Here on Caspian Lake, many of us may have considered building a canoe, kayak, or other small boat, or actually built one. GFL is excited to host researcher and boat builder Douglas Brooks for a slideshow and talk about Vermont's small boatbuilding traditions next Wednesday, August 9 at 5:00pm. Brooks specializes in the construction of traditional wooden boats for museums and private clients. He studied with nine boatbuilders from across Japan between1996-2019, and is currently working with the Henry Sheldon Museum of History on a comprehensive survey of historic boats and boatbuilding in the Lake Champlain Basin. He teaches classes in boatbuilding and regularly publishes articles on his research, and is the author of five books, including Japanese Wooden Boatbuilding, the first comprehensive survey of the craft.
Brooks found that while the stories of Vermont naval history and commercial shipping have been well documented by generations of historians, the traditions of small boat building in our state have remained untold. Vermonters have traditionally built their own boats, whether for pleasure or commercial use. The historical record illuminating this subject resides today mostly in family stories and photo collections. In his slide presentation, Brooks will share his research on these traditions and his work in recreating some of these historic vessels. This event is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council and the Greensboro Association, and is free and open to everyone. We have moved the location to the Church's Fellowship Hall for ease of parking and access. Overflow parking will be available at the Willey Beach Park lot, at the library, and at the town parking lot across from Willey's. For more information, contact us at the library.
Greensboro Free Library
802-533-2531
greensborofree@gmail.com
2023 SUMMER HOURS: MONDAY 10-4, TUESDAY 10-7, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY & FRIDAY 10-4, SATURDAY 10:00-2:00, SUNDAY 11:30-1:30.