Brave Little State

A listener asked us how White River Junction became such a thriving place, “when it used to be so bleak.” We talk to some of the people behind the transformation.To see photos of White River Junction, check out our web feature. This year’s Gory Daze Halloween Parade is on Saturday, October 29. Find more info here.Angela Evancie reported and produced this episode, with help and editing from the rest of the Brave Little State team: Myra Flynn, Josh Crane and Mae Nagusky. Music in this episode courtesy of local artists Chico Eastridge and Matt Mazur.Special thanks to David Briggs, Joie Finley, Kristen Connor, Jordyn Fitch, Chico Eastridge, Samantha Davidson Green, Pat Stark, Lori Hirschfield, Rebecca Bailey, Rob Schultz, Karen Jamiel and James Stewart. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public.

“Vermont was the first state to abolish slavery.” That’s the common refrain around here. Except, the history is more complicated. Reporter Lexi Krupp answers a question from Peter Langella about this oft-misunderstood history, and explores how the legacy of slavery is still reverberating in Vermont today.Check out the web version of this story for photos and additional resources from Lexi’s reporting. And thanks to Peter Langella for the great question.Recommended episodes from the BLS archive: What's the history of the Underground Railroad in Vermont? Remembering Vermont's 19th century Black communities Additional reading: The Problem of Slavery in Early Vermont, Harvey Amani Whitfield The Blind African Slave, Or Memoirs of Boyrereau Brinch, Nicknamed Jeffrey Brace, Jeffrey Brace as told to Benjamin F. Prentiss, Edited and with an introduction by Kari J. Winter Dark Work: The Business of Slavery in Rhode Island, by Christy Clark-Pujara From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century, William A. Darity Jr., A. Kirsten Mullen "Eat the Rich," NPR's Invisibilia Lexi Krupp reported this episode. Mix and sound design by Myra Flynn, with editing and additional production from Angela Evancie, Josh Crane and Mae Nagusky. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to Kari Winter, Stephanie Seguino, Lindsay Varner, Erica Donnis, Rebecca Zietlow and Thomas Denenberg.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public.

Question-asker David Hess was curious about Native stories that speak to the Vermont landscape. Enter Mali Obomsawin’s new album, Sweet Tooth. Across three movements, she blends Wabanaki music with free jazz, and ancient stories with new ones, all of which offers a unique look at the land called Vermont.Check out the web version of this episode to see photos and music from Mali Obomsawin. And thanks to David Hess for the great question.Josh Crane reported this episode. Mix and sound design by Josh Crane, with editing and additional production from Angela Evancie, Myra Flynn, Elodie Reed and Mark Davis. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Mali Obomsawin. Special thanks to Savannah Maher, Gregory Cajete, Seth Bedard, and Melody Mackin, and to Mali Obomsawin for her input and help with this episode.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public.

The sale of the Vermont Lake Monsters in 2021 would bring lots of changes. In some ways, it’s a story of renewal. But the more things change, the more they stay the same.Reporter Liam Elder-Connors walks us through the changes since the sale, and the traditions that have remained.Check out the web version of this story for photos from our reporting. And thanks to Emma Ramirez-Richer for the great question.Liam Elder-Connors reported this episode. Mix and sound design by Angela Evancie. Engineering support from Peter Engisch; editing and additional production from the Brave Little State team: Angela Evancie, Josh Crane and Myra Flynn. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to Kate Phillips and Kevin Trevellan.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public.

We hear from former Vermonters about their love/hate relationship with our state, why they left and what it would take for them to come back.Check out the web version of this story for photos from our reporting. And thanks to My Le Goel for the great question.Myra Flynn reported this episode and did the mix and sound design. Editing and additional production from the Brave Little State team: Angela Evancie, Josh Crane and Myra Flynn. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions, the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir and Myra Flynn. Special thanks to Peter Hirschfeld, Heidi Kalb, Louise Brill, Kate Blofson and Joe Pace.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public.

A question about finding companionship in the Green Mountain State – from wide-eyed hopefuls to frustrated giver-uppers. Plus, a love story.Thanks to Silas Olsen for the great question. To see photos from this episode, check out our web feature.This episode was reported by Anna Van Dine and produced by Josh Crane. Mix and sound design by Josh Crane. Editing and additional production by the Brave Little State team: Angela Evancie, Myra Flynn and Josh Crane. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Owen Daniel-McCarter & the folks at Babes, and Torrey Carl, journalistic matchmaker.Love BLS? Want to be part of the team? Come be our first-ever intern! Applications due July 31.Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! bravelittlestate.org

Every summer, we trek across Vermont to uncover the origins of bizarre road names of your choosing. This year’s installment includes Iranistan Road in Burlington, Snipe Island Road in Jericho and … a bit of a wildcard.Thanks to this year’s question-askers: Ali Jalili, David Boyle, Sam Graulty and Katie Ruffe.And special thanks to Ken Picard, Carol McGranahan, Gary Irish, Wright Preston, Harriet Riggs, and Amy Tatko.Check out our previous road name histories: 2018: States Prison Hollow Road, Poor Farm Road, Lime Kiln Road, Kelley Stand Road 2019: Mad Tom River Road, Hi-Lo Biddy Road, Star Pudding Farm Road, Sawnee Bean Road 2020: Devil’s Washbowl, Popple Dungeon Road, Lost Nation Road, Smuggler’s Notch 2021: Cow Path 40, Agony Hill Road, Texas Falls This episode was reported by Mikaela Lefrak, Mary Engisch, Matthew Smith, Lexi Krupp and Brittany Patterson. Angela Evancie produced and mixed it, with editing and additional production by the Brave Little State team: Josh Crane, Myra Flynn and Angela Evancie. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Love BLS? Want to be part of the team? Come be our first-ever intern!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public. As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show!

Vermont’s first recreational cannabis dispensaries are set to open to the public on October 1, 2022. Reporter Bob Kinzel walks us through how we got here and how the new cannabis marketplace will work.Check out photos from Bob’s reporting on our web feature.Bob Kinzel reported this episode. Myra Flynn produced it, and she also did the mix and sound design. Editing and additional production from Josh Crane and Angela Evancie. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Geoffry Pitzzutillo.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show!

The trail follows Green Mountain ridgelines from one end of Vermont to the other. To answer this question from Eliza Keller, we go deep into the woods — and deep into a hiker hostel in downtown Rutland.We originally released this episode in 2018. For photos from our reporting, click here.Angela Evancie and Lynne McCrea reported this episode. Mix and sound design by Angela Evancie; engineering support from Chris Albertine. Additional production by Josh Crane and Myra Flynn. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks Liza Morse and the Green Mountain Club.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show!

A chapter of Northeast Kingdom history that is most mysterious. A man whose talent and ambition led him down a perilous path. To answer a question from Eric Lucier of Jay, Henry Epp tells the story of the Space Research Corporation and its founder, Gerald Bull.Check out photos of the Space Research Corporation site, then and now, in our web feature.Henry Epp reported this episode. Angela Evancie produced and mixed it, with scoring by Josh Crane, and additional editing and production from the Brave Little State team: Josh Crane, Myra Flynn and Angela Evancie. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Anna Ste Marie, Kevin Trevellyan, Mark Davis,Michael Rogers, and Kate Phillips and Paul Carnahan of the Vermont Historical Society.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi on Twitter, Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show!