Connecticut Valley Vernacular

In this book, O'Gorman treats both the people and the sheds with the respect and admiration their precarious presence requires."--BOOK JACKET.

Stunning photography and fact-filled text reveal new perspectives on southern New England's most unique natural region. A picturesque journey through the traprock highlands from New Haven, Connecticut to Amherst, Massachusetts, this book captures the majesty of wild windswept cliffs, panoramic summit vistas, and intimate details of the natural world through the eyes of an artist and the mind of a scientist. By tracing the influence of natural history on cultural development in the Connecticut Valley, the authors present a compelling argument that the rocky highlands are landscapes of national significance, where the particular combination of geology, geography, water resources, climate, and human settlement fostered vital developments in Early American science, education, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and the creative arts. Through vibrant color photographs of high alpine crags and lush forests, thundering waterfalls and splashing cascades, and close-up views of the rocks, flowers, and birds, The Traprock Landscapes of New England presents the incomparable beauty of the region as never before. Overflowing with information, long-time fans, first-time visitors, nature lovers, rock climbers, history buffs, land use managers, and many others will find plenty to satisfy in the detailed text and captions, crisp photos, historical images, informative maps, and more. Showcasing popular locales, and revealing “secret spots,” this must-have resource will encourage old friends and newcomers alike to visit the rugged crags once called “the boldest and most beautiful” landscapes in New England.

Cuban Studies 41 includes essays on: the ideology behind United States foreign policy toward Cuba; a gendered study of Cubans who migrate to other countries; fifty years of Cuban medical diplomacy; the fifty-year relationship between Havana and Moscow, national cultural policy and the visual arts in the aftermath of the “Grey Years,” and a look at the global influence of Havana cigars.

In 1633, explorers from Plymouth Bay reported the Windsor area to be a fine place both for plantation and trade, and not long after, several groups of intrepid pilgrims established the first English settlement in Connecticut. The early settlers took advantage of the areas fertile river floodplains, extensive forests, and swift river currents. Windsor has grown from a remote outpost at the confluence of the Farmington and Connecticut Rivers into a thriving agricultural, commercial, and suburban community. Highlighting themes important to Windsors history, this compelling visual survey portrays the traditional landmarks of a New England village: the meetinghouse and common green, field and forest, ferry and mill. It also reveals the faces of past residents engaged in their everyday lives at work and at play, in trouble and in celebration.

Connecticut boasts some of the oldest and most distinctive architecture in New England, from Colonial churches and Modernist houses to refurbished nineteenth-century factories. The state’s history includes landscapes of small farmsteads, country churches, urban streets, tobacco sheds, quiet maritime villages, and town greens, as well as more recent suburbs and corporate headquarters. In his guide to this rich and diverse architectural heritage, Christopher Wigren introduces readers to 100 places across the state. Written for travelers and residents alike, the book features buildings visible from the road. Featuring more than 200 illustrations, the book is organized thematically. Sections include concise entries that treat notable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities, emphasizing the importance of the built environment and its impact on our sense of place. The text highlights key architectural features and trends and relates buildings to the local and regional histories they represent. There are suggestions for further reading and a helpful glossary of architectural terms A project of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, the book reflects more than 30 years of fieldwork and research in statewide architectural survey and National Register of Historic Places programs.

Cigar tobacco runs in the blood of Connecticut River Valley farmers. Delve into the surprising history of the region's most iconic crop, all the way back to early Native American uses and the boom of the Civil War. Though fashionable in the 1950s, the popularity of cigars declined a decade later, nearly destroying the region's tobacco industry. A resurgence in the 1990s brought new life to the crop, and the reopening of Cuba in 2015 added a new chapter for cigar tobacco. Brianna Dunlap, director of the Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum, provides a guide to important tobacco landmarks from East Haddam to Brattleboro, featuring stunning photography from Leonard Hellerman. It is the story of the people--the farmers and field hands--who made tobacco the soul of the valley.