What is Ephemera?

The general definition of ephemera offered by Maurice Rickards in The Encyclopedia of Ephemera is the “minor transient documents of everyday life.” For more information see this article from The Burlington Free Press “History Space: Ephemera is a Link to Our Past” by Eva Garcelon-Hart and Lucinda Cockrell.

Ephemera Collection

The Stewart-Swift Research Center’s Ephemera Collection contains thousands of printed items in many formats ranging from small trade and greeting cards, tickets, leaflets, menus, calendars, and trade catalogs, to plain and purely informative broadsides and vibrant oversize posters. There are also a few non-paper items such as matchboxes, textile and paint samples, and ribbons. Assembled with scrupulous diligence during the 19th century by the Museum’s founder, Henry L. Sheldon, the collection has been continued by the museum staff.  The earliest items in the collection are from the 1820s but the majority date from the 1870s to the 1940s. 

Although the collection focuses on the local history of Addison County, a sizable part extends into greater New England, the nation at large, and other continents. Particular strengths of the ephemera collection are in agriculture, commerce, medical practices, politics, sports, and entertainment. The collection includes advertisements for farming events and equipment; posters for agricultural fairs in Addison County and broader Vermont; fliers of local stores and businesses; catalogs of health remedies; religious and temperance broadsides and pamphlets; political leaflets and ballots; food related publications; announcements of holiday celebrations; military and business stationary; sports-related event broadsides; posters of various popular shows, including minstrelsy; a collection of World War I and World War II posters, and much more.

 How to Find It

The Center’s Ephemera collection is organized by subject (e.g., agriculture, business advertising, events, food, holidays, organizations, entertainment, politics, transportation, sports & recreation, tourism, wars & military) with more specific topics therein, or by format (e.g., calendars, calling cards), or by institution (Middlebury College, Sheldon Museum). A folder level inventory is available here (coming soon!). Ephemera items remain accessible only by visiting the Research Center in person. The Ephemera Collection is not yet digitized, although plans for a digital archive are being undertaken. Additional ephemera items may also be found in the Research Center’s Scrapbook Collection.