Castleton Hidden History Project
The Castleton Hidden History Project highlights a diverse and inclusive history of the Castleton, Vermont, area through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Ongoing historical, archaeological, and geographical investigations are designed to study the lives and times of Castleton’s residents from the end of the Ice Age to the present day, with an emphasis on the less explored histories of local Native Americans, African Americans, and women. Project results will be shared in the new Granger House Museum and Learning Laboratory that will provide engaging interactive exhibits accessible to diverse populations and serve as a learning laboratory for Castleton undergraduates and local K-12 students.
Current project investigations are focusing on Granger House, a well-preserved early 19th century home on the Castleton University campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the future site of the museum. Ongoing work is studying the home’s potential ties to the Underground Railroad, the daily lives of its occupants, and the dynamic cultural landscape that surrounded the home. This work will peak during a month-long humanities field school where undergraduate interns will participate in archaeological investigations, learn a variety of research methods, and help design the museum’s initial exhibits.
Adult volunteer opportunities and K-12 field trips to participate in archaeological excavations are available.
The Hidden History Project is funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) program. SHARP grants were funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and are designed to preserve humanities jobs and support the reopening and rebuilding of humanities programs.
About the National Endowment for the Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.
