Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut‘s Beaten Path: Recent Episodes
Mike Allen
Noted story teller and former journalist Mike Allen narrates amazing tales about people, places and events from Connecticut history. His style and enthusiasm make history relatable, interesting, fun and informative and he occasionally features special guest interviews. You certainly don‘t have to be from Connecticut to enjoy these stories -- you just need to find history interesting and to love a good story. Episodes are never more than two weeks apart, and are often available more frequently. Episode times vary -- as Mike subscribes to the adage: you should always take the time it takes to tell the story the right way. Theme music (Musical Interlewd 1, intro; Musical Interlewd 2, outro) by Christopher Cech. Podcast logo design by Ashley Cech. This podcast is a production of True North Associates, LLC.
In this, the FINAL EPISODE of the Amazing Tales podcast, we look at the very first mile of commercial railroad track in the U.S., which was laid by the B&O Railroad – the same train line that hosted the epic race between the Tom Thumb steam engine a horse-drawn train car to determine supremacy. Trains are nearing their 200th anniversary in the country and will play a big role in next year's 250th anniversary of the founding of our country.
It’s a square-mile section of land in CT – a parcel where engineering science advancements were made, military leaders trained for combat, college football was played and Dwight Eisenhower hunted. Yet, it faded into a ghost town with abandoned buildings and amazing legacies. You can visit it, but all you’ll find are some foundations and a unique stone water tower built nearly a century ago.
Being Paul Revere’s descendant is an important fact of life for Paul Revere III; however, he also looks for the humorous side of being related to his legendary ancestor. For instance, what happens after he tells someone his name is Paul Revere? Or, would his own wife be upset if he said he had to take off for a few hours to go do something rather important? Paul Revere III has a wonderful perspective on his ancestor – as well as his own role in maintaining our history.
Two plane crash incidents from more than half-a-century ago killed 150 people in New York City, including (1) when a B-52 bomber rammed the Empire State Building and (2) when TWA and United jets collided over Staten Island, scattering passenger bodies and debris there and in Brooklyn. Most amazing are the stories of the survivor from each separate incident.
Hot air balloons are subject to the wind – where the wind blows, so goes the balloon. Charles Ritchel upset that paradigm in 1878 by creating a lighter-than-air craft that could be steered. His craft was able to land exactly where it took off from. It worked - most of the time; but, when it didn’t, the pilot had to make hair-raising, in-air adjustments to survive.
Nathan Hale, Caleb Brewster, Benedict Arnold, John Andre – all part of spy rings or treasonous activities. One man, who has studied them all, retraced 200 miles of their paths during the Revolutionary War by bicycle and kayak. He recounts their historic and harrowing stories.
Do you remember Freedomland – a theme park in The Bronx, NY that was surprisingly open for only five years? It was dubbed “Disneyland of the East” because it was created by the same person who designed the original Disneyland – the first employee ever hired by Walt Disney. It turns out that Freedomland’s financial backers never intended for it to be open more than five years – and the reason will amaze you.
Did Gustave Whitehead beat the Wright Brothers as the first to fly? His supporters say he beat them by two years, but that an unfair agreement between the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Wrights’ estate unfairly stacks the deck against Whitehead. The arguments are strong on both sides, and this 125-year-old dispute shows no signs of dying down.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is the oldest continuously published periodical in the U.S. Started in the late 1700s, it’s been known for its highly accurate weather forecasts for more than 230 years as well as information of agriculture, gardening, astronomy, and home-spun wisdom. The current editor shares the basics of the weather forecasting formula.
It used to be a major holiday. It’s been largely forgotten. But it’s trying to make a comeback. It’s Evacuation Day. It’s when the British left their military headquarters in New York City for the last time after the Revolutionary War, leaving the new United States to stand on its own. On November 25, 1783, General George Washington led his troops down Broadway, but all did not go smoothly that day. The British left a final surprise.
Starting an all-sports television network took guts, money, and talent. These miraculously came together to meet a September 7, 1989 deadline for ESPN to go live. The first employee was Peter Fox – ESPN’s original Executive Producer. He has numerous, priceless, and unforgettable behind-the-scenes stories of the people and circumstances that brought us ESPN.
There’s a Colonial Era hero who many people have never heard of – John Durkee. Ten years before the Declaration of Independence, Durkee stopped the highly unpopular British Stamp Act from taking effect in Connecticut. You won’t believe how he did it, though. His actions spurred a movement that brought Jonathan Trumbull to the Governor’s office, cementing CT’s role as the only colony to officially back the Patriots during the Revolutionary War.
You can no longer find the village of Fredericksburgh, NY on any maps. It disappeared 200 years ago. And yet, for three months in 1778, George Washington and his generals developed strategic military plans there during the Revolutionary War, and the infamous Culper Spy Ring was also formally kicked off.
The creator of the Indy 500 car race, bicyclists, and an Army convoy led by Dwight Eisenhower all had a hand in pushing development of the first road to connect America’s east and west coasts. The Lincoln Highway was built nearly 50 years after the country had been connected via the transcontinental railroad. Here’s the magical story of opening up automobile traffic across a 3,000 mile landscape.
2.3 million gallons of molasses were in a 5-story high tank in Boston’s north end. On a cold winter day in 1919, the tank collapsed, sending a 30-foot-high wave of molasses throughout an entire neighborhood killing 21 and injuring 150. The disaster led to the first class-action lawsuit in U.S. history. And, the smell of molasses lingered for decades.
The famous French General Rochambeau, who helped the Patriots win the Revolutionary War, was arrested after he had helped us win our independence. This incredible story has escaped most history books. The story is also remarkable because it helped save Rochambeau’s life when he returned to France.
Could you imagine skydiving with your parachute open and then grabbing the cords to the chute, pulling a machete from your pocket, and severing all the cords, resulting in you “free falling” through the air? The aeronaut daredevil featured in this episode did this routinely 100 years ago at carnivals. The “highest flyer on earth” rode a rudimentary hot air balloon 10,000 feet in the air, and then jumped
French aristocrat Lafayette was a teenager when he came to the U.S. to help the Patriots win the Revolutionary War. He pinned Cornwallis in Yorktown until Washington and Rochambeau arrived for the final encounter. He pulled off one of the greatest escapes in military history, after being completely surrounded. He used his influence with France’s king to speed up support to the Patriot cause. He’s the only foreigner whose portrait hangs in the U.S. Capitol.
What do all of these inventions have in common: The erector set, fire sprinkler, the frisbee, the hamburger, the lollipop, intravenous chemotherapy, and the stone crusher that literally paved the way for asphalt highways? They were all invented in just one city and they all have very interesting back stories about how they came to be.
Ham radio. It's been around for 125 years, but most people know nothing about it. When disaster strikes, knocking out phones and the internet, ham radio still works. There are a million operators nationwide available to help transmit information during crises. Other times, they communicate around the globe, sometimes with Morse Code, and can even speak with astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Milton Hershey never finished 4th grade. Yet, he built such a successful business that 80 years after his death his trust is still financing a wide array of charitable enterprises, with billions in surplus. Even Hershey, PA is named after him. Hershey started in caramels, but felt they were a fad and switched to chocolate. All his accomplishments, however, were almost cut short by the Titanic disaster.
We speak with a bridge painter on the George Washington Bridge. What’s it like to maintain the historic structure, sometimes dangling 600 feet above the Hudson River. Even hearing about the “fear of heights test” he had to take will send shivers down your spine.
The 5-mile Windsor Locks Canal is only 1% the length of the Erie Canal, but its ingenious design set is above all other canals of its era. And, it allowed businessmen in one city to out-maneuver a rival canal operation.
He was the first to drive through the Lincoln Tunnel, across the lower level of George Washington Bridge, and along the New Jersey Turnpike. Those were just 3 out of hundreds of such achievements. He was called “Mr. First” and you won’t believe the legacy he left behind.
One of the more fantastic Revolutionary War stories concerns General Israel Putnam’s daredevil horseback ride down 100 steep stone steps in Greenwich while escaping British soldiers who were firing at him. But, what really happened that day?
The gigantic George Washington Bridge was one of the greatest infrastructure projects ever accomplished 100 years ago. The bridge is the busiest roadway in the U.S. It was supposed to have many things, such as elevators to an observation deck. Today, it needs to be repainted by those without a fear of heights.
It was a mammoth urban renewal project – replacing NY City’s crooked wagon paths with today’s elaborate street grid. It took nearly a century to install 12 avenues and 155 cross-streets, with all of its secret spots. And yet, nobody knows for sure who actually had the idea for the grid.
Ski jumping took hold in the U.S. 100 years ago, when Norwegians introduced the sport here. You go down a steep ramp at 50 miles an hour, jump off into the wind, fly for around 10 seconds, and land 2-3 football fields farther away. It’s not for the meek.
The election for CT Governor in the late 1800s was too close to call. The divided legislature couldn’t agree on a winner. So, the incumbent stayed on for another term. The Comptroller didn’t like that and took matters into his own hands.
Big Jim or Diamond Jim – those were names for the legendary Gilded Age robber baron Jim Fisk. He caused the gold crisis collapse after fooling President Ulysses Grant and stole millions from Cornelius Vanderbilt. A lover’s triangle, at age 37, would lead to his untimely end
Captain Andrew Upson wrote up to 2-letters-a-day from the front lines of the Civil War to his wife and children. The 200+ letters, a rare collection that still exists, paint a vivid picture of life in the war, including as a captive.
Michael Ross was the last person executed in CT. He raped and murdered 8 women. His doctors said he was mentally ill and shouldn’t have been executed. A journalist got to know him well for his final 10 years and shares her insights.
The Cheney brothers invented a process for mastering nature’s magical creation of silk, driving their business to the #1 position globally. They made the parachutes used on D-Day. They also introduced corporate paternalism, providing employees with housing, schools, and more.
Three families, from the same town. Did they start the American Revolution? John Hancock and his friends (the Adams and Quincy’s) fanned the flames. Hancock, meanwhile, married childhood sweetheart Dolly Quincy, after a love triangle involving Aaron Burr
He could have abandoned ship, just like everyone else. After all, the sub sank in just one minute. Everyone was scrambling. But he didn’t. A fellow submariner was still onboard.
Many people see the large white cross as they drive by, shining atop a hill overlooking the downtown. But not everyone has checked out what's hiding behind it. It's an unusual and unique complex that once drew tens of thousands a year to see it.
Where was the first Christmas tree? Proof is hard to come by. It seems that Windsor Locks, CT is among the very first – at least in legend; a stone monument lays claim to the first decorated tree in 1777. Researching this case turned up other very interesting side stories: German prisoners-of-war, Native American attacks, and even the Wizard of Oz.
Watkins Glen; world’s largest concert. 600,000 attendees. Six teenagers broadcast with an illegal pirate radio station they brought to the site, interviewing the Grateful Dead, broadcasting traffic and weather reports, and playing records. Attendees loved it. One of the broadcasters tells the crazy story.
Access to knowledge for the masses. For many years in the United States, you had to pay a membership fee to a subscription library if you wanted access to books and information. That all changed in the early 1800s when the first publicly funded library opened in CT.
The end of the world was supposed to be on a Wednesday in November of 1873. One hundred religious believers gathered on an island in a New England river to ascend into heaven, even climbing trees to be among the first to rise up.
Ground zero. 9-11. World Trade Center. John Maher was one of the first TV cameramen inside the buildings, while they were still burning. He shares his surreal memories and experience.
It's an ancient European tradition. Hiking a town’s boundaries still occurs in three CT towns (Madison, Guilford, and Durham). They carve a ceremonial stone and place it where the towns meet.
Nellie Green was a famous rum runner and bootlegger during Prohibition. She was also an accomplished boxer and opera singer. She survived the 13 years when alcohol was illegal, keeping her patrons well supplied with alcohol - as well as supplying many downstream customers throughout the state.
PT Barnum – the world’s greatest showman. Not only did he entertain millions with his American Museum and famous circus, but he was a major benefactor to his adopted hometown of Bridgeport - establishing the first hospital, bank, ferry service across Long Island Sound, and even a beautiful cemetery.
Skydiving became a popular sport in the U.S. in the 1950s. The first commercial jumping operation, at a rural grass landing strip, catered to college students with nerves of steel. Early skydivers completed breathtaking stunts, like a surprise landing in Manhattan's Central Park.
This stunningly gorgeous island instills hope and virtue in all who visit. A highly successful 12-step alcohol avoidance program is based there. It hosts spiritual retreats and offers majestic beauty and serene calm. You'll also find internationally renowned dahlia gardens and a highly unusual religious relic – an 800-year-old mummified arm..
Vermont was formed by Connecticut. Ethan Allen, from Litchfield, CT, created the infamous Green Mountain Boys, a militia that fought for land rights and independence for people living in the wilderness that would later become Vermont. Connecticut's Seth Warner later led the Green Mountain Boys to significant military wins during the Revolutionary War.
This lost village hosted 100 inhabitants in the 1700s and 1800s in an exceptionally remote area of New England. Called the Barkhamsted Lighthouse Village, it was founded by a man and woman who lived an almost Romeo and Juliet love story. Archeologists accidentally found it and have pieced together the unusual back story.
During the War of 1812, the British Navy blockaded Long Island Sound. Just before the British sailed to Washington to burn the White House, they stopped for what was supposed to be a cannon bombardment of a tiny village. The village defenders were outnumbered 1,300 to 30, but they won The Battle of Stonington.
Residents of rural Roxbury, CT take it in stride when celebrities live among them. They left alone famous playwright Arthur Miller and his wife Marilyn Monroe. The media did not. During a wild chase, on the day of their engagement, a New York Times reporter was killed in a crash on Roxbury's rural back roads trying to snap their picture.
General Israel Putnam is the man credited with saying, "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes," at the Battle of Bunker Hill. His military achievements, as George Washington's "go to fixer," are legendary. Among his ideas: stretching a chain under the surface of the Hudson River to keep British ships from sailing up to West Point.
The Associated Press carries more news stories each day then any other service. Most media organizations belong to the nonpartisan outlet. Moses Yale Beach created the AP during the Mexican American War, looking for a way for his New York Sun newspaper to beat his competitors and get the news to readers more quickly.
It ranks as among the deadliest train crashes in Connecticut history. It also marked the first time in the U.S. that a telephone was used to summon help after a disaster, essentially the first 9-1-1 call in the country’s history. The Tariffville Train Wreck occurred when railroads were at their peak. On the icy cold night of January 15, 1878, a train full of passengers were heading home from a religious revival in Hartford. As they crossed the Farmington River, with its five inches of ice, the bridge collapsed and sent dozens into the ice-cold waters below. Rescuers couldn’t easily access the remote location. The story is told by Frank Haviland, Member of the Board of the Tariffville Village Association and a noted researcher on this event.
Many of Connecticut’s worst weather disasters occurred in years that ended in the number 8. The worst blizzard, tornado, hurricane, and ice storm are included. The years in question are 1878, 1888, 1898, 1938, 1978, and 2018. There were the infamous floods of 1955 that buck the trend, and other major storms occurred outside the pattern, but the very worst are among those years. We’ll hear about it from Connecticut meteorologist Jack Drake.
A 16-year-old Dutchess County, NY girl rode a horse in pouring rain for 40 miles to rally area militia to come to the aid of Danbury, CT which was under siege by the British during the Revolutionary War. At least, that’s the legend of Sybil Ludington. But, not all professional historians sign-off on the tale, due to scant written evidence. Now, a retired teacher says he has found proof that shows that Sybil made the ride. Hear the story with Vince Dacquino.
In the very northeast corner of Connecticut, the sport of racecar driving took shape in several meaningful ways at Thompson Speedway. Thompson’s two separate racetracks set “firsts” for the U.S.: the oval track was the first to be asphalt paved and the separate looped racetrack was the first one not using public roads. It’s also where NASCAR was born. Many famous drivers have paid a visit over the decades. And wait until you hear how it all began because of a hurricane. Hear the story from DR Hoenig, a key member of the family that has owned and operated the business since 1940.
How did a titan of Wall Street manage to attain his success coming from a rural dairy farm in the eastern Connecticut town of Sterling? Charles Dow’s only education was in a one-room schoolhouse, and yet managed to start the Dow-Jones Company, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Wall Street Journal. The improbable journey makes for a great story, told by the Sterling Town Historian and the President of the Sterling Historical Society, Megan McGory-Gleason.
The oldest volunteer fire department in the nation is in Wethersfield. They’ve fought fires with leather bucket brigades and hand-drawn pumpers. Chiefs used to bark orders through “speaking trumpets” before 2-way radios were available. Responders wouldn’t even try to extinguish your fire if you didn’t have a certain plaque on your house. Towns used to obtain protection for just $1/night. Hear how the technology and approaches for fighting fires has improved steadily over the centuries, with Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Schroll.
Back in 1939, a ferocious creature (nicknamed Glawackus) terrorized the mid-Connecticut town of Glastonbury for several months. Pets were mauled. Livestock went missing. Quite a few residents saw the mysterious creature, but the descriptions didn’t match that of a mountain lion, bobcat, lynx, or any other animal known to inhabit the extensive woodlands in the rural community. Fabled hunting parties, reported on by multiple newspapers (including The New York Times), came up empty handed. What was it? Hear from the undisputed expert on the story, Mike Berdan, former Board member of the Glastonbury Historical Society.
There simply aren’t enough superlatives to explain the remarkable life of Helen Keller. She lost her sight and hearing when she was just 19 months old, but went on to become an internationally celebrated author, lecturer, and advocate for those with her disabilities. Her last 30 years were spent living in Easton, CT and we hear stories about her time with Redding resident Mark Twain, and many others, from the co-Town Historian of Redding, Brent Colley.
A mutiny aboard a Spanish ship, La Amistad, occurred in 1839 resulting in four deaths. The ship would make its way to Long Island Sound where it was captured by a U.S. naval vessel. Onboard were 50 kidnapped Africans, who had been sold into slavery and who would have to undergo nearly two years of court cases to try to earn their freedom. This case drew international attention due to legal action in New Haven, Hartford, and the Supreme Court in Washington. Telling the story are two officials with the New Haven Museum: Jason Bischoff Wurstle, Director of Photo Archives, and Joanna Steinberg, Director of Learning and Engagements.
This is the story of the unusual “Battle of Windham, CT” – a battle in the middle of a dark night when the residents couldn’t see what they were facing – they could only hear them. It happened during the French & Indian War and townspeople had been on edge. The exceptionally loud and ongoing noise that woke up the whole town was like nothing they had ever heard before. Was it war drums – or even Judgement Day? The Interim Director and Senior Curator for the Mill Museum in Windham, Jamie Eves, will resolve the mystery.
His name is X-Y-Z. At least, that’s what’s on his gravestone in the town of Deep River. The man robbed a bank in 1899 and was shot dead during the attempt. The problem is that no one knows who he was. Perhaps the lady, dressed all in black, who put a flower on his grave each year on the anniversary of his death, knows his identity. But, nobody ever approached her and asked her if she knew who he was. This intriguing story is told by the Curator of the Deep River Historical Society, Rhonda Ferristall.
The 1944 Cary Grant classic Arsenic and Old Lace is portrayed as a comedy involving two elderly women who poison inhabitants of their New York home. In fact, the story is based on the real-life drama that unfolded in the early 1900s in one of CT’s first nursing homes, located in Windsor. We’ll hear the extraordinary story of one of the state’s first serial killings from two representatives of the Windsor Historical Society” Michelle Tom (Library Archivist and Assistant Director) and Steph MacGillivary (Museum Educator).
The only founding father who signed all four of the original documents forming the new United States was Connecticut’s Roger Sherman. Not only was he one of five members of the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, but he brokered the so-called Connecticut Compromise, breaking a logjam that paved the way for the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. The incredible story is told by New Milford author Bill Devlin.
One man – CT’s Robert Fulton – is responsible for three incredible inventions: the FAA-approved flying car known as the Airphibian, the Skyhook (for rescuing downed military pilots in remote locations), and the flight simulator (used to teach pilots how to fly without actually flying). Fulton had other incredible accomplishments during his life, and we’ll hear all the details from Ben Cruson, the Town Historian of Newtown, the town where Fulton created his inventions.
The town of Wethersfield is the oldest in the state, in terms of an actual English settlement, even though English traders arrived in Windsor months before that (but they only established a trading post at first). Wethersfield was also the first CT town ever attacked by Native Americans. It was in retaliation for an earlier attack on them by Massachusetts Bay Colony soldiers. Wethersfield was also where George Washington met French Commander Rochambeau to discuss how to defeat the British in the Revolutionary War. Over its nearly 400-year existence, Wethersfield has achieved many other distinctions, which will be discussed by Martha Smart, the long-time Research Librarian for the Wethersfield Historical Society.
Of the two commercial airports in Connecticut, the smaller of the two gets relatively little mention. Tweed-New Haven Airport, which straddles the New Haven-East Haven border, has been in business for nearly a century, when it was just a dirt landing strip. The history of the airport, and its namesake Jack Tweed, are told by the Director of Photo Archives for the New Haven Museum, Jason Bischoff-Wurstle.
The infamous Yankee Peddlers are credited with originating in Berlin, CT – the same town where the tin industry started in the young United States. In fact, the same two individuals were responsible for starting both. In this episode, we’ll explore how the business model of door-to-door salesmen got its start, along with American consumerism itself, from the Librarian Emeritus of Berlin, Cathy Nelson.
The concept behind the Mount Rushmore National Memorial was conceived by a sculptor living in Connecticut, Gutzon Borglum. He and his son Lincoln selected the location for the monument, and Gutzon changed the original tourist attraction concept into a national monument featuring four presidents who he selected. The incredible story of how the memorial was actually created and the hurdles that had to be overcome is told by Sarah Beth Cox, who goes by Ranger Sarah Beth while on duty.
In the conclusion of the story of the sinking of the military research vessel the Sea Surveyor, we learn what happened to the 12-man crew on their secret mission. In part one, we learned their ship was sinking and they had abandoned it for a rubber lifeboat. It was being tossed in 25-foot waves and gale-force storm winds. We wrap-up the tale with an interview with survivor Walter “Wally” Banzhaf.
Twelve men were aboard the ill-fated Sea Surveyor when it sank in rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean 50 years ago. Walter “Wally” Banzhaf was the youngest of the 12 on this secret military mission and was one of the survivors. He will share his story over a two-part series that begins with this episode. It is a mesmerizing tale that you won’t soon forget.
A Connecticut man had a distinguished career in World War I as a member of the prestigious, 10-member motorcycle courier squad carrying top-secret documents on behalf of General John Pershing, head of U.S. forces in Europe. As the only non-professional motorcyclist on the squad, Carlton Stevens achieved notoriety when coming under gunfire while riding at top speeds in 1918 of 45 miles per hour. He was given an amazing task that set him apart in a dare-devil ride that held the fate of World War I in his satchel. The story is told by his grandson, Eric Stevens.
The man who is the #1 syndicated creator of word puzzles in the U.S. is a CT native. David L. Hoyt is the author behind Jumble, as well as two for USA Today: “Word Round-up” and “Up and Down Words.” His story of getting involved in the puzzle world is fascinating – including the fact that his life’s dream was much different when he was in CT.
It’s the oldest town green in North America – one laid out in grid format and continuously maintained since colonial days. The New Haven Green has acquired many secrets in its nearly 400-year existence, including hidden cemeteries, historic churches, famous political visits, and its very purpose for existence. Learn the enchanting history behind one of CT’s classic locations from Jason Bischoff-Wurstle, Director of Photo Archives at the New Haven Museum.
You might look at stonewalls as so many people do – beautiful rows of rocks piled in lines along fields or through the woods. Yet, the history of stonewalls, and their New England charm, hide a more scientific purpose – namely, classifying them in ways similar to wetlands to allow consideration during future land use decisions. The topic of the 240,000 miles of stonewalls in New England is engagingly laid out in this interview with University of Connecticut Earth Sciences professor Robert Thorson, the foremost expert on stonewalls in New England.
It’s one of the largest, single-day losses of boats by the United States in a military campaign – and it held that record for 200 years, until Pearl Harbor. The British raid on Essex during the War of 1812 saw more than two dozen ships destroyed. Also ruined were the local economy and the fortunes of those who made their living both in ship building and high seas merchant trading. It was a daring raid, told in great fashion by the foremost expert on the raid, Jerry Roberts, who’s researched and written on this major event.
The Salem Witch Trials occurred in the 1690s. It was decades earlier that CT’s witchcraft frenzy occurred. Nearly a dozen women and men were hanged for witchcraft, until young CT Colony Governor John Winthrop used his political expertise to get the state to end executions entirely. This dark chapter in CT history is told by the State Historian Emeritus, Walt Woodward.
The successful development of western Connecticut, following the arrival of European settlers, can largely be attributed to a single dirt path, that was nearly lost to history. The 350-year-old Old Woodbury Path ran from the 1600s settlement of Woodbury to the bustling port of Derby, known at that time as the “new Boston” due to its importance as a trading hub. As development expanded around Woodbury and into Litchfield, farmers brought their crops to Woodbury for transport down the 21-mile cart path to Derby for export. A Seymour man has spent the past 10 years painstakingly poring over ancient maps and walking through the woods to piece together the route and backstory of this path. Pete Rzasa shares his findings in this episode.
From piano keys to combs, buttons, and other various other items, the smooth, glassy touch and feel of ivory was a highly regarded commodity in high demand. And 90% of the ivory products made throughout the world were made in two communities in the lower Connecticut River Valley for many decades. The Village of Ivoryton owes its name to the industry. Opposition to harvesting endangered elephant’s tusks coupled with unforeseen other challenges brought the industry eventually to an end. The fascinating story is told by Melissa Josefiak, Director of the Essex Historical Society.
During WW II, there was a top-secret project known as “Post Office Box 1142.” A Connecticut man played a major role in the operation, which focused on prisoners of war – both Americans held overseas as well as influential German and Italian prisoners who were kept at Fort Hunt in Virginia. A number of James Bond-like gadgets were made at Fort Hunt and shipped clandestinely to the Americans overseas, with corresponding coded messages advising them what was hidden inside. It’s a tale told Peter Bedini, son of the man who led the coded correspondence effort and which just became public knowledge recently.
It was nearly 100 years ago when the shooting death of Seymour First Selectman Ray Gilliard occurred in his Town Hall office. He called the telephone operator, said he had been shot, described his assailants, and asked for police and a doctor to be dispatched. Then, the line went dead. The outcome of the investigation shocked virtually everybody in town. Telling the story is Naugatuck Valley historian Robert Novak.
Connecticut is the home of many inventions. One that's of particular interest is the first robot. The first industrial robot ever placed on a production line was built in Danbury and spearheaded by the holder of the patent (George Devol, of Wilton) and the marketing mastermind who found the markets and promoted the invention (Joseph Engelberger, of Newtown). Engelberger, known as “the father of robotics,” also spearheaded the first use of robots in hospitals. Hear the story behind the development of robots with Newtown Historical Society President Ben Cruson.
Today, we often hear of building collapses, with workers or members of the public trapped underneath debris. One of the first such incidents to capture the public’s attention was the collapse of the L’Ambiance apartment building while it was under construction in Bridgeport in 1987. Tons of concrete slab floors were being hoisted into place, while workers tended to their tasks beneath them. The concrete floors fell, pancake style, landing on top of 28 workers. None survived. It was the worst disaster in the city’s history, and one of the worst in state history. The 37-year-old incident is remembered by the man who was Mayor of Bridgeport at that time, the Honorable Thomas Bucci.
Some call it, Connecticut’s Alamo. The Battle of Groton Heights was a massacre by any measure, with 1,600 British soldiers greatly outnumbering 165 Patriot soldiers in one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War. The British were led by Benedict Arnold, who had only recently switched allegiances and who was born less than 10 miles from the battle. The decision by Colonel William Ledyard not to surrender the fort, with essentially only farmers under his command, ended with only a handful of fighters not being killed or wounded. This harrowing story is told by the President of the Friends of the Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park Foundation, Hali Keeler.
This 100-year-old western CT murder case was a difficult one to solve. There was no body in home where murder victim George Hultz lived that had burned to the ground. The motive was elusive. And the perpetrator who was eventually identified was quite good at deflecting suspicion. Yet, the man who would rise from Sergeant to Commissioner of the CT State Police, John Kelly, finally cracked the case. And the person who has the details of this story is the retired longtime editor of the Ridgefield Press newspaper and local historian, Jack Sanders.
When we speak about draft dodgers, we normally mean the potential recruits, who are trying to stay out of the military. In the case of Dr. Josiah Beckwith, he was a CT doctor examining recruits for the Civil War, and more than 90% of them got medical deferments, meaning they didn’t have to serve. The intriguing back story is told by the author of Litchfield County and the Civil War, Peter Vermilyea.
We live in a state with a lot of open space, correct? Well, while 60% of our land is forested, much of it is privately-owned and potentially subject to development. The state legislature established a goal of setting aside 21% of the state’s land by 2023. We’re at about 16%, and an extension to that target is being developed. Land trusts play a critical role in identifying, securing, and managing open space. With climate change and the impact on biodiversity, CT Land Conservation Council Executive Director Amy Blaymore Paterson says that our past development trends could impact our future lifestyles if more land isn’t conserved fairly soon.
Connecticut native Noah Webster not only created the first American dictionary, but he made numerous contributions to the field of education, establishing teaching approaches that exist as the norm to this day. His writings on establishing a new U.S. government were studied by the authors of the U.S. Constitution – before they wrote it. He was the father of U.S. copyright law and the founder of New York City’s first daily newspaper. Webster was so prolific, and yet he tends to only be remembered for the dictionary. The Executive Director of the Noah Webster, Jeffrey Mainville, will share the many accomplishments of this forgotten founding father.
Connecticut once had five zoos. Now, it just has one accredited facility – Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Not only is the history of how the facility began quite interesting, but so it its mission of keeping highly endangered species alive and multiplying in the hope of keeping them from going extinct. The current director, Gregg Dancho, talks about some of his memories during his 40 years at the helm, a time period cited by many observers as being the most positive and consequential in the 100-year-old history of this fabulous zoo.
A CT man survived the sinking of the Titanic 110 years ago, but he was accused of getting into a “women and children only” lifeboat by wearing a dress. The problem is, it was a completely fabricated story. Yet, the lie followed William Sloper for the rest of his life, because his father urged him to ignore the controversy. In the absence of a denial, the story stuck. The truth finally emerged, but not in time for Sloper. This intriguing tale will be told by Cathy Nelson, Librarian Emeritus of the Berlin Public Library.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the pilot of a small plane you were riding in died in mid-flight? On Easter Sunday, 2009, the pilot of a twin-engine plane out of Florida suffered a fatal heart attack, leaving a father, his wife, and two daughters alone in the plane. A CT flight instructor, who was familiar with that type of plane, was contacted to provide cell phone advice to air traffic controller, who relayed it to the pilot to help him land the plane safely. Flight instructor Kari Sorenson and his partner Ashley Harrison share their memories of that fateful day.
There are 169 towns in Connecticut, and it would seem like a simple question: which town was the first to be settled? Well, there is still some controversy – nearly 400 years after the fact – as to whether it was Windsor or Wethersfield. The debate falls along the definition of settlement, versus trading post. Either way, some would argue, what about the indigenous people who were here before European settlers? We’ll look at all of this with two representatives of the Windsor Historical Society, Executive Director Doug Shipman and Librarian/Archivist Michelle Tom.
In this second of a two-part series on the sinking of the S-48 submarine 100 years ago in Long Island Sound, we’ll have the exciting conclusion about the survival efforts made by the 41 crew members trapped 60 feet below the surface of The Sound, off the coast of Fairfield, with icy water and poisonous chlorine gas filling the vessel and no communications system to let others know of their dire circumstances. CT author and local historian Michael Bielawa finishes this incredible story
Many people have no idea that the S-48 submarine sank in Long Island Sound off the coast of Fairfield back in 1921, with 41 crewmen onboard. This first of a two-part series takes us through a detailed accounting of the first hours of what the crew encountered over a 12-hour period, based on statements from the survivors. It is an absolutely spellbinding story of bravery and ingenuity as one challenge after another met these men on a relatively routine sea trial mission that went horribly wrong. Join local history expert and author Michael Bielawa for this unforgettable story.
It’s one of the most documented cases of supernatural activity in world history – the so-called “Lindley Street Poltergeist.” In a house in Bridgeport in the 1970s, the three residents were tormented by floating refrigerators, knives and crucifixes flying through mid-air, and a talking cat. More than a dozen police officers and firefighters reported seeing and hearing these incidents. When newspapers reported it, thousands of spectators gathered nightly, causing traffic jams. The Catholic Church became involved as did the infamous ghost hunter couple Ed and Lorraine Warren. Hear this remarkably unsettling story from the Assistant Archivist at the Bridgeport History Center, Jaime Pettit.
The United Nations headquarters was originally supposed to be in Greenwich, CT. The search committee decision to build a Vatican-like city was announced in 1946. It would have consumed the entire northern half of the town and displaced a thousand residents. The ensuing community battle over the project designed to stop future world wars involved the heavyweight Republican Rockefeller and Bush families as well as a huge local opposition NIMBY campaign, with unusual “stunt advertising” to influence voters. We’ll hear from Greenwich Time newspaper reporter Robert Marchant, whose paper was at the center of the saga.
When Ben Franklin’s son, William Franklin, was born out of wedlock, he had to endure the taunts of his young peers for his illegitimacy. Through his famous father’s connections, though, he rose to become the last Royal Governor of New Jersey before the Revolutionary War ushered in a new government. William helped his father with the famous kite flying experiment to attract lightening, to study electricity. But, when the revolution came, they took opposing sides, and it would end with William in jail in horrendous conditions in CT. We’ll hear the story from Jessica Jenkins, the Executive Director of the Litchfield Historical Society, the town where the prison was located.
The sound has been described as eerie, dreadful, and fearful. It’s been heard for at least a few centuries, and perhaps longer. The so-called “Moodus noises” have come to define the small village in East Haddam where the sounds come from. The legends that have grown around these noises have a fascinating background, which we’ll examine more closely with a Professor of Folklore at the University of Massachusetts, Stephen Gencarella.
Elmer Bitgood, a farmer from eastern Voluntown, was said to be the strongest man in the world. With his 20-inch biceps, he was said to have lifted 2,000 pounds and drank 10 gallons of milk at lunchtime to wash down his several dozen pounds of hamburger. He received challenges from the other strongest men in the world for contests, but the humble gentle giant turned them down. We’ll hear all about his legendary exploits from the Vice President of the Voluntown Historical Society, Karen Britt.
When we talk about Rochambeau’s French army marching across CT on its way to Virginia during the Revolutionary War, have you ever stopped to think what that was really like – the complexities, the logistics, the massive coordination, the hurdles to overcome? The movement of 5,000 men, 4,000 animals, and tons of food, ammunition, and supplies on wagons on muddy dirt paths and across rivers was an incredible undertaking. We’ll hear the inside scoop from the chief consultant to the National Parks Service for the Rochambeau Trail, Dr. Robert Selig.
Connecticut has a direct connection to The Mayflower, which landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts more than 400 years ago. Some of the Pilgrims on that ship would establish the first British settlement in CT. The real story behind the Mayflower voyage is not well known – it wasn’t just for religious freedom, as is commonly taught in schools. The stories behind the very difficult two-month voyage, the miracle that saved the Bush and Roosevelt political dynasties, the Plymouth Plantation, the Mayflower Compact, how Native Americans saved the Pilgrims, and the truth of the first Thanksgiving are all told by Jack McLaughlin, an Interpreter for the Mayflower II Museum boat in Plymouth.
Katharine Hepburn may have been CT’s most famous resident. She still holds the record for the most Oscars for acting, with four. Her career survived the so-called “poison box office letter” and her feisty on-screen persona competed with her romantic engagements with Howard Hughes and Spencer Tracy for attention. Her years in this state, as a born-and-bred CT native, include a harrowing escape during the Hurricane of ’38. The story is mesmerizing, as told by the Coordinator of Old Saybrook’s Katharine Hepburn Museum, Elise Maragliano
He’s arguably the most important man in Connecticut history – John Winthrop, Jr. One of the state’s earliest Governors, in the 1600s, he secured the first Royal Charter that legitimized CT as a new colony, provided extensive autonomy, and gave the settlers huge land holdings out west. He also founded Saybrook and New London, while introducing modern concepts for industrial ventures and financing social movements. Winthrop’s story is told by perhaps the leading researcher in the field, CT State Historian Emeritus Dr. Walt Woodward.
This story from the 1600s has a little bit of everything. It involves a critical part of CT history. It was a “who done it” – with candles suddenly going out during an important meeting of top British and Patriot officials in Hartford. It concerns a hiding place inside a huge tree that could fit 10 people standing. It created one of the most iconic visual and political images of the state of Connecticut. Hear the story of the Charter Oak from the retired, long-time Curator of the Museum of Connecticut History, Dave Corrigan.
When a team of archeologists found burned rocks, burned bones, broken rum bottles, old nails, and musket balls at a site in western CT, they knew they had found a winter encampment for Revolutionary War soldiers – a place where two Patriot soldiers had been executed for desertion during the winter of 1778-79. They also had uncovered evidence of how the other 1,000 soldiers survived that winter. Hear the intriguing and meticulous way that Western Connecticut State University Professor Emeritus of Anthropology Dr. Laurie Weinstein and her team uncovered these 250-year-old secrets.
Prudence Crandall, CT’s State Heroine, opened the first all-black female school in CT, in the 1830s. It led to some of the ugliest, most violent and disgraceful bigotry in state history. The white community took multiple vigilante and legal steps to try to stop her from operating. In the end, the case gave rise to critical concepts in one of the key civil rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Hear this fascinating story from the Curator of the Prudence Crandall Museum, Joan DiMartino. RSSVERIFY
If you couldn’t pay your bills in the old days, you were sent to the poor house. Every CT town had either a poor house or a town farm to help care for poor, disabled, and mentally handicapped. The last one closed only in 1991. Poor houses were unique places that were largely unregulated for a good portion of their existence. Hear the story behind Alms Houses from the author of the book, The Road to the Poor House, Michael Westerfield.
Connecticut’s industrial manufacturers were huge contributors to military success in World War Two. From half the aircraft engines used in the war (made by Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford) to submarines (Electric Boat, Groton), a large percentage of the billions of bullets used and guns for soldiers (Remington Arms, Bridgeport), and large and small items: “G-force” suits to allow pilots to maneuver their planes without losing consciousness, radar advancements, parachutes, rubber boots, ball bearings, air compressors for torpedoes, and periscopes. Hear the impressive story from Sharon Cohen, who has written a book that documents these fascinating contributions.
Two boys playing in a sand and gravel pit 30 years ago came across two human skulls that led to a truly bizarre investigation – the unearthing of a suspected vampire grave. CT’s State Archeologist at the time, Dr. Nick Bellantoni, has continued to work for the past few decades, even into retirement, with a folklorist who specializes in vampires to tentatively identify the individual whose initials – J.B. – were at first all he had to go on.
It was nothing short of a miracle. A woman was barely hanging on to life at Yale-New Haven Hospital in 1942. She had been running a fever of 106 degrees for four weeks, and doctors were out of options. A new treatment – never before tried in the U.S. – brought her back to life in less than 24 hours. Hear the incredible story about the first use of penicillin in the U.S. from the Director of Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven Hospital, Dr. Richard Martinello.
Soil and climate are two critical factors in agriculture, especially for CT’s tobacco farmers. CT leads the world in the profitable crop of cigar wrapper leaves, thanks largely to these two points. However, while the state had excellent soil, it didn’t have the right climate to overtake market leader Sumatra, in Asia. So, in the 1800s CT literally created its own weather climate over 1% of the land in the state. Wait until you hear the story from topic expert John Cilio.
One of the oldest gated communities in CT started as the result of Jewish firefighters in Queens, NY wanting to get their children out of the city during a polio outbreak. The firefighters transformed a virgin, 600-acre site by hand into a gorgeous and serene community, featuring what is still one of the most pristine lakes in western CT. Over the years, summer bungalows have been replaced by year-round housing in the Lake Waubeeka community. And, one of the country’s most famous musical legends spent her summers growing up there. The story is told by a professor of Jewish history, a long-time resident, and the author of a book on Lake Waubeeka, Jeffrey Gurock.
When Stalin overthrew the czars in Russia in 1917, many famous Russians made their way to CT, where they created a colony for famous intellectuals. The so-called Russian Village is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it was started by Russian literary giant Ilya Tolstoy, son of famed writer Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace. The Village was started 100 years ago this year. The back story is incredible – especially when told by 92-year-old Natasha Jahrsdoerfer, whose vivid recollections from when she lived there at age 3 paint a world that we will never see again.
Step aside Elon Musk … the first mass-produced electric vehicle wasn’t a TESLA made in California … it was a Columbia Motor Carriage, made in Hartford. And, a critical invention involving rubber developed in Seymour (but not for tires) made it all possible. CT was the nationwide leader in car manufacturing in 1897, when 50% of the cars on the road were powered by electricity (rather than the less than 5% today). How the industries of EVs and rubber came together 130 years ago is told by Joe Iamartino, Chief Technology Officer of the Marmon Electrical Group, owner of the Seymour firm that contributed its technology.
He was a standout pitcher for the Pittsburg Pirates – one of four Pirates pitchers from the same extended family in northwestern Connecticut in the 1960s. Steve Blass, who had the longest and most successful career of the four graduates of Housatonic Valley Regional High School, played his earliest baseball on the Town of Canaan’s Segalla Field – a Field of Dreams style setting. He remains the last National League pitcher to throw a complete 9 innings in the 7th game of a World Series – the 1971 series, in which he pitched two complete games. Only one other human has done that. Hear his incredible story, from Connecticut to Pittsburgh.
There are many newspapers in the U.S. that have a legitimate claim to an impressive publishing legacy. None, however, matches the record of the Hartford Courant. The paper has been publishing continuously for nearly 260 years, making it the longest running newspaper in the entire United States. There’s a lot that goes into putting out a newspaper, and the fact that this streak remains uninterrupted is impressive beyond words. Join in for a discussion about life at the Courant, and its remarkable history, with the paper’s longtime Capitol Bureau Chief Chris Keating.
George Washington made 10 trips through Connecticut during his life – from his younger years to his time commanding the Continental Army, and finally as the first U.S. President. While he traveled through numerous CT communities, there are only about 10 houses still standing where he actually spent at least one night, although there are many more claims about where he stayed. Listen to this episode to separate the fact from fiction and for stories about Washington’s travels through CT – several of them critical to the outcome of the Revolutionary War – from an expert on that period, Dr. Robert Selig.
The first American to discover Antarctica was just 21 years old when he made his momentous find. Compare that to Richard Byrd, who was 38 when he flew over the North Pole and Edmond Hillary who was 33 when he climbed Mt. Everest. Stonington’s Nathaniel Palmer also braved remarkably dangerous conditions during his multi-month voyage in a small ship with only a few colleagues and no map of that part of the ocean. Hear the remarkable tale from the Lead Docent of the National Palmer House in Stonington, June Froh.
Sometimes, you find out something new about a person that causes you to perceive them in a different light. Such may be the case after you listen to this episode on Benedict Arnold. His name is literally synonymous with being a traitor, for his attempts to hand over West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War. Yet, when one hears the full backstory of his upbringing in Connecticut it certainly gives greater clarity into some the deep-seated emotional scars that he carried with him through his life and likely played a role in his later behavior, even though it will never excuse what he did. The backstory comes courtesy of Regan Miner, Executive Director of the Norwich Historical Society.
In the 1950s, Connecticut’s latest entry into nautical history was the first nuclear-powered submarine, the U.S.S. Nautilus. The 7.5-million-pound underwater vessel completely changed military strategies globally, because it could stay under water undetected for a long time. The Nautilus was the first sea vessel to travel beneath the Arctic ice cap and it played an important role in the dangerous Cuban Missile Crisis nuclear weapon standoff between the U.S. and Russia. Hear the story of the Nautilus from the Director of the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, where the Nautilus is berthed in retirement, Lt. Commander Derek Sutton.
For Americans, the name Rochambeau is synonymous with the French helping the young United States win its battle for independence against the British. The French general and his 5,000 soldiers worked with George Washington to win the final battle at Yorktown in 1781. And yet, for the French, the American revolution is not as meaningful as their own revolution, which was brewing simultaneously. Plus, the American’s support of France during World War II holds even more significance to many of them. In this 100th episode of Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut’s Beaten Path, hear from a direct descendant of Rochambeau – Raphael de Gouberville.
Not only was the very first law school in the United States in Connecticut, but it trained and set forth dozens of legal scholars who would go on to populate multiple positions in the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court, and governor mansions around the young country. They were the children of the founding fathers who drafted such documents as the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The story behind the Litchfield Law School, which helped shape our early days of democracy, is truly remarkable, and it’s told by the outgoing Director of the Litchfield Historical Society, Cathy Fields.
Native Americans in western and eastern Connecticut had decidedly different experiences when white European settlers arrived. This episode focuses on the Native Americans of western Connecticut, who avoided direct involvement in the brutal Indian Wars #1 and #2 (Pequot War and King Phillip’s War). Two reservations exist in western CT, and they are quite small, when compared to those found elsewhere throughout the U.S. Learn about the history and the myths of past Native American activities along the Housatonic and Still Rivers from Western Connecticut State University Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Dr. Laurie Weinstein.
Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone was made phenomenally more valuable when the telephone switchboard was invented. George Willard Coy doesn’t get nearly the same name recognition as Bell, but his invention catapulted phone usage globally. It all started with humble, home-made components in a building in New Haven and grew to become the Southern New England Telephone Company and also brought about the first telephone directory and telephone poles. Hear the story from the Photo Archives Director of the New Haven Museum, Jason Bischoff-Wurstle.
Civil War protests in northern states were generally limited to the flying of a white, so-called “peace flag,” with most being lowered after the first year. In Brookfield, a very different American flag was created and flown in protest throughout the entirety of the war – and it looked very similar to the true American flag but was very different in one key aspect. It caused division throughout town for several years – because of its location, making it visible everywhere. Find out what happened to that flag from the President of the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society, Bob Brown.
It’s been called “The greatest rock concert that wasn’t” – “sex, drugs, and NO rock & roll.” Hear the amazing story of how tens of thousands of would-be concertgoers converged on the tiny CT town of Middlefield – home of the Powder Ridge ski area – despite the fact that a court injunction had cancelled the show. The story is told by Waterbury native and international renowned filmmaker Gorman Bechard, who’s producing a film on the concert.
They’re everywhere – in all 169 towns and cities in Connecticut. Those blue and white history signs that summarize each town’s history. Have you ever taken the time to stop and read the one in your town? Or, when you travel around the state? Hear Tom Fatone tell about going to every CT municipality, reading the sign, taking a picture of it, writing some comments about it, and then publishing the information for all to see.
When the British monarchy was toppled for 10 years in the 1600s, two of the 60 jurors who condemned King Charles I to death fled England for Connecticut. These high-ranking military officers were chased by agents for King Charles II, the son who wanted to bring revenge on behalf of his father. It’s a nearly 400-year-old episode, with many twists and turns, starting in England and leading to Judge’s Cave on West Rock in Hamden. Their harrowing story is told by the author of The Great Escape of Edward Whalley and William Goffe, Madison school history teacher Chris Pagliuco.
During COVID, a Connecticut resident tracked down – and then drove – all 100 of Connecticut’s original turnpikes, which serviced all but five of the state’s municipalities. Some are interstate highways today; others are neglected, torn-up, and nearly forgotten paths through woodlands. John Schwemmer, an aerospace engineer from Windsor Locks, had to match up ancient and current maps to even find the present-day locations for many of the turnpikes. Hear his fascinating story on this episode.
We know that vast sums of money passed through Connecticut during the Revolutionary War to pay soldiers for their service. Rumors remain to this day that two shipments were stolen, buried, and never recovered. These stories – from East Thompson and East Granby – involve millions of dollars in gold coins, banknotes, and possibly other relics. Many have searched for this missing Revolutionary War treasure, but none have found it. Hear Joe Iamartino, President of the Thompson Historical Society, recount what we know for sure.
There’s a nearly forgotten, 100-mile-long trail that brought the founders of Connecticut from the Massachusetts Bay Colony nearly 400 years ago. The gorgeous and rustic Old Connecticut Path runs through northeast Connecticut’s so-called “forgotten corner” in Windham County (including the towns of Thompson, Woodstock, Eastford, Ashford, Willington, Tolland, Vernon, Manchester, and Hartford). Much of the trail is still in its natural state and the Massachusetts man who has rediscovered and publicized the trail’s existence, Jason Newton, thinks it should be preserved for future generations before it’s too late.
Refrigeration, as a technology, is only about 100 years old. Before then, people kept food chilled in an insulated ice box. You needed to routinely place large chunks of ice in the ice box to make sure food didn’t spoil. For 150 years, the harvesting of ice from ponds and lakes in Connecticut was a big business. We’re going to learn how this was done from the Research Director of the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, CT, James Fischer, where one of CT’s larger ice operations was based.
Connecticut has 21 active and inactive lighthouses – from Greenwich to Stonington. Some are on land, and some are built on rock outcroppings in Long Island Sound. Each lighthouse “blinks” in a unique rhythm, or character, so sea captains know which lighthouse it is. The oldest lighthouse museum in the country is in Stonington, and we’ll hear from the Executive Director of the Stonington Historical Society (which owns the museum), Elizabeth Wood, about lighthouses in the state and what the life of a lighthouse keeper was like.
The story of how the famous Resolute Desk in the President’s Oval Office came to be is full of twists and turns – with CT playing a critical role in making it a reality. You simply won’t believe how an expedition to hunt for whales brought such a piece of furniture to the White House. Hear the story from the Executive Director of the New London County Historical Society, Steve Manuel.
Connecticut produced a lot of “firsts” for the new United States. Among them was clock-making. Plymouth, Bristol and Waterbury were the leading clock manufacturing centers in the country for more than a century. While the technology for making clocks was brought here from England, an ingenious advancement by Eli Terry brought a breakthrough approach to mass production that was copied by other businesses as the industrial revolution grew. Terry’s pupils included the venerable clock maker Seth Thomas. Terry’s activities also spawned the Waterbury firm that created the famous TIMEX watch. Even Mickey Mouse had a role to play in advancing the industry. Hear the story from the Executive Director of the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, Patti Phillipon.
Ever since The New York Times reported in 2017 the existence of the Pentagon’s secret UFO tracking program, and both government and academia now say there’s something to UFOs, the matter has come out of the closet. In Connecticut, many sightings have occurred over the years, including a famous series of incidents over the western portion of the state in the 1980s. From the Roswell, New Mexico incident to the U.S. Navy pilots who were stunned by what they tracked on radar over the Pacific Ocean, we’ll discuss the issue with Mike Panicello, State Director of the Connecticut Chapter of the Mutual Unidentified Flying Object Network (MUFON).
Rail travel in Connecticut is nearly 200 years old and during that time the state has suffered numerous fatal train accidents. Several incidents set records for accidents in the history books. Seven crashes - in Bridgeport, Darien, East Thompson, North Branford, Norwalk, Ridgefield, and Trumbull - dating back to 1853, killed 85 people and injured hundreds of others, many quite seriously. Host Mike Allen recounts the backstories behind these incidents.
Rochambeau’s French Army helped the Americans win the fight for independence against Britain in 1781. Yet, they had to overcome multiple cultural and economic hurdles to do so. Among the issues: Hussar Soldiers wore colorful and distinctive uniforms and were brave fighters, but they only spoke German and occasionally pillaged livestock and crops from the citizens of rural, English-speaking Lebanon, CT where they spent the winter of 1780. Yet, the locals were happy to have the money they spent on supplies. Revolutionary War expert Dr. Robert Selig explains this oft-forgotten aspect of the Revolutionary War and Connecticut’s role in it.
Connecticut’s largest lake is actually a major hydroelectric generating facility. Candlewood Lake, bordering five towns in western CT, is nearing 100 years old. It’s been generating green electricity since long before the term came into vogue. The story behind its creation – the clearing of 4,500 acres of land, the building of a massive earthen dam to hold 46 billion gallons of water, and the flooding of two former villages – is not well known. Hear the details from two officials with the lake’s owner, First Light Power: External Affairs VP Leonard Greene and the company’s Senior Manager of Land Management, Brian Wood.
Connecticut’s rivers – like so many around colonial America – were the waste receptacles of their time. Sewage and industrial waste, bulky garbage and many other items clogged and polluted the waterways people depended on for drinking water and transportation. The rivers smelled horrible and were unhealthy. What turned them around were pivotal court cases involving New Britain’s use of Piper Brook, towns using the Naugatuck River, and Danbury’s pollution of the Still River. Local historian Bill Devlin explains how the courts helped Connecticut lead the way in improving stream quality, which paved the way for the federal Clean Water Act.
Radio has been a part of Connecticut for 100 years. Some of radio’s pioneers came from Connecticut and played a key role in making both AM and FM come to life. And, the famous “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast impacted listeners in the state as well as the rest of the country. Hear from an expert, Brandon Kampe, who has compiled the definitive history of the state’s earliest radio stations.
The bells that are (1) on all Good Humor trucks, (2) marked the rounds between Mohammed Ali’s iconic boxing matches, (3) gave Clarence his wings at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life, and (4) open and close trading on the New York Stock Exchange each day all have one thing in common – they were made by Bevin Bells in East Hampton, CT. East Hampton – or “Bell Town” as they call themselves – has been the center of U.S. bell manufacturing for the past two centuries. Bevin Bells is the last bell manufacturer left. Hear their history – and literally hear the difference in tone that shape, material, and size make – in this unique episode, featuring company Chief Operating Officer Cici Bevin.
Whaling was a critical part of the Connecticut economy for 200 years, ending only in the 1920s. Of the 2,700 wooden whaling ships built over that time, only one remains – the Charles W. Morgan, anchored at Mystic Seaport in CT. Voyages lasted for several years, with 60 whales caught on each trip for blubber, oil and bone. The oil literally made the Industrial Age possible by lubricating machine parts. It’s an amazing story, as told by the woman who has led demonstrations aboard the Morgan at the Seaport for decades, Mary K. Bercaw Edwards.
In the 1600s and 1700s, Connecticut owned a wide swath of land all the way across the country, ending at the Pacific Ocean. They gave all of it to the federal government – except for 3 million acres in Ohio (the so-called Western Reserve). Today, many town names in northeast Ohio are based on Connecticut namesakes – including Cleveland. This very early “wild, wild west” story includes land speculators, wagon train settlers, and distasteful tactics to push Native Americans off the land, to make way for European settlers. Hear the story from expert Alex Dubois, Curator of the Litchfield Historical Society.
It’s the longest-running ferry service in the United States, having started back in 1655. It only lasts 4 minutes and covers about a quarter mile, but nautically, the ever-changing currents, tides, rain, wind, and fog make it quite challenging. While its capacity is just three cars, the Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry is a crucial service for thousands of commuters and other riders each year who need to cross the Connecticut River. Hear Master Ferry Captain Blaise Clemente explain the history and operations and why his is the best job in Connecticut.
Nathan Hale is Connecticut’s official State Hero, so designated by the Legislature. Yet, there remain some aspects of his famous capture and execution by the British as America’s first spy that are subject to different accounts. There is even some uncertainty as to whether he actually said the famous final words attributed to him: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” We’ll separate the fascinating fact from fiction with Anne Marie Charland, Site Administrator at the Nathan Hale Homestead Museum.
Through the late 1800s, the temperance movement built up political strength and by 1919, Congress passed a Constitutional Amendment ushering in the Era of Prohibition. The making and sale of alcohol was prohibited. Just two states refused to ratify it – and Connecticut was one of them. There were 1,500 speakeasies in the state, rum-runners operating on Long Island Sound, and only a dozen federal agents assigned to enforce the ban statewide. Liquor flowed through Connecticut almost as if the ban wasn’t in effect. Take a step back in time with Danbury Museum Executive Director Brigid Guertin.
It remains the only time in U.S. history when a murder defendant pleaded not guilty by reason of demonic possession. The so-called Devil-Made-Me-Do-It Murder Case from 1981 in Brookfield, CT continues to draw attention internationally, mainly due to the incredible backstory that accompanies it. Amazing Tales CT host Mike Allen covered the case as a journalist, and he shares the details that made this such an unforgettable case.
Connecticut Trivia Tidbits: where was Nathan Hale hanged, what landmark did the last glacier leave behind, how many communities in Fairfield County are named Danbury, and who was Sarah Jane Campbell Pishon (you know of her, but maybe not by that name)? These are just some of the Connecticut Trivia Tidbits that will be featured in this episode – a format that will be repeated occasionally going forward by host Mike Allen.
One-room schoolhouses. They represented a simpler time in Connecticut’s educational system. But forget about “the three R’s.” There were more fundamental hurdles in the 1700s: no outhouses, poor ventilation and lighting, no insulation, and no drinking well. Additionally, girls had to be careful not to expose their ankles under their skirts, and students had to carry firewood from home, or else. Still, they served us for 200 years; the last one closed in 1967. Hear from the expert on one-room Schoolhouses, Southbury Historical Society Director Melinda Elliott.
It’s called Connecticut’s Valley Forge – Putnam Park in Redding. 3,000 soldiers supporting the Patriot cause in the Revolutionary War spent the harsh winter of 1778 in Redding, providing defensive protection from the Hudson River to Long Island Sound. Low pay, as well as insufficient food and clothing, led to a mutiny action and desertions, which were met by two gruesome executions, to teach the troops a lesson. CT’s first state park was built as a memorial to this activity. Hear the full story from Redding historian Brent Colley.
A military unit from Connecticut established an impressive number of “firsts” during the Revolutionary War. The Second Light Dragoons was the very first American unit to undertake a cavalry charge (on horseback). They also started the Pony Express and the infamous Culper Spy Ring around New York City, while providing security for General George Washington throughout the war. If you think fighting with swords and muskets while galloping at 40-miles-an-hour is easy, wait until you hear the story from the current head of the Dragoons – Captain Salvatore Tarantino.
She came from a first-generation family, where only broken English was spoken at home, and she had very few friends growing up. Yet, Ella Grasso rose to become one of Connecticut’s most popular Governors – and the first female elected Governor in her own right in U.S. history. Hear her incredible life story – including the challenges of being the first woman in such a high political office, the highlights of her success and how she faced the terminal illness that ended her career – from her administrative assistant during those years in the State Capitol, Jon Purmont.
They’re there – if you can find them. Sort of like an Easter egg hunt. Stone mile markers used to be the way that horseback riders and stagecoach operators knew how far they had to go to get to the County seat. At one time, there were 600 such mile markers, all in different shapes and sizes, along CT’s dirt turnpikes. Now, there aren’t so many, and it takes some scouting to find them. Hear Elizabeth Malloy, Executive Director of the Haddam Historical Society, a town which still has 5 stone mile markers, discuss these intriguing relics of a bygone era.
It may be one of Connecticut’s best-kept secrets. There’s a land area in rural eastern CT (and south-central MA) that’s half the size of Grand Canyon National Park, still 85% undeveloped and where you can’t hear anything resembling civilization. It features huge expanses of open space hiking, clean rivers, historic villages and bald eagle nests. This paradise land shows up on nighttime East Coast satellite photos as the only dark spot between D.C. and Boston. It’s the National Heritage Corridor called The Last Green Valley (TLGV), that features huge expanses of open space hiking, clean water, historic villages and bald eagle nests. The history of collaboration and partnership between 35 communities, land trusts, preservationists and other organizations is told by TLGV’s Assistant Director Fran Kefalas and Chief Ranger Bill Reid.
The only invading British solider buried with honors in the United States rests in West Haven, CT. William Campbell has a monument and a parcel of land dedicated to his memory, with the British Union Jack flag flying next to it. The question is: why would he be buried with honors after 3,000 British soldiers had just committed numerous atrocities during the raid on New Haven in 1779? West Haven expert and author Peter Malia is an expert on the question, and he has the answer.
Underground, reinforced bunkers (built on springs to withstand 2-3 feet shakes from a nuclear blast), an Army death train (removing highly radioactive nuclear fuel rods passing close to a CT college dorm and elementary schools), Nike Hercules nuclear missiles (as powerful as those over Hiroshima) positioned in three CT towns without the residents’ knowledge). These are just a handful of CT’s cold war secrets as documented by engineer John Ramsey that will be discussed in this episode.
Connecticut has made quantum leap contributions to aerospace in the past 125 years. The first helicopter. Technology-leading jet engines. One of the nation’s first hot air balloonists. Possibly the person who achieved powered flight even before the Wright Brothers. Aerospace is also a critical component of the state’s economy. Hear the Curator of Windsor Lock’s New England Air Museum, Nick Hurley, talk about the fascinating back story of the state’s myriad contributions to aerospace.
It’s hard to overstate the role that stagecoaches played in transforming the United States from 13 colonies, reliant on Great Britain for trade, into an independent economic powerhouse. Starting in the late 1700s, stagecoach routes stitched together Connecticut and brought it closer to the other new states, making the new country viable. For more than 50 years, before trains arrived, stagecoaches were the way to travel, even though they were cramped, bumpy, subject to breakdown and had no temperature control. Hear about life in the stagecoach era from experts Richard DeLuca, author of Post Roads and Iron Horses and Brigid Guertin, Executive Director of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society.
One of the worst train crashes in U.S. history occurred in eastern CT in 1891 – 4 trains collided within a matter of less than 10 minutes. Asides from the death, injuries and property damage, this story includes an unbelievable premonition about the incident by a railroad worker that wound up saving his life, as well as a local legend surrounding the mystery of the third supposed death from the crash. Hear the story with the President of the Thompson, CT Historical Society, Joe Iamartino.
Imagine digging in your dirt floor basement and uncovering four, 250-year-old skeletons buried in a mass grave. Who are they? How did they get there? Hear the latest on the investigation in Ridgefield from the Connecticut State Archeologist Emeritus Nick Bellantoni, who shares the incredible investigative techniques he and his team are using to help answer those questions.
These days, Connecticut residents have to contend with a lot of deer and black bear. Some 200 million years ago, it would have been dinosaurs – both meat-eating and vegetarian. Thankfully, they left behind thousands of tracks which have been found and preserved, allowing incredible insights into what life was like back then. Hear the story with Michael Ross, Environmental Education Coordinator for Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill.
Was it a copper mine, a dungeon or a prison? Actually, it was all three. Connecticut’s Newgate Prison was the first state prison ever built in the U.S. The East Granby facility, opened before the Revolutionary War, saw prisoners held in dungeon-like conditions 40-feet below ground in an abandoned copper mine. The incredible details are shared by Morgan Bengel, Site Administrator and Curator at the former prison.
It’s the age-old question in Connecticut: is a pickle that doesn’t bounce illegal? Precedent was set in 1948 when two men were arrested when their pickles didn’t bounce. This episode is dedicated to not only the Connecticut Pickle Law, but other oddities on the books in the Constitution State.
When the British attacked Danbury in 1777, they faced intense resistance afterwards at the Battle of Ridgefield. Benedict Arnold led the Patriot operation, while Connecticut militia commander General David Wooster was killed; yet, not very much has been written about this momentous encounter. Battle expert Keith Jones III, author of Farmers Against the Crown, recounts the highlights of the incident, in which two dozen soldiers lost their lives.
The original Sherlock Holmes – the one who created all of the mannerisms that characterized the famous sleuth (his hat, pipe and “Elementary my dear Watson”) – was an actor from Connecticut. And, he built one of the most iconic homes still in existence in the state – Gillette Castle. Hear the fascinating background on the man and his castle from author Erik Ofgang.
It’s rare that one location is the subject of ancient curses, claims of Captain Kidd’s buried pirate treasure and ghosts – but Charles Island, off the Milford, CT coastline, is such a place. Adding unique mystery to the island is that, twice each day, low tide reveals a sandbar that allows persons to walk the half-mile from the shore to the island. Did a curse lead to the burning down of the island’s resort? Others have died in the tricky waters around the island. The author of four books on the island, Marissa D’Angelo, shares the island’s many secrets.
Most people think the Civil War was fought primarily in southern states. Yet, the disagreement over re-unifying the nation led to battles in the north – such as the Battle of Charcoal Run, when Danbury invaded New Fairfield. Hear the incredible story of how one community literally sent a fighting force to its neighboring town leading to an engagement that’s talked about to this very day.
It’s called the worst natural disaster in recorded Connecticut history – the Floods of 1955. Not one, not two, but three storms (two hurricanes and a tropical storm) dropped mind-boggling amounts of rainfall on communities around the state – resulting in 80 deaths, thousands of injuries and billions of dollars in damage. Hear from the Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Brigid Guertin, about the city that suffered more than most, and from Redding native and local historian Brent Colley about the devastation south of the city.
There’s a 150-year-old monument in Sharon, CT – near the New York border and overgrown by underbrush – serving as the last remaining reminder of a fascinating slice on history. It marks the grave site of a Christian missionary who led an effort in the 1700s to convert Native American Indians to the oldest Protestant religion – the Moravian Church. The land is where one of three regional tribes lived that were targeted by the missionaries. They lived harmoniously with the Native Americans for 15 years, with two dozen Indians converting. The Indians so revered the lead missionary that they buried him on their reservation.
Connecticut has its fair share of highly profitable rock formations – formations that have provided valuable minerals, gemstones and building materials over the centuries. They’re strategically hidden in geologic settings all over the state. In fact, the first “gold strike” east of the Mississippi River was in Connecticut. There are gemstones and rare minerals named after several CT towns – and minerals that are only found in CT. Cannon balls for our early wars were smelted in Connecticut’s NW hills. There’s a fascinating story to be told about one mine that has provided architectural elegance to the Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station, the Brooklyn Bridge and many more iconic New York City structures. Five guests contribute to this episode – the 50th since Amazing Tales CT began.
Grave robbing has been happening around Connecticut for many years. You might be surprised to learn why. There were different reasons back in the 1800s than there are today (and yes, grave robbing does still occasionally occur). There were several incidents in the early 1800s (involving associates of Yale University) that so enraged the general population, lawmakers finally made the practice illegal. Hear from Southbury Town Historian John Dwyer, who has the details behind these cases.
The first mass murder in U.S. history occurred in 1780 in Washington, Connecticut. Barnett Davenport brutally murdered five people in a farmhouse in this rural community. His confession gave us insight into the first such incident in the country's history. Just as grisly as the murders was the way that justice was served in those days. Hear the story from local history expert Peter Vermilyea, who has studied this case extensively.
NASA has called the Hubble Space Telescope the single most important contribution to outer space knowledge since Galileo himself. Hubble was the first telescope sent into outer space to “see” beyond the “waviness” caused by the Earth’s visually distorting atmosphere, giving us clear insights deep into the recesses of the vast universe. Incredible new technical developments were required to achieve success – many of them considered top-secret while the telescope was being built in Danbury, Connecticut. Listen as Sankaran “Gowri” Gowrinithan, one of the engineers who actually built the telescope, and Brigid Guertin, Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director, share their insights and memories of an absolutely incredible piece of scientific history.
Marian Anderson was an international opera superstar, whose name is mentioned in the same breath as Martin Luther King, Jr., because of the way she overcame rampant racism. She lived in Danbury, CT for half-a-century. The famed contralto used her dignified presence to persevere personally and professionally, while attaining the highest honors possible. She’s perhaps best known for her 1939 performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, a concert arranged by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt after Anderson had been barred from singing at Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin. This episode includes interviews featuring rarely heard accounts of her many decades as a Connecticut resident from people who knew her and her background.
The border between Massachusetts and Connecticut was supposed to be a straight line. So said the King of England, when he granted the Massachusetts Bay Colony their charter in 1642. So why do we, today, have the Southwick Jog – a small notch of land that juts down into Connecticut? Hear about the 160-years of “back-and-forth” history behind this disputed, one-square-mile of territory – as well as the many logistical issues it has caused – from the Treasurer of the Southwick Historical Society, Patricia Odiorne.
Most people react in disbelief when you tell them about Connecticut’s professional football team – a team that actually belonged to the National Football League. It’s true. The Hartford Blues even played the venerable “Big Blue” New York Giants. Hear the intriguing story behind this franchise from Bridgeport author Andy Piascik.
The former Gilbert and Bennett Company in Georgetown, Connecticut is the epitome of the story of the early American industrial development cycle – starting with home-based operations, followed by the opening of a large manufacturing complex, broader international markets, fierce competition, and (after nearly 200 years) bankruptcy and site abandonment. Today, its vacant site is an industrial wasteland in the middle of leafy mid-Fairfield County. You won’t believe which product the company invented during the Civil War years that we still use to this very day. Join Georgetown historical expert Brent Colley for the fascinating story behind this iconic operation.
There was a time when a man did not venture out of the house without a hat on his head. He wouldn’t have been considered completely dressed otherwise. When did that change? What killed the hatting industry? And, why? A story that many people have heard is that it was President John F. Kennedy and his lack of wearing a top hat to his presidential inauguration in 1961. Hatting industry expert Bill Devlin sorts the facts from the fiction in this episode that is both historically poignant as well as a fascinating story of presidential intrigue.
The deadliest fire at a circus in U.S. history occurred in Hartford, CT in 1944. The fire killed 186 patrons, mostly women and children. The most unbelievable part of the story, though, is how it may have started. The official cause, nearly 80 years afterwards, is still listed as “undetermined,” but the potential case to be made for arson – as told by feature writer Erik Ofgang – will literally leave you incredulous.
When you hear the name Charles Ives, one tends to think of the word cacophony – as in discordant music. The Danbury, CT native created sounds and symphonies that were so ahead of their time that they took the general public several decades to truly appreciate his genius. Now, Ives is considered one of the finest U.S. composers to have ever lived. But the truly amazing part of the Ives story is actually all of the other incredible achievements that he accomplished during his lifetime, well beyond music. The unbelievable story of his exploits is told by Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Brigid Guertin and the Executive Editor of the Charles Ives Society, Jim Sinclair.
In this final episode on the life of PT Barnum, more seldom heard stories about his incredible exploits – including his American Museum in New York City and his Barnum & Bailey Circus – are shared by Bethel Town Historian Pat Wild (where Barnum was born) and Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Brigid Guertin (where Barnum spent much of his early years). You’ll hear about the way devastating fires impacted him time and time again, the rare story behind his major attraction Jumbo the elephant, and the touching final visit this iconic showman paid from his later hometown of Bridgeport to his native birthplace of Bethel, not long before his death.
There’s been a lot written about the great showman, PT Barnum. However, not much of it focuses on his upbringing in his hometown of Bethel, CT. In this first part of a two-part series, Bethel Town Historian Pat Wild and Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Brigid Guertin share some great stories that help us understand the particular influences that affected Barnum the most growing up. They’ll even talk about the time he spent in jail. A must listen for any fan of PT Barnum.
Considering that Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) only spent the final two years of his life in Redding, CT, there were an inordinate number of incredible stories that filled those years to the brim, culminating in his death in his mansion. Redding historian Brent Colley recounts both the wonderful and painfully sad moments he spent with his two remaining daughters, the legendary fallout with his business manager and personal secretary, and the final months leading up to the day when Clemens passed away in his fabled Stormfield home.
Mark Twain died exactly 112 years ago, to the very day, of the publication of this podcast episode (April 21, 1910). This first in a two-part series takes a look at Samuel Clemens’ last two years of life, spent in Redding, Connecticut, in his famed mansion Stormfield. Redding historian Brent Colley (who is also the First Selectman of Sharon, CT) shares rarely heard and incredibly insightful stories about Clemens and some of his closest friends (including Helen Keller, Hartford Congregational Minister Joseph Twitchell and his biographer Art Bigelow Paine). Also, you’ll learn fascinating details about the Stormfield house itself.
It was anything buy “lucky 7’s” at Danbury’s Federal Prison on July 7, 1977. In fact, it marked the day of the deadliest fire at a federal prison in U.S. history. The inmates inside Dormitory G were trapped for a time inside the housing unit during a middle-of-the-night blaze that spewed toxic smoke into the confined area, causing nearly 100 casualties. Hear the harrowing story and the heroic actions that were taken that night from two persons who were on the scene, Medical Unit Physician Assistant Bob Young and former Danbury Police Lieutenant Bob Lovell, the first person on the scene.
It was the longest running state fair in U.S. history (112 years) when it finally closed in the 1980s – to make way for a shopping mall. The Great Danbury State Fair was legendary. Jack Stetson is the grandson of the its longtime owner, John W. Leahy. He was also the last person to “turn out the lights” at the fair. In part two of this two-part series, we’ll focus on the fair’s rapid growth in the 1900s and then the backroom dealings that led to the property being purchased by a mall developer. Also sharing his insights is noted Danbury historian Bill Devlin.
It was the longest running state fair in U.S. history (112 years) when it finally closed in the 1980s – to make way for a shopping mall. The Great Danbury State Fair is legendary. You probably don’t know the real story behind its beginning – or its end. Jack Stetson was the last person to “turn out the lights” at the fair, and he’s written the only book exclusively focused on the fair and its history. In part one of this two-part series, we focus on the early years. Sharing his insights is noted Danbury historian Bill Devlin, who has also written about the fair.
It was a horrific disaster -- in fact, the single worst disaster in the history of Danbury, Connecticut. Two earthen dams gave way, sending 140 million gallons of water barreling down on the young city in the 1800s. Both the viscous loss of life and the mind-numbing property damage were devastating and caused worried reservoir managers nationwide to wonder, “Could this also happen here?” Listen as Danbury Museum and Historical Society Executive Director Brigid Guertin recounts the tragic details of this unbelievable catastrophe.
If you’ve never been to an outdoor theatrical performance, you should definitely put it on your bucket list. While you’re enjoying the show, however, you might have no idea about all of the activities that went on behind the scenes to pull it off. In Connecticut, no one has done this longer than the Musicals at Richter team in Danbury – 37 straight summers and counting. Hear from the duo who started the tradition back in 1985 (Executive Director Greg Cenwek and Director Bradford Blake), current Executive Director Bobby Bria and Actress / Publicity Manager Priscilla Squires as they share the history of the challenges, mishaps, successes and pure satisfaction of creating the outdoor theater experience.
When you hear about “The Grange,” do you only think about farmers? If so, your knowledge of one of the country’s oldest service organizations needs some refreshing. The Grange was indeed critical to farmers in the 19th and 20th centuries. As society has modernized, The Grange has continued its focus on local community issues – which now encompasses far more than just farming. Despite its important function in many Connecticut communities, it’s facing declining enrollment. However, The Grange is battling back and trying to keep this iconic organization afloat. Hear from the Treasurer and former state head of the Connecticut Grange, Jodi Cameron; their head of communications, Terri Fassio; the new leader of the Redding Grange, Elizabeth Jensen; and an officer with the Bridgewater Grange, Neil Olshansky. You’ll be amazed when you hear about the history of this incredible service organization, a candid assessment of the issues its facing as well as its future prospects.
When we think of the earliest crops that European settlers harvested in Connecticut, we think of corn or wheat. One of most important harvests, however, came not from the land – but from the water. The harvesting of the Eastern Oyster has been going on for centuries, with Native Americans cultivating them from Long Island Sound long before the settlers arrived. New Haven was once known as The Oyster Capital of the World. More recently, the state has pushed “aqua-culture” for shellfish in general. It’s a new way to “farm oysters” in The Sound. Mike Gilman, co-owner of Indian River Shellfish in Madison, shares insights into his incredibly interesting operation, which brings oysters on the half shell to your favorite seafood establishments.
The folk anthem Alice’s Restaurant, which debuted in the 1960s, has remained one of the iconic classics over the years. Arlo Guthrie (son of folk song writer and performer Woody Guthrie) told the story of an arrest for littering on Thanksgiving Day in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts and blended it with a strong statement against the military draft during the Vietnam War. The unwitting heroine of this was Alice Brock, who ran a restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and hosted numerous guests for meals at her converted church in Great Barrington – including the then-young Arlo. Her side of the story is not always heard – but you can hear it in this episode. And, there’s an interesting Connecticut twist awaiting you at the end.
You’ve probably never heard of the Sandemanian religious order, despite the fact that it was active for nearly 200 years in Europe and America. Congregants were known as “kissites” for their nearly hippie-like practices at services. Yet, they were also quite strict – with a requirement to agree with church practices, or face excommunication. And, they produced some of the most successful businessmen of the 1700s and 1800s in Connecticut. Join Danbury history expert Bill Devlin, who’s also an expert on the Sandemanians, to hear how this fascinating religious sect saw its congregations in Newtown, Woodbury, New Haven and Fairfield all end up in Danbury, before the religion ultimately went extinct.
It was one of the most gruesome murder stories in Connecticut history – in fact, in U.S. history. It was even the case where the idea for the stomach-churning scene of the movie Fargo originated. The woodchipper murder case in Newtown and Southbury Connecticut shocked the collective sensibilities of society when it was determined that Richard Crafts had used a woodchipper to dispose of his wife, Helle. Southbury Town Historian John Dwyer helps us revisit the details – the lead-up to the murder, how the case was broken and why the accused is now free to walk the streets.
The Rochambeau Trail is a very important piece of American history – but most people don’t know much about it. French Commander Rochambeau marched 680 miles from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown, Virginia with his 5,000-troop army. There, they helped George Washington’s Patriot troops win the final major military action of the Revolutionary War. But wait until you hear the unbelievably complex military decision Washington had to make – without sufficient information at hand – that literally changed the course of history. Expert historian Dr. Robert Selig will have that story. Also, you’ll learn about Sal Lilienthal of Kent, CT – the first person to ever bicycle the trail, as part of a program to promote the trail. And, we’ll hear from Johnny Carawan, the National Park Service official who is responsible for the trail.
It’s called The Rochambeau Trail – 680 miles from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown, Virginia. General Rochambeau and his 5,000 French troops marched this trail to come to the aid of George Washington's Patriot Army in the Revolutionary War. Together, the French and the Patriots won the last major military action of the war – the Siege at Yorktown. After that, the British went back to England and the colonialists were able to draft the new U.S. Constitution and declare freedom. The logistics of feeding, transporting and preparing campsites in the 1700s were incredibly complex. And why were the French helping the Patriots anyway? In Part 1, you’ll hear answers to those questions and much more from Revolutionary War expert historian Dr. Robert Selig and Southbury, CT Town Historian John Dwyer, whose region the marchers passed through.
It was one of the most explosive labor issues of the early 1900s – and it involved the United Hatters Union. That union represented the workers who created the hats that put Danbury, Connecticut on the international map at the time. Were unions monopolizing workers – and, could they therefore be sued under the new Sherman Anti-Trust Act? The case went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Listen along with Danbury historian Bill Devlin to learn the background and outcome of this fascinating case.
The name Jonas Salk is synonymous with vaccines. He invented the polio vaccine, wiping out the dreaded disease in the U.S. amongst all people who got vaccinated. His nephew, Eric Salk, is an emergency room physician in Connecticut. He knew his uncle for many years, getting to know him well. In this episode, we speak with Eric about his recollections of Jonas and his work, the Salk’s famous family (including Eric’s dad), what Jonas would have thought of the anti-vaccine movement and his own challenges fighting on the front-lines against COVID at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington.
It’s an incredible story – much like a fairy tale. An artist built and donated (for free) 74 gigantic wood carvings of Native Americans – one for each of the 50 states, as well as countries overseas. Guest Peter Toth calls his nearly 20-year art project The Trail of the Whispering Giants. He says he's paying homage to Native Americans for the injustices they faced from European settlers. So, where is Connecticut’s statue? A Whispering Giants website lists it as "missing," but I found it and you won’t want to miss the story.
When the Erie Canal was built in New York State, industrialists in Connecticut said, “We can do that too.” And so, work began on a large canal that would ultimately cut the state in half – both physically and politically. It pitted New Haven against Hartford. People have since largely forgotten about the 4-foot-deep canal, which connected Long Island Sound with Massachusetts in the 1800s. Follow along with Connecticut transportation expert Richard DeLuca for the amazing story of the Farmington Canal, once a full-fledged canal in Connecticut.
By April 26, 1777, The British had sailed from New York City, docked off Westport and marched inland through Weston, Redding and Bethel. Now, their 2,000 soldiers were ready to enter Danbury, on Saturday, for a weekend stay – where they would eliminate the town as a military supply depot for the Patriots fighting in the Revolutionary War. The only problem: things didn’t go entirely as planned. Hear the conclusion of this special two-part series with Danbury historian Bill Devlin.
The story of the British campaign to eliminate Danbury, Connecticut as a key military supply depot during the Revolutionary War is filled with surprises and sorrow. In part one of this two part special series, hear about the ruthlessness of British General William Tryon who led the raid, the dominant force assembled by the British, the scrappy resistance formulated by the Patriots and the unexpected arrival of not one, but two single horsemen to meet 2,000 red coats. Learn how the biggest mistake the British made was in underestimating the resolve of the budding new country.
It’s a totally different life style; another whole world. Flying a 2-seat or 4-seat airplane, with just one or two propellers, in the skies over Connecticut. Beautiful views, but dangerous. Paved airstrips and grass airstrips. Sharing the sky with 747s. Two of the oldest airplane clubs in the country are based in Danbury and Meriden. Hear the incredible stories of Gary Baluha, from Danbury’s club, and Paul Merola, from Meriden’s, along with the man who runs the FAA Tower at Danbury Airport, Dan May, as they share what the world is like in the skies above you.
Connecticut has sent many a world champion to the annual Soap Box Derby championship race in Akron, Ohio over the years. What are their tricks? How does it feel to race down a 16% grade? What's the story behind the Derby, that has offered excitement to children aged 7-21, while instilling skills and leadership qualities in them for more than 75 years? Hear a number of Derby drivers, parents and race organizers discuss the thrill of the competition and the outlook for the future.
Sometimes, we take the words for granted – the separation of church and state. Many people think, incorrectly, that they’re contained in the U.S. Constitution. Actually, they’re in a letter – written by President Thomas Jefferson to a group based in Danbury. It’s a fascinating story, which historian Bill Devlin will help us understand in greater detail.
What if they created a town in New England – without a town center, a town green or a big white church? That's what happened to the town of Brookfield, CT. There was no agreed, central downtown location when the town was formed in the 18th century. How did this happen? You'll find out. And, you'll learn about the town's rather elaborate steps to create a downtown -- after more than 250 years without one.
Connecticut’s Merritt Parkway is an amazing roadway, in many ways. It’s the oldest limited access highway in the country, having recently surpassed 80 years of age. Before the Merritt, there were bumper-to-bumper backups for miles every Sunday along the only other highway in the state – U.S. Route 1. How did the state manage to get this road built through incredibly affluent Fairfield County? A creative scheme involving illegal kickbacks was part of the solution – a tale you certainly won’t want to miss. Hear the whole story with the help of Richard DeLuca, of Cheshire, an expert on Connecticut transportation.
Florence Chandler Maybrick died 80 years ago, penniless, in a ramshackle shanty in a wooded area in the Gaylordsville section of New Milford, CT. At one time, she was the heiress to a million acres of land in the mid-Atlantic states. She was also married to a wealthy cotton trader in Liverpool, England, until he died from poisoning. Florence was convicted to hang for his murder. It was said she killed him because she knew he was Jack the Ripper. But, was she framed? And was someone else actually The Ripper? This unbelievable “whodunit” will leave you amazed. New Milford author and Florence Maybrick expert Ron Suresha is our special guest.
During the Cold War, Connecticut had missiles based in twelve towns, protecting two cities deemed mission-critical by the military for helping the U.S. survive a nuclear war. For 11 years, three of those twelve sites were outfitted with nuclear missiles. Few citizens knew anything at the time about the program and the location of the Hercules nuclear missile silos, and all the details have largely been forgotten about since that 10-year period. Hear the story behind Connecticut’s nuclear missile sites in part two of this two-part series.
Students in Connecticut in the 1960s used to hide under their desks to prepare for a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. The United States military built unbelievable underground bunkers and fortresses in strategic locations around the country. They also activated defensive nuclear missile sites surrounding 40 strategically important cities, including two in Connecticut. Those cities were protected by active nuclear warheads. In part one of this two-part series, hear about the absolutely incredible bunkers that were built – some of which have been decommissioned, and some of which are still active.
Imagine walking the same, 365-mile, clockwise, circuitous route – passing through the same two dozen towns at the same hour – every 34 days, like clockwork. Imagine wearing the same leather outfit, that you sewed yourself from discarded leather pieces, and sleeping in caves. That’s just what The Leatherman did in Connecticut and New York in the 1880s. He was beloved by everyone who got the chance to see him. Who was he? Why did he do it? New England folklore expert Michael Hoberman, a professor of American Literature at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts who has written about The Leatherman, helps us unravel some of these questions.
Many train companies have operated in Connecticut since the 1800s. Most have gone out of business, leaving rusted rails or converted "rail-trail" hiking opportunities. The Housatonic Railroad is a rarity amongst the group. While their passenger service ended 50 years ago, you can still see the iconic yellow diesels hauling freight up and down western Connecticut a few times a day. The history of the line is magical -- from its "love-hate relationship" with farmers, to its unique passenger service, majestic former train stations, breathtaking scenery and its unfortunate share of tragic accidents. Four guests share their knowledge of the line: Susan DelBianco, a local historian and an expert on the Housatonic; Peter McLoughlin, a retired Housatonic train engineer with lots of captivating memories, Jeremy Ruman, Board President of the organization that's restoring the historic Merwinsville Hotel, which figured prominently in the railroad’s past; and Bob Brown, President of the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society, where a major train station and key cog in the Housatonic’s operations used to exist.
You can certainly be excused for thinking that PT Barnum -- with his Barnum and Bailey Circus -- started the circus industry in the United States. Actually, PT Barnum entered the business late in his life. And he learned what he knew about the circus from someone else -- Aaron Turner, of Danbury, CT. The rags-to-riches story of Aaron Turner is impressive in its own right; but, considering he mentored the great PT Barnum, it takes on an entirely different dimension.
As the Industrial Revolution approached, Connecticut had its first mass transit system in high gear – stagecoaches. It was also making use of canal barges. But, as steam power and machines became viable, we soon had electric trolleys, steam locomotives and steamships. Finally, it was cars, buses, trucks and diesel locomotives. Along the way, we had both turnpikes and shunpikes (yes, we’ll explain that). Today, we continue our never-ending quest to find faster ways of getting from point A to point B and, with the help of Connecticut development expert Richard DeLuca, of Cheshire, we’ll see how Connecticut used transportation to propel itself from a strictly agricultural society into the thriving and bustling place it is today.
It's almost inconceivable that only two brothers could be responsible for so much grisly crime -- bank robberies, murders (including family members), jail breaks and kidnappings. Not only the number of incidents, but the horrendous nature of what they did. And, the way they convinced others to help them do their bidding. Fifty years ago, this Fairfield County, CT duo spent a good portion of their 20s conducting a crime wave that stretched from Connecticut to the states of New York, Maryland, Missouri and Colorado. You won't want to miss this amazing tale.
The Appalachian Trail turned 100-years-old in 2021. It was a Stamford, Connecticut native whose vision led to the creation of the iconic walkway through the eastern United States. You'll hear all about the incredible statistics associated with the trail -- who walked it the fastest, who did the first walk along the entire trail, how many people now hike the entire trail each year, who was the first woman to do so, who's the youngest hiker to walk the entire 2,100 miles and how many murders have been recorded on the trail.
When Colonial settlers first arrived in Connecticut, there were only Native American hiking paths. No highways, trains, post offices, hotels or maps. It took more than 6 days to ride a horse from New York to Boston. Early earthen roads were neither pleasant nor efficient for travel. Who made up the initial highway crews, who had to work with the land that the last Ice Age left them? How did settlers communicate with one another over long distances prior to the telegraph? Why did we measure distance in miles instead of kilometers? The 400 years between the Pilgrims landing until now has so much incredible information that we've split it into two episodes, featuring the foremost expert on Connecticut development – Richard DeLuca, of Cheshire.
In the 1930s, bigotry was alive and well in the United States – a perfect setting for supporters of the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany to establish a U.S.-based support system. As part of that effort, Hitler’s German-American supporters bought land in various strategic locations around the country, including in New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey – and Southbury, Connecticut (on land now known as the Fox Hollow Preserve, off Sleepy Hill Road). At these sites, they developed camps – for adults and youth – to raise the flag of the swastika and to march and sing the songs of the Third Reich. Listen as Southbury Town Historian John Dwyer recounts the fight between the 2,500-strong community (in those days) and the Bund as the organization was called.
He started in Missouri, then went to San Francisco, Elmira, NY, Hartford, CT, Europe and New York City. But at the end, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) came back to Connecticut to live out his final years in the town of Redding. A lot happened in those two years – some good and some sad. Hear from Beth Dominiani, who retired in 2021 as Director of the Mark Twain Library in Redding -- located just half-a-mile from Twain's famous mansion, Stormfield. Twain financed the library himself, making him one of the few (Beth believes he's the only) famous American author to ever start a public library in the U.S. We’ll have some great stories about Twain, including the burglary at his house (while he was home), his penchant to change other author's words if he didn't like the original text and the untimely death of his daughter inside Stormfield.