Under the Charter Oak

Just when you think the story is about one person, we flip the script. From Major General Jabez Huntington, a successful merchant from Norwich, CT, to his son Jedidiah Huntington, to Jedidiah's wife Faith Trumbull Huntington. This story is a whirlwind of family names, military service, and heartache. Through the lives of the Huntingtons and the Trumbulls, the true effects and personal impacts...

A napkin might not seem like an item of historical significance at first glance. When you find out it was present at a dinner party hosted by Major General Israel Putnam that was purportedly attended by General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette in 1777 the napkin might be more interesting. When you find out THAT story actually might not be true, this napkin and its history become ever...

This is not your average brick. It's an 18th century brick that is believed to be one of the remnants from the field ovens built in Lebanon, CT during the American Revolution. These field ovens fed a multinational legion of cavalry and infantry led by the Duc de Lauzun when they wintered in Lebanon during 1780-1781. Learn about the brick, the Duc de Lauzun, and Lauzun's Legion on this we...

In the 1770s, Americans had big feelings about King George III, so much so that a 4,000 pound lead sculpture of him that was installed in 1770 on Bowling Green, New York, was torn down by 1776. Dramatic as that sounds, what happens to 4,000 pounds of anything? And how did a caped shoulder of the statue end up at the Museum of Connecticut History? As usual, every item has a story.   Learn about Kin...

The 2nd Regiment of Light Dragoons was made up of hundreds of brave soldiers, one of which was Private Joseph Robins, an Indigenous man who may have belonged to the Nipmuc, Pequot, Mohegan, or Narragansett nations. While we don't know why he enlisted in the military, we're able to follow a bit of his journey through his wife Elizabeth Robins. What we do know is that he was chosen by Geor...

Colonel Elisha Bostwick's pocket watch is more than just a time keeper. It's an object that carries us across the ice-choked Delaware with George Washington to Trenton, New Jersey on a journey to battle German soldiers. Learn about Colonel Elisha Bostwick, his pocket watch, and the journey to battle on this week's episode of Small but Mighty: Connecticut's Revolution. Credit: ...

What stories could possibly come from a pocket watch, a flag, a sculpted shoulder, a brick, a portrait, and a napkin? Our colleagues from the Museum will be sharing information, not only about the items, but the people and stories behind them. You can expect mutiny, lies, Trumbulls, Putnams, and word has it, we might not have won the American Revolution without the tiny state of Connecticut. Buckl...

In this lively episode of Under the Charter Oak , Ashley, Kym, and Matt welcome a special guest from outside the library world, Kristen Bellantuono from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) State Parks. Kristen oversees beloved statewide programs including No Child Left Inside, and the long‑running Sky’s the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge, which will probabl...

Do you have a famous dog on your van? We do. Today Ashley, Matt, and Kym learn all about Sargent Stubby, the most decorated war dog of WWI and the only dog promoted to Sargent. Where was Stubby from you ask? Where else, Connecticut. Christine Pittsley, Museum Curator at the Museum of Connecticut History joins us on the pod to tell us about Sgt. Stubby, his owner, and the impact Stubby had not only...

CT LAB, also known as the CT Library for Accessible Books, is a FREE service of the CT State Library in partnership with the National Library Service. CT residents who struggle to read a physical book due to visual, physical or reading disabilities can qualify for access to tools such as talking book players, refreshable Braille display machines, a catalog of thousands of books, magazines, and mus...

What do William Webb, Jordan Freeman, and James H. Williams have in common? They were all black men who lived in Connecticut before the 1900’s, and they’ve all been portrayed as living history figures by Kevin Johnson an employee of the Connecticut State Library’s History and Genealogy department. This month Ashley, Kym, and Matt are joined by Kevin to learn about his research and the creative pro...

Ashley, Kym, and Matt are joined by Kirsten Cappy, the Executive Director of I’m Your Neighbor Books, an organization that cultivates a sense of belonging and engagement with immigrants and new Americans. We dive into the power of storytelling, community building, and cultivating meaningful conversation. Prepare to hear about a lot of books, feel big feelings, and learn about an organization worki...

Ashley, Kym, and Matt are joined by Jennifer Matos, the Administrator at the Museum of Connecticut History at the Connecticut State Library. We learn about the history and mission of the museum, get highlights about various collections and artifacts, and finally learn the (true?) story of the Charter Oak. There was a heist! Oh and the Nutmeg, the seed that gave our beloved state one of its nicknam...

We have our first guest! Brad Bullis, the CT State Library Digital Content and Innovation Coordinator joins Ashley, Kym, and Matt as we jump out from behind the curtain and take center stage! Much of how the Division of Library Development contributes to the state is hidden and often unknown, but today we discuss our public facing programs designed with Connecticut residents in mind! Today's...

Are libraries quiet study tombs, book repositories, or community spaces? Spoiler alert, they’re all of the above and more. Join Ashley, Kym, and Matt, as they discuss their journeys into the field of librarianship, why none of them planned to apply for jobs at the State Library, crush opinions about what a library should or shouldn’t be, and what they think might be the future of the field.    Wha...

September is Library Card Sign Up Month and here in Connecticut we have more public libraries than towns! How do you get a library card? What do they have there? Why should I bother? Ashley, Kym, and Matt, librarians from the CT State Library, are here to answer the questions you have and the questions you never thought to ask. What we’re reading: ·        The Secret Astronomers by Jessica Walker...

The CT State Library is a gateway to lifelong learning for all residents and visitors, inspiring a shared and informed future through our diverse, historic, and cultural resources. The Under the Charter Oak Podcast will be a monthly podcast produced and run by Division of Library Development (DLD) staff members highlighting different library projects and initiatives of the CT State Library and par...