Ethan Allen Homestead Enrichment Program: Vermont Milk Chocolate Co. Factory: Hopes, Setbacks, and Perserverance

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From Ethan Allen Homestead:

Although plans for a huge new milk chocolate factory sparked keen interest in the Burlington community in 1917, few could have anticipated the remarkable story of hopes, setbacks, and perseverance that soon unfolded in Vermont's largest city. This richly illustrated lecture explores the physical and historical evidence associated with the curious social history of one of Burlington's most fascinating industrial heritage sites.

For over four decades, Professor Thomas Durant Visser of the University of Vermont History Department has been researching the history of Burlington, Vermont. In addition to nominating many historic properties and districts in the city to the National Register of Historic Places, he has guided students in his UVM historic preservation courses on a series of class research projects posted online as the Historic Burlington Project.

As an active member of the community, Tom Visser has served the City of Burlington as chair of the Design Review Board, chair of the Design Advisory Committee, and chair of the Historic Preservation Review Committee. He also served the State of Vermont by gubernatorial appointment as a District Environmental Commission member. He was a co-founder and board member of Preservation Burlington.

As a scholar, Professor Visser is the author of the award-winning book, Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings. His most recently published book, Porches of North America, examines the social history of this liminal architectural feature in the United States and Canada.

For more information: ethanallenhomestead.org

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