Election as Poet Laureate of Vermont in 1922

In June 1922, the Vermont State League of Women’s Clubs elected Robert Frost as Poet Laureate of Vermont in an unofficial civic recognition rather than a state government appointment. At the time, Vermont had not formally established the office of poet laureate, and the designation came from the statewide organization during a period when Frost was living part of the year in Vermont and becoming closely associated with the region’s literary identity. The recognition reflected growing admiration for Frost’s poetry, much of which drew on rural New England settings similar to those found in Vermont landscapes. The selection prompted criticism in an editorial published by The New York Times, which questioned the appropriateness of the title and the authority of a civic organization to bestow it. The editorial led to public responses defending Frost, including a letter from poet and Vermont writer Sarah Cleghorn supporting the decision and emphasizing Frost’s connection to New England life. The 1922 recognition preceded Vermont’s later official establishment of a state poet laureate position. Within two years, Frost received the first of his four Pulitzer Prizes when New Hampshire was awarded the 1924 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, further strengthening his national standing.