Paula Jean Weldon: Missing

 Paula Jean Welden was born 19 Oct 1928 in Stamford, CT to William Archibald Welden (1900-1970) & Jean Douglas Wilson (1897-1976).

Associated Press, Name Card Index to AP Stories, 1905-1990 (records found on Ancestry.com)

One of the photo's on her missing person's poster.

All her family were helping with the search for her.

Syracuse Herald Journal (Syracuse, New York)

1947 May 5

Paula's Stamford High School Photo from 1945 Stamford, CT.

Paula had 3 younger sisters

Pamela Mary Welden

1930–1997

Stephane Hope Welden

1932–

Heather Gail Welden

1941–2009

Her father was a well known industrial engineer, architect and designer. Here are a few items of his I found.

William Archibald Welden | "Empire" Cocktail Shaker | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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William Archibald Welden for Revere Copper and Brass, "Empire" Cocktail Shaker, 1938. Chrome and Bakelite. Courtesy Metropolitan Museum.

        My home bar needs this.

Paula was a sophomore at Bennington College in 1946, her dormitory was Dewey House, an older dorm on the college grounds. She wanted to walk a portion of the Long Trial, she tried to get a few other students to go with her and none did. She had changed into her walking clothes, they were not adequate for the weather if the temperatures were to drop in the evening. She did take a bag or any extra clothing, or money. It looked as if she didn't expect to be gone for very long.

It has been said that they think she may have gotten lost as she said she was going for a walk. She had walked from Bennington College to the campus driveway  and hitched a ride from State Rt 67A near the college entrance to a point on State 9 near Furnace Bridge, between downtown Bennington and Woodford Hollow. A man that was a local contractor Louis Knapp picked her up from that point, Then Paula either hitchhiked or walked the rest of the way to the start of the trail in Woodford Hollow.

Map is from the link below (Avey En)

https://aveyen.medium.com/the-unexplained-bennington-triangle-disappearances-8185d6fb2c7f

Numerous people went missing in the Bennington Triangle.

Paula's father felt the police needed to gather together better with reports and gathering information and as a result of his relentless efforts to find his daughter the Vermont State Police were formed.

Paula was never found and she is still declared as missing. She was declared dead 1 Dec 1946.

I couldn't imagine how the family coped through out their lives always wondering what had happened to Paula.

I found some very interesting videos on her disappearance.

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