Springfield OLLI

with Barry Griffith & Lonnie Lisai, Local Historians & Crown Point Road Researchers

Discover the story of the Crown Point Road, first marked and cut by the British in 1759 and often called “Vermont’s first interstate highway.” Trace its use as a military road from the Fort at No. 4 on the Connecticut River to Fort Crown Point on Lake Champlain during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. Follow Vermont’s earliest settlers from southern New England as they built homes and communities along the route. Explore the geology, history, and lasting significance of the road, with a special focus on the Springfield area.

with Sheryl Faye, Award-Winning Historical Portrayal Artist

Step into the remarkable world of Abigail Adams as Sheryl Faye brings this influential First Lady to life in a dynamic, multimedia performance. Trace Abigail’s powerful voice—from her childhood to her pivotal role beside John Adams—and witness her bold insistence to “remember the ladies.” Experience her intellect, advocacy, and firsthand perspective on the Revolutionary War home front. Celebrate Sheryl Faye’s award-winning artistry as she portrays one of America’s most documented and insightful early leaders in a captivating one-woman show.

with Nina Keck, Senior Reporter with Vermont Public & Award-Winning Journalist

Trace the evolution of radio journalism in the US over the past 40 years – shaped by technology, shifting audiences, digital platforms and media consolidation. Join Vermont Public Senior Reporter Nina Keck as she reflects on her nearly four-decade career in radio. Explore the ongoing threats to local journalism and the critical role it plays in our communities. Examine the challenges and emerging opportunities facing public media in a rapidly changing landscape. Gain insight into the future of journalism from a seasoned reporter on the front lines.

Co-sponsored by the Springfield Garden Club
with Kevin Gardner, Master Stone Wall Builder & Author

Explore key themes from Kevin’s book on New England stone walls, The Granite Kiss, in this engaging and informal talk. Trace how and why New England came to have thousands of miles of stone walls, examine the techniques used to build dry stone structures, and follow the evolution of their distinctive styles. Discover the historical, cultural, and aesthetic significance these stone walls hold within the iconic New England landscape.

with Helen Pike, Author, Photographer & North Country Historian

Discover how Helen’s father, logging historian Robert E. Pike, collected the stories of men, and at least one woman, whose physical strength, resilience, work ethic and fearless spirt got timber out of the back woods to mills along the Connecticut River every spring until 1915.

with Josh Jackson, Co-founder of TimberHomes Vermont

Explore a photographic tour led by Josh showcasing his work helping to reconstruct the roof trusses of the nave at Notre Dame de Paris. Revel in the many delights of French culture, discover the rich history of this remarkable cathedral, and take a behind-the-scenes look at this extraordinary restoration project.

with Ian Clark – Photographer & Nature Enthusiast

Loons are one of the North Country’s icons.  Their haunting calls echoing are a highlight of living near a pond.  The chance to see them carrying their chicks on their backs is a treat.  They’re big, beautiful and powerful birds.

Photographer Ian Clark has been following the loons on three ponds since 2012, spending something like 2,400 hours and taking 350,000 photos.  Join us for a slide show exploring the natural history of loons and the conservation effort on their behalf before following a family through the breeding season along with some of Ian’s favorite loon photos.

with Jan Albers – Historian & Author of Hands on the Land

At the dawn of the 19^th Century, Vermont was a patchwork of subsistence farms, slowly creeping along the valleys and climbing to the tops of the highest hills. There was development, but no specialty was bringing in big capital. That would change after 1811, when diplomat William Jarvis, of Weathersfield, Vermont, brought a flock of Merino sheep in from Spain. The Merino sheep industry grew exponentially in the decades that followed. At its height in 1840, there were 1,681,000 sheep in Vermont—six sheep for every person in the state. Vermonters thought the Merino miracle would never end, yet ten years later it was finished. How could such a boom go bust so quickly, and what landscape lessons did it leave behind?

with Alexis Doshas – Nursery Manager, Native Plant Trust at Nasami Farm

Gardening with plants native to our region is a rewarding and practical endeavor. Native plants are adapted to our region’s geology, hydrology, and climate. This means when sited correctly, they require little maintenance to thrive and survive! Native plants are the basis for our region’s ecosystem services (think nutrient processing, clean water, and storing carbon) and support the intricate food webs that create resilient landscapes through biodiversity. Many insects, birds, soil organisms and fungi, have evolved with our native plants, creating symbiotic, specialized relationships. We’ll discuss the importance of including and supporting native plants in the stewarding of our gardens and landscapes, and look at a variety of options.

with Alan Rumrill – Senior Historian, Historical Society of Cheshire County, Keene, NH

This program has been rescheduled for April 29.

with Howard Coffin – Author & Historian

A Harvard professor, Barry Fell, in the 1970s made the claim that Vermont was settled more than 2,000 years ago by Europeans.  He said stone chambers and inscriptions that they left behind still exist. Come hear the story of how Coffin, a newspaperman at the time, explored the sites with Fell and wrote the first stories on his claims   People thought stone chambers might have been root cellars of settlers in colonial time, but the research showed they are testament to people much earlier than that.  Most archaeologists disputed Fell at the time and controversy still exists about it all.

with Stephen Collins – Actor & Educator

We will spend the evening with Walt Whitman on the evening of his seventieth birthday as he reminisces and questions his success as a man and a poet.  As Whitman transforms into his young vibrant self, we begin to trace back along with him the experiences that led to the creation of Leaves of Grass, his lifetime work.

We’ll learn that his life is forever changed by the occurrence of the Civil War when he finds ‘the most important work of his life – nursing the wounded soldiers in the hospitals.’  Through readings of his actual letters and his poetry we will experience his movement from selfishness to selflessness as he develops into a mature artist who is at peace about ‘himself, God and death.’