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Meet ‘Snowflake’ Bentley: The Vermont farmer who changed meteorology
Long before snowflake photos filled science textbooks and art books, a curious farmer in Jericho, Vermont was capturing their beauty one crystal at a time.
STRONGER WINDS. THE STATEWIDE BURN BAN LASTS UNTIL MAY 14TH. WE’VE ALL HEARD THE PHRASE “NO TWO SNOWFLAKES ARE ALIKE” … BUT DID YOU KNOW A VERMONT FARMER WAS THE FIRST TO SHARE THAT DISCOVERY WITH THE WORLD? IN THIS WEEK’S “THIS IS OUR HOME” — WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE STORY OF SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY, AND HOW HIS WORK IS STILL INSPIRING PEOPLE MORE THAN A CENTURY LATER. INSIDE THE OLD RED MILL IN JERICHO, VERMONT… VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE THE STORY OF WILSON “SNOWFLAKE” BENTLEY — A LOCAL FARMER WHO CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD LOOKED AT WINTER. <10:25:03 “From my very, very youngest memories, I knew that no two snowflakes were memories, I knew that no two snowflakes were alike, and it was Uncle Willie that taught that to the world”> SUE RICHARDSON IS BENTLEY’S GREAT- GRAND NIECE… AND THE FAMILY HISTORIAN. <10:25:41 “His story just… resonated with me from a very young age”> <10:25:54 “I think I saw the beauty in those snow crystals like he did”> ONE SNOWY DAY, LOOKING THROUGH A MICROSCOPE GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS MOTHER… WILSON BENTLEY DISCOVERED SOMETHING ááEXTRAORDINARY. <9:47:58 “The first time he looked at a snow crystal, he was fascinated with this incredible, intricate design in this tiny little frozen crystal that fell from the heavens”> COMBINING HIS MICROSCOPE WITH A CAMERA… BENTLEY SUCCESSFULLY PHOTOGRAPHED THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL SNOWFLAKE IN 18-85. OVER HIS LIFETIME, HE WOULD CAPTURE MORE THAN ááFIVE THOUSAND OF THEM. BUT HE WASN’T JUST TAKING PICTURES… <9:49:15 “Each photograph had documentation, a number, and a corresponding entry where he documented temperature, humidity, what part of the storm it came from…”> <9:49:27 “…and started developing theories about how these crystals form, what type of crystals exist, and what factors impact them”> FOR HIM, THE JOY WAS IN THE ááDISCOVERY… AND SHOWING OTHERS WHAT HE SAW THROUGH THE LENS. <9:56:09 “When he died in 1931, he was still charging 5 cents a piece because it was never about the money. It was about sharing this beautiful discovery with the world”> AND THAT DISCOVERY IS ááSTILL INSPIRING PEOPLE TODAY. AT LYRIC THEATRE, SET DESIGNER TOMOMI UEDA IS USING BENTLEY’S IMAGES TO HELP CREATE THE WORLD OF “FROZEN”. <2:40 “I’m currently planning to use it in Elsa’s ice palace, where she’s making her own palace at the top of the mountain. You’ll have a lot of icicles… … snow crystals within her palace all over the place — both physical sets and projection”> A CONNECTION BETWEEN SCIENCE, ART, AND A SMALL VERMONT TOWN. FOR SUE… IT COMES DOWN TO ONE SIMPLE LESSON WE CAN ááALL TAKE FROM HIS WORK. <10:33:22 “His dream of sharing this beautiful discovery with the world came true with the publication of his book, just a month before he died. So… … if
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Meet ‘Snowflake’ Bentley: The Vermont farmer who changed meteorology
Long before snowflake photos filled science textbooks and art books, a curious farmer in Jericho, Vermont was capturing their beauty one crystal at a time.
Most of us have heard the phrase “no two snowflakes are alike.” But the idea that every snow crystal is unique traces back to a Vermont farmer named Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley.Growing up in Jericho in the late 1800s, Bentley became fascinated with winter. Using a microscope his mother gave him and a specially adapted camera, he became the first person to photograph individual snowflakes; eventually capturing more than 5,000 intricate snow crystals and carefully documenting the weather conditions that formed them.His work helped scientists better understand how snowflakes form, but for Bentley, it was never about recognition or money. It was about sharing the quiet beauty he saw through his lens.More than a century later, his discovery continues to inspire people, from scientists to artists, proving that even the smallest wonders can leave a lasting mark on the world.
Most of us have heard the phrase “no two snowflakes are alike.” But the idea that every snow crystal is unique traces back to a Vermont farmer named Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley.
Growing up in Jericho in the late 1800s, Bentley became fascinated with winter. Using a microscope his mother gave him and a specially adapted camera, he became the first person to photograph individual snowflakes; eventually capturing more than 5,000 intricate snow crystals and carefully documenting the weather conditions that formed them.
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His work helped scientists better understand how snowflakes form, but for Bentley, it was never about recognition or money. It was about sharing the quiet beauty he saw through his lens.
More than a century later, his discovery continues to inspire people, from scientists to artists, proving that even the smallest wonders can leave a lasting mark on the world.
