Looking for a great read, something engaging and informative? Join Wilton Historical Society for the Next Booked for Lunch on Zoom on Thursday, September 24 from 12:30 – 1:30.
The virtual event features “Creating Connecticut: Critical Moments That Shaped a Great State”, just published by State Historian Walter Woodward.
Presented by the Wilton Historical Society – all are welcome
Connecticut State Historian Walter Woodward will be talking about his newly released book “Creating Connecticut: Critical Moments that Shaped a Great State” which helps us understand how people and events in Connecticut’s past played crucial roles in forming the culture and character of Connecticut today.
Woodward, a gifted story-teller, brings the history we thought we knew to life in new ways, from the nearly forgotten early presence of the Dutch, to the time when Connecticut was New England’s fiercest prosecutor of witches, the decades when Nutmeggers were rapidly leaving the state, and the years when Irish immigrants were hurrying into it.
Whether it’s his investigation into the unusually rough justice meted out to Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, or a peek into Mark Twain’s smoking habits, Creating Connecticut: Critical Moments That Shaped a Great State will leave you thinking about our state’s past–and its future–in a whole new way. Includes Q and A.
About the Connecticut State Historian
Walter W. Woodward is the fifth person to hold the position of State Historian, which was created in the 1930s in preparation for Connecticut’s 300th anniversary. The State Historian is appointed by the trustees of the University of Connecticut, and is a faculty member in the UConn Department of History. He or she is also assigned by the legislature to serve on a number of boards and commissions that promote, preserve, and/or research state history. In addition, the Office of the State Historian provides information on historical matters to the media, public, and legislature, and maintains active programs of historical research & public outreach, conducting lectures, programs, and teacher education seminars throughout the state.
Woodward is the author of five books, the most recent of which is Creating Connecticut: Critical Moments That Shaped a Great State (Globe Pequot Press, 2020). His book Prospero’s America: John Winthrop, Jr., Alchemy and the Creation of New England Culture, 1606-1676 (Omohundro Institute, University of North Carolina Press,2010) won the Homer Babbidge Prize from the Association for the Study of Connecticut History, and was a Choice magazine Outstanding academic title.
Prof. Woodward received his Ph. D. with Distinction from the University of Connecticut in 2001, and has served as State Historian since 2004. He obtained his Master’s Degree in History from Cleveland State University, and his B.A. in English from the University of Florida. Prior to joining UConn, he was a faculty member of the Department of History at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.
Before becoming a historian, Woodward had successful careers in both the music and advertising industries. He was the composer of two hit country songs (“Marty Gray” and “It Could’a Been Me”) in the 1970s, as well as music for film and television, for which he won two Emmy Awards and two special achievement awards from SESAC. His advertising creativity won him 8 Clio Awards, and in 1980 he was Cleveland’s Advertising Person of the Year.
Suggested contribution $10.00
Registration essential. Register by email: info@wiltonhistorical.org
After you register, you will receive a confirmation, Zoom session ID Code, and instructions about how to submit questions.
The Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 www.wiltonhistorical.org