Chittenden County Historical Society

10/10/2026

JOIN US TOMORROW, OCTOBER 11, 10am to 4 pm, at the LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM TO COMMEMORATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF VALCOUR BAY.

250 years ago on September 18, 1776, Benedict Arnold decided to take the American fleet to Valcour Island. In a letter he wrote to General Horatio Gates, Arnold would say that the island had “... a good harbour, and where we shall have the advantage of attacking the enemy in the open lake…”

Benedict would soon discover whether he had made the right decision, as only a few weeks later he would face off against an invading British fleet at Valcour Bay.

To learn more about the battle looming between the American fleet and the British fleet, join the Museum on October 11, between 10 am–4 pm. There will be hands-on activities, tours of our exhibits, and a dramatic account of the events during the Battle of Valcour Bay. Learn more at: https://www.lcmm.org/event/battle-of-valcour-bay/

Image from LCMM: “Colonel Arnold: who commanded the Provincial Troops sent against Quebec, through the wilderness of Canada and was wounded in that city, under General Montgomery,” Thomas Hart, 1776. Lithograph. Brown University Library.
See less

10/05/2026

JOIN US NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, FOR THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM'S 250TH COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF VALCOUR BAY. PROGRAMMING BEGINS AT 10 AM.

We are proud to co-sponsor this event and will be there with other groups supporting the LCMM. Lots of activities for both children and adults. Here is the schedule of events;

10-12, 1-4:00 "Philadelphia II," open

"Fragments" Exhibit (Virtual Reality Experience)

Recovering the Exploded Cannon--Activity

10:15 Recounting the Battle of Valcour Bay

11:00 Panel Discussion on the "Fragments" exhibit

12:30 "Fragments" tour

1:00-4:00 18th Century Forge--open hours

12:00-3:00 Partner Pavilion (where we'll be)

1:00-4:00 18th Century Boat Building--Activity

Walk the Battle of Valcour on the Giant Map

2:00 Screening of Ken Burns' section on the Battle from
"The American Revolution"

See you there! For directions, please go to: https://www.lcmm.org/visit/

09/24/2026

DON'T MISS THE 25OTH COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF VALCOUR BAY AT THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM, OCTOBER 11, FROM 10 AM-4 PM.

The Battle of Valcour Bay took place October 11, 1776. Fought between the newly formed American Navy and a British force from Canada, the battle was a tactical defeat and strategic triumph for the fledgling United States--a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. Commemorate the battle on its 250th anniversary at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 4472 Basin Harbor Road, Vergennes, VT.

The celebration takes place on October 11, 2026, from 10am to 4pm, in an event co-sponsored by the Chittenden County Historical Society. The day features free hands-on activities, a dramatic account of the events during the Battle of Valcour Bay, tours of the new exhibit "Fragments: Voices of the American Revolution on Lake Champlain," a panel discussion with the exhibit developers, a screening of a selection from Ken Burns's new documentary, The American Revolution, and much more! For a schedule of events, please go to: https://www.lcmm.org/event/battle-of-valcour-bay/

09/24/2026

The CCHS is co-sponsoring this event commemorating the 250th Battle of Valcour Bay. We'll be there all day. Stop by and see us and attend the wonderful presentations they have planned.

250 years ago today, on September 21, 1776, Benedict Arnold wrote a letter filled with his worries about whether the American fleet he commanded was ready to face down the British on Lake Champlain. Few of the sailors under his command were experienced, Arnold described them as “... a wretched motley crew… few of them ever wet with salt water.” Worse, Arnold did not have enough gunpowder to train them on how to use the weapons on each ship. He’d prepared as best he could for the coming clash, but the Patriot forces simply didn’t have the resources to equip themselves to the same level as the British..

To learn more about the people aboard the Patriot and British ships in Valcour Bay, plan a visit to our new exhibit, Fragments: Voices of the American Revolution on Lake Champlain, open every day between 10 am and 4 pm until October 18.

Image: “Battle of Valcour Island,” artist unknown, circa 1925. Watercolor. National Archives of Canada.

07/10/2026

TOMORROW: HISTORY COMES ALIVE! BURLINGTON CITY HALL PARK. FREE. 11 AM TO 2 PM. GAMES. CRAFTS. FOOD. MUSIC. AND SO MUCH MORE.

Come celebrate 250 years of Vermont History & Culture. There's something for everyone! Don't miss out. Go to Love Burlington for the full schedule: www.loveburlington.org/spotlightvermont250

CCHS is a co-sponsor with the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum and the City of Burlington.

07/08/2026

THIS SATURDAY: SPOTLIGHT VERMONT 250! FREE. FUN. GAMES. PRIZES. SINGING. DANCING. CRAFTS. GIVEAWAYS. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING HISTORY! CITY HALL PARK, 11-2 PM.

Come celebrate our Nation's 250th Anniversary & Over 30 Vermont History and Cultural Organizations at Burlington's City Hall Park, July 11, 11 am-2 pm. For a complete listing of activities, please go to: https://loveburlington.org/spotlightvt250

Participating organizations hosting family-friendly activities inude:

251 Club of Vermont
Burlington History & Culture Center
Burlington Irish Heritage Festival
Burlington Odd Fellows
CCTV/Town Meeting TV
Chittenden County Historical Society
City of Burlington
Election Ward Clerks for the City of Burlington
Ethan Allen Homestead Museum
French Canadian Genealogical Society
Heritage Winooski Mill Museum
Lake Champlain Basin Program
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
Lost Mural Project
Milton Historical Society
Old Stone House Museum
Pathway to Plant, Cunningfolk Apothecary, & At the Root
Preservation Burlington
Pride Center Vermont
Pringle Herbarium - University of Vermont
Rokeby Museum
Saint Albans Museum
Silver Special Collections Library, University of Vermont
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Stannard Camp
Vermont 250th Commission
Vermont Archaeological Society
Vermont Early Music Project
Vermont Historical Society
Vermont Humanities
Vermont Schoolhouse Project
Vermont State Archives and Records Administration
Vermont Teddy Bear
Williston Historical Society
Winooski Historical Society

With music by Maple Run Band, DJ New Mantra, and the Vermont Early Music Project!

With food by Sherpa Foods – Himalayan D’Lite, Smash & Splash, Trinidadian Cuisine, & Green Mountain Italian Icy!

and special 250th commemoration remarks at 12:45pm by Dr. Alexandra Garrett, the governor-appointed Revolutionary War historian for the Vermont 250th Commission!

07/01/2026

SPECIAL PRESENTTION BY BILL McKONE ON "VERMONT AT GETTYSBURG," FRIDAY, JULY 3, AT 7 PM, AT THE PINES SENIOR HOUSING IN SOUTH BURLINGTON.

In 1863, President Lincoln and the Union had welcome news for the July 4 celebrations marking the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Not only had Vicksburg surrendered that day, opening the Mississippi River to Union control, but the audacious invasion of Pennsylvania by Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia has been repulsed.

The battle of Gettysburg cost nearly 50,000 casualties –dead, wounded, captured, and missing -- among the almost 200,000 Americans involved on both sides. Vermont soldiers played a significant role in this victory for the Union that will be discussed in a presentation marking this year’s anniversary on Friday, July 3, at the Pines senior housing in South Burlington.

Bill McKONE is president of the Fenian Historical Society and author of "Vermont's Irish Rebel: Captain John Lonergan."

WHEN: FRIDAY, JULY 3

WHEN: 7:00 pm at the Adirondack Room in the Pines Senior Housing, Juniper Building, 5 Aspen Drive, off Dorset Street.

ADMISSION: FREE, but registration is required for access to the building. Please sign up with [email protected] to ensure a seat at the one-hour presentation. This sign up is also necessary because the subject may not be suitable for children.

07/01/2026

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND--THE CCHS TIME MACHINE WITH NEW QUESTIONS & PRIZES--AT SPOTLIGHT VERMONT 250, JULY 11, 11-3pm, BURLINGTON'S CITY PARK

Join Us Saturday, July 11, 11 am to 2 pm, City Hall Park for Spotlight Vermont 250: A Celebration of 250 Years of Vermont History & Culture. Over 30 Cultural and Historical Organizations will be there with fun, interactive activities: artifact touch-and-learns, crafts, games, demonstrations, re-enactors, live music, dress-up history photo ops, face painting, giveaways, food vendors, and a splash pad for kids.

On Stage: 11:00-Noon—Maple Run Band, 12:10 to 12:40pm—Vermont Early Music Project, 12-40 to 12:50pm—Commemorative Address by Dr. Alexandra Garrett—Vermont 250th Commission, and 1:00 to 3:00pm—DJ New Mantra.

Great Food: Smash & Splash, Himalayan D’Lite. Trinidadian Cuisine, and Green Mountain Italian Icy.

And more surprises!

To find out who’ll be there and the wide-range of activities they’re hosting, please go to: https://loveburlington.org/spotlightvt250

Presented by the Chittenden County Historical Society, Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, and City of Burlington/Love Burlington..

Supported by Vermont Humanities and Vermont 250th Anniversary.

Photo: CMG. The brainchild of former Board Member John Thomas, the CCHS Time Machine was a huge hit with young and old alike when it made its debut last year at our 60th Anniversary Celebration.

06/25/2026

OVER 30 CULTURAL & HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE THERE. WILL YOU? JOIN THE FUN AT CITY HALL PARK, JULY 11, 11 am to 3 pm. FOOD, MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT: HISTORY COMES ALIVE!

For a list of participating organizations and the activities they'll be sharing, please go to: https://loveburlington.org/spotlightvt250

We'll be highlightING groups and activities over the next few weeks.

This event is co-sponsored City of Burlington and Ethan Allen Homestead Museum.

FREE. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. GAMES & GIVEAWAYS. SOMETHING FUN FOR EVERYONE.

06/19/2026

JOIN US SATURDAY, JULY 11, 11 am- 2 pm AT CITY HALL PARK FOR SPOTLIGHT VERMONT 250, PRESENTED BY THE CITY OF BURLINGTON, ETHAN ALLEN HOMESTEAD MUSEUM & THE CHITTENDEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Celebrate 250 years of Vermont history and culture at this lively, family-friendly festival featuring 30+ museums, historical societies, and cultural organizations! Enjoy hands-on activities, artifact touch-and-learns, crafts, games, demonstrations, live music, a history photo booth, face painting, giveaways, food vendors, and a splash pad for kids.

12:45pm: Short remarks about the 250th anniversary by Dr. Alexandra Garett, the official Revolutionary War Historian for Vermont's 250th (appointed by the Governor).