I’ve been swinging from talk to talk lately: my “Black Presence” talk at the Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell, a talk to a visiting group at the Robert Frost Stone House in South Shaftsbury, and a brief talk about the Old First Church to a group at Hildene in Manchester. I think my speaking season is over, good, as I have to get back to preparing a new edition of my Battle book for spring publication.
I enjoyed learning more about the Church, which is raising money for various maintenance projects on the slate roof, the steeple, etc. It’s a remarkable structure. I was allowed to climb up into the tower (that’s the lower portion of the steeple, with windows). I was speaking alfresco, without slides, but I described the view out the north window over the gravestones of the early settlers of Bennington.
Here are a few more shots, including one showing the “lantern” (the topmost portion) on the ground before it was carted off for restoration. They tell me that I may be invited to give the talk again. I’ll keep you posted.