Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

Thumbing the Nose at Prohibition

The outlawing of alcohol in the U.S. 100 years ago saw different state responses. RI and CT didn't approve the Constitutional Amendment, but were still bound by the law. That didn't stop the rum runners from using Long Island Sound as a base of operations.

When the Devil was in Court - Charged with Murder

It's the only time in U.S. history that a murder defendant pleaded not guilty by reason of demonic possession. The Devil-Made-Me-Do-It murder case in 1981 continues to draw attention internationally. Amazing Tales host MIke Allen covered the case as a journalist.

Trivia Tidbits

Some trivia: where was Nathan Hale hanged, what landmark did the last glacier leave behind, and who was Sarah Jane Campbell Pishon? These are just some of the Trivia Tidbits featured in this episode.

One-Room Schoolhouses Posed Challenges

One-room schoolhouses. A simpler time? No outhouses, poor ventilation and lighting, no insulation, and no drinking wells. Girls couldn't expose their ankles under their skirts and students had to carry firewood from home. Still, they served us for 200 years.

Valley Forge Conditions at Putnam Park

Putnam Park in Redding, CT, is called CT’s Valley Forge. 3,000 Patriot soldiers spent the winter of 1778 there, protecting Hudson River to Long Island Sound. Low pay and insufficient food and clothing led to a mutiny action and desertions. Two gruesome executions would follow, to teach the troops a lesson.

How the Cavalry Helped Win the Revolutionary War

The first American unit to undertake a cavalry charge in combat was the Second Light Dragoons. They also started the Pony Express and the infamous Culper Spy Ring around New York City, while providing security for George Washington throughout the war, often riding at up to 40 miles an hour.

The Country's First Female Governor, Elected in Her Own Right

Ella Grasso. She was self-made in a man's political world at the time. She became the first female elected in her own right to a governorship in U.S. history, rising from a home of Italian immigrants where only broken English was spoken at home. A terminal illness ended her outstanding career.

Hiding in Plain Sight - Stone Mile Markers

Today, we drive by LED road signs. In the Colonial era, there were slabs of stone planted each mile by the side of the road. In-scripted on them: the abbreviation for the County seat and Roman Numerals to show how many miles were still to go. There were 600. Now, just 150 or so.

The Fairytale Land: The Last Green Valley

Eastern MA and CT hold acreage that's half the size of Grand Canyon Park that's still 85% undeveloped, with hiking, open space, bald eagles, and historic villages. The Last Green Valley is a designated National Heritage Corridor. On nighttime satellite photos, it's the only dark spot between Washington, D.C. and Boston.

After the British Raid, Patriots Buried This Brit With Honors

William Campbell is the only British soldier during the Revolutionary War who was buried by Americans with honors. A monument and dedicated parcel of land includes the Union Jack flag flying next to his grave. Why was he honored right after 3,000 British soldiers had committed numerous atrocities during their raid?