Multiple Funding Sources Boost Historic Preservation, Accessibility, and Hands-On Learning at Granger House
Castleton, Vt. — Three major funding sources are significantly expanding the Castleton Hidden History Project (CHHP) at Vermont State University (VTSU) Castleton, deepening its impact on K–12 education and historic preservation in the southern Lake Champlain Basin.
A new grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program will bring immersive archaeology programming to classrooms across the region; a $100,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant from the Preservation Trust of Vermont will support critical restoration work at the Granger House; and $300,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending championed by Senator Sanders is funding essential accessibility upgrades and expanded exhibition space at the site.
The CHHP began in 2022 to uncover and share stories from Castleton’s past that are often overlooked, including those of Native Americans, African Americans, and women. At the heart of the project is the Granger House, a circa 1800 home listed on the National Register of Historic Places, currently being transformed into the Granger-Moulton Museum and Learning Laboratory. Archaeological work at the site is ongoing, and the museum will feature cutting-edge 3D technologies to help preserve and present the past.
With support from NEIWPCC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Lake Champlain Basin Program grant will fund outreach to at least 15 classrooms, delivering interactive lessons on archaeology and local history. Ten classes will also participate in field trips to the Castleton site, where students will engage in excavation, screening, and artifact analysis, meet representatives of the Elnu Abenaki community, and tour the future museum.
“We’re thrilled to expand the work of the Castleton Hidden History Project into classrooms across Vermont, where students can actively engage with the past in ways that are both educational and transformative,” said Dr. Ellen Moriarty, Outreach Coordinator for the CHHP and Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, Archaeology, and Geography at VTSU Castleton. “The Granger House is a living laboratory where history comes alive, and where students have the opportunity to connect with the stories that shaped their communities.”
Thanks to the combined funding sources, the Granger House Revitalization Project is entering a pivotal phase. The Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant—supported in part by the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior—will fund structural repairs to the building’s ell, foundation, and framing. Meanwhile, the Congressionally Directed Spending will enable installation of ADA-compliant features, including a ramp, bathroom, and second-floor access, along with an expanded entryway to increase exhibition capacity. Together, these investments will ensure the site is both historically preserved and fully accessible to all visitors.
“The Granger House Revitalization Project provides hands-on training in humanities research and educational outreach for VTSU undergraduates, while offering extensive field trip and volunteer opportunities for local K–12 students,” said Matthew Moriarty, Assistant Professor of Archaeology at VTSU Castleton. “This funding allows us to begin the final, critical phases of restoration and open the museum as a celebration of local history and student research.”
Five student interns from VTSU’s Anthropology, Archaeology, and Geography programs have been selected and have begun receiving training to help deliver the programming. These students will play a key role in bringing history to life for younger learners.
“I want a future where I contribute to the academic and scientific community through archaeology, and I think this internship not only gives me an opportunity to refine my skills, but to learn new ones too,” shared Colin Kemper, a senior in the Anthropology, Archaeology, and Geography program at VTSU. “The field trips are a great opportunity for kids to become educated about Vermont’s background and culture, and I think Granger House is a great way to do that. Helping educate the youth so that they can become informed and proud Vermonters is important to not only their futures but is essential to the state’s as well.”
The Castleton Hidden History Project’s outreach program will run from September 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, bringing immersive, hands-on history education to classrooms across the region.
To learn more about the VTSU Castleton Hidden History Project, please visit: https://vermontstate.edu/community/hidden-history-project/