Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

PART 1: There’s Never Been Anything Quite Like The Great Danbury State Fair

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.

The Catastrophic Night When Not One, But Two Dams Gave Way

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.

The Show Must Go On - Even Outdoors

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.

Keeping The Grange Alive in the 21st Century

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 19^th and 20^th 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.

The World is His Oyster

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.

She Put the Alice in Alice’s Restaurant

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.

Hippies, Zealots or Entrepreneurs - Connecticut’s Odd Sandemanian Religion

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.

The Gruesome Connecticut Woodchipper Murder Case

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.

Part 2: A Trail Like No Other - It Brought Us Freedom

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.

A Trail Like No Other - It Brought Us Freedom

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.