Amazing Tales from Off the Beaten Path

Preserving Open Space is Getting More Difficult

Just because land is forested or undeveloped doesn't mean it's set-aside "open space." Many landowners are just waiting for the right time to sell to developers. The battle to commit enough open space land for future generations to enjoy is behind schedule.

Noah Webster - Our Forgotten Founding Father

Noah Webster doesn't command much attention as a founding father. Yet, he created the first American dictionary and made contributions to education that remain to this day. He's the father of U.S. copyright law and founder of New York’s first daily newspaper.

Are Zoos Becoming a Thing of the Past?

At one point, Connecticut had five zoos. Now, it's just has one accredited facility: Beardsley Zoo. This dwindling resource keeps highly endangered species alive and director Gregg Dancho says its contributions are generally unappreciated by society.

Did This Man Survive the Titanic by Wearing a Dress?

1,500 victims drowned on the Titanic. William Sloper survived. He escaped on an a “women and children only” lifeboat. One reporter claimed he got in it by wearing a dress. What was the truth?

When Your Small Plane Pilot Dies in Mid-Flight

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the pilot of a small plane you were riding in died in mid-flight? On Easter Sunday, 2009, the pilot of a twin-engine plane out of Florida suffered a fatal heart attack, leaving a father, his wife, and two daughters alone in the plane. A CT flight instructor tried to talk him down.

169 Towns - Which One was First?

Is a "trading post" a "settlement?" This seemingly straightforward question is at the heart of a 400-year-old argument as to whether Windsor or Wethersfield was the first town settled by the English in Connecticut.

PART 2: 20,000 Leagues Under Long Island Sound

In part two of this two-part series, we learn the fate of the 41-member submarine crew, trapped under Long Island Sound with flooded compartments, no radio onboard, deadly chlorine gas filling the vessel, and freezing water temperatures.

PART 1: 20,000 Leagues Under Long Island Sound

In 1921, a submarine set sail in Long Island Sound for the New London Naval Base. In part one of this two-part series, we hear how the 41-member crew faced multiple, spellbinding challenges when the vessel sank, with no radio onboard.

This Ghost Story has Dozens of Witnesses

This ghost story has dozens of witnesses. The well publicized "Lindley Street Poltergeist" saw thousands of people gathering nightly outside the house to witness supernatural activities seen by police and firefighters - floating refrigerators, knives flying through the air, and even a talking cat.

The First Site Proposed for the U.N. Ran Into a Buzz Saw

Instead of New York City, imagine the United Nations in Greenwich, CT. It was the search committee's first choice. The ensuing community battle gave rise to the slogan "NIMBY": not in my backyard. The Rockefeller and Bush political dynasties also got involved.