Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

Skydiving's First Jump

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.

Island of Miracles

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..

How Ethan Allen Created a New State

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.

A Forgotten Village Abandoned and Hiding in Isolated Woods

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.

Just 30 Defenders Hold Off 1,300 British During 4-Day Attack

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.

The Fatal Paparazzi Car Crash Involving Marilyn Monroe

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.

America's First Folk Hero: General Israel Putnam

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 Man Who Created the News Service You Use the Most

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.

The First Time a Phone was Used to Summon Emergency Help

The first time a phone was used to call for emergency help. It happened after a horrible train wreck. The train crashed through a bridge and into the icy river below in January of 1878. The train full of passengers was returning from a religious revival with the passengers singing as the crash occurred.

Some of the Worst Storms Hit in Years Ending in the Number 8

The worst weather disasters in southern New England occurred in years that ended in the number 8. Included are the Blizzard of 1888, the Hurricane of 1938, and tornadoes and ice storms in the years 1878, 1898, 1978, and 2018.