Minor library receives grant for lecture series

ROXBURY — The Minor Memorial Library recently received a grant from Connecticut Humanities for its spring lecture series: “Land and Culture: A Deep Look at the History of Land Use”. A collaborative program with the Roxbury Conservation Commission and the Roxbury Land Trust, the series of four lectures and a site visit will explore different aspects of our local geology, geography, and the different ways people have used the land for food, shelter, and in the pursuit of wealth. From an exploration of the geology that sets the stage for the kinds of activities that are possible in our area, through Native American land practices and cultural values, to the rise and fall of water powered industry in the Litchfield Hills, these programs will help attendees understand the intersection of culture and land. In addition, the grant will provide for the purchase of books that further address these issues.

Speakers are Dr. Robert Thorson, Professor of Geology UConn, Dr. Lucianne Lavin, Director of Research, Institute for American Indian Studies, Peter Vermilyea, Adjunct Professor, Western Connecticut State University, and Kyle Turoczi, soil scientist and wetlands ecologist and owner of Earthtones Native Plant Nursery. The programs will take place at the Minor Library on Thursday evenings in February and March, with a field walk in early April on a Roxbury Land Trust property that will help attendees “read” the local landscape and understand the kinds of activities that have taken place through the clues left behind.

Call the library at 860-350-2181 or visit the website at www.minormemoriallibrary.org for information and directions.