The venerable Associated Press – the source of the most major news stories every day – was created by Wallingford native Moses Yale Beach. He routinely beat his competition to big stories by 24 hours, and finally shared his news gathering tricks with others - for a shared fee. Beach also was the entrepreneur who made the New York Sun the first newspaper affordable for the common person, at a penny a copy. Beach was also a secret government envoy during the Mexican American War. His incredible story is told by Bob Beaumont, President of the Wallingford Historical Society.

It ranks as among the deadliest train crashes in Connecticut history. It also marked the first time in the U.S. that a telephone was used to summon help after a disaster, essentially the first 9-1-1 call in the country’s history. The Tariffville Train Wreck occurred when railroads were at their peak. On the icy cold night of January 15, 1878, a train full of passengers were heading home from a religious revival in Hartford. As they crossed the Farmington River, with its five inches of ice, the bridge collapsed and sent dozens into the ice-cold waters below. Rescuers couldn’t easily access the remote location. The story is told by Frank Haviland, Member of the Board of the Tariffville Village Association and a noted researcher on this event.

Many of Connecticut’s worst weather disasters occurred in years that ended in the number 8. The worst blizzard, tornado, hurricane, and ice storm are included. The years in question are 1878, 1888, 1898, 1938, 1978, and 2018. There were the infamous floods of 1955 that buck the trend, and other major storms occurred outside the pattern, but the very worst are among those years. We’ll hear about it from Connecticut meteorologist Jack Drake.

A 16-year-old Dutchess County, NY girl rode a horse in pouring rain for 40 miles to rally area militia to come to the aid of Danbury, CT which was under siege by the British during the Revolutionary War. At least, that’s the legend of Sybil Ludington. But, not all professional historians sign-off on the tale, due to scant written evidence. Now, a retired teacher says he has found proof that shows that Sybil made the ride. Hear the story with Vince Dacquino.

In the very northeast corner of Connecticut, the sport of racecar driving took shape in several meaningful ways at Thompson Speedway. Thompson’s two separate racetracks set “firsts” for the U.S.: the oval track was the first to be asphalt paved and the separate looped racetrack was the first one not using public roads. It’s also where NASCAR was born. Many famous drivers have paid a visit over the decades. And wait until you hear how it all began because of a hurricane. Hear the story from DR Hoenig, a key member of the family that has owned and operated the business since 1940.

How did a titan of Wall Street manage to attain his success coming from a rural dairy farm in the eastern Connecticut town of Sterling? Charles Dow’s only education was in a one-room schoolhouse, and yet managed to start the Dow-Jones Company, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Wall Street Journal. The improbable journey makes for a great story, told by the Sterling Town Historian and the President of the Sterling Historical Society, Megan McGory-Gleason.

The oldest volunteer fire department in the nation is in Wethersfield. They’ve fought fires with leather bucket brigades and hand-drawn pumpers. Chiefs used to bark orders through “speaking trumpets” before 2-way radios were available. Responders wouldn’t even try to extinguish your fire if you didn’t have a certain plaque on your house. Towns used to obtain protection for just $1/night. Hear how the technology and approaches for fighting fires has improved steadily over the centuries, with Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Schroll.

Back in 1939, a ferocious creature (nicknamed Glawackus) terrorized the mid-Connecticut town of Glastonbury for several months. Pets were mauled. Livestock went missing. Quite a few residents saw the mysterious creature, but the descriptions didn’t match that of a mountain lion, bobcat, lynx, or any other animal known to inhabit the extensive woodlands in the rural community. Fabled hunting parties, reported on by multiple newspapers (including The New York Times), came up empty handed. What was it? Hear from the undisputed expert on the story, Mike Berdan, former Board member of the Glastonbury Historical Society.