Oral history interview with Forrest Holzapfel

Oral history interview with Forrest Holzapfel

Forrest Holzapfel discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the town of Marlboro, Vermont, and his job as town clerk. In particular, he describes the decision to move from an in-person town meeting to voting by Australian ballot. He also reflects on other aspects of the local community, including the closure of Marlboro College, the demographics of the town, and the role their former road foreman, David Elliott (1958-2022), played in town. He shares his memories of isolation (both at work and from his parents who lived next door) and touches on both his children's remote learning and his in-laws' experiences living in California. Other topics of his interview include reflections on people who moved to Marlboro during the pandemic, the 2020 census, travel restrictions, pushback on mask mandates, and vaccination.

Forrest Holzapfel was born in Newfane, Vermont, and grew up in the adjacent town of Marlboro, Vermont. He left the area for college but returned to Marlboro in 1999. He was asked to be a town lister in 2002, began work as an assistant town clerk around 2008, and became Marlboro's town clerk in 2013.

Sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-251676-OMS-22.

2024-07-09

Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project

AudioFileCOVID-031

MP3

WAV

Audio file

Permission to publish material from the Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project may be obtained from the Vermont Historical Society.

Gustin, Amanda Kay

Holzapfel, Forrest

1 hr., 0 min., 33 sec.

Vermont Historical Society Library, 60 Washington Street, Barre, VT 05641-4215