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Political leadership and public service at both the local and national levels, especially in times of turmoil, are familiar subjects in Connecticut history. Familiar too is the industrial and agricultural infrastructure that has shaped the economic development of Connecticut commun…

Dear Readers, Political leadership and public service at both the local and national levels, especially in times of turmoil, are familiar subjects in Connecticut history. Familiar too is the industrial and agricultural infrastructure that has shaped the economic development of Connecticut communities. This issue is about power—people who found it unexpectedly and those who seemed born to wield it; the power of civic remembrance to shape us; and natural power tamed or harnessed for use.

by John Cilio © Connecticut Explored Connecticut ratification of the United States Constitution, January 9, 1788. Dr. James Potter’s signature appears in the third column. Courtesy of the National Archives; image hosted by Pembroke College, University of Oxford. James Potter’s life’s work, now largely for…

Dear Supporters, As we approach Connecticut Explored’s 25th year of publication in 2027, we are reflecting on our past quarter century—and looking ahead to the next. We are grateful for your intellectual curiosity and your shared passion for the stories that define our state.

Dear Supporters, As we approach Connecticut Explored’s 25th year of publication in 2027, we are reflecting on our past quarter century—and looking ahead to the next. We are grateful for your intellectual curiosity and your shared passion for the stories that define our state. To celebrate this upcoming milestone, we want to ensure that our pages continue to capture your interests while also welcoming a new generation of readers into our community.

by Pauline Merrick © Connecticut Explored Norwich certificate authorizing Jabez Huntington to emancipate Samuel, June 25, 1781. Norwich, Connecticut, made substantial contributions to the Revolutionary War effort. A hotbed of patriotism, the town played a leading role in supplying provisions, soldiers, and military lead…

By Elizabeth J. Normen © Connecticut Explored Seth Eastman, West Point, New York, 1875. Courtesy of the U.S. Senate Collection. It depicts the Hudson Highlands post where John Hart was stationed in early 1778. The Reverend William Hart was preaching from the pulpit of the First Church of…

Seth Eastman, West Point, New York, 1875. Courtesy of the U.S. Senate Collection. It depicts the Hudson Highlands post where John Hart was stationed in early 1778. Elizabeth Normen, Connecticut Explored’s founding publisher, has written a new book about the Hart family of Saybrook and their contributions to religious awakenings and revolutionary ideas. In our summer issue, her article is a study in the life of one of the Hart sons, a soldier whose trauma derailed his life.

by Dayne Rugh © Connecticut Explored Norwich Colonial Burying Ground, Norwich, Connecticut. Courtesy of the Norwich Historical Society. The Colonial Burying Ground of Norwich, Connecticut, is one of the city’s oldest and most significant historic sites. Lieutenant Samuel Huntington (1665–1717),…

Happy 250th birthday to our nation and 10th anniversary to Grating the Nutmeg! In celebration of our 10th anniversary, we are bringing you a remastered edition of an episode recorded in 2020 with Dr. Walter Woodward, Connecticut State Historian Emeritus. Dr. Woodward takes a new look at the actions surrounding the Revolutionary War execution of State Hero Nathan Hale, and finds there are still some burning questions left to be answered about this hasty and irregular event.