Vermont Days, June 12 and 13, a weekend of free admission at the Vermont State Historic Sites and State Parks, will be the occasion for a number of special events at the Mount Independence, Hubbardton Battlefield, and Chimney Point State Historic Sites. All events are free and open to the public.

At the Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell—

&#8211Saturday, June 12, 1:00 PM Mad Matt the Democrat Historian Vincent Feeney talks about Matthew Lyon, indentured servant, Green Mountain Boy, son-in-law to Thomas Chittenden, land speculator, entrepreneur, and Vermont congressman. Lyon served at Mount Independence and in 1785 bought its abandoned cannons and other scrap iron. Sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council.

&#8211Sunday, June 13. 1:00 PM Wildflowers of the Mount Join wildflower expert Ann Honan on another walk to discover the wildflowers of Mount Independence. What blooms in June? Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Sponsored by the Mount Independence Coalition.

Mount Independence is six miles west of the intersections of VT Routes 22A and 73 near the end of Mount Independence Road. Call (802) 948-2000 for information.
At the Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site in Hubbardton&#8211

&#8211Saturday, June 12: Staying Connected: Wildlife Habitat, 1:00 PM Monica Erhart, Linkage Coordinator for Staying Connected, talks about Vermont’s critical wildlife corridors and their importance for wide-ranging mammals. Hubbardton is in the center of an important corridor between the Green Mountains and Adirondacks. A wildlife-focused walk follows, if weather allows.

&#8211Sunday, June 13: War Stories: New Tales from the Battle of Hubbardton, 1:00 PM Historian Kate Kenney from the University of Vermont Consulting Archeology Program shares fascinating “new” stories about the soldiers of Hubbardton from her recent research in Revolutionary war pension records and other period sources. “Who were those guys?”

The Hubbardton Battlefield is on Monument Hill Road, six miles east of Vermont Route 30 in Hubbardton or six miles north of exit 5 on US Route 4 in Castleton. Call (802) 273-2282 for information.

At the Chimney Point State Historic Site in Addison—

&#8211Saturday, June 12, Second Saturdays, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Explore the French colonial past at Chimney Point (Pointe a-la-Chevelure) with hands-on activities for all ages. Try the dress-up box, play games, and learn what archaeology and the study of period sources can reveal.

&#8211Sunday, June 14, Sunday Afternoon Special, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Hands-on activities and period games. Learn about ancient stone tools or how to throw an atlatl, play period games, and enjoy other fun for all ages.

Chimney Point is located in Addison at the intersections of Vermont Routes 125 and 17, just west of the temporary Lake Champlain ferry. Call (802) 759-2412 for information.

For information about Vermont’s state-owned historic sites, visit www.HistoricVermont.org/sites or contact John Dumville at (802) 828-3051.

Illustration: Mural of Mount Independence 1776-1777, by Ernest Haas
Commissioned by the Mount Independence Coalition. On display at Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell, Vermont.