The Underground Railroad In Vermont

VPR

Vermont Edition Host Jane Lindholm

Vermont's abolitionist history is strong, and every town has its stories of secret rooms where, it's believed, Vermonters hid fugitive slaves, helping them on their way to freedom. But historical documents from the mid-1800s suggest a different reality - where the Underground Railroad was not an organized movement, and escaped slaves didn't actually have to be hidden away.

We explore the lore and the reality of the Underground Railroad in Vermont with Ray Zirblis, an architectural historian who researched and wrote The Vermont Underground Railroad Survey Report, and Beth Kanell, the author of the new young adult novel, "The Secret Room."

Also on the program, the cost of home heating oil is currently about a dollar higher per gallon than it was this time last year. Matt Cota, the executive director of the Vermont Fuel Dealer's Association, joins us to discuss trends in fuel prices and what consumers can do. And we talk to Hal Cohen, the executive director of the Central Vermont Community Action Council, about concerns about cuts in LIHEAP funding, and how high oil prices are impacting low income Vermonters.