CT Explored/Inbox
Winter 25-26: Stories and Storytellers. Read about a brazen kidnapping, and learn about how a CT company produced the hottest toy of the 1980s - and then went broke! Plus enjoy our holiday gift offer.
The “Miller Excitement”: A Town at War with Itself
“On a freezing January night in 1843, Stamford citizens witnessed a brazen kidnapping. Heiress Martha Blackwell Miller, 25, was dragged from her room at the Stage House hotel by her husband, Charles F. Miller, and forced into a waiting horse-drawn carriage. Expecting to remain indoors, she had no coat. As the carriage raced on, Martha screamed for help, but no one dared stop horses at full stride. It was a sharp escalation in Charles’s efforts to stop Martha from divorcing him. The Stamford Advocate soon dubbed it the “Miller Excitement,” and the private tribulations of a bad marriage became a public controversy, which split Stamford into two hostile camps—'Millerites’ and ‘Anti-Millerites.’” writes Kivell.
Each issue we highlight one story to read free of charge. For the WINTER 2025-2026 issue we selected “The “Miller Excitement”: A Town at War with Itself” by Martin Kivell.
Enjoy the full story for free here.
Martin Kivell is the former education director at the Stamford Historical Society. He blogs at cryuncleblog.wordpress.com. His TV pilot won first prize at the 2025 Creative World Awards.
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Announcing Our Newest Partner
We are thrilled to welcome the Fairfield Museum and History Center as our newest Organizational Partner!
The Fairfield Museum is one of Connecticut’s most dynamic cultural institutions, welcoming more than 35,000 visitors each year.
In 2026, the Fairfield Museum will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in partnership with dozens of cultural organizations, presenting a diverse array of public programs, exhibitions, and community events.
Join the celebration of this historic milestone by visiting the Fairfield Museum and exploring special exhibitions such as Eat, Drink & Start a Revolution! Fairfield’s Taverns, Fairfield: 1776 to Today, Portraits of Fairfield, and more. Be sure to stop by our main exhibition, Creating Community: 400 Years of Fairfield Stories to see the new “Burning of Fairfield, 1779” mural painted by renowned artist Harley Bartlett.
For a full list of America 250–related programs, visit: www.fairfieldhistory.org/america250/
Fairfield Museum and History Center, 370 Beach Road, Fairfield. Fairfieldhistory.org; (203) 259-1598
Snapshots! The Mystery of Annis, Amix, and Alice & Sea Shanties
What’s in a name? In Connecticut lore, many Indigenous people are unnamed or with names that leave us wondering about the individual. The names Annis, Amix, and Alice are mentioned in lore that spans different towns throughout the state.
In the Algonquian dialects of southern New England, the letters l, n, and r are sometimes interchangeable. The /n/ area extends from eastern Massachusetts to Rhode Island. An /r/ is found in Connecticut (near New Haven) and in far northeastern Massachusetts. The /l/ area includes the Nipmuck, who live in central Massachusetts. The Wangunk resided along the Connecticut River. Were Annis, Amix, and Alice all the same or different individuals? Did colonists hear one name differently or three different names? We may never know for certain. Have you heard similar stories? Let us know at publisher@ctexplored.org.
Sea shanties are so catchy it is hard not to join in singing along. But listen to the lyrics and you might be surprised. Originally sea shanties were folk songs sung by sailors to accompany the rhythmic manual labor abroad a ship. The lyrics can tell us of a typical day on voyage. Read more in our Winter 2025-2026 issue!
The Latest From Grating the Nutmeg
Cabbage Patch Kids and West Hartford’s Toymaker Coleco
During this holiday season, it seems like the perfect time to bring you the story of one of the bestselling toys ever - Cabbage Patch Kids! Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2023, Cabbage Patch Kids set every toy industry sales record for three years running from 1983-86, and has become one of the longest-running doll franchises in the United States. How did a Connecticut company produce the hottest toy of the 1980s - and then go broke?
Find out more in this episode!
Listen: Cabbage Patch Kids and West Hartford’s Toymaker Coleco
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Programs and Exhibitions to Enjoy This Season:
The Great Trains Show is back at the Wilton Historical Society
Celebrate the winter season with fun for the whole family. The Wilton Historical Society’s Great Trains Show. Visitors can explore model trains winding through tiny Connecticut towns and polar wonderlands, or try to find all the hidden objects on the miniature winter village’s scavenger hunt list. The show opens Friday, November 28th and runs through Monday, January 19, 2026. Open hours are Wednesdays – Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm, and Sundays, 12 pm to 4 pm. Join us for special programming throughout the show, including historic hearth cooking demonstrations, a caroling concert, and a visit from Santa! Visit wiltonhistorical.org for more information.
Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road. Wiltonhistorical.org; 203-762-7257
The Great Wave: Japonisme at Hill-Stead
Hill-Stead Museum invites you to join us for The Great Wave: Japonisme at Hill-Stead, an exhibition exploring the transformative influence of Japanese art and aesthetics on Western artists and collectors in the 19th and early 20th century. This exhibition includes paintings and works on paper from Old Masters and Impressionists alongside Japanese woodblock prints (Ukiyo-e), netsuke, Buddhist sutras, lacquer ware and other selected objects and textiles. Also exhibited will be archival materials from Alfred Atmore Pope’s (1842-1913) collecting, and his daughter Theodate Pope Riddle’s (1867-1946) post-WWI voyage to Japan with husband, John Wallace Riddle (1864-1941).
The Great Wave: Japonisme at Hill-Stead presents a fresh look at how the infusion of Japanese art and design informed and influenced the entire Pope family and how their experience reflects the broader evolution of American tastes and culture. Visit the exhibition between December 11, 2025 – April 30, 2026, and keep an eye out for special events inspired by the show!
Hill-Stead Museum, 35 Mountain Road, Farmington. Hillstead.org; 860-677-4787
The Baby Grand Jazz
Hartford Public Library’s (HPL) popular Baby Grand Jazz Series (BGJ) will return for its 22nd season in January 2026. The free series, supported by a generous three-year sponsorship from The Kaman Foundation, features accomplished jazz musicians and bands from around the region. HPL will continue to host the Baby Grand Jazz series on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. from January to April, excluding Easter Sunday on April 5, 2026. The concerts will take place at the Center for Contemporary Culture, located at Hartford Public Library’s Downtown Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford.
Support from The Kaman Foundation enables HPL to connect diverse audiences with a wide range of artists, showcasing the diversity within jazz. The Baby Grand Jazz series features accomplished regional performers and local ensembles, demonstrating that Hartford remains a vibrant jazz city.
Hartford History Center at the Downtown Library, Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford. hplct.org; 860-695-6297
Editor’s Picks:
Christina Keyser Vida, “First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage” Connecticut Explored, Winter 2017-2018.
Henry S. Cohn, “Divorce Connecticut-Style” Connecticut Explored, Winter 2017-2018.