Watch them Fly @ Salisbury's 95th Annual JumpFest February 12,13, and 14, 2021

This year marks the 95th anniversary of Salisbury Connecticut’s ski jumping tradition that officially began in 1927. It all started in 1926 when Salisbury resident, John Satre soared off the roof of his barn with skis on to show his neighbors a sport he learned in his native Norway. Town residents became fans of the sport and formed the Salisbury Winter Sports Association that winter. The first ski jump competition was held in January 1927 and has become one of New England’s signature winter events.

This year ski jumpers and lovers of winter sports will converge in Salisbury at this highly anticipated in person winter event, JumpFest, on February 12, 13, and 14, 2021. The ski jump complex is located at Satre Hill on Indian Cave Road in Salisbury. For updates and more information www.jumpfest.org. or info@jumpfest.org. Although this is an in-person event, the Salisbury Winter Sports Association has initiated several changes in order to comply with all COVID-19 regulations to keep spectators and athletes safe. This is an outdoor event in a wide-open area. Attendance each day will be limited to the first 400 tickets sold. This number reflects 25% of the facility’s capacity as required by Connecticut regulations. Additional spectators will be admitted as people leave the venue. Tickets will be available at the gate and are $15 for adults on Saturday and Sunday, on Friday night there is no admission charge. Kids under 12 are free all three days. In compliance with CDC and State mandates six-foot social distancing should be adhered to and masks must be worn at all times throughout the facility. For the Tri-State area and beyond, JumpFest offers a very special opportunity to watch these graceful athletes fly through the air --- up close! The anticipation of watching competitors travel up to 200 feet through the air at more than fifty miles an hour and, guessing who is the fastest -- and highest in real-time -- is an unforgettable experience. It is so much fun to be part of the excitement! The crowds' ring cowbells to cheer on their favorites and the jumpers take notice. The excitement reaches a crescendo when the slap of skis hits snow in a smooth landing with everyone hoping that this jump beats the Salisbury record, an impressive 231-foot jump. And, if you work up an appetite, no worries, there will be several food trucks on the grounds.

Festival Schedule There are only half a dozen ski jump facilities on the East Coast, with Satre Hill in Salisbury being the southernmost location. Some of the best athletes will be here competing in JumpFest, an event that has launched many Olympians including three of the four men that participated at Sochi. Friday, February 12, 2021 JumpFest kicks off on Friday, February 12 at 6 p.m. with practice jumps. Target Jumping under the lights begins at 7 p.m. Two large bonfires and warm food and beverages will be available for purchase from a variety of food trucks. The popular Human Dog Sled Race has been canceled this year because of the pandemic, and for this reason, there is no admission charge on Friday night. Saturday, February 13, 2021 On Saturday morning, February 13, things warm up with the strongest Junior Jumpers from Lake Placid, New York, and the Salisbury Winter Sports Association competing on 20 to 30 meter hills. The action kicks off at 9 a.m. with these youngsters showing off their strength, skill, and conditioning that makes them fly effortlessly through the air. Medals will be awarded on the hill. The real action of the day starts at 11 a.m. with warm-up jumps by the Development Team, composed of an elite group of jumpers from around the country. These competitors are the best of the best that have been in rigorous training at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, which was built for the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. The competition begins at 1 p.m. This event is thrilling to watch as these expert flyers go from 0 to 50 miles an hour in seconds and seem to defy gravity with runs up to 70 plus meters. Sunday, February 14, 2021 The highly anticipated Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships on Sunday, February 14th begin with practice jumps that run from 11 a.m. through noon. The long- awaited annual competition starts at 1 pm. At this event, there are often Olympic hopefuls competing. These expert jumpers seem fearless as they display the tremendous coordination, skill, balance, and strength that it takes to soar so far and so high in the air and to land smoothly. If you want to find some of the bravest athletes in sports just stand at the bottom of a ski jump and watch them soar through the sky. It is exhilarating. Even the most sedentary spectators will appreciate the extraordinary coordination and skill required to make a jump! After all, most jumpers tell you that it is the closest you get to flying…without the wings or a parachute.

ABOUT SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOCIATION In the winter of 1926, John Satre a resident of Salisbury jumped off the roof of his shed wearing skis to show his friends and neighbors a sport he learned in his native homeland of Norway. Town residents were so amazed as they watched Satre soar through the air that they decided to build a proper ski run that summer, and form the Salisbury Winter Sports Association. The Association hosted the first ski jump competition in January 1927. JumpFest has become a highly anticipated event in Connecticut and throughout much of the East Coast.

Mattatuck Museum Public Re-Opening and New Exhibits

After nearly two years and $9 million, the Mattatuck Museum located in Waterbury, Connecticut is proud to announce its re-opening on Sunday, February 28th, 2021 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. The Museum opens with four new exhibitions, an artist installation in the Plaza, reinstallation of the permanent collection, and a re-interpretation of the Orton P. Camp, Jr. History Exhibit. The renovation project has brought to life a reimagined space that continues to be a welcoming, inclusive, stimulating, and enriching community anchor. 

The “new” Mattatuck Museum includes an extensive 14,000 square foot renovation to the existing building and an addition of almost 7,000 square feet to expand educational programming, collections storage, and exhibitions. 

 In keeping with the idea of blending the historic and the modern, the new Museum plans to showcase a broad array of exhibitions and programs in the coming months, kicking off with the inaugural exhibitions opening on February 28th: 

· Free as Air and Water (on view through April 11): Guest curator Tajh Rust presents works by five emerging artists, all Yale MFA graduates, that remind us of the fluidity and buoyancy of these elements: Genesis Báez, Maria de Los Angeles Rodriguez Jimenez, Naomi Lisiki, Allison Minto, and Anne Wu. While air and water are classic examples of simplicities we often take for granted, access to both is still a difficulty for many people. 

· Unleashed: The Art of Robert C. Jackson (on view through April 18): Full of wit and character Robert Jackson's paintings celebrate contemporary life while consistently drawing from his rich knowledge and love for art history. 

· Collecting Presidential History: Signatures and Ephemera: This exhibit represents a significant gift to the Mattatuck Museum of presidential signatures collected by Francis T. “Fay” Vincent Jr. augmented with ephemera from the collection of the Museum. Vincent, a Waterbury native and Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1989-1992, made this donation in honor of his parents. 

· The Future Starts Now: Recent Gifts to the Collection (on view through April 11): Our collection continues to grow in prominence with gifts of fine and decorative art, historical objects, and archives. We are extremely grateful to the generous donors of these recent additions of works that represent a diverse group of artists, Nazca textile fragments, 19th-century Tonalist paintings, political ephemera, and texts for our library. 

 · Cross Currents: A commissioned work by Connecticut artist Don Gummer has been permanently installed in front of the new Museum addition. Inspired by the beautiful and open Green and the intersection of the many roads surrounding it, Gummer has created a new monument to the life of Downtown Waterbury. 

These exhibitions are accompanied by a full roster of exciting and engaging programs for adults, families, and children including studio workshops, lectures, artist talks, and more. In response to COVID-19 and social distancing protocols, these programs are being offered both virtually and in-person. For more information on all of the Museum’s upcoming programs, events, and exhibitions visit the Museum’s website at mattmuseum.org or call (203) 753-0381. 

ABOUT THE MATTATUCK MUSEUM 

Located in the heart of downtown Waterbury’s architectural district, the Mattatuck Museum is a vibrant destination, known locally and regionally as a community-centered institution of American art and history. The collections at the Mattatuck Museum span the history of American art from the colonial era to the present day with special strengths in Naugatuck Valley history and Connecticut artists, as well as artists from around the world representing the diversity of our community. The Mattatuck Museum houses 15,000 objects in its varied collections and is also recognized for its collection of buttons, a group of 20,000 miniature works from around the world, donated by the Waterbury Companies in the 1970s.

Winter Weekend Walk @ Institute for American Indian Studies January 29

The ideal way to finish the month of January is to take a walk through the winter woods under the first full moon of January 2021 with the educators of the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Connecticut. The full moon walk will take place on Friday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. Hikers will walk along beautifully wooded trails on the grounds of the Institute and experience the serenity of nature under the bright nighttime sky that Eastern Woodland Native Americans have experienced for centuries. 

Many Native American communities call the January full moon the Wolf Moon because wolves are heard more often at this time of year. Traditionally, it was believed that wolves howled because they were hungry this time of year. Researchers today believe that wolves howl in January to defend their territory and to locate members of their pack to go hunting. 

The January full moon has other names that emphasize the cold temperatures this time of year. The Cree living in the Lake Superior area and Canada call the January full moon the Cold Moon or the Frost Exploding Moon. The Algonquin, a community indigenous to Connecticut calls this moon the Freeze Up Moon, and the Dakota of Minnesota and Wisconsin call it the Hard Moon. 

A highlight of this easy walk will be to learn about the phenomena that people in the Eastern Woodlands have been experiencing for thousands of years. After this walk, you will look up at the full moon with a new appreciation of it and, new knowledge, that has been passed down through the centuries. The woodland walk ends at the newly restored and built 16th-century Algonkian village where a warm fire and hot chocolate will greet hikers. 

Space on this walk is limited and pre-registration is required. Please call 860-868-0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org to reserve a spot. The price for participation is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children. The cost for members of the Institute is $5. Remember to dress for the weather, to wear sturdy shoes, and bring along a flashlight. 

If you can't make it on the 29th, the Institute and its trails will be open all weekend from 11 am - 4 pm.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies 

Located on 15 acres of woodland acres, the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

Sunset Walk @ Woodcock Nature Center January 27, 2021

 There is nothing like exploring the winter landscape with an educator that knows the trees, birds, and animal tracks that can be found in the woods. On Wednesday, January 27 take a sunset walk with educator Sam Nunes from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Woodcock Nature Center located on Deer Run Road in Wilton.

Participants will watch the transition from day to night on the center's trails. Along the way, Sam will describe what you're seeing and what is happening as the sun goes below the horizon. All ages are welcome although this program is geared towards adults. Dogs are not welcome for this program as they may spook nocturnal wildlife. 

To register for this program, click here. A $25 donation is recommended for each family participating. If you have questions,  email snunes@woodcocknaturecenter.org.

In Search of Lost Frogs - Zoom with White Memorial Foundation January 30

On Saturday, January 30 at 2 pm White Memorial Foundation in Litchfield has organized a Zoom presentation with Twan Leenders and Roger Tory Peterson from the Institute of Natural History. To register click here.

From a young age Twan Leenders has been fascinated by tropical rainforests and the exotic plants and animals that inhabit them. Growing up in a small town in The Netherlands, he devoured every relevant book his local library had to offer. While finishing up his degree in Biology and Animal Ecology at the University of Nijmegen in the early 1990s, Twan spent six months in the rainforest of Costa Rica to study coral snake mimicry and survey the herpetofauna of the rainforest canopy -  from that point on there was no turning back...

 

After living and working in various parts of Central America for more than a decade, Twan moved to the U.S. in 2000 where he worked as a researcher in the Division of Herpetology and Ichthyology of Yale University's Peabody Museum of Natural History. Since then, he has worked as an Assistant Professor of Biology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, and returned to the trenches of conservation research and outreach while leading the Science and Conservation Office of the Connecticut Audubon Society. As Senior Director of Science and Conservation of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI), he now applies his experience to Western New York. However, Twan returns to Costa Rica and Panama regularly, with or without student researchers in tow, to band migratory birds on their wintering grounds and to study some of the planet's most endangered amphibian populations.

 

Based on the notion that all stewardship starts with education, Twan has always been keenly interested in sharing his experience and knowledge. He has authored four books and numerous magazine and journal articles on the flora and fauna of Costa Rica, including the very first field guide to amphibians and reptiles for that country in 2001. As an avid photographer and wildlife artist, his images adorn the pages of these books. However, Twan's photographs have also appeared in publications by the National Geographic Society, GEO, Dorling Kindersley's 'Eyewitness' publications, and numerous other magazines and books. His field guide illustrations are currently in use for educational purposes and displays at the Royal Ontario Museum, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, the California Academy of Sciences,  

and Smithsonian's 'BioMuseo' in Panama City, Panama.

 

In 2013, Twan joined the 'Meet your Neighbours' Global Biodiversity Project as a contributing photographer and administrator. Participants in this project use striking high-key photography to draw attention to the plants and animals living in their backyards - wherever on the planet these backyards may be. Combining his love for photography and his work at RTPI, Twan tries to follow in the footsteps of the Institute's namesake, Roger Tory Peterson, to provide the general public with the tools and knowledge to better understand - and hopefully better protect - the fascinating biodiversity that surrounds us.

 

Join Twan on a mid-winter virtual journey to tropical places and enjoy some of the fascinating creatures he encounters along the way.

 

 

Weekend Winter Walk @ Woodcock Nature Center on January 24

Take a walk with Cindy Olsen, on February 24 from 4:30 pm to 6 pm at the Woodcock Nature Center in Wilton. Olsen is an award-winning certified guide with the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership and a guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy  She is a meditation teacher at Pause To Be Present Meditation and certified with Mindful Schools. Additionally, Cindy is an environmental educator with Sheldrake Environmental Center. 

This walk on the beautiful trails of the center will be a refreshing end to the week. Hikers will participate in a mindful winter walk in the forests of Woodcock Nature Center. Winter is a beautiful time to embrace the natural world with our senses and invite in a slower pace of things to unwind and restore. We’ll gather safely and enjoy the winter sunset as a community. 

​Cindy will provide blankets, seat cushions, hot tea, and other warming comforts for your time with the trees. Extra layers of clothing are essential to staying comfortable as we’ll be moving slowly and spending some time sitting in stillness. 

To register for this walk click here.  The cost of this relaxing experience is $20 per person.

Valentine's Day Virtually in Danbury @ the Hat City Ball

Looking for a unique way to celebrate Valentine's Day? Look no further than the Hat City Ball on February 12, 2021, hosted by the Danbury Museum. This year, the ball is virtual! Not to worry, food is still playing a part... you can pick up a 3-course meal that you can pick up at the Amber Room and enjoy (in your favorite PJs or your favorite gown!) in the comfort of your home with your favorite person! Or treat yourself to a delicious pre-Valentine's Day Meal. It is easy to order your meal online using a drop-down menu. To purchase a ticket click here.

The biggest upside of this year's Virtual Hat City Ball is that for each ticket purchased, a meal will be donated to Danbury senior citizens--our storytellers and memory keepers--in cooperation with The New American Dream Foundation and the Amber Room Colonnade. 

These two groups have worked tirelessly since the start of the pandemic to give added food security to our senior population. The Friends of the Danbury Museum are honoring The New American Dream Foundation and the Amber Room Colonnade with our annual award, The Hat City Award for Preservation Excellence, as a way of thanking them for the great work they have done. The goal is to provide all 600+ meals for the Saturday, February 13, delivery.

Winter Weekend Walk to a Lighthouse

 Winter is a wonderful time to get out in the fresh air and explore the beauty of the season. In Connecticut, we have 22 historic lighthouses, most are best viewed from the water like Sheffield Island Lighthouse. The Black Rock Harbor Lighthouse located in Bridgeport can be reached by taking a short walk about one mile long. A walk along the breakwater to the lighthouse gives hikers fabulous views of Long Island Sound. After traversing the breakwater hikers can take a sandy path to the 47-foot tall lighthouse and to the edge of this island. From the shore, if you look out into the Sound, you will also see Penfield Reef Lighthouse just offshore in the distance. The lighthouse is located on Fayerweather Island at the end of a breakwater off of Seaside Park in Bridgeport.

In the 18th century, the city became a shipping center and this lighthouse was built in 1808 on a tract of land purchased from David Fayerweather for $200. The keeper’s dwelling was originally a one-and-a-half-story home, having a kitchen, living room, and one bedroom, but over time, the residence would grow to eleven rooms. John Maltbie, the first keeper, died only five months after taking charge of the light. The lighthouse was destroyed in a storm in 1821. The lighthouse we see today was built in 1823.

Despite the short tenure of the first keeper, the position at Fayerweather Island rarely turned over, and the station only nine keepers in its 125 years of operation. John D. Davis was the last keeper of the lighthouse until it was officially decommissioned on March 3, 1933.

Although you can't get into the lighthouse today, visitors can walk around the lighthouse and imagine what it was like to live in a lighthouse and how exciting it was to help guide boats safely into the harbor. The lighthouse was relit in the year 2000 although it is not used for navigational purposes.

Sunday Fun Day Activities @ The Institute for American Indian Studies - Sunday, January 24, 2021

The Institute for American Indian Studies located in Washington Connecticut is keeping up a popular tradition in 2021 by offering a series of Native American-inspired craft workshops for kids and families every other Sunday in January and February. 

The workshops will be conducted in a safe socially distanced environment with a maximum of just six participants. The silver lining to offering such small workshops is that museum educators will not only be able to give participants more individualized attention, they will also be able to modify the workshop in accordance with the abilities of the participants. 

The second Sunday Fun Day craft workshop is taking place on Sunday, January 24 with one-hour time slots offered from 12 noon through 4 p.m. The focus of this workshop is on Native American beading. 

Beadwork is an art form that has been practiced for centuries throughout Native American communities. Native Americans decorated clothing, dwellings, horse gear, and utensils with materials found in nature such as shells, pieces of bone, stones, seeds, and even porcupine quills. After European contact, many Native Communities began incorporating multi-colored glass beads into their designs. Glass beads were highly valued by Native Americans because they were durable and came in a variety of colors. The beading workshop on January 24 will focus on beading basics and introductory techniques that will get participants started on their own colorful beading project. 

 Sunday Fun Day in-person workshops that will highlight a specific Native American craft or art form are planned to take place every other Sunday in February from noon to 4 p.m. Unlike previous years, in order to maintain the highest standards of safety, all workshops require pre-registration for one of the four one-hour time slots. There will be no walk-ins. The cost of participation is admission to the museum ($10 for adults, $8 for Seniors, and $6 for children) plus $10 for workshop materials. Members of the museum are free. Masks are required and hand sanitizer is always available. To make a reservation call the museum at 860-868-0518 or email them at events@iaismuseum.org to schedule a time slot. 

About The Institute for American Indian Studies 

 Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

Weekend Walk...Ice House Trail @ White Memorial Foundation in Litchfield

In days gone by the only way to keep food cold was to build an ice house and haul ice harvested in frozen lakes into the house for safekeeping. The ice would be used throughout the spring and summer months to keep food and drinks cold. 

White Memorial Foundation in Litchfield is located on Bantam Lake, the largest natural lake in the state that also has a long history in ice harvesting. Ice was harvested by farmers for family use and by large crews for commercial use.

On the grounds of White Memorial Foundation, visitors can take the yellow-blazed lake trail to the ruins of the ice house on its' grounds. Access the Ice House Ruins Trail by taking the 1-mile Lake Trail loop, which begins in the Main Area of the property (near the Museum). For a PDF to print out of the Ice House Ruins Trail click here.

There are eight points of interest to see along this trail that includes sites where there was a conveyer that brought the ice from Bantam Lake and a canal where the ice blocks went through a planer that shaved the cakes into a uniform size. Look for the remains of the old railroad bed where the ice cakes were loaded onto railway cars and shipped as far as New Yirk City. When you see the ice house foundation, think of a building some 36 feet high and 110 feet wide. This foundation has a marker and is to the left of the trail. A path to the left of the trail leads to the remains of the elevator and pump house foundation as well as the end of the inland canal. Just in front of the trail is a large ice harvest field that once had 14 compartments that held more than 4,000 tons of ice each. On either side of the road were dorms where the workers slept and ate. Keep your eyes peeled for the railroad spur that led out to the mainline of the Shepaug Railroad.

Ice was normally harvested from late November through early March. This historic walk gives visitors an idea of the harsh work that went into cutting and hauling blocks of ice and makes us appreciate our refrigerators that much more!

Bradley International Airport Nominated as “Best Small Airport” in the U.S.

 The Connecticut Airport Authority is pleased to announce that Bradley International Airport has been nominated for a USA Today 2021 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award.

 

The USA Today expert panel selected Bradley International Airport as a contender for ‘Best Small Airport’ in the nation.

 

“We are thrilled to kick off the new year with this nomination,” said Kevin A. Dillon, A.A.E., Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. “Even during these challenging times, Bradley International Airport continues to innovate and stand out in the airport industry. We invite our community to show pride for its home airport and bring this significant, national recognition to the region.”

 

On its website dedicated to voting, USA Today noted that Bradley International Airport “ranks as the second-busiest airport after Boston Logan, yet it remains a convenient option with on-site parking, lots of charging stations, free WiFi and proximity to both New York and Boston.”

 

The contest gives voters an opportunity to vote once per day for four weeks for the candidate of their choice at  https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-small-airport-2020/

 

To vote for Bradley International Airport, visit https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-small-airport-2020/bradley-international-airport-windsor-locks-connecticut/ or https://bradleyairport.com/votebdl/

 

Voting is active now and ends Monday, February 1^st. The winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, February 12th.

 

 

About Bradley International Airport (BDL)

BDL Cares about your safety. In response to COVID-19, the airport has implemented new precautions, and was one of first airports in the nation to open an in-terminal COVID-19 testing site. Recently, the airport’s efforts were recognized with a health accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) World.  Bradley International Airport is the second-largest airport in New England. The award-winning airport is operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority, and its operations are entirely self-funded.  The airport contributes nearly $3.6 billion to the regional economy. For more info, visit www.flybdl.org.

 

About The Connecticut Airport Authority

The CAA was established in 2011 to develop, improve, and operate Bradley International Airport and the state’s five general aviation airports (Danielson, Groton-New London, Hartford-Brainard, Waterbury-Oxford, and Windham).  The CAA Board consists of 11 members with a broad spectrum of experience in aviation-related and other industries, as well as government.  The goal of the CAA is to make Connecticut’s airports more attractive to new airlines, bring in new routes, and support Connecticut’s overall economic development and growth strategy.

 

December 30 is Connecticut's Valley Forge

When Americans think of the hardships faced by starving, shivering Continental Army troops during the harsh winters of the Revolutionary War, they usually remember the infamous winter encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in 1777–1778. What few realize, however, is that the eastern division of the Continental Army under the command of General Israel Putnam endured virtually identical trials and tribulations one year later while encamped in the vicinity of Redding, Connecticut.

The choice of Redding was a strategic one for Putnam’s division of troops: they had spent the previous months patrolling and skirmishing along the crucial Hudson River Valley, and from their camp in western Connecticut, they could still easily dispatch troops or couriers to West Point, Westchester County, New York City, or the interior of New England. Once the troops settled in for the winter in November 1778, however, what little energy they had left became fully devoted to surviving the same type of brutal winter conditions suffered by their compatriots at Valley Forge the year before. Compounding the harsh winds, snow, and frigid temperatures was a critical lack of supplies, including food, blankets, and winter clothing. Even worse, the troops had been paid in devalued paper Continental currency, rendering many of them unable to provide financial support for their families at home.

All of these miseries, and the frustrations that came with them, culminated in an attempted mutiny which took place at the Redding encampment on December 30, 1778. That day, a large number of troops decided to abandon the camp and march on Hartford to demand relief from the state General Assembly. Sometime that morning, General Putnam got word of the forthcoming uprising and rode his horse to where the disgruntled troops were gathering. There, according to several sources, he rode among them and delivered a rousing speech, rebuking them for deserting their country in its hour of need and appealing to their sense of patriotism and honor:

“You have behaved like men so far; all the world is full of your praises, and posterity will stand astonished at your deeds; but not if you spoil it all at last. Don’t you consider how much the country is distressed by the war, and that your officers have not been any better paid than yourselves? …Let us all stand by one another then, and fight it out like brave soldiers. Think what a shame it would be for Connecticut men to run away from their officers.”

Putnam’s inspiring speech to his starving troops worked well enough to restrain them from carrying out the planned mutiny.  And having regained control of his command, Putnam was lenient on the mutineers. Out of the many soldiers involved, only one was identified as an unrepentant ringleader and confined.  (He was later shot to death by a sentry while trying to escape).

While the uprising of December 30th was narrowly prevented, the grueling winter and terrible conditions continued, with only limited relief in the form of food and supplies. The Connecticut encampment was plagued by threats of desertion and mutiny for the entire length of the troops’ stay in Redding, which later acquired the fitting nickname of “Connecticut’s Valley Forge.”

Today, the site of Putnam’s winter encampment is open to the public as Putnam Memorial State Park. Established in 1887, Putnam Memorial was the first public park owned and administrated by the State of Connecticut. A dramatic statue of Israel Putnam on horseback greets visitors at the park’s entrance, and an obelisk with quotes from Putnam’s speech of December 30, 1778, commemorates the patriotic troops who stayed and suffered there during the harsh winter of 1778 – 1779.

Special Event: A talk by Tehama M Lopez Bunyasi “Stay Woke”

 

2020 is the year that many Americans woke to the enormous disparities still faced by people of color in the United States.  One question facing white Americans is how can they responsibly bridge some of these differences in their minds and everyday lives. Dr. Lopez Bunyasi,  Professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University will discuss her co-authored book Stay Woke: A People's Guide to Making All Black Lives Matter, and expound upon how to continue the commitment to antiracism in a Biden-Harris administration. Bunyasi’s work is broadly concerned with matters of race, racism, and antiracism,  especially with racial attitudes, ideologies, marginalization, and the politics of whiteness.

She illuminates lessons from the current Movement for Black Lives to equip people to become effective racial justice advocates and antiracists. Blending together a wealth of scholarly work with critical reflections from popular culture, Stay Woke sheds light on the precarious nature of Black lives in the United States by unmasking structural racism and explaining how even well-meaning people can reproduce racial inequality. Created as a toolkit and written in accessible language, Stay Woke empowers its readers to become more knowledgeable participants in public dialogue, activism, and American politics.

The program will be presented live on Zoom by the Scoville Memorial Library

on Thursday, January 6 at 2:00 pm. Registration for the talk is posted on the library’s event pages https://www.scovillelibrary.org/events/.

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Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Welcomes New River Otter Following Renovation of Habitat

 Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is the new home for Tahu, a one-year-old female North American river otter newly arrived from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Wash. After the Zoo’s last river otter passed away in 2019 from advanced age, the Zoo engaged in long-planned improvements to the otter habitat. With renovations complete, Tahu has joined the Zoo family and will be joined by a male companion in the future. 

 

As a species, river otters have suffered from habitat loss, water pollution, and fur trapping. Their numbers are on the rise due to reintroduction programs in parts of the U.S., better water quality, and protection of their habitats.

 Zoo Director Gregg Dancho said, “Our river otters have always been some of the most popular animals who make their home here at the Zoo, for their playful nature and intelligence as well as their role as an iconic North American animal. We’re pleased to welcome Tahu to the Zoo.” Tahu joins the Zoo at the same time as the Amur tiger, Changbai. 

About North American River Otters

River otters, members of the weasel family, can run on land as well as swim. They are playful and agile athletes, sliding down hills of mud or snow to land with a splash in water. Their tails are muscular and comprise up to 40 percent of the otter’s body length. They can move through the water as fast as eight miles per hour and can dive to 36 feet. Found throughout most of North America, the river otter lives in aquatic habitats: streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes. They prefer unpolluted water with minimal human disturbance. 

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

Let your curiosity run wild! Connecticut’s only zoo, celebrating its 98^th year, features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American and Northern Asian species. Guests won’t want to miss our Amur tigers and leopards, maned wolves, and Mexican grey and red wolves. Other highlights include our new Spider Monkey Habitat, the prairie dog exhibit, and the Pampas Plain with Giant anteaters and Chacoan peccaries. Guests can grab a bite from the Peacock Café and eat in the Picnic Grove. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is a non-profit organization approaching its 100^th year at a time when the mission of helping fragile wildlife populations and eco-systems is more important than ever. 

 

The Zoo reopened on June 1. Tickets must be purchased on the Zoo’s website at beardsleyzoo.org. Face masks are required for everyone over the age of two, with the exception of those with medical conditions that preclude wearing them. 

 

 

Amur Tiger Changbai Returns To Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

 Changbai, a thirteen-year-old Amur tiger and the mother of cubs born at the Zoo in 2017, has returned to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. After arriving from her most recent home at the Columbus Zoo, Changbai underwent a normal quarantine period. Once again comfortable with her surroundings, Changbai is now residing in the tiger habitat in the predator area, next to her daughter, Reka.

Born on May 24, 2007, at the Philadelphia Zoo, Changbai resided at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo for two years before being transferred to Columbus as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan. Amur tigers are very rare and are critically endangered in the wild. According to the AZA, today Amur tigers are thought to occupy less than seven percent of their original range. Threatened by habitat loss and degradation, poaching, tiger-human conflict and loss of prey, four of nine subspecies have disappeared from the wild just in the past hundred years. The future of the Amur tiger has been a major concern of the world’s zoos for many years. 

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo’s Deputy Director, Don Goff, is the Co-Chair of the National Felid Taxon Advisory Group (TAG). He leads a committee of AZA-accredited zoo members whose goal is to help have sustainable populations of felid species.

“The planned transfer of animals to other member zoos ensures the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied AZA population,” explained Goff. “We’re happy to welcome Chang back to the Zoo, where she can continue to be an ambassador for her species, educating our guests about the importance of conservation.”

About Amur tigers

The Amur tiger is a rare subspecies of tiger and the largest cat in the world. Adult male tigers can weigh up to 675 pounds, with females weighing up to 350 pounds, although they average 200-250 pounds. Chang is large for a female Amur tiger, weighing 340 pounds. Similar to people’s fingerprints, no two tigers have the same striped pattern. Amur tigers differ from other tigers with fewer, paler stripes, and a mane that helps to keep them warm. They live in southeast Russia as well as small areas of China and North Korea. They live for 10-15 years in the wild and up to 22 years in captivity.

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

Let your curiosity run wild! Connecticut’s only zoo, celebrating its 98^th year, features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American and Northern Asian species. Guests won’t want to miss our Amur tigers and Amur leopards, maned wolves, and Mexican grey and red wolves. Other highlights include our new Spider Monkey Habitat, the prairie dog exhibit, and the Pampas Plain with Giant anteaters and Chacoan peccaries. Guests can grab a bite from the Peacock Café and eat in the Picnic Grove. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is a non-profit organization approaching its 100^th year at a time when the mission of helping fragile wildlife populations and eco-systems is more important than ever. 

The Zoo reopened on June 1. Tickets must be purchased on the Zoo’s website at beardsleyzoo.org. Face masks are required for everyone over the age of two, with the exception of those with medical conditions that preclude wearing them.