Brave Little State

For about a century, a farm operated on a hillside in Hardwick. At one point, it was said to have one of the finest herds of cows in town. But life for those working the farm was less rosy. They were known as “inmates” — though they hadn’t committed crimes. This was Hardwick’s “poor farm.” Vermont towns used to be required by law to provide welfare locally. That’s where poor farms came in. A liste...

Hours and hours of calls. Months-long waitlists. Vermonters are spending a lot of time looking for primary care providers — and those providers are struggling, too. Question-asker Jen Kaufman is a doctor practicing in Vergennes who got into primary care because she likes spending time with patients. But she’s cut back on her hours seeing patients to manage her workload. She wants to know: What is...

Chittenden County has been using buses to move people around for almost a century. But with ridership down and the bus system heading toward a fiscal cliff, one listener wants to know — is there a better way? In the not-too-distant past, Burlington and its surrounding towns dreamt big transit dreams: more efficient buses, commuter trains and light rail. In 2024, those dreams remain unrealized or a...

There’s a tooth embedded in a retaining wall alongside East State Street in Montpelier. Who put it there? This question has been keeping Brave Little State producer Burgess Brown up at night. He and question-asker Elvira Dana channeled their best Holmes and Watson to crack this cold canine case right open. And they enlisted the entire town of Montpelier for help along the way.  Find the web versio...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Vermont’s messy transition from winter to spring always brings its fair share of surprises and obstacles. And this year has been no exception: The mud came early, and it came often. Keith Gadapee is on the front lines of battling mud season as road foreman for the town of Danville — which has more dirt roads than anywhere else in Vermont. We spoke to Keith...

If you live in a rural part of Vermont, you know it — the one-finger lift or full-hand gesture from the steering wheel. Everyone has their own take on the so-called “Vermont wave.” Who gets a whole-hand wave and who doesn’t? When exactly do you do it and what does it mean? Reporter Nina Keck set out with question-asker Mica Tucker to learn the unwritten rules of the road and find out: “What’s up w...

Two Abenaki First Nations headquartered in Canada contest the legitimacy of Vermont’s state-recognized tribes. How are Vermont lawmakers responding? Last October, Brave Little State published “Recognized”: a three-part investigation into contested claims that Vermont’s four state-recognized tribes are not legitimate. The Abenaki First Nations making those claims have called on Vermont lawmakers to...

This week, a story from our neighbors at North Country Public Radio. If All Else Fails is a recent podcast about the growing presence — and threat — of far-right extremism in northern New York, and the voters and local law enforcement that are engaging with the movement there. You can learn more about the series here . That’s also where you can find photos from NCPR’s reporting, and listen to the...

The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, better known as VAST, maintains more than 6,000 miles of snowmobile trails across the state. Today, snowmobiling is one of the top contributors to Vermont’s winter economy. But for a sport so dependent on reliable snow, the future is uncertain. The majority of VAST trails are on private land. One of those landowners is winning question-asker Barb Huibregt...

A smattering of Vermont and New Hampshire towns on either side of the Connecticut River are known collectively as the “Upper Valley.” We set out to learn more about the origin of that phrase, and what makes the Upper Valley a geographic and cultural outlier. Our mission comes from question-asker David Watts, of Norwich: “What is the Upper Valley? And how did it get its name?” Find the web version...

Vermont is home to almost 200 independent and locally funded libraries. This means they each must evolve to meet the unique needs of their communities with sometimes limited resources. That got listener Diane Church of Fairlee wondering: “How do our public libraries manage to stay alive and vibrant in this age of technology?” Vermont Public’s Sabine Poux and Andrea Laurion visit two of Vermont’s l...

Burlington has sister cities all over the world — including in Nicaragua, Mississippi and Japan. Winning question-asker Peg Clement is curious about the city's relationship with two, in particular: Bethlehem, in the West Bank, and Arad, in Israel. Find the web version of this episode here . The Burlington-Bethlehem-Arad sister city committee holds public meetings on the first Monday of every month...

We journey into the weird world of Vermont's favorite jam band to explore the culture of "phandom” and Phish’s early roots in our brave little state. We originally released this episode in 2021. In it, Ethan Weinstein of South Woodstock asks: “Why do people like Phish? And how did they become such a big part of Vermont music culture?” (Heads up: There’s a bit of profanity in this episode, and some...

Volunteers were still pumping water out of basements from the July floods when another round of flooding hit this week. Vermonters on the front lines say the frequency of these events point to the need for more durable solutions. On this episode of Brave Little State, a question from Sophi Veltrop, of Woodbury: "How are towns hit by 2023 flooding doing? What locally-driven solutions are helping th...

Vermont’s pastoral, small town charm didn’t just happen out of thin air. It’s been legislated. And it’s especially baked into one really important Vermont law — Act 250. But as Vermont changes, there’s an increasing push for Act 250 to change with it. That’s why Danielle Laberge of Wells submitted this winning question to Brave Little State : “What's the deal with Act 250, Vermont's signature land...

In recent years, Winooski, Montpelier and Burlington made it possible for all legal residents to vote — including asylum seekers, refugees and green card holders like our winning question-asker, Charlotte Blend. Charlotte has been excited to vote on local issues and she’s curious about the impact of the rule changes in the towns where it’s now legal. Reporter Mikaela Lefrak talks to new Vermont vo...

We met Sweeney Grabin at a Brave Little State mixer last year, right after she moved to South Burlington with her husband and her baby, Maya. She wants to know how other parents with biracial kids are maintaining their heritage in one of the country’s whitest states. Myra Flynn turns to old friends and her own experiences to answer Sweeney’s question. You can find a full transcript of this episode...

Who gets to decide who is Abenaki? Vermont’s four state-recognized tribes — and the state recognition law — have different definitions and criteria for what it means to be Indigenous than many Indigenous Nations. In this episode, we look at this disconnect, and lay out what’s at stake, including power, money and authority. This is Chapter Three of “Recognized,” a special series from Brave Little S...

After the original group of self-proclaimed Vermont Abenaki failed to gain federal recognition, Vermont lawmakers created a state recognition process of their own. One theory in particular informed the state’s consideration: that Abenaki peoples hid in Vermont to avoid persecution, including statewide eugenics policies. In this episode, we look at recent evidence, as well as older reports, that ca...

Two Abenaki First Nations in Canada contest the legitimacy of the four groups recognized by the state of Vermont as Abenaki tribes. This is a dispute that goes back at least two decades, and has gained more prominence in recent years. In this episode, we trace Abenaki history up to 2003, when Odanak First Nation first denounced Vermont groups claiming to be Abenaki. This is Chapter One of “Recogni...

The smash hit Netflix series Wednesday takes place in Jericho … and was filmed in Romania. Megan Matthers of Sutton wants to know — why? Mae Nagusky learns about the barriers keeping Hollywood from setting up shop here, and why things used to be different. Check out the web version of this story here . This episode was reported and produced by Mae Nagusky. Editing and additional production from Jo...

Wesley Davis grew up in the woods of Mount Holly. But there was always one place where he could get high above the trees: the fire tower on top of nearby Ludlow Mountain, at Okemo. He’s been curious to learn more about the history of these remote towers scattered across Vermont peaks ever since. Reporter Sabine Poux searches for answers in the early 1900s, when timberland owners and railroads rule...

During the pandemic, Daniel Luttrel heard a lot about how Vermont was renting rooms at hotels and motels to shelter people. And he heard that the state was using a lot of money to do it. So, he asked: “Can’t we just buy them?” Reporter Liam Elder-Connors digs into Vermont’s motel housing program, and learns that Daniel’s question has been asked by everyone from housing advocates to those in charge...

Every summer, we delve into the history behind unusual road names around the state — as voted on by you. This year’s show took us to Tigertown Road in Norwich, Hateful Hill Road in Wallingford and Gerts Knob Road in Underhill. Thanks to this year’s question-askers: Claudia Marieb, Sarah Aubry and Judy Raineault. You can find photos from our reporting at the web version of this episode . Check out...

Instead of taking on one of your questions about Vermont, we’re taking on three — in a kind of local history lightning round. We explore those crooked windows you see on Vermont farmhouses, Vermont’s defunct gold mines and the history of Burlington’s Church Street. This episode was originally released in 2017. To see photos from our reporting, check out the web version of the episode here . This e...