David McWilliams Ludlum (b. 1910) earned his Master's degree at the University of California and Ph.D from Princeton University in 1938. The next year Columbia University Press published his Social Ferment in Vermont, a work that is frequently cited by historians.
During World War II Ludlum served as a weather forecaster for the U.S. Army Air Corps. This experience redirected his interests into climatology. While teaching at the Franklin Institute he founded Weatherwise Magazine, which he edited for 30 years.
The Vermont Weather Book is his 10th book about climatology and the first full-length book ever published devoted solely to Vermont weather.
In 1990 Dr. Ludlum was elected an Honorary Member of the Vermont Historical Society.
These are the working notes and reference materials used by Dr. David Ludlum in the preparation of his Vermont Weather Book, published by the Vermont Historical Society in 1985. There is correspondence regarding the editing and publishing of the book as well as an itinerary for a promotional tour made by Ludlum in Vermont following publication. The collection was donated by David Ludlum in 1986 (ms. acc. no. 86.21), and is stored in two document storage boxes (2 linear feet).
Organization of the Collection
The collection is generally organized in the same sequence as set forth in the Vermont Weather Book's table of contents. There is an index box of 5 x 8 note slips in Doc 406. Oversize items have been separated to the flat file drawers MS Size C.
Doc 405:1 Ice Age
2 1816
3 Unusual Weather Events
4 _____
5 Tropical Storms/Hurricanes
6 Tornadoes
7 Snowstorms
8 _____
9 Cold Waves
10 Heat Waves
11 Floods
12 _____
13 Observers
14 Records
15 _____
16 _____
Doc 406:1 Records
2 _____
3 Correspondence, 1966-1986
4 Tour
5 Index Box of 5 x 8 Note Slips
MS Size C:1 Weather Records, includes data from National Weather Service
2 _____