Episode 3: Making Waves in Connecticut

In Episode 3, Making Waves in Connecticut, we fully embrace the July mood of “I need to be in the water, near the water, or at least staring at it with something frozen in my hand.” We will float on tubes down the Farmington River, wander lakes big and small, and ignore TLC’s advice and go chasing waterfalls.  We might accidentally take 200 photos and keep them all. We will also spend a full summer day on Long Island Sound,  complete with “okay, fine, one more hour” energy.

Along the way, the episode explores how water is integral to Connecticut life and why we have so much of it…from our glacial backstory to its role in America’s history. We’ll even find the water in our old-school local sodas, non-alcoholic brews and New Have apizza dough. For all the lake days, river runs, shoreline walks, and Crocodile Cove chaos at Lake Compounce, if it helps you cool off or splash around, it’s in here. 

Guests-

Suzanne O'Connell, Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science

Mason Trumble, Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Conservation at DEEP

Jason Scappaticci, The Bowtie Historian

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:05

Hello, lovely humans, and welcome back to Perks and Recreation, your monthly invitation to fall in love with Connecticut, one trail, town, and summer adventure at a time. I'm Amanda Elgy, voice actor, tea enthusiast, Connecticut Explorer. And for this month, your guide for a hot day where you think I need to be in the water, near the water, or at least looking at the water while holding a frozen drink. If you've ever had that moment, and in July that's basically a survival skill, then this episode is for you. We are covering the places locals love, the spots wanderers may not know about, and the water adventures that make a Connecticut summer in a way no brochure could ever fully capture. We've got lakes, we've got rivers and waterfalls, and a whole lot of shoreline excitement. And we'll also take a look at some of the other ways you can interact with a little water on a nice July day. Since 2026 isn't just any summer, we'll also explore Connecticut stories tied into America's 250th. As usual, we'll talk to some folks with the expertise and enthusiasm to help you craft the perfect day trip or long weekend. In fact, this time, let's jump right into a conversation to learn where all this water came from anyway. I got to sit down with Wesleyan Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Suzanne O'Connell, to talk a little bit about the unique water geology in our small state.

SPEAKER_03 1:31

Okay, so I'm Suzanne O'Connell, and I'm a professor at Wesleyan University. And my overall profession is earth science or geology. But within geology, my specialty is something called paleooceanography. So paleoceanography, old oceans, what old oceans were like throughout the world. And to do that, I primarily go to sea in large research vessels and collect long sediment cores that are basically a library of Earth's past.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

So Connecticut specifically, talk to me from your perspective. How can someone who's not a geologist kind of appreciate the geology of Connecticut and what makes it interesting specifically?

SPEAKER_03 2:20

Well, most people are surprised to know that Connecticut is a geologic wonderland. People think, oh, wouldn't you rather be in Colorado or something like that? Because they don't have plants on a lot of their geology.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:36

We do have plants, but under the plants are amazing stories of history of the earth. We have so many waterfalls, partly because we have a lot of water. We get between an average of 47 and 52 inches of rain a year, which is higher than Massachusetts or Rhode Island. And that's partly because of Long Island Sound. Because we have moist air coming from Long Island Sound blowing north, but it's very flat towards the sound. And so as the air rises when it comes into the higher areas, cools slightly, you reach the dew point, the water comes out of the air, the clouds, and you get rain. And so we have a lot of rain. And then with all of these fractures, we basically have a sponge with all those little holes that sponges have. And we have those holes because of our fractured rock, but then also because of what happened with the glaciers. But way before the glaciers, 200 million years ago, after these oceans had come together, there was a giant continent. And it was there were giant continents earlier, but this particular giant continent is one many people have heard of called Pangaea. So during Pangaea time, we were connected to Africa. And we don't know what happens to create a new ocean, but we know it happened. And so North America and Africa started to rift apart. And when they rift apart, it isn't like a straight zipper. They're like these little side zippers. And one of those little side zippers is the Hartford Basin. Oh. The Hartford Basin, if things had gone differently, the east side would be in Africa and the west side would be in North America.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

That's kind of wild to think about.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

It is wild to think about.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

It's all about the rocks and what's happened to the rocks. Because in addition to these tectonic activities I've mentioned, right now we have a big overprint on what happened during the glaciers. So first of all, we have this rift basin. So that's to me, when I think of the rift basin, I think of the East African Rift, where you have faulted rocks and then you have a string of little volcanoes and lakes. The East African Rift Valley is full of lakes. So we have a rift valley that goes up into Massachusetts. It doesn't go north into New Hampshire and Vermont, but it does go into Massachusetts, and that's a line of weakness, and that's where the Connecticut River flows. So we have that. Then we also have when the glaciers, so we have this weakness in the crust, where we have this rift basin, and then we have the glaciers that came like 200 million years later. And when they came, they gouged out large stretches, particularly softer rocks. And so we have scours where the glaciers made a long little hole where the water could go. And there are also places where it just made scooped out little basins and water could collect there. And then one really fun thing is sometimes when a glacier is uh retreating, bits of chunks of ice break off and they sit there and they melt. And now you have another pond, and those are often called kettle ponds. And we have a kettle pond state park in Connecticut from one of these bits of ice that's stuck there. Another cool thing is because we have uh Long Island Sound, which is an estuary, which is a mixing of fresh and salt water, a lot of that salt water goes up the Connecticut River, Connecticut Long Tidal River. So it goes up the river and we have a basically a it's an estuary too, the Connecticut River till some people say Hartford, but probably Cromwell is a big tidal river with salt moving up and down, or at least the water. One of the things that's amazing to me is in the world there are these places called Ramsar sites sites, Ramsar sites, and these were designated beginning in 1971, uh wetlands of uh international importance. Well the Connecticut River is one of those. And if you think about it, it's so amazing because other places, for example, another Ramsar site in uh the US are the Everglades, the Chesapeake Bay. Wow. So we have a few of these, and we have it right here in Connecticut, and the mouth of the Connecticut River has you know, you can canoe there, you can kayak there, you can take a sailboat, you can do all kinds of things there. But it's such an important place for ecology and hydrology and studying what's happening with the migration patterns of all these, particularly birds. And um in terms of like what I actually do on a weekly basis, I have a dog and there's a state park in Connecticut, Wadsworth Falls State Park, which is a five-minute drive from my house. And I have a dog who likes to run. And we go there a couple times a week in the morning, and there's a brook, Laurel Brook, which isn't connected. I I don't think it's connected to the waterfalls, but you can still go to the waterfalls, but there's a path along it, the Laurel Brook path, and it is just so magical to see the water, and both uh the surroundings and the amount change as the year progresses. So, you know, in the winter there's crusty ice and maybe icicles, and it it has that magical winter look to it, and then in the spring it just booms with water. There's so much water. It's like this I wouldn't walk across it, even though it's a brook.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:19

That water's moving fast. And then the plants are starting to come out, and it's I just love looking at spring flowers. In the summer, not so much water, but you can see more of the rocks that are exposed, because it's in the Hartford Basin sedimentary sequence, so you can see the layers of rocks where dinosaurs used to roam and fish used to swim in the in the rock fossils.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:46

You can see that. So I mean, not walking by, but you know they're there. Yeah, I I just think we're so fortunate to have such such and so many and varied beautiful water places to visit.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Of course, when your state is named after a river, you have to start there. Connecticut literally translates to Long Tidal River in Algonquin. So the Connecticut River is the obvious place to begin. It's one of the state's defining features, historically and geographically. It has carried commerce, connected towns, and shaped communities for centuries. Towns like Middletown and Haddam have always lived with the river as part of their identity. Whether that means scenic views, working waterfront history, or just the simple fact that the river changes how a town feels. The river is more than just an obstacle you have to go up 84 to cross, though. Take a hike alongside the banks at Haddam Meadows State Park, or if you've got a boat, try Selden Neck State Park in Lyme, which is only accessible from the water. Of course, you could always have the boat come to you. Take a ride on the Chester had Lime Ferry, in operation since before the Revolutionary War, and see the Connecticut River from your car. But the Connecticut isn't the only majestic river around. One of Connecticut's greatest summer playgrounds, the Farmington River, is tubing territory, fishing territory. It's picnic near the water territory. Farmington River tubing in New Hartford gives you the chance to go in thinking you're about to have a calm float, and two miles down the river you've spun around backwards in the third set of rapids and are bumping into somebody else. Well, everyone is laughing too hard to care. You start the day thinking you're in a nature moment, and end it with wet shoes, a sunburn, and a plan to do it again next year. And then there's the Housatonic River, which deserves more attention than it sometimes gets. It's beautiful, important, and deeply tied to conservation in the state. It's great for canoeing and photography, but it also reminds you that rivers need care. They're not just scenery, they're living parts of the landscape, and they remind us to keep moving, or at least keep floating in the right direction. From the rivers, we moved to Connecticut's more chill water zone, lakes. And you have to start with Candlewood Lake, spanning across Fairfield and Lichfield counties. The small state has roughly 3,000 lakes, but this is the biggest one by area, and it's the place to go as soon as the weather gets warm enough. People go there to fish, float, and generally just relax for a few hours. Candlewood, being man-made and formed by flooding land, is filled with old stories attached to it, right down to the small farming villages, largely abandoned before the flooding project, that now rest underwater. You might catch me on a boat out there. But there's all sorts of water sports like paddleboarding, which you won't see me attempting. I don't have the balance for that. But if you do, it looks like so much fun. For a quieter charm, the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think while you're out on the water, try Bantam Lake in Lichfield County. Same with Lake Lilinona, which doesn't allow swimming, but is great for the sort of kayaking I can get behind. The kind where you're just drifting around in summer mode. No one is in a rush, and everyone has a cooler. And if you want something smaller and more family-friendly, Bolton Lake, which is actually three lakes, and Mansfield Hollow, are the kinds of places that work beautifully for a low-key afternoon. Just show up, spread out a blanket, and enjoy a simple day outside. I got to spend a little time talking to Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumbull at DEEP, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, about Connecticut Lakes and all of our other bodies of water, and what DEEP is doing to keep us and our waterways safe this summer.

SPEAKER_04 13:38

Well, hello, Amanda. My name is Mason Trumbull. I'm the Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Conservation at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. It's a bit of a mouthful. I like to say I have one of the funnest jobs in state government. I oversee everything related to the outdoors. So state parks, forests, uh boating, anything that involves getting outside of Connecticut, uh also making sure we conserve our natural resources. So think uh fisheries, forestry, wildlife, all those um natural resources that make the outdoors so special.

SPEAKER_02 14:11

Connecticut in regards to water has a huge variety. Uh you can kayak in a lake in the morning and then tube down a river in the afternoon and then watch the sunset over the Long Island Sound at night. How does deep balance keeping all of these different water experiences accessible while also protecting them for future generations?

SPEAKER_04 14:32

That's a great question. We do have some incredible natural waterways and water bodies here in Connecticut. Really, in order for folks to go outside and enjoy the outdoors in in any respect, but especially on waterways, uh it's important to make sure it's important to us to make sure uh that we first and foremost protect them. So we have a water quality uh monitoring program here in the state. Uh we know that uh watersheds are protected through making sure we have public lands to protect those water bodies. So we preserve, we work to preserve not just the water bodies themselves, but the shorelines around those water bodies to make sure that even though we're a small state and a densely populated state, we have plenty of opportunities to have a really uh unique and pristine experience on our water bodies.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

So being out on the water is kind of a beloved pastime. I don't know. Like I grew up doing that. What goes into making sure all of these experiences, lakes, rivers, uh spending time on the shoreline, stay safe and sustainable?

SPEAKER_04 15:30

Aaron Powell From a sustainability perspective, we want to make sure that we have responsible outdoor recreation on our state lands and making sure that we're preserving and conserving those lands and the resources so the fish, the wildlife that make those public lands so special. And so we have a variety of programs here at DEEP designed to do that. For folks who want to get out and enjoy those water bodies, our goal is to provide equitable uh access to the outdoors. So making sure that we have we have a system of over a hundred boat launches across Connecticut to allow folks to get out on those water bodies. And then um we also have, you know, we also encourage folks to leave no trace. So if you, whether you're in a park, a forest, or on one of our water bodies, uh pack in, pack out, make sure that you leave uh those natural resources better uh than you found out.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

Leave with everything you came with.

SPEAKER_04 16:18

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 16:19

Leave nothing behind.

SPEAKER_04 16:20

Take only memories, take pictures and memories and and uh make sure you pack out all your trash and uh don't leave a trace.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

Aaron Powell Long Island Sound doesn't get the same hype as like the ocean sometimes, uh, but Connecticut technically only has like a tiny little bit of shore uh in Stonington. But I I love the sound. In your opinion, what makes the sound special?

SPEAKER_04 16:44

Long Island Sounds uh it is pretty special here in Connecticut. And as a father of young children, I think some of our coastline here in Connecticut is some of the most accessible and best coastlines that you can bring, uh especially young families to. We we do have some gentle waves here in the state that the kids can play in, but you're not looking at some of the larger, you know, more powerful waves that you t would traditionally see on the the open Atlantic coastline. So just from a the a children and and kind of a more peaceful uh beach experience, I think we have we have some pretty unique beaches here in Connecticut that provide uh a pretty special family-friendly experience.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Aaron Powell Oh, I like that. I didn't even think about and I take my daughter to the shore every summer, and I didn't even think about like the beaches being a lot more chill because we're on the sound. That's nice.

SPEAKER_04 17:31

It is. And of course, you know, uh as any beach, uh there are still dangers with currents and waves and and water. So we do have, you know, to your to your point earlier, we do have lifeguards uh at many of our state park beaches, not all of them, but if you go to our website, ctparse.com, uh you can see what beaches have lifeguards. We have lifeguards starting at Memorial Day weekend, and that'll increase uh coverage through July 4th. And from July 4th uh through the peak of the summer, we have uh consistent coverage on many of our beaches, not all, but many, uh, to be able to provide safety uh for families and uh folks who want to get out in the water as well.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

I grew up on um kind of like a lake area. And I when I was growing up uh in the summer, we'd go fishing occasionally, kind of back on the lake, we'd take a boat out, um, you know, cast a rod. I haven't done that since I was a kid, but I do know a lot of people around here who love to fish. Can you talk about if you wanted to start fishing as a Connecticut resident and you've never done that this summer, what do you what do you need to do? Like what does that entail?

SPEAKER_04 18:29

We have many different ways and varieties of fishing here in the state, and I can take you through some of them. So to hit your example first, the traditional kind of lakeside or lake fishing experience. We have our biggest and best lake here in Connecticut uh is Candlewood Lake from a boating and fishing perspective. It's the most popular over 5,000 square or 5,000 acres, uh, over eight square miles. So it's a big lake in northwestern Connecticut. We have two boat launches on that lake, Lattins Cove and Squant's Cove. Latin's Cove's in Danbury and Squant's Cove is further up the lake. So to provide, you know, it's a big lake. We want to provide ample access for people to get out on it. Great fishing, great boating, and it sees a lot of use. So it's a busy, it's a busy lake in the summer, uh, no doubt about it. But it is, if if folks are looking for that, a big lake experience canded with Lake Zit. That being said, we have many lakes and ponds across the entire state, many of them smaller, but maybe less on the radar as well. So really cool opportunities to explore those. If you want to fish, we have a trout stocking map or a stocking map online. So you can go online and uh look at where in the state uh we've stocked and look at that visually on a map so you can find the lakes and ponds near your where you live or where you want to recreate. And it also shows you like when we stock, so you can try to uh time your trips to take advantage of those fishing opportunities. So uh lots and lots of opportunities all across the state, eastern western Connecticut, uh, to do that. Boating and fishing is the number one driver of the outdoor recreation economy in Connecticut. And one of the reasons for the I don't think I knew that. Yeah. We actually so we actually have the second largest outdoor recreation economy in all of New England. Um in our little state? In our little state. And so some of those traditional quote unquote outdoorsy states uh that you think about in May, New Hampshire, Vermont, we actually have a larger outdoor recreation economy than than all of those states. So one of the reasons for that is our shoreline. And so you mentioned Long Island Sound. Uh we have an incredible shoreline here in Connecticut with lots of opportunities to saltwater fish. So whether you want to go out for striped bass, blue fish, you want to go farther out to try to go for tuna, black sea bass, lots of opportunities right here in Long Island Sound, and then farther out if you want to bow it out even further. So we have many merinos, many charter services, lots of boat launches that we maintain on Long Island Sound as well. And so really cool opportunities if you want to try to do some saltwater fishing to get out on the water here in Connecticut and do some of that as well.

SPEAKER_02 20:55

Aaron Ross Powell If you could get every Connecticut resident and visitor to do one thing differently when they're enjoying our lakes and rivers and shorelines, or um something that would help protect the places, what would you encourage people to do?

SPEAKER_04 21:09

We have the Passport to Parks program here in Connecticut. And I would and the Passport to Parks program allows anyone with a Connecticut registered vehicle to enter any state park or forest uh without a parking fee.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_04 21:25

And so just to put that in perspective, if as an out-of-state resident, if you want to go to one of our popular beachside state parks, Sam Manassa State Park, is $22 for the day. Reasonable, a very reasonable fee. Uh but as a Connecticut resident with a Connecticut registered vehicle, you can go um to a state park without paying a parking fee. And so I would encourage every state resident to visit at least at a bare minimum, go to one park every year.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

Yeah. That makes it so accessible?

SPEAKER_04 21:50

So accessible. And the nice thing about it is we have 142 state parks squished into a very tiny state. To kind of put that into perspective, uh, New Jersey has approximately 30 to 40 state parks. State parks, Rhode Island has 15 to 16. So, like we have a lot of state parks in a very similar area. So chances are there's a state park near where you work or where you live. And so the Passport of Parts program allows you to go on your lunch break. Maybe just it's as simple as eating lunch, swinging into the state park with your car and having a 15-minute lunch break and just w watching the waves.

SPEAKER_00 22:21

Enjoying it, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:22

Right. Maybe on your way home from work, you go to a state park and go for a quick run. And I'll I'll take it one step further too. You ask them what can folks do to protect the parts? Well, if you first of all, the first step is visiting, right? Go check it out. And then once you find that park, that river, that outdoor space that means a lot to you, then find out how you can take care of that space. So maybe it's a maybe it's a beach cleanup. Maybe it's as simple as advocating for support, for funding, et cetera, for those public lands. Maybe it's volunteering or taking a class through one of our uh wildlife or forestry programs to better understand how you can protect those natural resources. So there's lots of things that you can do to help protect those resources, but it starts with, first of all, understanding where they are, why you like them. And then once you once you find the outside place that's special to you, then you can find a way to take care of that place.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

And protect your little corner of your nature.

SPEAKER_04 23:17

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

Though the lakes and rivers have an outsized share of the state's natural beauty, Connecticut also has some incredible hikes that lead to my personal favorite water feature, the waterfall. Kent Falls State Park is the obvious star here. It has that classic layered cascading look, especially when the mist catches the light. The trail is short but stare-heavy, moving upwards alongside the falls as you go. Best of all though, it's an easy stop for a picnic and a quick photo op. Then there's Chapman Falls at Devil's Hopyard State Park, which gives you beauty and folklore at the same time. Even the name sounds like somebody was trying to make the place memorable, and it worked. It's one of those classic Connecticut spots where the scenery is strong, and the story around it only makes it better. And if you want something a little less crowded, Enders Falls in Granby is a great pick. Like Kent Falls, there's no challenging hike required, just some stairs. You hear the water before you see it, and then you get there and think, yeah, this was worth the drive. Unlike the others, it's a quick visit. But it doesn't have to be. You can just sit and enjoy the ambiance. I love a waterfall because, to me, it makes the day feel slower and a little more peaceful. It's hard to get a bad photo of one. Whether I'm in a swimmable spot like Chapman Falls, or standing at a viewpoint like Enders, the sound of the water and the excitement from those around me make the state's waterfalls some of the best shared joys in the Connecticut outdoors. Okay, here's a little interlude, because Connecticut's water story isn't just about where you jump in or dip your toes. It's about what ends up in your glass, your pint, and even your pizza dough. Village Springs is one of those behind-the-scenes players that most people never think about, but its water is everywhere. With water that comes straight from Springs in Ellington, you can find it filling anything from private label individual bottles to five-gallon commercial dispenser jugs. Same with the local soda. Fox in Park, Hosmer Mountain, and Averies, who turn Connecticut water into the fizzy stuff that shows up at picnics, delis, supermarkets, ice cream shops, and so many other places around the state. If you haven't tried them all, this summer is a good time to start. The flavors are creative, and the list is longer than you might expect. All three have hub stores that you can buy bottles from directly, in addition to their distribution across the state. The water doesn't just show up in soda, though. It's in places where people don't always realize they're tasting Connecticut. Take Athletic Brewing Company based in Milford. They're brewing non-alcoholic craft beer you can drink anywhere. With a presence in dozens of stores across central Connecticut, and even more flavors available for shipping nationwide, they're using local water, which is key to the flavor. Good ingredients and very clean, very intentional water highlights something on the more wonderfully odd end of the spectrum. H2 dough. It's canned New Haven tap water, designed specifically so you can make New Haven style a pizza at home. The idea is that the water here is such a big part of what makes the pizza dough work that you can't fake it with whatever comes out of your faucet. So they just put the real thing in a can, included a recipe guide and a video tutorial, and made it available to the world. We're going to do a deep dive into pizza in a couple of months, but until then, try your hand at a pie at home. So yes, this is a water episode, but it's always worth remembering that the same water that feeds the lakes and rivers also runs through our taps, bottling lines, breweries, soda plants, and pizza dough. It's obviously in the things we drink, the food we brag about, and the small local businesses that make this place feel like home. Just remember to recycle the can or bottle when you're done. Drink in hand, we head to the coast. Because Connecticut may be small, but it absolutely knows how to do shoreline. Start with Hammanasset Beach State Park, or Hamo, if you want to sound like you've been going there forever. If it's a good summer day, the entire state might show up. But the crowds are there for a reason. Toddlers, grandparents, teenagers, retirees, people carrying too many chairs, everyone covered in sunscreen. Hamo has its signature Long Beach at two miles, but there's also 550 campsites, hiking, and bird watching in the nature preserve, which is super exciting to me. I don't know what's happened in the last five years, but I've become obsessed with birds. From there, you can ride along I-95, or even better, Route 1, looking out over Long Island Sound. It's not the open ocean, technically. At least not until you hit Stonington. But it has its own pull. The sound shapes the towns along it, bringing the seafood culture, the boat traffic, and the sunsets. Then there are the Thimble Islands, a couple hundred small rocky outcrops, twenty-five of which are large enough to have an array of summer cottages perched on top. And it's exactly the kind of place that makes people start telling stories. A cruise through the islands feels special right away. So special that it's a popular location for a wedding cruise. The landscape is gorgeous, and there's always some local lore floating around about pirates and buried treasure. Several operators run boat tours in the area, and these are a must. Most of them offer single tickets to join a tour that runs about an hour. But many can be chartered for groups. Seeing the shoreline from the water changes the whole experience. Add in a little kayaking around the islands, and suddenly you're having one of those magic summer days. Ocean Beach Park in New London is one of Connecticut's classic seaside boardwalks. It's got a long stretch of soft sand, calm sound-facing water that's great for kids, and a full boardwalk stacked with mini golf, water slides, an Olympic-sized pool, arcade games, rides. And if you just got done listening to last month's podcast, way too many opportunities to say, okay, fine, one more ice cream. You can spend the morning swimming, the afternoon drifting between the pool in rides, and the evening strolling the boardwalk. So far, the water's been pretty serene. Let's fix that. Lake Compounds is where Connecticut reminds you that water can also be part of pure joyful chaos. It's the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country, which already gives it bragging rights. But the water rides in the section known as Crocodile Cove push it into a whole other category. Make an easy day out of two wave pools, playgrounds, multiple water slides, a lazy river, splash zones, and that change of clothes you meant to bring, but definitely left in the car. I would recommend trying not to do that. Ask me how I know. This is a place where your shoes are going to be wet whether you planned for it or not. Arrive early to beat the crowds, stake out a spot near your favorite attraction, bring some sandals, and enjoy the contrast between the still of an actual lake and the thrill of the adventure rides here. As I've mentioned, the water throughout the state has always had a purpose. It moved goods, people, ideas, and armies. It connected places before the highways came in. It powered the mills and factories that drove the Industrial Revolution. The waste that once filled the Connecticut River spawned the environmental movement in New England and eventually the country. So now we widen the lens a little, because this summer isn't just any summer. We're in the lead up to America's 250th anniversary, and Connecticut has plenty to say about that. In the earliest chapters of the country's story, that history isn't just something sitting in a museum. It shows up in the towns, harbors, roads, and public celebrations all over the state. Across Connecticut, you'll likely see the patriotic season show up with fireworks, historical programming, and plenty of town pride. Regardless of which corner of the state you're in, there's a good chance you'll find a celebration for America's big anniversary. And when you're celebrating, maybe with a side of fried dough. Perhaps take a blanket, find a spot near the water, and consider how integral it's been to the fabric of the very place you're sitting. I spent a little time talking to College Dean, Connecticut History Buff, and my friend Jason Scapiticci about how our waterways contribute to the story of America.

SPEAKER_05 31:40

I'm Jason Scapatic. I'm the Dean of Students and Faculty for Connecticut State Community College at the Capitol campus. So I work in downtown Hartford in the old G Fox building every day. And on the side, I do history lectures because that's my background. So I'm the bowtie historian, and I do like lectures at libraries, senior centers, all sorts of things around the state on various history topics that I want to research.

SPEAKER_02 32:02

Yeah, you know a lot about a lot of things.

SPEAKER_05 32:05

Well, thank you. I hope so.

SPEAKER_02 32:08

Genuinely. Like I just, if there's a question I have about history, you're the person that I call.

SPEAKER_05 32:13

Hey, I'm glad to be your phone a friend call for that. I th I think I'm pretty good at it.

SPEAKER_02 32:18

For sure, for sure. Today we're talking about America's 250th and how that relates to water. Can we talk a little bit about how did the rivers and lakes of Connecticut shape the early story of America?

SPEAKER_05 32:32

Well, first of all, water was the primary means of transportation. So that is crucial. That's why Connecticut has some of our earliest settlements along Long Island Sound, right? So, you know, New London, New Haven, uh down further Fairfield. Those were all some of the earliest settlements. And then what we see is that uh Europeans, of course, navigated the rivers as far as they could with ocean-going vessels. And so, for example, back at this, if we're talking about early America, oce some ocean-going vessels could make it as far as Hartford. Hartford would have been a port, right? Yeah. And so Hartford had a vibrant riverfront for lots of its history. So right up and through really the mid-20th century, um, our cities would have been much more connected to their water in a way that we don't experience it as much today.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

Aaron Ross Powell We don't, we don't, because that's not how commerce travels anymore.

SPEAKER_05 33:23

Trevor Burrus Exactly, right. But back at that time, I mean, commerce was so this was water was so important to early America because so just taking, for example, the Connecticut River. Okay, so the Connecticut River but uh starts as we know, Long Island Sound, right, goes all the way up past Hartford, goes all the way up to into Vermont. And so what that meant was that goods could be floated down to a port further down like Hartford, yeah. And then be loaded onto ships that could go all the way out into the ocean and then ultimately either up and down the coast or of course back to Europe, right, to bring goods back to Europe. So water is so crucial for us in terms of our early development, in terms of how we developed as a people, we were focused on our waterways. Uh and that's what you you know, the early part of America, you if you studied this, the earliest transportation things that the government funded besides turnpikes were canals.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

I don't think I knew that.

SPEAKER_05 34:19

Aaron Ross Powell Yeah, so canal there was like a canal boom in early 1800s America because that was the most efficient way to move merchandise. Uh heavy merchandise could be moved much easier, right? Roads were not good. Yeah. So water's so important to the development of us as a state, but also the whole country, really. Because that's where we started along our waterways.

SPEAKER_02 34:38

Aaron Ross Powell So places like New London and Mystic aren't just cute coastal towns. Um they were like working ports. How did whaling, shipbuilding, and overseas trade from Connecticut's harbors help fuel bigger American stories?

SPEAKER_05 34:53

Aaron Ross Powell Well, what we we have the beginning here of America's a very capitalist country, right? Aaron Ross Powell For sure. For sure, right? That's what we're established on, right? And so without these trades, without this trading economy, America wouldn't have developed the way that we did develop, right? America also industrialized soon, as as you know, compared to the rest of the world, right? Western society did that. And so we're so dependent on the waterways still. One of the examples that I when I talked to students about this is look at if you look at Hartford and you look at Colt, Colt built their huge armament factory where? Not inland, right on the Connecticut River. So they could then load things and float them down. Or when the railroads came, of course they had a railroad as well. But the river was so important to them.

SPEAKER_02 35:45

It was an integral part of how they how exactly.

SPEAKER_05 35:48

How they were gonna develop as a as a company in that case. But um but for our state, it was these were integral. Hartford has a series of dike systems that were built in the mid-20th century to prevent the Connecticut River from flooding downtown Hartford after some really bad floods. Colt does that and he protects his factory in like the 1860s and 70s with a dike system that he had built to protect his factory. He needed the water, but also the water could be destructive. And so, yeah, so he made his sure that right that factory was going to be preserved. So it's interesting that that you know, one of those that's a huge company, a major company in America's development, and of course started along the river, needed the river, but also protected itself from the destructive powers of that river.

SPEAKER_02 36:34

A lot of our rivers were part of that. I mean, I you're talking about, quote, the industrial revolution.

SPEAKER_01 36:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

Can you walk us through maybe a town or a mill where water uh power changed everything?

SPEAKER_05 36:48

Aaron Ross Powell So to take, for example, what we s what what we'll see, to use uh my hometown of Manchester as an example.

SPEAKER_00 36:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:56

So Manchester now uh has this huge apartment complex, right? That was the Chiny Mills. That was a silk manufacturing empire. The Chenies started with one small mill in the early 1800s that was powered by a paddle wheel on the Hawkenham River. And they built it just down from their homestead, their house. The house they grew up in. And so this it's it's a little the Hawkenham River's not that big, but it was enough to power that that wheel.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 37:24

And then that is their first source of power. Now, eventually, of course, as the Industrial Revolution progresses, the Chinese are going to not rely on water power, right? But they're still going to rely on water to power their plants. They need it for their steam engines and s and such uh things like that that powered their plants. But yeah, without water power and without these abundant resources, right, of water, we wouldn't have had these early things start out because the first mills were powered by water before ultimately, you know, steam boilers and things like that take over.

SPEAKER_02 37:57

Aaron Ross Powell So down along the shoreline, especially around Groton, the water ends up tied to submarines and naval history. How did Can you talk about the Long Island Sound and how did that help shape America's military story?

SPEAKER_05 38:11

Sure. Uh so obviously electric boat is a big deal for us, right? But Long Island Sound would have been integral for the revolution. So for example, it was it was a major supply. And as you may be aware, Connecticut was called the Provision State. Aaron Ross Powell So Connecticut uh was known for being able to supply the Continental Army. That's why we were called the Provision State. And again, Long Island Sound was important to that, because that's how all the goods were coming in. Um and so like Wadsworth, if you've heard of the Wad Daniel Wadsworth who built the art museum, that his family fortune, they're traders. And they were among the people who supplied the Continental Army. And without Connecticut's waterways, right, that that's what made us one of one of the crucial states. And then, of course, as you touched on a little bit, Mystic is going to become a whaling community. Uh they're going to become famous for that, um, for these uh whaling ships. And then, you know, I think it's interesting to go to the Charles Morgan, right, and see like this wooden whaling ship when uh when, of course, obviously that was the height of technology at one point, these these vessels. And then uh you can go and, of course, tour the the Nautilus, right? The first nuclear-powered submarine, which is docked in grotten. And so you can get uh a I think a really cool snapshot of different periods of nautical history in Connecticut.

SPEAKER_02 39:33

Yes. Have you d have you done the submarine tour?

SPEAKER_05 39:35

Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh I think it's fascinating. I don't know how people lived on this for like weeks or months at a time. That's so scary to me. Me too. Yeah. I toured it and when I'm done touring it, I'm ready to get out. Right?

SPEAKER_02 39:49

Anyone who's ever lived on a submarine or spent any extended period of time, I know. They're impressive to me because like that makes me so claustrophobic.

SPEAKER_05 39:56

They do. I'm with you 100%. But so fascinating to go down and tour it.

SPEAKER_02 40:01

For sure. I think I think that's something I might do this summer. You should. If someone's standing this summer on a Connecticut beach or a riverbank or a harbor and they want to feel that 250 years of American history, can you talk about one specific scene or one specific story that you'd like them to picture while they're looking out at the water?

SPEAKER_05 40:22

So I I will say that I I like to, since I do work in Hartford and I am there frequently, I like to go and stand at the Riverfront Recapture Plaza down on the river in Hartford. And I just like to think about what would this have looked like 200 years ago. Because 200 years ago, this would have been a completely different scene for us. It would have been a vibrant waterfront, bustling with activity, you know, so loading and unloading of ships, taking of goods in for sale, there would have been pushcart vendors, things of that nature, things that that we see in movies, but these would have all been here in our cities and towns in Connecticut, the the ones on the rivers and the the shoreline. And it would have been very different from our the way we experience our rivers and coastal coastlines today.

SPEAKER_01 41:16

Yeah. So if people wanted to find you for a lecture, where where could they find you?

SPEAKER_05 41:23

I have a website, bowtiehistorian.com, and so they can uh send me a message through the website if they would like to. Uh, and I'm happy to uh book a lecture with them.

SPEAKER_02 41:35

So that's our water tour. Lakes where you can slow down, rivers that keep the state moving, waterfalls that make you stop and stare, a shoreline that knows how to host a summer, and enough amusement park chaos to keep things interesting. Connecticut may not have tropical sands, but it has something that I think is better: variety, history, and plenty of places where you can spend a summer day without ever getting bored. I'm your host, Amanda Elgy, reminding you that wherever you wander this summer, splash a little, eat something delicious, wear sunscreen, and of course, remember to stay hydrated. See you next month for another episode of Perks and Recreation.