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Antique Hearse at the Post Mills Vermont Airport Have you visited the Museum at the Post Mills Airport? It's a unique treasure in the Upper Valley. In addition to the airport being used by pilots of small planes and experimental aircraft, hot air balloons and gliders, the airport houses a varied and unique collection of interesting items acquired and/or built by airport owner Brian Boland, over the years. Some of my family's "heirlooms" were donated to the collection during my time as postmaster in that village, knowing that I could probably see them again, anytime I visit the museum. Post Mills Airport Field The location couldn't be nicer. Less than a mile from Lake Fairlee, and on level ground, the airport sits next to a cemetery, and across from the Post Mills Congregational Church, just off Route 244, on Robinson Hill Road. Post Mills is one of the villages of the town of Thetford, not far from West Fairlee. I could go on and on about the history of Post Mills, and include maps and all, but I'll save that for another time. Today I just want to share with you some of the interesting things you might find at the Post Mills airport, in and around the museum "wing". Here's a one-man submarine, sitting under an old canoe, that happened to be outside on display when I took most of these photos, back in May of 2017. Early One-man Submarine Here's what looks to me to be either an early model rowing machine: Or maybe it's a human catapult? Somewhere around 2005 or so, Brian acquired a bunch of inexpensive Chinese motorcycles, and used them to create some very unique vehicles. One of them was a double decker bus, with an open top level. We formed a dixieland band and played from the top level of the bus during the Labor Day parade that year. On the spring day that I took these photos, Brian had many of those unique vehicles on display in some very cute little garages that face the museum wing of the airport. The first interesting motor vehicle is a bed! Motorized Bed, Complete with Tiller for Steering, Bicycle Wheels, and a Motorcycle Engine. And Drawers for Storage! Below is one of my favorites. A mobile picnic table! Motorized Picnic Table, Steering Tiller at Front Here's one last piece from the outdoor collection. Brian Boland is a world famous balloon builder and flyer. Here's his combination balloon basket/motorcycle: Balloon Basket / Motorcycle Okay, now let's head inside the museum wing and see what's in there... There are a few vehicles on the first floor of the museum wing. Here's a VW Bug with an interesting paint scheme. I think there's two soft top options on this one? Volkswagen Beetle on first floor of museum. Here's a Subaru you don't see everyday: There are many booths upstairs, in the museum wing, housing specific collections. Here is the old vacuum cleaner booth: Years ago, I donated my old electrolux canister vacuum that used to belong to my grandparents. It's nicely displayed on the wall along with several others. I think ours is the one on the top shelf on the right. It's fun to go back and see it, now mounted on a wall. I used that vacuum all through college, and beyond, for years. It still worked fine when I gave it to Brian, and I bet it still works fine! My Old Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner: Timeless Design! There's also a booth dedicated to circus posters... and fans... ...and historical military hats and helmets... Among the typewriters sits a classic grey Smith-Corona, that I used back in college, and my mother used back in High School! I also used it for a few years in the Post Mills Post Office, before donating it to Brian when the personal computer became part of my job. Smith-Corona Typewriter, Mid-twentieth Century Downstairs in the museum, the walls are covered with a wide variety of items, including what appears to be a souvenir from the Titanic. There is a good portion of the lower back wall dedicated to beer bottles and cans, with an assortment of other interesting things placed among them. The wall itself has a grid-like shelving unit built in, facilitating the display of all the treasures. Beer Bottle and Can Collection at the Post Mills Airport And if you need to make a phone call... Do you collect old and/or interesting things? Many people do, but few have collections of the scale seen at the Post Mills Airport. With plenty of space to display his wide array of twentieth century items, Brian Boland has created a unique museum in the quiet village of Post Mills Vermont. The museum is open by chance. If you happen by the airport, knock on the door, and if Brian is home, I suspect he'll let you walk through and admire his collections. And don't forget to ask about the Vermontasaurus! Sign at Entrance to the Post Mills Vermont Airport Post Mills Vermont Airport. Museum wing Not Visible, to the Left. Thanks for meandering down Old Roads, Rivers and Rails of the Upper Valley with me, Bob Totz To subscribe and receive free updates from Old Roads, simply send an email to: [email protected] Old Roads, Rivers and Rails explores the Upper Valley of the Connecticut River, it's history, geography, and intersting aspects that make the area a special place to live and thrive.
6 Comments
F X Flinn
2/23/2020 09:29:56 am
Hahaha "USS" Titantic! Dead giveaway that it's a fake. The real Titanic was a Royal Mail Steamship (RMS) not a United States Steamship (USS).
Reply
Bob Totz
2/23/2020 09:56:08 am
Yes, I caught that too!
Reply
Marcy Bartlett
2/23/2020 09:47:46 am
Thanks Bob!!
Reply
Bob Totz
2/24/2020 09:39:43 am
You're welcome, Marcy!
Reply
David Fisk
2/23/2020 10:24:58 am
I have taken many visitors to Brian's 'Museum of Musty Dusty Stuff,' as he has called it.
Reply
Bob Totz
2/24/2020 09:40:24 am
"Musty Dusty Stuff Museum" I like that!
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AuthorI'm Bob Totz, retired VT postmaster, and historical geographer ARCHIVES:
October 2021
EXPANDED ARCHIVES: AUGUST 2021 1858 Johnson Map of North America MAY 2021 1795 - "Road Over the Mountain" - Part Two Historic Toll House For Sale 1795 - "Road Over the Mountain" Part One OCTOBER 2020 Finding That Special Peaceful Place AUGUST 2020 Kayaking on the Pompy JULY 2020 Pt. 2: What the Heck Are These Things? JUNE 2020 Bob's Bio... What the Heck Are These Things? Pt. 1 MAY 2020 Stone Walls and Spirits The View APRIL 2020 Sunny Brook Farm Relics: Pt 2. Sunny Brook Farm Relics: Pt 1. MARCH 2020 Signs of Norwich Pt. 2 COVID-19 Tracking Map Centertown and Valleyquest Signs of Norwich Pt. 1 "Imperfect Union" - Book Review Historic Centertown FEBRUARY 2020 King's Hwy Pt. 2 WRJ Museum at Post Mills Airport Chatauguay Vermont The Independent Farmer poem Traveling Along the King's Highway - Lebanon NH JANUARY 2020 Finding Parkhurst Cemetery In Search of Parkhurst Cemetery Affordable Housing The Old Stone Grill Two Rivers Trail-Kmart License and Registration, Please! Prohibition, Murder and Dr. Seuss Peace, Paris, & P.O. DECEMBER 2019 BLOGGER'S LINKS Welcome to Old Roads Love-Quail Hollow fun Dartmouth Cemetery SEPTEMBER 2019 E. Thetford Cemetery JUNE 2019
Taps: Meetinghouse Cemetery 4-Corners Borders Quest Old Iron Gate Stumbling Upon History Sunrise Walk MAY 2019 4 Corners Cemetery Strafford's Abandoned Foundations Art in Old Stonework APRIL 2019 Strafford Tpke Pt 2 Strafford Tpke Pt 1 White River Valley FEBRUARY 2019 Learning from Historic Maps of the Upper Valley Change in Lewiston VT JANUARY 2019 A Vermont Ski Waltz John Ledyard 1773 What is the Upper Valley? DECEMBER 2018 Dartmouth Green Music Video: Sometimes Music Video: Montreal Express Railway Disaster of 1887 |