Amazing Tales About History

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One-Room Schoolhouses Posed Challenges Dec 28, 2022

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One-room schoolhouses. A simpler time? No outhouses, poor ventilation and lighting, no insulation, and no drinking wells. Girls couldn't expose their ankles under their skirts and students had to carry firewood from home. Still, they served us for 200 years.

Valley Forge Conditions at Putnam Park Dec 21, 2022

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Putnam Park in Redding, CT, is called CT’s Valley Forge. 3,000 Patriot soldiers spent the winter of 1778 there, protecting Hudson River to Long Island Sound. Low pay and insufficient food and clothing led to a mutiny action and desertions. Two gruesome executions would follow, to teach the troops a lesson.

How the Cavalry Helped Win the Revolutionary War Dec 14, 2022

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The first American unit to undertake a cavalry charge in combat was the Second Light Dragoons. They also started the Pony Express and the infamous Culper Spy Ring around New York City, while providing security for George Washington throughout the war, often riding at up to 40 miles an hour.

The Country's First Female Governor, Elected in Her Own Right Dec 07, 2022

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Ella Grasso. She was self-made in a man's political world at the time. She became the first female elected in her own right to a governorship in U.S. history, rising from a home of Italian immigrants where only broken English was spoken at home. A terminal illness ended her outstanding career.

Hiding in Plain Sight - Stone Mile Markers Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

Today, we drive by LED road signs. In the Colonial era, there were slabs of stone planted each mile by the side of the road. In-scripted on them: the abbreviation for the County seat and Roman Numerals to show how many miles were still to go. There were 600. Now, just 150 or so.

The Fairytale Land: The Last Green Valley Nov 23, 2022

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Eastern MA and CT hold acreage that's half the size of Grand Canyon Park that's still 85% undeveloped, with hiking, open space, bald eagles, and historic villages. The Last Green Valley is a designated National Heritage Corridor. On nighttime satellite photos, it's the only dark spot between Washington, D.C. and Boston.

After the British Raid, Patriots Buried This Brit With Honors Nov 16, 2022

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William Campbell is the only British soldier during the Revolutionary War who was buried by Americans with honors. A monument and dedicated parcel of land includes the Union Jack flag flying next to his grave. Why was he honored right after 3,000 British soldiers had committed numerous atrocities during their raid?

Eyebrow-Raising Military Secrets from the Cold War Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

Nuclear missiles hidden in silos in three towns without residents' knowledge, underground buildings built on springs to withstand shaking from nuclear blasts, an Army train moving highly radioactive nuclear material past elementary schools. Just some military activities from the 1950-60s.

Where Aerospace Took Flight Nov 02, 2022

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More than a century of top aviation contributions. The first helicopter, leading jet engines, a famous air balloonist, and possibly the first to fly (earlier than the Wright brothers). Connecticut's offerings to aerospace have been enormous.

When Stagecoaches Were How You Got Around Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Stagecoaches were the main mode of transportation for 50 years, starting in the late 1700s, until trains came along. Stagecoach routes followed the early dirt turnpikes, delivering people and mail around the Colonies. They were cramped, bumpy, and subject to frequent breakdown.

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