Ukrainians–in Fiction & in Today’s headlines: Historical Roots and Resilient Spirit
4:30pm | Quechee Library
This 3-part series includes 2 literary discussions of Ukrainian fiction led by VHC scholar Suzanne Brown and one discussion led by a Russian Vermonter aiding Ukrainians.
Vermont, 1800 and Froze to Death: The Cold Year of 1816
11:00am | East Poultney Green
1816 has long been known as the year without summer. Vermonters still call it “1800 and Froze to Death,” a year of frosts every month, dark skies, and mysterious lights that caused a widespread belief that a higher power was displeased. In this talk, historian Howard Coffin includes scores of anecdotes on the dark year of failed crops, scarce food, and religious revival.
Vermont sent far more sharpshooters to the Union armies than any other state, on a per capita basis. Sharpshooters from this state played a little-known but major role at Gettysburg. Historian Howard Coffin will discuss his recent research into this little-recognized group and consider the reasons why Vermont may have been so well-represented in this elite group of marksmen.
The First Amendment prevents Congress from passing any laws that abridge the freedom of speech. But what does that actually mean? In this presentation, professor Meg Mott considers the history of speech laws in the United States, how states and municipalities have tried to curb offensive speech, and how the Supreme Court has ruled on those efforts.
Bill Mares, writer, and a beekeeper for 45 years, will tell of the origins and evolution of beekeeping, sometimes referred to as “farming for intellectuals,” with a particular emphasis on his new book, with Ross Conrad, and others, “The Land of Milk and Honey, a History of Beekeeping in Vermont.”
New England’s longest river, the Connecticut, is rich in history. Michael Tougias, author of fourteen books about New England, offers a narrated slide presentation that takes the viewer down the entire 410 miles of the river, discussing history from the days of loggers, Indian Wars, steamships, and canals.
Vermont vs. Hollywood: 100 Years of Vermont in Film
6:00pm | Rochester Public Library
Vermont has been a featured location in Hollywood movies for nearly a century. It has represented many different ideals during that time, and its portrayal reflects both Vermont’s own history as well as American history. Examining those films provides interesting and fun insights into the hold Vermont has had on imagination in the media age.
Wolf Peaches, Poisoned Peas, and Madame Pompadour’s Underwear: The Surprising History of Common Garden Vegetables
6:30pm | Shelburne Town Hall
Common garden vegetables have long and fascinating histories. Science and history writer Rebecca Rupp will discuss the stories behind many of our favorites, among them the much-maligned tomato and potato, the (mostly) popular pumpkin, and Vermont’s dynamic duo of kale and Gilfeather turnip.
From cave paintings and hieroglyphics, to comic books and emoji, visual expression has been a cornerstone of human communication. In this thought-provoking lecture, James Sturm, the co-founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT will explore a brief history of the language and art of comics, and the new ways that cartooning and visual storytelling are changing the world.
All Morgan horses today trace their lineage back to a single horse: a mystery stallion named Figure, owned by singing teacher Justin Morgan in the late 18th century. But who was Figure, really? What stories have people told about him in the two centuries since he lived and worked in Vermont?