The Dorset Historical Society’s Third-Thursday Lunch-Lecture on February 15th will feature Hilary Solomon, Director of the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District.
Hilary will discuss fish passage as it relates to a series of historic dams and road crossings in Dorset Hollow. As settlers converged in the beautiful valley and started building farms, mills, and later, rural subdivisions, they utilized and/or crossed the river for their livelihoods or simply to access lands on the other side of the valley. As they did so, the resulting bridges, culverts, and dams limited the way fish and other aquatic organisms could access the headwaters of the Mettowee River. Between 2016 and 2023, the Poultney Mettowee NRCD along with many partners and landowners worked together to remove these barriers to fish passage. This talk will focus on the historic aspects of several of the dams removed, how sections were preserved for future generations of historians, and will discuss the ways that local and state partners implement fish passage projects in concert with historical preservation goals.
DHS’s TTLLs begin at noon and last about an hour. Attendees are invited to bring some lunch; desserts and drinks will be provided. The event is free, open to all and handicapped accessible. The Dorset Historical Society’s Bley House Museum is located on Route 30 at Kent Hill Road. For more information, see https://dorsetvthistory.org or call (802) 867-0331.
