Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

The #1 Word Puzzle Creator in the U.S.

He does "Jumble" - the most syndicated word puzzle in the U.S. He also does "Word Round-up" and "Up and Down Words." How do you become the leading word puzzle maker in the U.S.?

Secrets of the Oldest Town Green

It’s the oldest town green in North America – laid out 400 years ago in grid format and continuously maintained since colonial days. The New Haven, CT Green holds many secrets and memories, including forgotten cemeteries and famous visits.

Inside New England's Stonewalls

Stonewalls. Beautiful rows of rocks piled in lines along fields or through the woods. Yet, the 240,000 miles of New England stonewalls hide a more scientific purpose – namely, classifying them in ways similar to wetlands to make future land use decisions.

Among the Worst Naval Loses in U.S. History

More than 2 dozen American ships sunk in one night. The British did it during the War of 1812 near Long Island Sound. It was the worst loss of ships in a single military event, until Pearl Harbor.

The Hanging of Witches in the 1600s

The hanging of witches started in Connecticut in the 1600s. Decades later, the more famous Salem Witch Trials occurred. At the beginning, nearly a dozen women and men were hanged for witchcraft, until young Colony Governor John Winthrop used his political expertise to get the state to end executions entirely.

Parts of This Important Early Dirt Path Still Survive

The "Old Woodbury Path" connected some of America's earliest farms with one of its earliest and nearly forgotten ports. Most of it is paved over now, but if you know where to look, parts of this 350-year-old cart path can still be hiked.

Who Put the Ivory in Ivoryton?

Ivory. It meant quality, class, and refinement. And, it put the town of Ivorytown on the map. That's where 90% of the material was imported into the U.S. and manufactured into piano keys, combs and buttons, taking advantage of huge demand for its smooth, glassy touch.

A Top-Secret World War II Project: "PO Box 1142"

American soldiers held in German during WW II made many prison escapes largely thanks to a top-secret project: Post Office Box 1142. Coded info and hidden devices were mailed to prisoners in ingenious ways that got past prison guards.

Who Really Killed Seymour's First Selectman?

About 100 years ago, a town's top leader was shot to death in his Town Hall office. Ray Gilliard telephoned the operator, said he had been shot, described his assailants, and asked for police and a doctor to be dispatched. Then, the line went dead. The investigation's outcome shocked everyone.

The Very First Robot

The "father of robotics," Joseph Engelberger, created the very first industrial robot in the 1980s. It was installed on a car manufacturing production line. His ingenuity led to other advances, including a robot that delivered food trays from a hospital kitchen to a patient's bedside.