Note from the Editor: Thanks to several Bricklyn Eagle readers who alerted us to this frightening recent event reported in The New York Times: the abduction and beheading of LEGO people! The following post was prepared by Bricklyn Eagle Politics & Law reporter Mark Tiler Richmond & Outland Affairs reporter Duane Sandville.
Given the disturbing nature of some of its content, we urge readers to view the article first before allowing any children access to it.
➤ The Bricklyn Border Patrol, along with the Realm’s Bureau of Outland Affairs, have also heard concerning online chatter about plans of several groups of Outlanders to unlawfully enter Bricklyn for the purpose of abducting, and possibly beheading, citizens of the Realm of Bricklyn.
Guillaume de Bricklain, Secretary of the Bricklyn Dept. of Outland Affairs. Photo by Bricklyn Eagle’s Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.
Even more alarming are indications from unnamed sources in the U.S. Department of State that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may have been be involved with planning the abduction of scores of Bricklynites, even though Bricklyn is now a part of the French Republic.
It is also unclear from our sources whether or not this operation was being planned as an authorized ICE action, or by rogue agents.
Bricklyn ‘s Department of Outland Affairs this morning lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of State, and demanded a response.
Sources in the administration of Vermont Governor Phil Scott have indicated that the State of Vermont will also be requesting a response from the State Department, as Vermont has retained extremely positive relations with the Realm of Bricklyn — relations that date back to the American Revolutionary War when many “Little Vermonters,” as Bricklynites were then called, joined Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys to take up arms against the British.
Photo of Manuel Valls from The Bricklyn Eagle archives.
Also, in a statement just issued by French Minister of the Overseas Manuel Valls, France has pledged to send an airborne regiment of the French Legion “to counter any effort of groups of people — whether acting on their own or as agents of a foreign government — to unlawfully enter the Realm of Bricklyn and threaten any of its inhabitants.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department this morning told members of the press that she could not comment on the abduction plan allegations, noting only that:
“While we are looking into the matter, it is hard to give credence to Bricklyn officials who are themselves undocumented migrants living in a small portion of the State of Vermont, which remains an integral part of the territory of the United States. Vermont public officials should take care not take potentially treasonous actions by attempting to block access of any officials or agents of the American government to any land or persons found within the so-called Tri-Partite Realm of Bricklyn, Vermont.”
The State Department spokesperson also issued a threat to the French government, warning that “we give absolutely no validity to France’s purported action of incorporating this tiny plot of land called Bricklyn into the French Republic. Despite its small size, this land remains an integral part of the United States. The French should beware of provoking us, and also look to their own sad track record as a so-called colonial power. Maybe their future should be as our 52nd state — after Canada becomes our 51st.”
For now, Bricklyn officials are urging residents to stay calm, but alert, and immediately report any concerning activity to either the Bricklyn Bureau of Outland Affairs or the Bricklyn Border Patrol. ✥
Bricklynites staying calm at The Bricklyn Tavern this evening. Photo by Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance of Chat GPT 4.o
To the Editor: I did not realize LEGO people (minifigs) could be decapitated. I read a while ago an article in your paper about Bricklyn teens engage in “dare the train” games in order to have their heads “popped off” when they are struck by a passenger train, and that you have an EMT crew prepared to pop their heads back on without much of a problem. Can you explain the difference? — Maryann B., Portland, Maine
Reply from the Editor: Yes, this can be confusing, especially since we don’t know all the details of the California incident which — as far as we know right now — involved permanently severing the head from the body by cutting through the plastic sheathing that connects the head to the body. This is a far deeper “injury” than simply popping off a head and then reconnecting it.
Another factor is the length of time that the head has been removed. Once more than 24 hours has passed there will be severe cerebral damage after the head is reconnected, even if it was simply popped off. We don’t know for certain the amount of time the heads were removed from the California minifigs. Even a highly skilled surgeon would not be able to change that outcome once a full day has passed.
In Bricklyn when a teen’s head is popped off by an oncoming Brickstar train, an emergency medical team is on the scene within just five to ten minutes, and they are on call 24/7. After the EMT’s head chief pops the head back on, only a mild headache usually results. For more on this, see our post on rail-related head pop-offs.
To the Editor: It is shocking to think that American officials would support the abduction of scores of Bricklynites by criminal gangs or (worse) by agents of the federal government. The vast majority of Bricklynites are good, hardworking, family people. Hundreds of thousands of LEGO people like them have found homes in the playrooms of countless American families in every state of the Union. Have they not also earned the right to a small piece of land (just 250 acres) of their own in Bricklyn, Vermont? We need to do everything in our power to support their safety, not threaten it. — Sylvia N., Vermont
by Gloria Vanderbrick, Bricklyn Eagle “People in the News” correspondent
“What’s the weather like today?” That’s the question asked by most Bricklynites every day. We dare say, it’s the same question most Outlanders also ask.
Bricklyn weather forecasters, however, have the unusual task of having to deal with two totally different “climate zones” — depending on which side of The Great Wall of Bricklyn you live on.
Here to explain the ins and outs of the tricky job of forecasting the weather in the Realm of Bricklyn is chief meteorologist Tiler Brickoski, who works for the Bricklyn Weather Service — and who many Bricklynites see almost every day on NewsChannel5.
Tiler Brickoski on the air with NewsChannel 5 on a snowy day in Bricklyn Jct. .All photos in this article taken by Bricklyn Eagle photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.
There’s one more reason Tiler is with us, and that’s because he’s a past Brickardy winner– but more on that after we talk about just about everyone’s favorite topic here in Bricklyn, the weather. Welcome Tiler.
Tiler Brickoski: Thanks, Gloria. Glad to be here, and I have to tell you I enjoyed your interview of fellow Brickardy winner, Merry Days. Her Bricklyn Brick Spa is my go to place whenever I need a thorough cleansing!
Weather Patterns Inside & Outside The Great Wall
Gloria Vanderbrick: Good to have you with us. Let’s start with what probably puzzles most Outlanders, and even some Bricklynites: just why are there two distinct climate zones in such a small geographic area as the Realm Bricklyn?
Tiler Brickoski: It has little to due with geography, since all of the Realm is quite similar in terms of topography. But what does make a huge difference — and why we always have to issue two sets of forecasts — is because of The Great Wall of Bricklyn. Those living in portions of Bricklyn “inside” The Great Wall are subject to completely different weather than those living “outside” The Great Wall.
Gloria Vanderbrick; We’re inserting below a photo showing the difference. Bear in mind that the photo was taken on a snowy Winter day (February 14, 2024, 1pm EST). You can see The Great Wall cutting through the middle of the yards facing each other: nice weather on the west side of The Wall, snow on the east side.
Same time, same February day: two sides of the same block in Bricklyn’s Eastside neighborhood looking west towards Bricklyn Bay. Photo by Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.
Tiler Brickoski: Yes, it’s a strange phenomenon, which can be especially disorienting in Winter when it’s almost always temperate inside The Great Wall, but cold and snowy outside the Wall — even though the Wall is only about six feet wide.
The Great Wall does not in any significant way affect the ability of Bricklynites to easily go back and forth between either side of The Wall. It can be fun to walk, in just a couple of minutes, from a snowy to a sunny day, or vice-versa. Kids of all ages enjoy that!
I should add that it can be confusing for Outlanders to understand the difference between “outside” or “inside” the Wall. But it’s actually simple:
“Outside The Great Wall” refers to those areas that cannot be seen by humans (other than in photos) since The Great Wall hides them from human sight, but leaves these parts of the Realm of Bricklyn subject to Vermont’s highly variable, seasonal weather.
Boys heading from house inside the Great Wall on a December morning to do some cross-country skiing a few blocks away in part of Bricklyn that is outside the Great Wall.
“Inside The Great Wall” refers to those parts of the Realm of Bricklyn that humans, that is to say Outlanders, can visit and see.
Those areas inside the Wall are all located in an enclave within an Outlander’s basement. As a result of this protective bubble, It never snows or rains in those parts of Bricklyn inside the Great Wall.
Photos above show two tunnels through The Great Wall, in both cases the view is from the downtown Bricklyn “inside the Wall” side. The other end of the tunnels is in Bricklyn Junction on the “outside the Wall” side. Photos by Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.
Gloria Vanderbrick: So what difference does that mean in terms of weather if you live inside or outside the Wall?
Tiler Brickoski: Well, generally speaking, weather outside The Great Wall is the same as the weather outdoors in Burlington, Vermont, while weather inside The Great Wall is the same as what it’s like inside the Outlander’s basement.
But here’s the problem: the weather inside The Great Wall — and this includes all of Bricklyn’s downtown core and part of South Bricklyn — is subject to the “whims” of that “unknown” Outlander who owns and controls the basement in which a large portion of the Realm of Bricklyn is located.📍
📍Editor’s Note: The 1981 establishment agreement between the State of Vermont and the Realm of Bricklyn formally recognized the Realm of Bricklyn’s existence as a quarter-acre enclave within the State of Vermont, The specific location, as well as the name of the homeowner who has provided the enclave cannot be disclosed without the express written consent of the homeowner. There are steep penalties for unauthorized disclosure, including banishment from Bricklyn.
Gloria Vanderbrick: Why did you says “whims,” Tiler? Isn’t the climate in those parts of Bricklyn inside The Wall generally temperate and consistent year round?
Tiler Brickoski: Maybe the word “whim” wasn’t the right word to choose — and I’m glad you included the word “generally.” Indeed most of the time temperatures in areas located inside The Wall are consistently in the 62 to 65 degree F. range. These temperatures are maintained by the Outland homeowner’s furnace and air conditioning unit as well as the fact that the basement is partially sunk into the ground.
Portions of South Bricklyn are located inside an Outlander’s basement. Various elements of the basement’s heating and cooling systems create forecasting challenges for Bricklyn meteorologists.
However, there is some variability, especially when this Outlander is on vacation and significantly lowers the temperature inside the house — perhaps to save money, perhaps to believe his action helps fight global warming. This can cause a quite noticeable drop in downtown Bricklyn’s temperature of about six to eight degrees. Bricklyn meteorologists refer to these times as the “They’re Away Days.” Again, it’s hard to forecast since we at the Bricklyn Weather Service are not privy to the Outlanders vacation schedule. That’s one weather mystery!
Gloria Vanderbrick: Tiler, are there any other aspects of the weather in those parts of Bricklyn that are inside The Wall that are, shall we say, “Outlander dependent”?
Tiler Brickoski is certified accurate by the Bricklyn Meteorological Society (BMS).
Tiler Brickoski: Yes, in fact there are. They relate to both wind speed and wind direction.
First of all, easterly winds flow out of vents near the basement ceiling.
They generate warm breezes during Winter when the Outlander’s furnace is active, and cool breezes during Summer when the Outlander’s air conditioner is running.
There’s one further complication, and that has to do with the Outlander’s portable fan.
Gloria Vanderbrick: How does that fan complicate your forecasting?
Tiler Brickoski: The fan’s unpredictable usage, location, and speed can be quite baffling to our meteorologists. Frankly, we don’t understand why the Outland homeowner periodically shifts the location of this fan, and also why he sometimes goes days without running the fan, and then days when the fan is always on.
Fan pointing northFan pointing east
Further complicating our forecasting ability, the homeowner seems to randomly change the fan’s “rotation” setting. This means that while sometimes the fan-generated wind blows steadily in just one direction, other times it moves in a broad, semi-circular constantly repeating pattern. Bricklyn meteorologists refer to these winds blowing in continuously changing directions as the “Circular Variables.”
As if all this weren’t enough, this fan also generates three different wind speeds, which are not set in any pattern we can discern. As I said, it’s baffling. We’ve asked our liaison to the Outland world to look into this and speak with the homeowner, but we’ve been told to “not rock the boat.”
Gloria Vanderbrick: I can see how all this can make forecasting difficult. I also know that you closely monitor the weather in Burlington, Vermont. Can’t Bricklyn just rely on the human meteorologists in Burlington, like the eminent Tyler Jankoski, for forecasts affecting those portions of Bricklyn outside The Great Wall? After all, the weather there should be about the same as in Burlington.
Tiler Brickoski at Bricklyn Weather Service offices in Bricklyn Jct., Vermont.
Tiler Brickoski: Yes, we could. But then six of us, including me, might be out of our jobs!
But truly, Gloria, we at the Bricklyn Weather Service have always felt it important for Bricklyn to be able to take care of its own forecasting needs. Given some of the concerns about possible changes in the relationship between Bricklyn and Vermont — the latter being part of the United States — I think being self-reliant remains a good practice.
Brickardy Advice from Brickoski
Gloria Vanderbrick: In our last few minutes I’d like to switch gears and ask you about another aspect of your life, that involving the game show Brickardy. You’ve been a past contestant and a six game winner on Brickardy. What got you interested in that show?
Part of the set of Brickardy. A much younger Tiler Brickoski is seen in the middle.
Tiler Brickoski: Like Merry Gay — and, yes, I read your interview of her — I started watching Brickardy as a kid. I even used to go over to The Excchange LIbrary and use their VPN to watch games of the Outland show it’s based on, Jeopardy.
I guess you’d call me a nerd, especially in my teens. I also preferred science to sports, which is how I got addicted to learning about weather. So delving into aspects of weather and climate led me to want to learn a lot about many other subjects, especially in the sciences. Brickardy just seemed to tie together all kinds of knowledge.
Gloria Vanderbrick: As I asked Merry Days last week, let me ask you: if you had to give one tip to someone who wants to be a Brickardy winner, what would that be?
Tiler Brickoski: I saw Merry’s advice was to make better use of the buzzer. That’s certainly a good tip. But for me what’s most important is having prepared a game strategy. This means things like selecting categories wisely, understanding how Daily Doubles work, and making smart wagers on Final Brickardy.
Gloria Vanderbrick: Tiler, thanks for taking the time to speak with us, and see you on NewChannel5.
To the Editor: Thanks for the interview of my favorite TV weather person. Tiler Brickoski is just great, and is such a smart guy. I love the segments he sometimes does on “weather mysteries.” I also wasn’t aware there are so many different factors involving wind speed and direction in Bricklyn. It is a strange sensation to walk down South Street during those “circular variable” winds when they’re continuously changing direction. — Melissa Plater Grant, Bricklyn, VT.
The day it rained frogs in South Bricklyn (June 15, 1983). Photo from The Bricklyn Eagle archives, taken with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.
To the Editor: I’m a junior at Bricklyn University, where I’m majoring in physics, with a minor in meteorology. I remember a number of years ago when I was in 4th grade, Mr. Brickoski came to our class and gave a terrific talk about strange weather events in Bricklyn’s history, like the time it actually rained frogs. Yes, it really can rain frogs! It was a lot of fun, and helped trigger my interest in meteorology.
But I also remember asking Mr. Brickoski why he was talking about the weather, instead of about meteors!He explained that the word “meteorology” comes from the Greek word “meteoron” which means “things high in the air” — and that includes the weather. — Moses B. Strong, South Bricklyn, VT.
To the Editor: I think that you could have edited the interview better. At times it was hard to follow. My guess is that most Outland readers will be lost with all the” inside the wall” and “outside the wall” references. They cloud up the article. You should tell your readers to at least read the glossary entry about the Great Wall first, or read where Bricklyn’s chief historian gives a good summary of the Great Wall’s history. Editor Walt Brickman, you could have done better! — Wayne S., Vermont
Note from Editor Walt Brickman: for today’s edition of The Bricklyn Eagle we’ve invited the Chief Historian of the Realm of Bricklyn, Winifred Tiler Jackson, to share her understanding of one of the most important buildings in Bricklyn, the Longhouse.
Outland readers who travel to Bricklyn should understand that they cannot visit the Longhouse, as it is located in that portion of the Realm that lies outside the Great Wall of Bricklyn, an area that remains off-limits to Outland visitors. Nevertheless, we hope Jackson’s insights, and the accompanying images, will give you at least some understanding of this special structure.
The Bricklyn Longhouse: Its Design, Uses, and Historical Significance by Winifred Tiler Jackson Chief Historian of the Realm of Bricklyn and teacher of history at Bricklyn Hight School
Winifred Tiler Jackson, Chief Historian of the Realm of Brickly, in her classroom at Bricklyn High School. Credit: The Bricklyn Eagle’s Ann Tiler Anderson, with help from Dall E-3 AI.
In an earlier article published in The Bricklyn Eagle, “Understanding the Great Wall of Bricklyn,”I touched on some of the history of the LEGO peoples who lived where the city of Bricklyn now stands.
Quite a few of today’s Bricklynites are descendants of those late 18th century pioneers, who were called the “Little Vermonters” — a name long since supplanted by the appellation “Bricklynites” (just as the location first known as Little Vermont was, in 1812, renamed Bricklyn).
➤ As is the practice of most contemporary Bricklyn historians, we shall refer to the “Little Vermonters” here as “early Bricklynites,” as these people were never legally considered Vermonters either during the days of the Vermont Republic or after Vermont was admitted as a State in 1791 — this despite the heroic service of many of them with Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys during the Revolutionary War.
Visualization of Colonial-era early Bricklynites alongside a section of The Great Wall of Bricklyn. Prepared by Dall E-3 AI. based on informational prompts from Bricklyn Chief Historian W.T. Jackson.
The original Bricklyn Longhouse was built in 1772 and — quite unfortunately — demolished in 1897.
The only sketch of this longhouse known to remain (and held in the Bricklyn archives) is shown on the right.
This longhouse bore a resemblance in shape to Iroquois / Haudenosaunee📍 longhouses with their curved, barrel shaped roofs. The current Bricklyn Longhouse, built in 1987, has a style which departs from this, in part as it includes a second floor.
📍 What many still refer to as the Iroquois Confederacy is more often now called by its native name, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which will be used in this article. The Haudenosaunee call themselves, “The People of the Longhouse” or “the people who are building the longhouse.”
A Bricklyn Federal Council meeting being held in the Bricklyn High School auditorium, for many years the location for Federal Council meetings. Photo from Bricklyn Eagle archives dated October 5, 1963; with assistance from GPT-4o AI.
As Bricklyn grew in size, it outgrew its longhouse. In 1895, the Annual Town Meeting was shifted to the auditorium of the newly built Bricklyn High School.
As can be seen from this photo, the auditorium is a rather drab space without much character, and with no historical connection to longhouses.
It was not until some ninety years later — following a surge in LEGO migrants from Denmark — that plans were set in motion to build a new public meeting space. More on the resulting “1987 Bricklyn Longhouse” shortly.
➤ So readers are clear, from this point on when I refer to the “Bricklyn Longhouse,” I will be referring to the Longhouse, built in 1987, and in use today.
Why Bricklyn Uses a Longhouse for Public Meetings
One of the cherished traditions followed by early Bricklynites was the use of a longhouse for many of their public meetings. This practice was revived with the opening of Bricklyn’s new longhouse in 1987. Today’s Bricklyn Longhouse has served as a good fit for public meetings, as well as for other functions.
Allow me to make three observations:
First, the Bricklyn Longhouse harkens back to longhouses found in rural Denmark, the place from which many early Bricklynites emigrated. While research indicates that these Viking-era longhouses were typically used for housing, they often included livestock stables; a workspace for weaving; and storage of tools and foodstuffs. Some also served as a social and meeting place for feasts and community decisions. These longhouses remained an important historical and cultural memory for quite a few Bricklynites.
Photo of the 1987 Bricklyn Longhouse by The Bricklyn Eagle’s Ann Tiler Anderson, with help of GPT-4o AI.
Above: the warm glow of the Bricklyn Longhouse on a Winter night invites people to attend the public meeting inside. More about the importance of the Longhouse’s scenic location later in this article.
Second, the Bricklyn Longhouse honors the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Confederacy was well known to early Bricklynites, especially merchants, as it covered a wide swath of central New York State into southern Ontario. Made up of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations, the Confederacy (as noted on the Haudenosaunee website) remains to this day “one of the first and longest lasting participatory democracies in the world.”
The design of the Bricklyn Longhouse draws on several features of meetings of the Haudenosaunee Grand Council. More on this in the next section of this article.
Third, the annual meetings of the Realm of Bricklyn held in the Bricklyn Longhouse largely follow the format of New England town meetings.
New England town meetings typically occur annually, with a moderator and members of the Board of Selectmen (the governing body) present, along with the entire community. Decision-making at town meetings is placed in the hands of town residents 18 years and older. The community, at the town meeting, elects both the meeting’s moderator and the members of the town Board of Selectmen; adopts the annual budget; and can act on a range of other matters. These town meeting practices have also been followed in Bricklyn.
The Uses & Design of the Bricklyn Longhouse
Moshi Saftbrick working on his recent “donut tower” project. Credit Office of Moshi Saftbrick, with help from Dall E-3 AI.
The Bricklyn Longhouse, planned by the then young Bricklyn architect Moshi Saftbrick, opened in 1987.
While the Longhouse is the site of the annual Meeting of the Realm, it also hosts quarterly meetings of the Bricklyn Federal Council, as well as monthly meetings of the Bricklyn Planning Commission.
But quite importantly, the Longhouse is also used almost daily for a wide assortment of events, making it a true community hub. These range from hosting meetings of civic organizations such as the Legotary, to Friday night hoedowns, to drawing classes, and much more. In this way, the Bricklyn Longhouse has become a vital part of community life.
Kids at play, building a LEGO longhouse on the second floor of the Bricklyn longhouse. Photo by Ann Tiler Anderson, with help from GPT-4o AI.
A highly appreciated section of the Bricklyn Longhouse is its second floor playroom, often used by children while parents are attending a meeting on the ground floor of the Longhouse.
Another key feature of the Longhouse is the central fire that remains lit during all Federal Council meetings held there.
According to Saftbrick, this design feature has its roots in the central fire at Haudenosaunee Grand Council meetings: “The [Confederacy] meetings were held around the eternal fire of the Confederacy, which the Onondaga nation was tasked with maintaining. … The enduring flame of the Council fire to this day represents the unbroken spirit and resilience of the Haudenosaunee people.” Moshi Saftbrick, On Designing a Contemporary Public Meeting Space for the Realm of Bricklyn (Bricklyn University Press, 1991), 134. See also William Fenton, The Great Law and the Longhouse: A Political History of the Iroquois Confederacy (University of Oklahoma Press, 1998), 102.
A quarterly meeting of the Realm of Bricklyn Federal Council in the longhouse. Note the central fire / eternal flame; the use of a horseshoe shaped table; the provision of donuts and coffee; and the use of ceremonial Viking-style headwear. Explanations of the purpose for each are described below. Photo by Bricklyn Eagle photographer Ann Tiler Anderson, with help of GPT-4o AI.
➤ As a side note, there is a second eternal light in Bricklyn, the “Ner Tamid” (“eternal light” in Hebrew) found in the main sanctuary of Temple Beth-Shalom in front of the Holy Ark. As Rabbi Rachel B. Weinstein explains, “this light symbolizes God’s eternal presence, and is thus never extinguished.”
“Another meeting room detail that is too often given little thought,” says architect Saftbrick, “is the design and placement of the table council or board members are seated at.” Saftbrick, On Designing, 133. On this point, public involvement expert Elaine Cogan, decried the common practice of board members being seated on a raised dais “high above and yards away from anyone who might want to approach them.” See “Welcoming the Public,” in Planning Commissioners Journal #6 (September/October 1992); Saftbrick, On Designing, 135.
The horseshoe shaped tablebuilt for the Bricklyn Longhouse also relates to the Haudenosaunee practice of having chiefs of the nations comprising the Confederacy face each other, sometimes across the fire, instead of being seated in a row. See Fenton, The Great Law, 212. As Saftbrick observed “using a horseshoe shaped table also makes face-to-face conversations much easier to have.” On Designing, 136.
Donuts & coffee are provided just outside the longhouse’s main meeting room. Photo by Ann Tiler Anderson, with help from Dall E-3 AI.
When public meetings are held In the Longhouse, donuts and coffee are also available, not just to those at the table, but to all members of the public.
As Elaine Cogan noted, the provision of light refreshments can boost attendance at public meetings and provide for a more relaxed environment. See “Enticements Needed to Woo the Public,” in Planning Commissioners Journal #63, Summer 2006.
As can be seen the Bricklyn adaptation of this helmet is not as detailed as the Veksø helmet. Illustration above prepared with assistance of GPT-4o AI.
In the Bricklyn Longhouse meeting room photo (scroll back up the page), you can also see that elected officials, when meeting in the Longhouse, don ceremonial Viking-style helmets, loosely modeled after the ancient Veksø helmets unearthed in Denmark. Their use gives another point of connection to the Danish origins of many Bricklynites.
Interestingly, Haudenosaunee chiefs wore deer antlers during Council meetings. “Symbolic antlers of office marked the chiefs … . Chiefs are crowned with antlers, they are dehorned for misconduct.” Fenton, The Great Law, 102.
Also important to the success of the Bricklyn Longhouse is its scenic location in Westside Park, bordering beautiful Lake of the Pines. See photo earlier in this article.
“A building is diminished,” said Longhouse architect Saftbrick,” if it is not located in a compatible environment … the design team received public feedback that many wanted the new structure to be in an area close to nature; a place with a calming spirit.” Saftbrick, On Designing, 33.
In reviewing potential locations, it quickly became apparent that a wooded site in Westside Park by Lake of the Pines would be ideal. What’s more, the site was close to Bricklyn’s bike and pedestrian pathway and to public transit.” Saftbrick, On Designing, 34-36.
Schematic rendering of the 1987 Bricklyn Longhouse. The Longhouse at LEGO scale is 60 in. long x 7 in. wide (converting to human scale, that would be 180 ft. long x 20 ft. wide). Credit: Office of Moshi Saftbrick; with help from GPT-4o AI.
The design of the Bricklyn Longhouse drew inspiration from Haudenosaunee and Danish sources:
“It is important,” Saftbrick wrote, “to honor our past in our design of public meeting spaces, while meeting current and future needs of the community. This does not mean slavishly copying past designs, but instead, designing new public buildings that provide a sense of continuity married to a vision for the future.” Saftbrick, On Designing, 137.
This point is echoed by the authors of A Pattern Language — Towns, Buildings, Construction, who note that: “People cannot maintain their spiritual roots and their connections to the past if the physical world they live in does not also sustain these roots.” Christopher Alexander et al., A Pattern Language. (Oxford University Press, 1997),132.
To the Editor: Bravo to Ms. Jackson for her account of longhouses, in particular the 1987 Bricklyn Longhouse. It was fascinating to read how young Moshi Saftbrick came up with the design. I’ve been to many functions at the Longhouse, and it really has a warmth and character rarely found in contemporary buildings. — Alan Freebrick, South Bricklyn, VT
To the Editor: I had Ms. Jackson as my 9th grade history teacher a few years ago. She’s great at explaining things, and got me interested in learning more about the Outland world. I’ve also been to some events at the Longhouse, I especially like the poetry readings they hold there every month. Nice to listen to poems with friends, with the fire blazing away in the front of the main room. — Alice Plater Sorenson, Bricklyn, VT
To the Editor: My Mom said it was OK for me to write to you, and she’s checking what I wrote before I send this to you. I think it’s me in the picture you have of kids playing in the upstairs part of the Longhouse. I like being there with friends. Hope you like the Longhouse LEGO model we were building. It came out just right, and we now have it on display in the Red Brick School. I’m in fourth grad there. — Nellie B. Thompson, Bricklyn Jct., VT.
Reply from the Editor: Thank you so much for your letter Nellie. For readers who might be interested, Nellie is the girl with blonde hair in the photo we published (with permission of all the children’s parents).
To the Editor: While I like the Longhouse, I do question your putting such a positive light on architect Moshi Saftbrick, given his proposal last year for the design of a skyscraper topped with a donut-shaped revolving restaurant, which would have required tearing down an historic building in the heart of downtown Bricklyn Junction. So much for Mr. Saftbrick’s remarks about the value of “historic continuity.” Fortunately the donut skyscraper project was rejected by the Federal Council. Wish Mr. Saftbrick had stuck to designing longhouses, instead of becoming a “starchitect”! — Larry B. Larsen, Bricklyn, VT.
