BELLOWS FALLS-The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and Rockingham Arts & Museum Project (RAMP) present "Island: A Symposium" at the Bellows Falls Waypoint Center, 17 Depot St., on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m.
RAMP Founder Robert McBride will moderate a conversation with geologist David Howell, archeologist Gail Golec, and architect Dan Scully.
This event is a sequel of sorts to the January 2025 program "Island: A Conversation," which emerged from the exhibition "Susan Mikula: Island," on view at BMAC from October 2024 through February 2025.
The Bellows Falls Island, a 30-acre shelf of bedrock along the Connecticut River, has been defined by human manipulation for centuries. It has been a ceremonial, gathering, and burial site for Indigenous inhabitants of the region for thousands of years.
Originally a peninsula bounded on three sides by the river, it became an island in 1802 with the creation of the Bellows Falls Canal. Railroads, resort hotels, farm machinery, armament manufacturers, paper mills, and busy roadways have come and gone, while the Island continues to hold traces of its layered past.
The Bellows Falls Waypoint Center, which was designed by Scully, opened in 2003 in connection with the National Scenic Byways Program to provide visitors a window to the past and a jumping off point to explore the Connecticut River Valley. Scully will share the inspiration behind the design of the center, highlighting how the Island's unique character influenced his design of the building.
"We're excited to build on the rich dialogue that began last winter," said McBride in a news release. "Susan Mikula's photographs stimulated new interest in the history and identity of the Island. This symposium allows us to keep that conversation going with fresh perspectives from experts in geology, archaeology, and architecture."
Admission is free, but space is limited, so advance registration is required. To register, visit brattleboromuseum.org or call 802-257-0124, ext. 101.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.