We have been working on scanning back issues of the Hinesburg Record, and the May 1988 issue is available here.
The first interesting thing I noticed is that the Selectboard was called the “Selectmen” back then.
Fortin’s Valley House, a restaurant at Ballard’s Corner run by Al Fortin, was mentioned in several places, including the Selectmen article and Planning Commission article on the front page, and a full-page ad on p. 3. Al Fortin and Richard Breer bought the Primos Restaurant business (but not the land or building) at that same location.
Rae Palmer introduced a new Hinesburg History column on p. 4. A Hinesburg History question was presented, and the first person to supply the correct answer would win a gift certificate to the pharmacy – Where was the Town Whipping Post located? When was it taken down? The June 1988 issue shows that no one gave the right answer so they reprinted the same question.
My favorite sentence in the whole issue is on p. 6 in the Hinesburg Elementary School article: “Mrs. Doyle’s class is being taught about drugs and alcohol by a puppet named Miranda.” Drug and alcohol awareness was mentioned several times in the article, and a “Getting High on Life” video contest was discussed on p. 8.
This and all other Archive and more recent past issues can be found on our print editions page.