As the 20th century ends, it's hard to imagine that Vermont was once one of the most impoverished states in the nation. Using archival footage and interviews with people who lived through much of it, this film explores these and other topics, following the growth of Vermont from a rural state of small farms and villages to the Vermont of today. Among the highlights are the flood of 1927, the building of the Interstates, the growth of tourism and the increasing political rights and power of women. Rupert Blair of Warren, and Katherine DuClos and Wallace and Sybil Illsley from Braintree recall farm life. Bridge builder Achilles Bellucci from Barre; retired bus driver Ken Bessette from Williston; former legislators Graham Newell from St. Johnsbury and Franklin Billings from Woodstock; and former governors Phil Hoff and Madeleine Kunin offer their memories.
