Hello everyone!!
Welcome to my new blog where the subject of focus will thrill history lovers everywhere! This blog will mainly focus on the rich history of Connecticut, dating all the way back to the founding and progression of this new world! At some points, there will be other fun subjects thrown in from other states and countries, but let's start off with our very own Nutmeg State, shall we?
A little bit about myself: my name is Katie!
I am 25 years old, and I am an aspiring historian. Ever since I was about three years old (as my mother likes to tell me), the history of this nation and all over the world has truly fascinated me. Growing up with a grandmother who lived around Old Wethersfield (which is in the historical section of the town of Wethersfield, CT), this quickly became a treasured spot for me. Old Wethersfield was founded in 1634 and is known as one of the oldest towns in CT. Many exciting things happened in this place, including but not limited to, the setting of a favorite book of mine titled The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare which gave some insight into the "witch hysteria" in New England as well as being the sight of Joseph Webb's house where none other than George Washington himself had slept! The room is still set up exactly as it had been all those years ago and still has the original wall paper encased on the walls.
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| Webb House |
This particular moment I do not have in my memory, but my mom recalls is fondly when she says that at three years old, I was entranced by this house and remembered every word the tour guide said, while my twelve year old sister (who the trip was for) had no idea what was going on. After that, my grandmother thought it was a good idea to take me to this part of town every Summer and Fall. I cannot even count how many times we went into those old houses that stretch along Main Street, but it never got old and I was never bored. She had volunteered for the Wethersfield Historical Society and usually ran the gift shop inside of the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, which housed a lot of items that were saved from the early years of the Wethersfield settlement. Every weekend, she would take me there while she worked and I would go room by room and stare at these pieces. At six years old, she bought me (against her better judgement) The Witch of Blackbird Pond with the promise that if she did, I would actually read the book (which was above my reading level at the time). Well, I couldn't put that book down and it sparked my interest in learning more about the "witch hysteria," which became a favorite subject of mine as the years went on.
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My copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond
from my grandmother from 2001
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My enjoyment and love for all things historical really does mainly stem from these years with my grandmother; I am forever grateful to her for that gift. Since then, I have read and researched so many points in history, for fun I might add, and was considered "weird" in elementary school when I looked forward to our history lessons. To each their own. Anyways...in junior high and high school I became interested in not only American history, but in European history as well. Greek Mythology, the British monarchy, Norse and Celtic origin, the list goes on. My dream was to move to Europe and work as a historian in one of my ancestral countries...but that plan did not pan out. And that's OK because there is plenty of rich history right here!
So there's my story (I know, it's long, sorry). I look forward to the amazing things we can find and sharing them with this community! Here's to a fun ride!
 Comstock Ferre  |
