Large, living Brattleboro Words Trail ceramic map murals, initially created to make the printed maps, add place markers each time a new story is created. The murals are currently on exhibit at 118 Elliot in Brattleboro. They were introduced to the public at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center from October 2020 to February 2021 as ‘Our Storied Landscape: Revealing the Brattleboro Words Trail’. The murals and Brattleboro Words Trail exhibition will be reimagined as a permanent exhibit on the outside, track-facing side of the new Amtrak station opening in Brattleboro Fall 2025.
Local artist Cynthia Parker-Houghton was commissioned to create a map representing, and inviting exploration of the Brattleboro Words Trail, community-created audio stories pegged to places and people significant in the region's unique history of ‘words’. The murals and maps include some original Sokoki Abenaki place names – Wantastagok is Brattleboro – as they remain an important part of our continued, shared story.
“Stations are at the heart of the communities Amtrak serves, and introducing this new artwork in Brattleboro station will further enhance our customers’ experience while adding to that local community presence.
It is a great fit for us to highlight Brattleboro's unique and rich literary history by including the beautiful, locally created Brattleboro Words Trail murals and maps as part of the design for the new Amtrak station."
Dr. David Handera
Amtrak Vice President of Stations, Facilities, Properties and Accessibility
Brattleboro Words Trail Murals at the new Amtrak Station.
"HatchSpace will work with the Words Trail team and local students to build a hand-crafted, durable exhibit honoring the rich literary identity of the area as part of a revitalized waterfront."
Tom Bodett
Founder, HatchSpace and author featured on Brattleboro Words Trail