Ethan Allen is a household name in Vermont. His youngest brother, Ira, has been largely overlooked by history — until now.
Ira Allen played an important role in the founding of Vermont as the 14th state. Born in 1751, he was a land speculator, pamphleteer, politician and revolutionary. He is the subject of a new book by J. Kevin Graffagnino of Essex. "Ira Allen: A Biography," out on Sept. 13 from the Vermont Historical Society, uncovers Allen and his prominent role in Vermont’s formative decades.
Graffagnino was the Vermont history curator at the University of Vermont Library from 1978 to 1995. He also headed the Vermont Historical Society from 2003 to 2008. He has authored and edited more than 20 books on American history and history administration.
"He is a complex human being," Graffagnino said of his subject. "You don't have to like him. You don't have to admire him. But you've got to put him in the picture."
Historian and VTDigger journalist Mark Bushnell also joined the show to discuss the oldest known burial ground in the state. The Bennington Centre Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable Vermonters, including Robert Frost, five Vermont governors, and many Revolutionary War soldiers.
The historic cemetery is adjacent to one of Vermont's oldest buildings, the Old First Church. The church reopens this weekend following extensive restoration.
Broadcast live on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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