In 1792 Rachel Harris Burton of Manchester was exhumed from her grave and partially burned as a vampire. Rachel—and the citizens of Manchester—were caught up in a vampire panic that spread through New England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a panic with two documented cases in Vermont, first in Manchester and then again more than 40 years later in Woodstock.

Through the Vermont Legends & Lore® program, our partnership with the William G. Pomeroy Foundation®, VFC supported the Manchester Historical Society with their proposal for a marker commemorating Rachel’s story. Join us and Manchester Historical Society Curator and VFC Trustee Shawn Harrington at 11am on August 6, 2022 at the entrance to Factory Point Cemetery in Manchester Center, VT as we dedicate the marker. Following the dedication Harrington will lead a short tour of Factory Point Cemetery and visit to Rachel’s final resting place.