This year we celebrated Alexander Lucius Twilight’s birthday with the revival of our historic Apple and Cheese Festival, an interrupted tradition that once drew crowds with tastings of Vermont farm products and flavors. Participants joined us for an afternoon of local drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), cheeses, apples, games for children and more.
You can still celebrate by watching the Newport Dispatch’s coverage of our event or tuning in to join our Executive Director, Molly Veysey, VIRTUALLY at 1:00 PM on Sunday, September 26 as she headlines the The 251 Club of Vermont’s Annual Meeting. Find more details on the meeting here.
Tune in to Watch Molly’s Talk Here
See the Newport Dispatch’s Coverage of Our Museum Event
Alexander Twilight was born on September 23, 1795 in Bradford, Vermont. When he graduated from Middlebury College in 1823, he became the first African-American to earn a bachelor’s degree in the United States. He later came to Brownington to serve as the headmaster of the Orleans County Grammar School, where he designed and built Athenian Hall (also known as the Old Stone House) to house his students. He preached at the Brownington Congregational Church and served in the Vermont Legislature, becoming the first African-American elected to a state legislature. In 2020, the state of Vermont recognized September 23 as “Alexander Twilight Day” in light of his achievements. This year, we once again gather to highlight those achievements, explore how lessons from Mr. Twilight’s life are still relevant today and celebrate with food and drink.
Click here for driving directions to us
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Schedule of Events
1:00 PM: Gates open1:30 PM: Welcome speech from Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village Board of Trustees President Carmen Jackson2:00 PM: Official address from Vermont State Representative Katherine Sims and Vermont Senator Kesha Ram2:30-5:00 PM: Apple and Cheese Festival: An afternoon of local drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), cheeses, apples, and more2:30-5:00 PM: Museum open house featuring new interpretive exhibits
The Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village is committed to preserving the safety of our community and will be taking the utmost precaution with regard to Covid19. The event will be outdoors (with the exception of the museum open house) and capacity will be limited. You are requested to wear masks as you walk about and only remove them when you are seated with your group. You are required to wear masks indoors. Hand sanitizer will also be available.
All those who have reserved a spot for 1:30-3:00 PM must arrive prior to 2:30 PM to receive guaranteed admission or your spot could be forfeited to drop-in guests. All those who have reserved a spot for 3:00-5:00 PM must arrive prior to 4:00 PM to receive guaranteed admission.
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