By Delia Russo-Savage
Place is such an incredibly complex idea that it is hard for me to even begin to describe. When I hear the word place, an array of images and words come to mind, some that overlap and some that have nothing at all to do with one another. I think of mountains, oceans, my family and my friends. Place can have so many different meanings and can be described in so many different ways. I believe that how one defines place is largely dependent on each specific place one is trying to define. Most of the places I can think of would not be the place they are if they were located in a different environment, had different history, physical landmarks or people. All of these aspects contribute to making a place what it is. Having said that, geography may be more relevant to one city and culture more relevant to another.
As mentioned before, it is hard to define place without a specific place in mind. That is why it is so important in place-based education to examine not just what place means generally but what members would describe as what place means to them in terms of their own community. I am going to focus on what place means to me in relation to my hometown: Montpelier, VT.
The two parts of place that I find most prominent and important in Montpelier are historical landmarks and cultural activities. The capitol building is in the center of Montpelier and extremely accessible to the people of the city. There are no metal detectors or cameras in the state house and people can go in and out as they please. During the session, the state house brings in thousands of people daily to the city.
Because the state house is located in the center of town there are always events or rallies happening on the state house lawn. For example, there was an event called Dairy Day. Everyone from the public school system in my town would take a field trip to the state house lawn for the day and learn how to milk cows and would take part in sack races and egg races.
In addition there are rallies that happen on the state house lawn all the time. There are rallies for sustainable fuel, gay rights etc. Not only is it important for it’s historical and political context, but it also is an important place for the community to gather. Residents of Montpelier congregate on the state house lawn every summer to watch the fireworks on July 4th, and to listen to the Montpelier City Community Band play every wednesday during the summer.
There are also many cultural activities in Montpelier that make it the place that it is. Every saturday we have a farmers market in the parking lot behind the restaurants on state street. This is a place for local farmers and artisans to sell their products. A large majority of residents in Montpelier attend the farmers market weekly. In addition we have an event called the Art Walk. This event allows for art venues all over town to open their doors for a few hours on May 1st for an evening of gallery receptions. There are events like these all throughout the year that bring the community together and serve as a means to create the place what it is.
When I think of Montpelier, the state house and these cultural activities are what come to mind. I also believe that they are what really makes Montpelier the place that it is. However, if I were to talk about another place that is extremely important to me, I might talk more about the landscape or the community members themselves. That is why, in my opinion, place is extremely subjective and how one defines place varies greatly from location to location.
Featured Image: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/563865/State-Capitol