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2019 was a remarkable year for the Office of the State Historian, and 2020 brings more good things amidst a sea of challenges.

During 2019, people visited our Today in Connecticut History website, which we produce in partnership with CThumanities,  more than  325,000 times. Several hundred thousand more viewers read our entries on social media. Website subscribers read over 100,000 of our daily Today in Connecticut History emails, and our radio stories on WNPR gained more than three million exposures. Best of all, you’ve told us over and over again how much you enjoy our Today in Connecticut History stories, and we couldn’t be more pleased – or more grateful.

In 2020, despite the world-changing effects of the Covid-19 virus, we’ll be working hard  as ever to come up with new and engaging ways to help you learn about our state’s past, while winning prizes in the present.

Early in 2020, our Connecticut history podcast Grating the Nutmeg, which we produce with Connecticut Explored magazine, will receive its 50,000th download.  Later this year,  Grating the Nutmeg will  reach its 100th episode.  Thank you for helping us reach these milestones, and please continue to spread the word about the state’s most popular Connecticut history podcast.

Sometime this year, Walt Woodward and the Band of Steady Habits will release their first album of history music. Great River was scheduled for a release party at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex in Early May.But a “Stay Home and Stay Safe” order from the Governor has prevented us from completing our final session at Massive Productions in Rocky Hill, so – stand by for further details.

Most exciting, perhaps, is the release of Walt Woodward’s new book Creating Connecticut: Critical Moments that Shaped a Great State. He’ll be spending much of the year traveling the state introducing people to these fascinating stories of Connecticans who made a difference, when that difference really counted. We hope to see you at one of the book events.

The innovative programs of the State Historian’s office are made possible in part through the support and hard work of our partners (CT Humanities for Today in Connecticut History and Connecticut Explored  magazine for Grating the Nutmeg). 

We are especially grateful for  the generous support of the Sue B. Hart Foundation, which has made so much of this work possible.   

RSS Grating the Nutmeg Podcast

  • 104. Great Traditions: The Connecticut Election Cake October 15, 2020
      (Image - Brookfield Registrars, chistinascucina.com)  With elections leaving so many people with a bitter taste in their mouths, we're celebrating one of Connecticut's oldest – and for centuries best known – traditions; the Connecticut Election cake. In this conversation with Allie Kyff of the Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut's Old State House,state Historian Walt […]
  • 103. Cannonballs and Skyscrapers: Keeler Tavern Museum October 1, 2020
    Owned by the same family for its first 200 years then purchased by star architect Cass Gilbert in 1907 for his summer home, the Keeler Tavern was there when the American Revolution’s Battle of Ridgefield happened and it has a cannonball embedded in the façade to prove it. New York City architect Cass Gilbert, designer […]