Rich history: A lookback at how the Red Cross took root in Northern New England

By Mary Evslin, Vermont Chapter Board Member, and Charlie O'Halloran, Red Cross Writer

As we mark the start of another Red Cross Month, we reflect on the community heroes who got us here.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first presidential proclamation to declare March as Red Cross Month and ask that “people rededicate themselves to the splendid aims and activities of the Red Cross." Since then, every U.S. president has issued this honor.

Photo: Tony Attardo

Today, we celebrate Red Cross Month by recognizing the people who make our lifesaving mission possible — volunteers, blood donors, people trained in lifesaving skills and our supporters — who step up to aid others when help can't wait during emergencies.

Two years ago, our Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont chapters officially came together to form the Northern New England Region. This timeline walks you through our rich history highlighting the outstanding dedication of thousands of humanitarians. 

  

1881-1905: Following the end of the Civil War, Clara Barton and a group of her friends found the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C.

With their two Congressional Charters, they provide services to members and families of the American Armed Forces, local and international disaster relief and programs for first aid, water safety, public health and nursing.  

1907: The New Hampshire Branch in Concord is founded by George Leighton of Monadnock, W.F. Thayer of Concord, Sherman Boroughs of Manchester and a committee of 16 other community members.   

  

1909: Brunswick Chapter of the American Red Cross forms

• The early work of the chapter was the selling of Christmas Seals (T.B.) and the collection of money for the Chinese Famine in 1911. The National Red Cross had been reorganized in 1910, state branches were discontinued, local organizations became chapters rather than circles, and the title of president was changed to chairman. The name of the chapter was “always to be a geographical one.

1917: Chapters begin to open across the three-state region: 

• Red Cross of South Maine Portland (February) 

• Brattleboro Branch of Vermont Chapter (April) 

• Penobscot Bay, Rockland Maine Chapter (April) 

• Red Cross of Eastern Maine Ellsworth (September) 

• Greater Nashua Souhegan Valley, NH Chapter (October)  

• Greater White Mountain Chapter (November) 

• Laconia Chapter (November) 

• Claremont, NH Chapter (December) 

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Photo: Tony Attardo

  

  

1914-1918: As World War I rages, the Red Cross grows locally and nationally. Local chapters grow from 107 in 1918 to 3,864 by 1918. Membership soars from 17,000 to 44 million. The public raises $400 million for American forces, Allied forces and civilian refugees. The Red Cross recruits nurses and ambulance companies. The Red Cross Production Corps produces garments, medical supplies and other essential items.  

  

Photo: Tony Attardo

1918: Red Cross nurses help combat the spread of the Spanish Flu, and the Red Cross creates programs for safety training, accident prevention and home care.  

 

   

1923-1927: The Central Vermont Chapter is chartered. By 1927, Vermont has the highest enrollment of any state.

In April of this year, the Red Cross sets up 154 refugee camps and cares for over 325,000 people.  

Photo: Tony Attardo

  

1928: The Chittenden County Chapter holds its annual Roll Call event.  

• In Burlington the branch recruited 250 solicitors who were to go from door-to- door “working systematically” to canvas every home in the city on a November Sunday between 1:30 and 3:00. They asked every household to become Red Cross Members and donate $1 or more annually. Newspaper articles asked families to stay home that day so that they could be part of the Roll Call.  

Photo: Tony Attardo

1930: During the Year of the Great Drought, the Red Cross takes on its biggest task as a peacetime activity, by providing relief to 2,750,000 people. At the peak of the drought, at least 70,000 people a day receive aid. This includes food, clothing, medical aid and shelter.  

 

1936: Sanford Springfield Chapter is founded. In 1941, the 70 members of the Chapter’s Disaster Preparedness and Relief Committee meet to create plans for how the Chapter will respond to a large scale local disaster.

1941: After Pearl Harbor is attacked, thousands of trained Red Cross personnel assist millions of chapter volunteers throughout the country.  

  

1939-1948: As World War II begins, the Red Cross recruits 104,000 nurses for military service, prepares 27 million packages for American and Allied prisoners of war and prepares 300,000 tons of supplies.

Photo: Tony Attardo

The military asks the Red Cross to launch a national blood program. Volunteer nurses commit to serving a minimum of 150 hours per year for the duration of the war. Blood was originally collected in Boston. Later bloodmobiles would drive up to Northern New England to collect blood and then bring the blood back to Boston for processing. In 1948, our Nationwide Civilian Blood Program begins.  

  

Photo: Tony Attardo

1953: Through the Red Cross Operation Big Switch, 12,000 prisoners return home and are aided by the Red Cross.  

 

1962-1973: Vietnam War

1979: Vermont now has several chapters including Rutland, Burlington, Montpelier, Barre, Bennington and Brattleboro. Each raises and controls their own money and offers local disaster relief and first aid training. 

Red Cross of Northern and Eastern Maine, Bangor, Maine is founded in November of 1979. 

Photo: Tony Attardo

Photo: Tony Attardo

1982: The Red Cross of Vermont (Burlington) is chartered.  

1983 - 2000: Several chapters across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are established, merged and rechartered.

2001: The Red Cross becomes a key service provider in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. 

2006: The Red Cross begins working with FEMA. 

  

2007: Our National Charter is updated… 

to provide relief to the American Armed Forces 

to be the medium of communication between the Armed Forces & their families 

to provide national & international disaster relief and mitigation 

to collect, process and distribute blood 

to educate and train people in health and safety practices including water safety 

to provide training in CPR and the use of AEDs 

to provide education about HIV/AIDS 

to provide care and support in wake of disasters 

  

2012: Maine’s three Chapters merges into one. 

  

2013:  The Vermont and New Hampshire Upper Valley Region responds to 200+ house fires. At the time, this marked a record number of responses for the region. 

2020: The Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont Chapters officially merge into the Northern New England Region.

  

Today the Red Cross of Northern New England serves all residents throughout New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont with a population of more than 3.2 million people. The region covers 40 counties and 49,083 square miles. More than 1,500 dedicated volunteers deliver our humanitarian mission with the support of a small group of employees.

To learn more about the Red Cross of Northern New England - and how you can get involved, visit: redcros.org/nne.