Grating the Nutmeg

  The Redding Encampment, Connecticut’s first State Archaeological Preserve, is located in Putnam Memorial State Park. Understanding of the Revolutionary War has emphasized the battles, maneuvers, and war meetings; but far more time was expended during the long periods of winter encampment. The winter months were a brutal test of individual fortitude, unifying command, and local support. In the journal Joseph Plumb Martin kept at the time, he wrote, “We arrived at Redding about Christmas or a little before and prepared to build huts for our winter quarters. And now came on the time again between grass and hay, that is, the winter campaign of starving.” Compared to Valley Forge or Morristown, the archaeological evidence supports the poor conditions described by Martin. The site remains intact and is a relatively unknown archaeological gem, administered by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Our publisher Dr. Kathy Hermes chats with Ellery Leary, the official park historian of Putnam Memorial State Park and a member of the Friends & Neighbors of Putnam Memorial State Park in Redding, Connecticut.  They studied history and art history, and they hold an MA in archaeology. They also served as a consultant on a National Park Service Battlefield Interpretation Grant obtained by Cris Radio to create an app with a downloadable audio tour for Putnam Park and a website that tells the stories of people of color at the Redding Encampment. We discuss the importance of Putnam Park as a historical site, the experiences of the soldiers and camp followers, and the efforts at historic preservation of the site.  Visit the websites, Dr. Kathy Hermes, et al, Forgotten Voices of the Revolutionary War: People of Color and the Redding Encampment, 1778-1779 at https://forgottenvoicesrevwar.org/ and Cris Radio, Forgotten Voices of the Revolutionary War, which offers audio recordings of narratives and documents. https://crisradio.org/voice/forgotten-voices-of-the-revolutionary-war/ For more about Abimelech Uncus, see: www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/abimeleck-uncus   ---------------------------------------------- Like Grating the Nutmeg? Want to support it? Make a donation! 100% of the funds from your donation go directly to the production and promotion of the show. Go to ctexplored.org to send your donation now.   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Kathy Hermes and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at highwattagemedia.com. Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!  

  Connecticut Explored and our podcast, Grating the Nutmeg, have featured many of the heritage trails that mark the important histories and sites of Connecticut’s people. Preservation Connecticut has undertaken a survey of LGBTQ+ heritage sites across the state. Now, Grating the Nutmeg and Preservation Connecticut have teamed up to bring you a three-episode podcast series that pairs new research on LGBTQ+ identity and activism with accounts of the Connecticut places where history was made. The episodes include a thriving vegetarian cafe-bookstore run by lesbian feminists in a working-class former factory town, a transgender medical researcher working on an urgent public health issue in the center of Connecticut politics, and a gay, Jewish, best-selling children’s book author in affluent Fairfield County.   In this episode, Dr. Alex Ketchum, author of Ingredients for Revolution: A History of American Feminist Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffeehouses, published by Concordia University Press in 2022, reveals the history of women-owned restaurants in the 1970s and 1980s that had a feminist mission. In a first-ever overview of feminist cafe subculture, Ketchum’s book details the role eateries played in social justice movements, including women’s and LGBTQ+ liberation, and food justice. And we will highlight Bloodroot, the almost 50-year-old lesbian-feminist bookstore, collective, and vegetarian restaurant in Bridgeport.   Dr. Ketchum is Assistant Professor at McGill University's Institute for Gender, Sexuality, Feminist Studies, and the Director of the Just Feminist Tech and Scholarship Lab, co-editor of Queers at the Table: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2022), and creator of The Feminist Restaurant Project: thefeministrestaurantproject.com Follow Dr. Ketchum on her social media pages- bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/aketchum22.bsky.social   @aketchum22.bsky.social instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexketchum/ @dr.alexketchum   To find out more information on Bloodroot Restaurant, check out these sources: Restaurant Website https://www.bloodroot.com/ Public Broadcasting Interview with the founders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtxLyIqYhxQ Documentary Trailer “A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh2K7RAeBf4   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was supported by Preservation Connecticut, preserving the state’s heritage for 50 years and a Quick Grant from CT Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, programs, and collaboration with other organizations. CTH is supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources.   Connecticut Landmarks LGBTQ+ Archives The archival collections of East Haddam’s Palmer-Warner House include the diaries and letters of previous residents Frederic Palmer and his partner Howard Metzger. On view during the museum’s open hours through August 23,2025, “Letters of Unity” explores the evolution of LGBTQ+ communication over more than a century through the stories of Frederic, Howard, and other members of LGBTQ+ communities. From love letters to social media and personal diaries to protest flyers, this display showcases how love, resistance, and solidarity have been expressed through various mediums. Purchase tickets at https://ctlandmarks.org/properties/palmer-warner-house/   The Palmer-Warner House will host a thought-provoking free community panel discussion on queer independence on Saturday, July 12 from 1 pm-4 pm. This panel will offer the opportunity to connect with diverse voices from across generations as they reflect on past, present, and future LGBTQ+ resilience, self-determination, and community support. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate the strength of queer identities. Register at https://114536.blackbaudhosting.com/114536/Queer-Independence-Discussion-Panel   ---------------------------------------------------- Like Grating the Nutmeg? Want to support it? Make a donation! 100% of the funds from your donation go directly to the production and promotion of the show. Go to ctexplored.org to send your donation now.   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at https://www.highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials:  Facebook,Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow executive producer Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at West Hartford Town Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!  

Eric Jay Dolan, an accomplished author with a focus on maritime history, dives into the compelling world of American whaling. He discusses how whale oil powered the Industrial Revolution and the significant role of New England ports like New London. The podcast uncovers the gritty realities of whaling sailors and their economic struggles, while highlighting the resilience of the women who managed households during long voyages. Dolan also connects historical whaling logbooks to modern climate science, showcasing their relevance today.

  In this episode, host Mary Donohue visits the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, a place that includes stellar architecture, art by some of the most renowned artists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and an exhibition that tells the story of Waterbury’s rise as a manufacturing powerhouse. The Mattatuck Museum is an art and regional history museum on the Green in downtown Waterbury, that started out as a historical society in 1877.   Our guest is Rebecca Lo Presti, Assistant Curator. She served as the curator for “ The Art of Leisure” an exhibit that is up now until June 15, 2025. From pencil sketches of working-class families picnicking to paintings done by Americans on the European Grand Tour, the exhibit shows how artists depicted recreation, relaxation, and travel in their work.  They also talk about what else you’ll see at museum when you visit including the artwork of American masters associated with Connecticut such as Anni Albers, Alexander Calder and Frederic Church. And, on the quirkier side, the museum is also home to a button gallery displaying 10,000 buttons -miniature works of art collected from around the globe.   A big thanks to Becca Lo Presti, Asst. Curator and  Tanya Labeck, Marketing & Media Coordinator at the Mattatuck Museum. Visit the museum before June 15th to see the Art of Leisure, but remember that any time is a good time to go! You’ll always find something interesting, beautiful or inspiring on display. Find out more at their website at mattmuseum.org/   To learn more about Waterbury’s industrial history, go to the Connecticut Explored website at  ctexplored.org/   ----------------------------------------------------------                               Like Grating the Nutmeg? Want to support it? Make a donation! 100% of the funds from your donation go directly to the production and promotion of the show. Go to ctexplored.org to send your donation now.   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow executive producer Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!            

Natalie Belanger, an expert from the CT Museum of Culture and History, shares the inspiring story of Mary Hall, Connecticut's first female attorney and founder of the Good Will Club. They delve into Hall's revolutionary impact on youth welfare in Hartford during the 19th-century reform movement. Listeners will discover how the Good Will Club laid the groundwork for youth clubs across America and Hall's pioneering journey in breaking legal barriers, highlighting the enduring legacy she left for future generations.

Gwen North Reiss, a historian and author specializing in mid-century modern architecture, joins Mary Dunne, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer and passionate homeowner, to discuss the beauty of New Canaan’s iconic homes. They dive into the community’s efforts to save these treasures from demolition and share insights into the unique designs that epitomized an era. The conversation reveals the challenges of renovating these gems while preserving their integrity, plus anecdotes that celebrate architectural heritage and the nostalgia tied to these homes.

  In her new book, Book and Dagger, How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of the World, Dr. Elyse Graham tells the story of academics, like Yale literature professor Joseph Curtis, who hunted down German spies and turned them into double agents, and Sherman Kent, a Yale history professor who rose to become the head of analysis for all of Europe and Africa.   At the start of World War II, the United States found itself in desperate need of an intelligence agency. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to today’s CIA, was quickly formed—and in an effort to fill its ranks with experts, the OSS turned to academia for recruits. Suddenly, literature professors, librarians, and historians were training to perform undercover operations and investigative work-and these surprising spies would go on to profoundly shape both the course of the war and the future CIA with their efforts.   This episode’s guest is Dr. Elyse Graham, professor in the English Department at Stony Brook University and the author of four books. Dr.Graham is available for book talks-find the link to her website here:     https://www.elyse-graham.com/   -------------------------------------------------- Like Grating the Nutmeg? Want to support it? Make a donation! 100% of the funds from your donation go directly to the production and promotion of the show. Go to ctexplored.org to send your donation now. Get your copy of Connecticut Explored magazine, in print and digital editions now so you don’t miss the Summer issue! https://www.ctexplored.org/ Each issue offers a photo essay, feature-length stories you can sink your teeth into, and shorter stories you can breeze through—plus lots of beautiful, large historic images. We include oral histories, stunning museum objects, must-see destinations, and more. From Colonial history to pop-culture, you’ll find it all in this magazine This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at https://www.highwattagemedia.com/    Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow executive producer Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!

  Last year in episode 186, we talked about Grove Street Cemetery’s pioneering role as the first planned cemetery in the country. The design of Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven in the 1790s used several of the features that became standard, like family plots and established walkways.   Today, we’re going to move the clock forward and discuss the rural cemetery movement of the 19th century with Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford as a signature example.   Established in 1864, Cedar Hill Cemetery encompasses 270 acres of landscaped woodlands, waterways, and memorial grounds. The urban oasis serves as a sanctuary for Connecticut history, impressive funerary art, and natural beauty. In this episode, Host Mary Donohue interviews Beverly Lucas, Director of the Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation. The Foundation is the non-profit that raises money for the restoration of the monuments and also hosts many events and guided tours.  Be sure to follow the Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation on Facebook and Instagram to find out about upcoming programs.   ----------------------------------------------------- Wesleyan Press book offer! Grating the Nutmeg has an exciting offer from Wesleyan University Press. Order the beautiful coffee table book Joseph Weidenmann, pioneer landscape architect by Rudi Favretti from their website and use the code Q301 to receive a 30% discount!      https://www.weslpress.org/9780819568472/jacob-weidenmann/   ------------------------------------------------------ Want to find out more about Connecticut’s historic cemeteries? Listen to these Grating the Nutmeg episodes:   https://gratingthenutmeg.libsyn.com/186-new-havens-pioneering-grove-street-cemetery   https://gratingthenutmeg.libsyn.com/135-zinc-gravestones-bridgeports-monumental-bronze-company   https://gratingthenutmeg.libsyn.com/154-numbers-to-names-restoring-humanity-to-ct-valley-hospital-cemetery   https://gratingthenutmeg.libsyn.com/78-uncovering-african-and-native-american-lives-in-17th-18th-century-hartford   ------------------------------------------------------ We count on our sponsors, advertisers and most importantly our listeners for their support. Help us continue to tell the important stories from Connecticut’s history by donating a fixed dollar amount monthly. It’s easy to set up a monthly donation on the Connecticut Explored website at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/gratingthenutmeg/  We appreciate donations in any amount! Connecticut Explored magazine is a place where readers encounter the fascinating, and often untold, stories of our state’s people, places, and events. Subscriptions include print + digital access. Subscribe to get your copy today in your mailbox or your inbox at https://www.ctexplored.org/ If you are looking for fun and interesting things to do around the state, our magazine and bi-monthly enewsletter will fill you in! Subscribe and sign up for our enewsletter at our website at https://www.ctexplored.org/   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at https://www.highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow executive producer Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!

Coffee is more than a hot drink or a boost of caffeine. For Connecticans, it’s hundreds of years of history. It has fueled new ideas, social reform, and workers’ rights. It is comfort in wartime and connections across cultures. It is universal, yet distinctly local. In this episode, the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History's Natalie Belanger chats with her colleague, Karen Li Miller, about the Museum's new exhibition exploring these connections, Coffee — A Connecticut Story. Make sure to visit the Museum's web site to see upcoming programs! https://www.connecticutmuseum.org/exhibition/coffee-exhibition/   Thanks to the Connecticut Museum of Culture & History for their financial sponsorship of Grating the Nutmeg, helping us bring you a new episode every two weeks.   ----------------------------------------------- We count on our sponsors, advertisers and most importantly our listeners for their support. Help us continue to tell the important stories from Connecticut’s history by donating a fixed dollar amount monthly. It’s easy to set up a monthly donation on the Connecticut Explored website: ctexplored.org - Click the "Donate" button at the top and look for the Grating the Nutmeg link. We need and appreciate donations in any amount! Connecticut Explored magazine is a place where readers encounter the fascinating, and often untold, stories of our state’s people, places, and events. Subscriptions include print + digital access. Subscribe to get your copy today in your mailbox or your inbox at ctexplored.org If you are looking for fun and interesting things to do around the state, our magazine and bi-monthly enewsletter will fill you in! Subscribe and sign up for our enewsletter at our website at ctexplored.org ----------------------------------------------- This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Natalie Belanger and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at https://www.highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials -Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow executive producer Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!    

Carousels are marvels of brightly painted animals, mechanical excellence, music and lights.  Located in a historic mill building in Bristol, the Carousel Museum houses well over 100 antique wooden carousel animals including white rabbits, pigs, lions and even an alligator. The museum has a full-size carousel inside the building complete with beautifully painted horses and Wurlitzer music - and you can take a merry-go-round ride during any season of the year. Plus, you can take a peek into their restoration workshop. Our guest for this episode is Morgan Fippinger, Executive Director.   Plan your visit to the Carousel Museum at www.thecarouselmuseum.org The museum can also be rented for birthdays, weddings, and other events-find out more on their website.   Be sure to let us know on our social media pages which enchanting carousel animal is your favorite!   Search for carousels to visit across the country here: www.collectorsweekly.com/hall-of-fame/view/national-carousel-association   -------------------------------------------------- Get ready for #CivicLearningWeek! From March 10th through the 14th, students, educators, policymakers, and private and public sector leaders will come together to energize the movement for civic education as a nationwide priority. Prepare with Grating the Nutmeg and Connecticut Explored by reading and listening to civics-focused stories including How Connecticut Got Zoning; Radical Connecticut Labor Strikes; Disability Rights Activist Phyllis Zlotnick; and Miss Crandall’s School for Black Women! Learn more at ctexplored.org and civiclearningweek.org   Links for the these stories and podcast episodes: https://www.ctexplored.org/disrupters-in-small-packages/ https://www.ctexplored.org/misscrandallsschool/   https://www.ctexplored.org/radical-connecticut-labor-strikes/ https://www.ctexplored.org/the-labor-movement-in-connecticut/   https://www.ctexplored.org/phyllis-zlotnick-disability-rights-activist/ https://www.ctexplored.org/phyllis-zlotnick/   https://www.ctexplored.org/how-connecticut-got-zoning-cte-game-changer-series/ https://www.ctexplored.org/game-changer-the-rise-of-exclusionary-zoning-in-connecticut/   ------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by Connecticut Explored, the magazine of Connecticut history and the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. We have a serious funding gap for 2025. You can help us continue to tell the important stories from Connecticut’s history by donating a fixed dollar amount monthly. It’s easy to set up a monthly donation on the Connecticut Explored website at ctexplored.org    Click the donate button at the top and look for the Grating the Nutmeg link. We need and appreciate your support! Subscribe to get your copy of our beautiful magazine Connecticut Explored delivered to your mailbox or your inbox-subscribe at simplecirc.com/subscribe/connecticut-explored    If you are looking for fun and interesting things to do around the state, our magazine and bi-monthly enewsletter will fill you in! Subscribe and sign up for our enewsletter at our website at ctexplored.org   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at www.highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow host Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!