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AUTHOR JOSEPH CITRO TO SHARE THE AREA’S FOLKLORE AT PUBLIC TALK JAN. 29

MARLBORO, VERMONT – Joe Citro, Vermont author and speaker, wasn’t there when spiritual mediums were spinning their magic and lore in Vermont in the early 1900s, but to listen to him talk about tales of old, one would think he was. Citro will fascinate the community with tales and lore of the past at a talk set for Thursday, Jan. 29 titled "American Spiritualism in Vermont."

Citro has written about odd and mysterious Vermont folklore. It was ten years ago that Houghton-Mifflin published his classic Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls, and Unsolved Mysteries, now in its tenth printing. His subsequent books included Passing Strange (1996), The Vermont Ghost Guide (2000), and most recently Curious New England, which he co-authored with Diane E. Foulds. VPR listeners have been chilled and entertained with regional lore about ghosts, monsters, madmen, and the occult. His audio book, Joe Citro's Weird Vermont, was released last fall.

At his Marlboro presentation, Citro will feature pictures and stories of such famous Vermont spirit mediums as Achsa Sprague of Plymouth, Lucy Cook of Montpelier, the infamous Eddy Brothers of Chittenden, and Rutland's Solomon Jewett. Audience members may be inspired to share some of their own knowledge of the area’s folklore.

This talk is being sponsored in a collaborative effort of the Marlboro Historical Society and Marlboro College. Recently, these two groups came across their own slice of the area’s history when the college acquired the original manuscript of “E. H. Newton's 1860 History of Marlborough.”

Citro’s one-hour talk will take place at 7 pm in the Whittemore Theater of Marlboro College. Donations will be accepted. For further information, or cancellation information due to bad weather, call Marlboro College Public Relations Coordinator Erin George at 251-7644 or the society at 464-0329. This talk is open to the public.