Connecticut's history is well documented throughout Connecticut museums and historic villages, but there's much more that we have yet to discover, much of it underground.
Today, we're partnering with Connecticut Explored, Connecticut's history journal, to tell a series of underground stories.
Nick Ballentoni is wrapping up 27 years as our state archaeologist. During that time he's been drawn into excavations of a 19th century Hebrew farming society, the returns of a Native American who died in Danbury while traveling with a wild west show, and the plans to move the grave of The Leatherman, a famous and mysterious wanderer across the American Northeast.
And, that's just scratching the surface, which also describes what Nick spends a lot of time doing in his very meticulous way.
He's on our show today to share some of those stories. You can link here to a 2012 CPBN Media Lab interview with Nick where he talks about some of his favorite digs.
And, we'll also talk about a battle from 1812, a key encounter that had all but vanished from the history books until recently.
And, our last stop on the underground will be an amazing and hidden records repository from the Cold War, where today, expensive wine is stored.
GUESTS:
- Professor Nicholas Bellantoni is an associate professor of archaeology at the University of Connecticut, and is the Connecticut state archaeologist
- Jerry Roberts is a writer, maritime historian and museum executive. He’s the project director for Battlesite Essex, and author of The British Raid on Essex: The Forgotten Battle of the War of 1812
- Jed Benedict is the owner and founder of Horse Ridge Cellars
