photographs of the same house taken - this image is from the side and back. See bmlthayerT119_2 also. Some negative damage.
                • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
                Miniature of Victorian House on Dover Common, with horse and buggy in front
                Victorian House on Dover Common, with horse and buggy in front
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                  • Date Created: 1911
                  • Description: House no longer standing. R. Johnson's house is now on this site. See image bmlthayerT131.
                  • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
                  Miniature of Dr. Brown's Cottage, Laurel Lake
                  Dr. Brown's Cottage, Laurel Lake
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                    • Date Created: 1911
                    • Description: See image bmlthayerT218 also.
                    • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs
                    Miniature of H.E. Fryenhagen's house, Williamsville, Vt.
                    H.E. Fryenhagen's house, Williamsville, Vt.
                    Image nop
                      • Date Created: 1910
                      • Description: See also bmlthayerT781.
                      • Parent Collections: Porter C. Thayer Photographs