Cardigan Archives
Since our founding in 1945 by visionary Harold P. “Hap” Hinman, Cardigan Mountain School’s legacy has been one of forward momentum grounded in core values.
Having marked the School’s 75th anniversary milestone in 2020-21, it has never been more important to consider who we have been, who we are, and who we want to be. Our mission, traditions, and values remain unchanged. Do we understand them fully? How may we interpret and apply them as we grow to meet a changing world? These questions drive our commitment to celebrating our shared history.
From the Archives Collection
Explore Cardigan Archives’ digital home, created in 2020-21 as part of the School’s 75th Anniversary celebrations and now growing to meet the future.
![Mountain hike, 1956]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1614360964/cardiganorg/obgkchmam3mgatgd08p6/thumb_collection.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1614360964/cardiganorg/obgkchmam3mgatgd08p6/thumb_collection.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1614360964/cardiganorg/obgkchmam3mgatgd08p6/thumb_collection.jpg","width":800}])
![75th Anniversary Stamp]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1614363806/cardiganorg/jtse9fukpbujs9xjtozw/75thStamp.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1614363806/cardiganorg/jtse9fukpbujs9xjtozw/75thStamp.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1614363806/cardiganorg/jtse9fukpbujs9xjtozw/75thStamp.jpg","width":800}])
![Ted and Dolly Peach in 1950]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1614361114/cardiganorg/xwjfjtxxrtrgvixs9utt/thumb_reflection.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1614361114/cardiganorg/xwjfjtxxrtrgvixs9utt/thumb_reflection.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1614361114/cardiganorg/xwjfjtxxrtrgvixs9utt/thumb_reflection.jpg","width":800}])
![Jack Crisp '78]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1594221579/cardiganorg/nzcyxo8xe5tdck9qjehr/histmyst-22.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1594221579/cardiganorg/nzcyxo8xe5tdck9qjehr/histmyst-22.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1594221579/cardiganorg/nzcyxo8xe5tdck9qjehr/histmyst-22.jpg","width":700}])
A Growing Resource
History is a mosaic that is assembled over time: our understanding of the past evolves, shaped by the resources available to us. Cardigan’s friends and family help us know the School better by sharing from their own experiences. This collaboration strengthens a foundation of knowledge that frames the past and guides future decisions.
To get engaged with the collection, email archives@cardigan.org or visit our online resources.
Faculty, alumni, past parents, and friends have all helped fill holes in the Cardigan Archives – sometimes ones that we didn’t know existed.
Phone calls, letters, visits, and recording sessions are all helping us capture personal histories for the Cardigan Archives.
The Cardigan Archives’ mission is to save, preserve, and – especially -- share the School’s history. We love helping people explore their curiosity.
Archives and Academics
Formally established in the fall of 2017, the Cardigan Archives are a repository for all things related to School history. The collection includes letters, publications, objects, and images that tell our collective story. Students realize their own place in that timeline by engaging with the collection, sparking a love of history to carry forward for a lifetime.
Classroom Visits
Primary source materials can be used to illustrate myriad concepts, from organizational skills, to visual arts, to historical context. Faculty members use the collection to drive home ideas being discussed in the classroom.
Project Work
Archives contain undiscovered treasures that can be revealed only through investigation. Students using the collection for research gain insight not only into the School, but also into their own skills and perspectives.
Collaborations
When students carry a classroom concept into a different context, they learn how to apply abstract ideas to everyday life. Collaborative projects encourage learning to happen in unexpected ways.