Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut‘s Beaten Path

Did Sybil Ludington Really Make her Paul Revere-like Ride to Aid Danbury?

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.

NASCAR was Born at a Trend-Setting CT Racetrack

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.

From a 1-Room Schoolhouse Education in Rural CT to Wall Street Mega-Titan

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 Entire Nation is in CT

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.

What was the Ferocious Creature that Terrorized CT in 1939?

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.

When CT's Famous Blind and Deaf Resident, Helen Keller, Showed us the Way

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.

How Four Deaths During a Mutiny Shook CT 185 Years Ago

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.

You Couldn't See the Frightening Enemy - But You Could Certainly Hear Them

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.

We Have the Bankrobber's Body, but his Grave Still Reads X-Y-Z

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.

Arsenic and Old Lace is Based on a True CT Murder Case

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).