Jason Barney Libros

Northern Vermont played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. While the larger campaigns such as the Taking of Fort Ticonderoga, the Quebec Invasion of 1775 and The Battle of Valcour Island have received appropriate historical attention, there were other vital actions in the area as well. Benedict Arnold and Benjamin Franklin spent significant time in the Champlain Valley. George Washington kept a keen eye on events in the region as raiding parties descended upon numerous Vermont communities. The isolated waters of Missisquoi Bay were as vital as any waterway in America, and the Lake Champlain islands were some of the most strategic territory in the thirteen colonies. Author and local historian Jason Barney exposes the details and explores how small towns were impacted by invading British armies from Quebec.

Tucked between the Canadian border and Lake Champlain, Franklin County was one of colonial America's earliest economic, military and cultural byways. From Native American occupation to America's early wars and bootlegging, many of the region's stories remain untold. Revolutionary War heroics in Swanton included skirmishes over Simon Metcalf's prized sawmill. Tory families settled in the border town of Highgate right after the war, mistakenly believing they were in Canada. Lake Champlain and the small rivers of the county were a key resource for the once-thriving ice harvesting industry. From the development of the first poor farms to the "Back to the Land" movement, the region has experienced fascinating social and economic change. Join local historian and author Jason Barney as he unveils the area's forgotten past.