CT Explored/Inbox
Spring 26: Perseverance. Join us for our summer fundraiser! Irish Immigration in Art. The New Horizons Village. Photos from our friends appreciation event, plus more events to attend this season.
Big news! It’s a special summer supper with some of our best-loved Connecticut Explored authors and you’re invited! Join us for an early evening cocktail and light meal while meeting the people who bring you your favorite magazine! Come and make suggestions to our team and our authors about the themes and articles you would like to see covered in Connecticut Explored or on our Grating the Nutmeg podcasts. Share your ideas for our future!
We’re all about making Connecticut history interesting, accessible and engaging for you. Your presence and support make a huge difference. To purchase tickets, read about the authors, and review the menu click below. RSVP by June 30th, 2026.
Built for Independence: New Horizons Village at 40
As New Horizons Village approaches its 40th anniversary the photos lining its walls tell a story of its remarkable history. What started as a letter written by three young disabled Connecticut residents became a decades-long campaign that reshaped housing and disability rights in Connecticut.
Read about the history of New Horizons by subscribing below.
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Your gift provides important annual support for the continued publication of the magazine. Keep Connecticut history alive!
Snapshots!
350 Years Ago: The Burning of Simsbury
In 1675, a war erupted between the New England colonies and King Philip (also known as Metacom), the sachem—chief political leader—of the Wampanoag people. This conflict, known as both King Philip’s War and the Great Narragansett War, was one of the deadliest and most devastating in early American history.
King Philip’s War strained southern New England’s Native communities and challenged loyalties.
Learn about 250 Years Ago: John Anderson Became Hartford’s Black Governor and 150 Years Ago: The Centennial Exhibition in our Snapshots! section. Plus enjoy a crossword puzzle.
The Latest From Grating the Nutmeg
Irish Immigration in Art from the Fairfield Great Hunger Museum at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
Famine Irish, lace-curtain Irish, shanty Irish: the Irish Diaspora has shaped Connecticut’s European immigrant history from the 1840s. Traces of Irish history and culture in the state are not only found in archival and artifact collections but also through the historic buildings, neighborhoods, and cemeteries that stand across the state. Whether they were immigrants, expatriates, refugees, or indentured servants when they arrived from Ireland, 14 percent of Connecticut’s current residents claim Irish ancestry.
In this episode, we take you to a new exhibition, A Journey of Hope: The Irish American Immigrant Experience curated by Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield now on exhibit at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. The exhibit has about 30 art pieces on view ranging from a 1714 map of Ireland to contemporary paintings completed in 2019.
Connecticut history matters - be part of it! You can help us celebrate our 10th anniversary and keep the podcast alive by giving a one-time donation or pledging $10 dollars a month. Support GTN today!
Out and About: An afternoon of history & refreshments in Manchester.
Sunday, May 3rd, we toasted our friends for their unwavering support of Connecticut Explored! Held at 2nd Bridge Soccer Pub & Brewery in Manchester, guests enjoyed refreshments and appetizers while owner Steve White spoke about the history of the historic Hilliard Mills. Cheers!
Coming up… on Saturday, June 13th, join us on the New Haven Green to celebrate Juneteenth. We will have swag and back issues for sale. See you there!
Programs and Exhibitions to Enjoy This Season:
Legends and Lore: Reconsidering Perspectives
Actions taken during the American Revolution led to the creation of local legends, but as these stories passed through generations, they often changed. Exploring well-known narratives reveals the complex motivations behind the rebellion and how we choose to remember it. Litchfield Historical Society’s 250th exhibition, Legends and Lore: Reconsidering Perspectives of the American Revolution, examines these tales and how they shape our understanding of the fight for independence.
Meet locals who helped create bullets from the statue of King George III; compare the plight of prisoners aboard British prison ships with the solitary confinement of loyalist William Franklin; and examine the foundational documents that cast our founding fathers as traitors to the crown. Join these storytellers to dive into their tales in this free exhibition, on view April 17, 2026–November 28, 2027.
Litchfield Historical Society, 7 South Street, Litchfield. litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org; 860-567-4501
Hill–Stead Museum in Full Bloom!
This spring, visit our unique gardens while they are in bloom. Inside the museum, experience world-class Impressionist masterpieces, including works by Monet, Degas, and Cassatt, that beautifully complement the natural beauty of our grounds.
Whether you’re strolling through the trails or taking in sweeping views of the Farmington Valley from the veranda, Hill–Stead offers a deep connection to both culture and the land. Come nurture the life of the mind and the spirit at a place designed to inspire both. Visit the historic house from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 AM–4 PM, and take advantage of free access to the grounds every day, 7:30 AM–5 PM. Learn more at hillstead.org.
Hill–Stead Museum, 35 Mountain Road, Farmington. hillstead.org; 860-677-4787
America’s First Combat Submarine
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday at the Connecticut River Museum with an exhibit focused on America’s first combat submarine, the Turtle. Experience the majesty of the Connecticut River in spring aboard RiverQuest as you search for eagles. Plus, don’t miss the upcoming multidisciplinary Connecticut River Valley Environmental Summit at Wesleyan University.
Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main Street, Essex. ctrivermuseum.org; 860-767-8269
Food Truck Festival
Enjoy great food, immersive experiences, community engagement, and support a great cause at the Wilton Historical Society’s Food Truck Festival. On Sunday, May 31, from 11 AM to 4 PM, join Wilton Historical at Schenck’s Island and Chess Park, 202 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, to feast from a collection of the area’s finest food trucks. Attendees can explore Wilton’s culinary and food-producing history, with reenactments from knowledgeable colonial educators. The festival will also include live music, historically inspired games, face painting, and more!
The Wilton Historical Society Food Truck Festival is being held in partnership with Wilton Pride’s Be You Festival and Wilton Coalition for Youth #Wiltoniswhereyoubelong campaign. All proceeds from admissions go directly to the Wilton Historical Society’s mission to preserve Wilton’s history and to connect, engage, and educate all who would look to the past to shape the future.
Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road. wiltonhistorical.org; 203-762-7257
Editor’s Picks:
Arianna Basche, “Phyllis Zlotnick: Paving the Way to a More Accessible Connecticut,” Connecticut Explored, Fall 2024.
Neil Hogan, “Connecticut’s Irish Domestics,” Connecticut Explored, Fall 2013.