Dr. Ray Sullivan Returns to Present “The Hill That Made Middlebury Famous — or Infamous”

 The Middlebury Historical Society is delighted to welcome back Dr. Ray Sullivan, M.D., for another captivating evening of local history and storytelling. On Wednesday, November 19, at 6:00 p.m., Dr. Sullivan will present his brand-new lecture, “The Hill That Made Middlebury Famous — or Infamous,” at the Shepardson Community Center Auditorium, 1172 Whittemore Road, Middlebury. Admission is free and open to all.

French soldiers going up Breakneck Hill

Dr. Sullivan, a retired surgeon and acclaimed historian, is no stranger to Middlebury audiences. He gained a devoted following with his previous lecture, “Rough Medicine: The Medicine and Surgery of the American Revolution,” which packed the house and left attendees inspired by tales of 18th-century courage and innovation. This time, Dr. Sullivan turns his attention to a legendary chapter in Middlebury’s own past: the story of Breakneck Hill.

Nestled just outside town, Breakneck Hill is more than a scenic landmark—it’s the site where French troops under General Rochambeau camped during their arduous journey home from Yorktown in 1782. The hill’s forbidding name speaks to its perilous slopes and the countless legends that have grown up around it. Through a lively blend of historic maps, original documents, and firsthand accounts, Dr. Sullivan will separate fact from folklore, exploring how this dramatic episode put Middlebury on the map during the closing days of the War of Independence.

What sets Dr. Sullivan apart is his unique perspective as both a surgeon and a historian. Drawing on his medical background, he paints a vivid picture of the suffering and resilience experienced by soldiers—exhaustion, wounds, and illness—as they struggled through the New England landscape. At the same time, his meticulous research uncovers how these hardships forged powerful bonds between allies, and how the memory of this brief but significant encampment became woven into the fabric of local identity.

Dr. Sullivan in period clothes

This special lecture also supports the Middlebury Historical Society’s ongoing Rochambeau Memorial Project, which will soon see a bronze monument rise at Meadowview Park in tribute to the French soldiers who shared in America’s fight for independence. Dr. Sullivan’s engaging presentations and scholarly work continue to illuminate the human stories behind these historic events, reminding us all why places like Breakneck Hill still inspire reflection and gratitude today.

Dr. Ray Sullivan served for over thirty years as a general and oncologic surgeon at Waterbury Hospital Health Center, including as chief of staff. A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Medical Advisor for the Brookfield Health Department, he is also an author, lecturer, and Revolutionary War reenactor whose passion for the past brings history to life.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience living history in your own backyard! No reservations are needed. For more information, visit www.middleburyhistoricalsociety.org or email 
or email president@middleburyhistoricalsociety.org.