Community News 0529

Vermont historic sites opening

MONTPELER, Vt. – The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation announced the opening of the State Historic Sites for the 2021 season.

Opening Saturday, May 29, are the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell, and Bennington Battle Monument in Bennington. The observation deck of the Monument will be open again this season, affording visitors spectacular 360-degree views.

On Friday, July 2, Hubbardton Battlefield in Hubbardton and Chimney Point in Addison will be opening to the public.

The Senator Justin Morrill State Historic Site in Strafford will open its doors on Saturday, July 3.

State-owned Historic Sites will be operating this year in accordance with recommendations outlined in the Governor’s Vermont Forward Plan. At least initially, masks will be required in buildings and when in the presence of others out of doors. Due to social distancing requirements, some spaces will not be open to visitors.

Changes to days and hours of operation are possible. For all the most up-to-date information, visit www.historicsites.vermont.gov, or call (802) 828-3051.

Dean’s list

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Sharon native Luke Ratliff received their bachelor of arts degree from Whitman College on May 23. A graduate of Hanover High School, Ratliff graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics-environmental studies.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The following local students were named to the Nazareth College Spring 2021 Dean’s List: Ella Falcone of Plainfield, N.H., who is studying musical theater; and Bradie Harris of Bellows Falls, who is studying music therapy.

Vaccination clinic in Okemo

LUDLOW, Vt. — A special vaccination clinic for Okemo Valley Hospitality Employees is scheduled for

Wednesday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Okemo Marketplace Plaza at 57 Pond St. in Ludlow.

No appointment is needed, as this is a walk-in clinic. The vaccine is free to anyone 18 years and older. This clinic is offering the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine. For more information, go to https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine

This clinic is made possible by a partnership between the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Vermont Chamber and the Vermont Department of Health.

Lake science seminar slated

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Warmer days and spring flowers are sure signs that summer is coming in Vermont but so is the announcement of the annual Vermont Lake Seminar. Anyone curious about lakes in Vermont is welcome to join this year’s 17th annual Vermont Lake Seminar on Friday June 4.

The free event is open to the public and will run from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Attendees can hear more about lake and watershed science as well as receive practical on-the-ground tips for lakeshore property owners.

This year’s seminar, hosted by The Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (FOVLAP) and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will focus on phosphorus.

The day will begin with presentations on the sources and impact of phosphorous pollution on water quality and lake recreation. Participants will leave the seminar with ideas they can take back to their lake association or apply at their own property to address phosphorus pollution. Seminar speakers include DEC staff scientists, professors from the University of Vermont, and a lake association member.

The virtual format makes joining from anywhere a possibility, and participants can enter to win many fabulous door prizes. The event is free. To attend, please register beforehand at https://vermontlakes.org/about-us/lake-seminar/

Free fishing in NH June 5CONCORD — Take advantage of the state’s Free Fishing Day on, June 5.

On Free Fishing Day, you can fish anywhere in New Hampshire — freshwater or saltwater — without a fishing license. Both state residents and nonresidents may participate. All other fishing regulations apply and must be followed, including season dates and bag limits.

For details on fishing rules for various waters, consult the New Hampshire Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing Digests, available at www.fishnh.com/fishing/publications.html

Find lots more information about fishing in New Hampshire at www.fishnh.com/fishing

Graveyard talk scheduledROCKINGHAM, Vt. — Historian William Hosley will present “Where Art and History Meet – Rockingham Meeting House Burying Ground” on Wednesday, June 9, from 7 to 8 p.m. This is the fourth in a series of talks sponsored by the Rockingham Historic Preservation Commission in partnership with the Rockingham Free Public Library.

The free lecture will be via Zoom.

Part of the Rockingham Meeting House National Historic Landmark, the graveyard has burials going back to the time of the American Revolution and includes the original town tomb. Many of the older headstones were crafted by the Moses Wright family of stone carvers who settled on farms to the north of Rockingham Village in the 1790s. Migrating north along the Connecticut River Valley, the Wright family brought with them older Puritan style headstone motifs but with variation that led Hosley and other scholars to identify a distinctive Rockingham School, the last phase of iconic early New England slate carving. The presentation will look at this history with an eye to the need for on-going restoration and conservation of the yard.

Hosley is an independent scholar who has written extensively about New England graveyards including the Rockingham yard. A graduate of Middlebury College and the Winterthur Program in Early American culture, he is a collector, photographer, and preservationist who specializes in cultural resource development and preservation services. He formerly worked for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

To receive an invitation to this Zoom program, email [email protected], or call the library at 802-463-4270.