Main Street Arts, Historical Society host Fireside Chats

SAXTONS RIVER — Main Street Arts and the Saxtons River Historical Society continues its series of Fireside Chats to highlight the area's history Sunday, Jan. 17, when the topic will be turkeys.

The chats take place from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. in the dining room of the Saxtons River Inn.

“Gobble! Gobble! Wild Turkeys are Smart and Social” will feature Lynn Morgan of the Nature Museum at Grafton and include tales of local farmers who walked their turkeys to Boston and how the wild turkey was reintroduced to Vermont in 1969.

The series concludes Jan. 24 with a talk on “Forests from Glacier to Today: Managing Our Forests Then and Now,” with Tim Morton, a forester with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.

Morton, a resident of Rockingham, has been a practicing forest and land manager since 1984. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Forest Management, manages 50,000 acres of state land in Windham and Windsor counties, and has worked extensively on both private and public lands.

He will highlight some of the management challenges faced by today's forest managers, including introduced plants that have gained a foothold and that may lead to rapid changes in the future.

Attendees are invited to share their own experiences, photos, artifacts, and stories related to the topic of the evening.

The series is offered at no charge, with donations accepted. Those attending are invited to bring their own memories and memorabilia to share in this informal setting.

The inn's dining room will be open for dinner after the presentation for further socializing. Reservations are appreciated by calling the inn at 802-869-2110. In case of inclement weather, cancellation information will be available by contacting Main Street Arts at 802-869-2960.

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