HOT NEWS Saint Albans 2017 Best Of Saint Albans VT Tourism
Saint Albans VT Tourism. Albans /sənt ˈɔːlbənz/, /seɪn.../ is a city in Hertfordshire, England, and the major urban area in the City and District of St Albans. It lies east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, about 19 miles (31 km) north-northwest of London, 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Welwyn Garden City and 11 miles (18 km) south-southeast of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travellers heading north, and it became the Roman city of Verulamium. It is a historic market town and is now a dormitory town within the London commuter belt and the Greater London Built-up Area.
10/11/17 The U.S. Civil War: The St. Albans Raid (Part 2) on 'Across The Fence'
Across the Fence is the longest-running locally-produced program in the US. We have been on-air on WCAX-TV since 1955! Across the Fence is produced by the University of Vermont Extension. Visit
OLLI | Vermont Visionaries: The Smith Family of St. Albans (PART TWO)
May 1, 2019 -
Alex Lehning, MA, Executive Director (Saint Albans Museum)
Vermont Visionaries: the Smith Family of St. Albans (PART TWO)
Historically the Smiths have been described as the ‘family that transformed St. Albans’, a dynasty of politicians, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, whose efforts defined the heritage of the ‘Rail City’. Franklin County, the State of Vermont and beyond for generations. This presentation (part two) explores additional moments in the lives and legacy of the Smith Family, including regional architecture.
098-The St. Albans Raid
Seemingly safe in northern New England, the residents of St. Albans, Vermont, were astonished in October 1864 when a group of Confederate soldiers appeared in their midst, terrorizing residents, robbing banks, and stealing horses. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the St. Albans raid, the northernmost land action of the Civil War.
We'll also learn about Charles Darwin's misadventures at the equator and puzzle over a groundskeeper's strange method of tending grass.
Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- on our Patreon page you can pledge any amount per episode, and all contributions are greatly appreciated. You can change or cancel your pledge at any time, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support.
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Sources for our feature on the St. Albans raid:
Dennis K. Wilson, Justice Under Pressure: The Saint Albans Raid and Its Aftermath, 1992.
Robin W. Winks, The Civil War Years: Canada and the United States, 1998.
Stuart Lutz, Terror in St. Albans, Civil War Times Illustrated 40:3 (June 2001).
Rick Beard, When the Rebels Invaded Vermont, New York Times, Oct. 17, 2014.
A Reminiscence of the St. Albans Raid, Montreal Daily Witness, April 5, 1878.
Confederate Raid on St. Albans, Vt., Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Oct 21, 1914.
Leader of Raid on St. Albans, Vermont, Centre of Controversy at Champlain Celebration, Boston Evening Transcript, May 9, 1912.
Edgar Andrew Collard, Of Many Things ..., Montreal Gazette, March 28, 1969.
English View of the St. Albans Raid Case, Halifax Morning Chronicle, Jan. 24, 1865.
Listener mail:
Wikipedia, Line-Crossing Ceremony (accessed March 18, 2016).
R.D. Keynes, ed., Charles Darwin's Beagle Diary, 2001.
Jacqueline Klimas, Navy Leaders Try to Stamp Out Hazing, But Many Sailors Question the Rules, Military Times, July 2, 2013.
Wikipedia, Plimsoll Shoe (accessed March 18, 2016).
This week's lateral thinking puzzle is from Paul Sloane and Des MacHale's 1998 book Ingenious Lateral Thinking Puzzles.
You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on iTunes or via the RSS feed at
Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode.
If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!
DCC: Archaeological History of Vermont 10/12/17
An Archaeological History of Vermont
Jess Robinson, PhD, State Archaeologist, Vermont Division for Historic Preservation Jess Robinson will present an archaeological overview of Vermont’s past, from the first human entrants into the region, approximately 13,000 years ago, to the arrival of Europeans, and beyond. He will highlight recent discoveries and current debates throughout his presentation. Jess will be happy to answer questions following the presentation. Sponsored by Dummerston Conservation Commission and the Dummerston Historical Society Free. For information: info@dummerstonconservation.com or call 257-0012 and leave a message.
Our Blue-Green Monster...St. Albans Bay, Vermont
Special Statement from the St. Albans Area Watershed Association (SAAWA) in collaboration with northernvermontaerial.com:
Unfortunately the story of the St. Albans Bay is nothing new. For far too long, we have all pointed the finger of blame in different directions. To make a change in our community, we must first ask ourselves two vital questions:
What matters most?
Who gets to decide?
If we want our lake to be clean for our future generations, we must all work together. Hopefully this video and the context below, will provide you with some perspectives that will allow us to unite and address the two aforementioned questions in a collaborative manner. Unfortunately, our time is running out.
Context: The St. Albans Bay Watershed is composed of five sub-watersheds where phosphorus is one of the nutrient pollutants found in runoff and arguably the greatest threat to our clean water in Lake Champlain. Too much phosphorus pollution stimulates excessive growth of algae. It can turn Lake Champlain water green and it is toxic to pets and people.
Shallow bays such as ours in St. Albans are more susceptible to problems associated with excess phosphorus compared to deeper bays of Lake Champlain. While management practices may help to reduce inputs, the increasingly intense rainstorms associated with climate change may release more phosphorus, possibly cancelling out some gains made through pollution reduction efforts.
So what are the contributing factors?
Agriculture: Approximately 38% of the phosphorus load to Lake Champlain comes from agriculture (352 metric tons or 775,000 pounds each year). The surface of the land that feeds the St. Albans watershed area is dominated by agriculture, which makes up 57% of the land surface around the watershed, whereas urban and suburban make up 14% of the surface area. Between 1850 and 1990, the watershed experienced a significant change when Vermont shifted from small integrated farms to industrial farming with larger sized herds. This transition has led to increased feed and fertilizer imports to the state, resulting in an excess of phosphorus in dairy farming areas, such as the St. Albans region. One key challenge in addressing this long-term problem is that part of the phosphorus load in Lake Champlain comes from legacy phosphorus—that is, phosphorus that has been added to soils over decades of farming. Such legacy phosphorus will continue to be released into our waterways even as efforts to reduce future loading are underway.
Stream Banks: The erosion of stream banks accounts for approximately 18% (165 metric tons or 365,000 pounds) of the annual phosphorus load to the Lake. Stream banks that lack significant woody plant growth can be susceptible to erosion during floods, which has now increased due to climate change.
Developed Lands: Phosphorus from developed lands accounts for approximately 16% (147 metric tons or 323,600 pounds) of the total phosphorus load to Lake Champlain each year. Most of this phosphorus comes from nonpoint sources in the built environment, such as impervious pavement, lawns, and rooftops.
Wastewater Facilities: Wastewater treatment facilities, an example of point source phosphorus, contribute 6% of the annual phosphorus load to the Lake.
So what can you do?
Support your local farmer who is practicing responsible water quality management.
Test your turf. Before fertilizing, test lawns and gardens to determine the actual need. It may be possible to use less fertilizer than anticipated or even none at all.
Foster soil health in your lawn and garden rather than relying on lawn care products that import more nutrients into the Basin.
Set your lawn mower blades to 3” and leave grass clippings. Tall grass is healthier and has deeper roots that hold more water and reduce runoff.
Redirect your gutter downspouts to a lawn, plant a rain garden, or install a rain barrel.
Wash your vehicle on a lawn instead of a driveway to prevent detergents from running into the Lake. Alternatively, use a carwash where the water is treated after use.
Plant native vegetation along shorelines and riverbanks to hold soil in place and reduce erosion.
Get involved. There are a number of local groups, organizations, associations, such as ours who are taking on the challenges to promote and attain clean water!
SAAWA
The St. Albans Area Watershed Association, otherwise known as SAAWA, is a nonprofit corporation devoted to restoring the waters of St. Albans Bay. SAAWA is focused on being a loud, consistent and uncompromising voice for water quality. We foster healthy water practices and awareness throughout the watershed. SAAWA works toward reduction of aquatic weeds, algae, phosphorus, sediment, bacteria and nutrient-loading that flows from the watershed into Lake Champlain. We research, advocate, and help implement methods to make St. Albans Bay cleaner and more appealing for recreational and community pursuits.
Civil War Clothing Workshop - Messenger TV
Learn about the intricacies of 1860s fashion from 18th Vermont Regiment Civil War re-enactor Lynn Sawyer. Held in the Bliss Room of the St. Albans Historical Museum the event covers period appropriate clothing for men, women and children.
For a longer look at the Civil War Clothing Workshop click below:
or visit the St. Albans Raid online:
53rd Vermont Maple Fest kicks off in St. Albans
53rd Vermont Maple Fest kicks off in St. Albans
New England Model Train Expo 12 2 17 part 1
The Civil War Songbook
Linda Radtke, performer and host of VPR's Choral Hour sang several period songs from the Civil War yesterday at the St. Albans historical museum. More in today's issue!
Vermont Statehouse Civil War History.mpg
For full-length Across the Fence programs, please visit our homepage uvm.edu/extension
Burlinton Chocolate Fest
Today we go to Burlington, WI. and visit the Burlington Chocolate Festival!
A & M play at Swanton, Vt Concert in the Park 6/14/2014 - Part 3
A & M play at Swanton, Vt. Chamber of Commerce, Concert in the Park Part 3 of 6
Rail Trails of America - Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail - Segment 01 - St. Albans to Sheldon Junction
In this episode of Rail Trails of America, Host Timothy W Lawrence, along with sidekick, Aries the Siberian Husky explore the first segment of the 26.1 mile long Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. Running from St. Albans to Sheldon junction, this segment is 9.25 miles long
Highlights include beautiful views, wooded sections and the wrought iron bridge over the Missisquoi river at Sheldon Junction.
Feel free to comment with what you like, what you didn't like, recommendations and other trails you would like to see added as time and funding allows!
Thank you!
Hosted by Timothy W. Lawrence and his side kick Aries the Siberian Husky.
Music: Kevin MacLeod
Things You Didn't Know About WalMart
Many of us see a WalMart every couple of miles in the city we live in. We go there to buy toilet paper, TVs, and groceries. But what do you really know about this worldwide corporation?
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7. WalMart Makes You Fat
No, really! Studies show WalMart is linked to obesity in America. In 2010, the CDC confirmed that the obesity rate in America was at about 35%. That’s quite a jump from the 13% held in previous decades. It seems WalMart is partially to blame. A 2008 study concluded that for every WalMart Supercenter per 100,000 residents, the average BMI increased by 0.24 units and the obesity rate by 2.3%. A report from BloombergBusiness in 2015 showed that people tended to weigh more when the cost of calories was low. If WalMart sells the lowest prices of food, then it makes sense that they’re somehow connected to all of this.
6. WalMart In The States
As of last year, there were a total of 5,358 WalMart stores in the United States. The largest of these stores are located at the Crossgate Commons shopping plaza in Albany, New York. WalMart seems like it was always everywhere, but in reality, WalMart was not in all 50 states until 1995. The last state to hold out was Vermont. Initially, Vermont blocked this mega-chain from establishing any roots in the state. It took 20 years for Vermont to give in finally. The first WalMart opened in St. Albans. As of today, there are only six retail units in the whole state!
5. That WalMart Money
In one day, Walmart sees a profit of $40 million. That’s $466 every second. In 2015, WalMart earned $16.2 million, though that number dropped to $13.6 million in 2017. The average person spends $141.90 at WalMart per visit, a number skewed by minimal purchases and substantial purchases, both of which often happen at WalMart. We mentioned earlier how employees complained of an annual income of $25,000. Adding the numbers up across the nation for the 2.2 million people in WalMart’s employment, the annual payroll comes out to $40 billion.
4. Promoting Healthy Eating
With all the organic food they sell and the push for sustainable foods, it’s apparent WalMart wants to shed its “wasteful” past associated with cheap items and lots of plastic to promote a healthier way of living. WalMart says that all the food sold under their store-brand, Great Value, contain zero trans fats. The change occurred after 2011 when they announced all the food under Great Value and Sam’s Choice labels were eliminated of trans fatty acids. We should clarify that they most likely mean artificial trans fats and not naturally occurring trans fats like those found in meats like goat, beef, and sheep.
3. Efforts To Go-Green
WalMart revealed they had major plans to reduce their carbon footprint nearly 15 years ago. The sustainability plans entailed they wanted to reduce emissions from greenhouse gasses, decrease waste production, and find a way to utilize more efficient energy. From using a combination of motor and cooking oil to heat stores in the winter to futuristic trucks that could deliver more merchandise with fewer miles, WalMart has certainly made strides in turning down their impact on the environment.
2. Clinton Worked For WalMart?
Raise your hand if you knew that that Hillary Clinton once served on WalMart Inc’s board of directors for six years! It was the 80s, and Sam Walton was pressured by shareholders to hire a woman to be part of WalMart’s board of directions, which appoints 15 members. He and his wife Helen decided to hire 39-year-old Hillary Clinton. At the time, Bill Clinton was the governor of Arkansas (where WalMart started), and Hillary Clinton was a lawyer. She served on the board from 1986 to 1992. During her time there, WalMart was incredibly profitable, creating over 200,000 jobs for Americans--the most in the whole country at the time. At the time, WalMart’s stocks rose by 500%. By 1992, Clinton’s shares in WalMart were worth $100,000.
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Team USA Leadership Larry Ross
Team USA Leadership Series presents Mr. Larry Ross. He is a retired teacher from Maine and owns the Lingdbergh Crate Musuem in Canaan, ME. Mr. Ross is on a mission, sponsored by General Pace and his wife, to pursue and share the rights of all United States citizens. He shares his story of his happiness and along his way hopes to make an impact on those he connects with. He stopped by St. Albans City School on his tour of all 50 states to collect share his story with the kids, collect pledge cards, and encourage people with the many messages in his presentation. Team USA was chosen as the representative for Vermont for his tour and the pledge cards will be viewable on the USS America at the end of Mr. Ross's quest.
A small up date in St. Johnsbury, Vt
It turned off without me know. Lol
Descendants of Civil War soldiers remember ancestors on Memorial Day weekend
It's the duty of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War to lay wreaths and remember their Civil War ancestors.
Shelburne Bay, Shelburne, VT
A nice afternoon at the bay.
Testing the Rails in St Johnsbury, Vermont
Quick video made for Instagram while passing through St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Full disclosure: There are rails in St. Johnsbury that are still active. (This is only a disused spur line.)
Instagram version of same video:
My Facebook album from Vermont: