Postcard Fair
Debuts in Bethel

Amid numerous displays, John Lutz, Nick Nikolaidis, and Phil Mollitor compare notes at Bethel's first Postcard and History Fair Sunday. (Herald / Bob Eddy)

Bethel, Vermont has a rich history. Nick Nikolaidis, president of the Bethel Historical Society, faced the challenge of how to introduce that history to local residents, both new and old. He found the solution in an innovative Postcard and History Fair that was held last Saturday in the Whitcomb High School gym.

Using his hobby world contacts, Nikolaidis persuaded five major postcard dealers, each with inventories of more than 100,000 postcards, to come to Bethel and participate in a new event. Nine other dealers also came with books, ephemera, stamps, and postal history.

This alone would have been noteworthy, but Nikolaidis added another innovation—preparing exhibits of the history of many of Bethel's businesses and services. These included Bethel Mills, Valley Motor Sales, the Rotary Club, Spaulding Press, Mascoma Bank and Ultramotive Corporation. In each of the 18 exhibits were old photographs, period advertisements, and clippings of related newspaper articles.

The event was well attended by both young and old. Some were members of other local historical societies, who liked what they saw and began asking questions about what was responsible for the Bethel society's current resurgence. Other attendees were residents of Bethel for many years and were delighted to find postcards showing scenes of a century ago.

Still others were new families that have recently moved to the area and who wanted to learn more about their town's history. At just about every venue, there was a reminder of the 1927 flood and how it impacted the town. The interest in postcards was such that a future Bethel Historical Society program will be presented to tell members about the basics of postcard collecting and how postcards are linked to history.

Best of all, it was a financial success for the Historical Society. This free-admission event garnered more revenue than any previous fundraising effort. The school's Booster Club also benefited from the food sales at the History Fair.

"All afternoon I was asked the question", said Nikolaidis, "will you do this again next year?"

"With the attendance and response we received," he continued, "we certainly will! We hope to hold next year's Postcard and History Fair, again in the Whitcomb High School gym, on Saturday, May 24, 2008."