Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

The Oldest Volunteer Fire Department in the Entire Nation

The earliest firefighters used bucket brigades, hand-drawn pumpers, and "speaking trumpets" (to project a voice and bark orders at fire scenes). With all of the wooden structures in Colonial America, fires were frequent. This fire department has the distinction of being the oldest volunteer fire department in the country.

What was the Ferocious Creature that Terrorized a town in 1939?

The media dubbed it the Glawackus - an elusive and ferocious creature first spotted in Glastonbury, CT that veteran hunters could not identify. It killed wildlife, dogs, chickens, and made unidentifiable howls at night, terrifying the population. Finally, one hunter is believed to have bagged it - but there is much more to the story.

When the Blind and Deaf Woman, Helen Keller, Showed us the Way

Helen Keller - deaf, dumb, and blind from childhood. She overcame her disabilities, with help, and went on to become an internationally celebrated author, lecturer, and advocate for those with her disabilities. One of her good friends was Samuel Clemens, a.k.a., Mark Twain.

A 185-year-old Mutiny that Impacted the Slave Era

It's one of the more quoted stories from the slave era. Four deaths during a mutiny aboard a ship - La Amistad - carrying 50 kidnapped Africans from Cuba led to high profile court cases in the U.S. about the immoral slave trade in the 1800s, drawing international attention.

The Deafening Sound of the Invisible Enemy Frightened an Entire Town

Veteran soldiers in the 1700s were as perplexed as ordinary towns folks - and even as scared - by the deafening, ongoing noise that woke them up on a particularly dark night. Nobody could see the source of the sound - a sound like never heard before. Was it Judgement Day? When the morning light came, the mystery was solved.

Who was the 1899 Bank Robber Whose Grave Still Reads X-Y-Z?

His gravestone reads "X-Y-Z" because the identity of the man who staged an 1899 bank robbery is still unconfirmed. He was shot dead during the robbery and photos of him were widely circulated in the newspapers of the day. No one ever positively identified him.

The True Story Behind Arsenic and Old Lace

Maybe you've seen the classic 1944 Cary Grant movie "Arsenic and Old Lace." It's about two spinster women who lure unsuspecting men to their home and then poison them. What you may not know, is that it's based on a true story.

The CT Compromise - It Saved Our Country

Roger Sherman is the only founding father who signed all four of the country's original documents. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and brokered the Connecticut Compromise, breaking a political impasse and allowing the Constitution to be approved.

The First Flying Automobile was Invented Decades Ago

The first flying automobile approved by the FAA was invented in the 1940s. Robert Fulton's Airphibian was only one of his incredible gifts to society. He also invented the flight simulator, that teaches pilots to fly, and Skyhook, featured in a 007 film.

Can We Settle the Question of Who Settled First?

Was it Wethersfield or Windsor? After English settlers arrived at Plymouth in the 1600s, they moved into Connecticut. A dispute over which town they settled first continues. Either way, Wethersfield boasts some of the nation's most incredible history.