Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA), a division of the Secretary of State’s office, is continuing a free summer speaker series to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary. VSARA holds records from pre-statehood to the present day that document the rights of citizens, the decisions of government, and the history of the State of Vermont. The speaker series, titled “Those Who Came Before: 250 Years of Vermont History,” explores the quest for liberty, equality, justice, and acceptance in Vermont. Speakers use archival records, including those held by VSARA, to tell the stories of individuals, communities, and our nation.
August’s presentation is next week:
Lost Graves: Burials on the Grounds of the Vermont State Hospital, 1891-1913, Vermont Representative Anne Donahue, Monday August 10, 2026
Anne Donahue will explore an aspect of our state’s treatment of persons with mental illness at the turn of the 19th century through an analysis of historical records regarding the remains of patients at the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury.
September’s presentation:
Integrating Archives and Archaeology: Recent Studies at the Fort Vengeance Monument Site in Pittsford, VT, Kate Kenny, Historian and Research Supervisor – UVM Consulting Archaeology Program, September 17, 2026
Kate Kenny will share how archival records are used alongside archaeological excavations to create a better picture of the past. Kenny will recount her work as part of the University of Vermont Consulting Archaeology Program’s archaeological survey at the Fort Vengeance Monument Site in Pittsford for the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
All talks are scheduled for 1:30pm – 3:30pm in Room 11 at the Vermont State House, on State Street in Montpelier, VT. Livestream and recording will be available courtesy of ORCA media: https://www.orcamedia.net/series/live-stream-events
Speaker series webpage: https://sos.vermont.gov/vsara/learn/speaker-series