Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons

Monday, March 24, 2025

Benedict’s Cruise to Brazil, Tolstoy at Greenwich Academy, Midnight Wedding, Auto Thieves & More!

Welcome to the 25th of March 2025 show.
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This podcast is made possible by Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere!
 
Mr. Myllan Mosquera provides the best in reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. I recommend Myllan without hesitation. Go with the peace of mind knowing that you'll travel in good hands. Please contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. Tell him I sent you.
 
Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich has been my choice for professional tree work for years. I've been impressed and a satisfied customer -and you will be, too. Call 203.622.8737.
 
Call-A-Ride of Greenwich provides free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday, to any location in town. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

On Greenwich in the Gilded Age, Commodore E.C. Benedict and his party embarked on a cruise to Brazil and other destinations in 1924.

Count Ilya Tolstoy, son of renowned Russian author Leo Tolstoy, lectured to a large audience at Greenwich Academy a century ago.

Yet another scandalous Gilded Age midnight wedding was consummated in Greenwich involving the nephew of one of Tammany Hall’s ruthless bosses -“Boss” Richard Croker- known for his corruption.

Crimes and Misdemeanors is back! A stolen car from Greenwich resulted in the car being shot at by a law enforcement officer in New Rochelle, NY.

We'll have all this -and more- as our history continues to unfold.

The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited!

Show podcast episodes are posted weekly on various social media platforms.

I also encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly, too.

Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 1st of April 2025.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Kent Cottage, Street Openings, Mill at North Greenwich, Greenwich Bald-Heads Drive to Waterbury and More!

Welcome to the 1st of April 2025 show.
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On Greenwich in the Gilded Age, our journey into the past will take us to Kent Cottage in Belle Haven, thanks to Victorian Summer: The Historic Houses of Belle Haven Park, Greenwich, Connecticut by Matt Bernard.

On Greenwich life As It Is-And Was, Lucian B. Edwards commented on the opening of streets in town a century ago.

This old mill once stood on the Byram River off Cliffdale Road in North Greenwich. You'll learn about its rich history.

A delegation of Greenwich men attended an annual banquet of the Bald-Head Club of America in Waterbury.

An ice cream man made some poor language choices to a judge and his wife -and was hauled off by the Greenwich Police on Crimes and Misdemeanors.

We'll have all this -and more- as our history continues to unfold.

The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited!

Show podcast episodes are posted weekly on various social media platforms.

Sixteen-Year-Old Girl Rescues Hurd’s Babies, Safe in a Chimney, Greenwich’s Advantages & Needs in 1905 & More!

Welcome to the 18th of March 2025 Show

CLICK HERE

 
This podcast is made possible by Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere!
 
Mr. Myllan Mosquera provides the best in reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. I recommend Myllan without hesitation. Go with the peace of mind knowing that you'll travel in good hands. Please contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. Tell him I sent you.
 
Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich has been my choice for professional tree work for years. I've been impressed and a satisfied customer -and you will be, too. Call 203.622.8737.
 
Call-A-Ride of Greenwich provides free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday, to any location in town. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

Women’s History Month: Sixteen-Year-Old Eleanor Mullen rescued Dr. and Mrs. L.M. Hurd’s babies from a fire in their Mason Street home in 1908.

In the process of demolishing a house, a safe was found inside a chimney. What was inside?

In 1905, Solomon Stoddard Mead shared his thoughts about Greenwich’s advantages and needs. Hint: he really admired Robert M. Bruce, philanthropist.

“Literary folks” were discovering Greenwich 120 years ago, making the decision to choose to live here.

“Mr. Reynolds,” an ice man, was harvesting ice for Conyers Manor when a gale wind blew his equipment into a hole in the lake ice, submerging much of it in 20 feet of water. He would go on to harvest a reported 850 tons of ice for use at the estate in the following summer.

Greenwich Historical Society is seeking further information about Greenwich resident Henry Louis Walker, nicknamed ‘Alabam.’

Learn more here, and contact Christopher Shields, Director of Library and Archives at cshields@greenwichhistory.org, or call 203.869.6899.

Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you enjoyed lot’s o luck of the Irish. I certainly must have the luck of the Irish to have you as my loyal podcast listeners.

You are all invited to the Greenwich St. Patrick’s Day Parade, sponsored by the Greenwich Hibernian Association. It begins at 2:00 p.m. at Greenwich Town Hall, with Father Richard Murphy as Grand Marshall.

We'll have all this -and more- as our history continues to unfold.

The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited!

Show podcast episodes are posted weekly on various social media platforms.

I also encourage you to like and visit the group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly, too.

Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 25th of March 2025.

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Sunridge Farm, More Hobby Family Reminiscences, and the Mysterious Woman in Black!

Welcome to the 11th of March 2025 show.

CLICK HERE

This podcast is made possible by Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere!

Mr. Myllan Mosquera provides the best in reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. I recommend Myllan without hesitation. Go with the peace of mind knowing that you'll travel in good hands. Please contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. Tell him I sent you.

Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich has been my choice for professional tree work for years. I've been impressed and a satisfied customer -and you will be, too. Call 203.622.8737.

Call-A-Ride of Greenwich provides free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday, to any location in town. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

On Greenwich in the Gilded Age, we'll take you to the Sunridge Farm -made possible by The Great Estates Greenwich, Connecticut 1880 to 1930, published by the Junior League of Greenwich.

Miss Mary Brackett of the Hobby Family returns with more reminiscences from her grandmother’s life.

You’ll hear about a mock funeral for George Washington in 1799, family land sites, ballrooms in taverns, Captain John Hobby, General Israel Putnam, and his famous escape from the tavern that now bears his name on East Putnam Avenue.

You’ll also learn about a mysterious woman in black and a ghost story at a house on Putnam Lake.

We'll have all this -and more- as our history continues to unfold.

The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited!

Contact me and join our growing number of listeners anytime via email at greenwichatownforallseasons@gmail.com.

Show podcast episodes are posted weekly on various social media platforms. Click this link to the show's Facebook site.

I also encourage you to like and visit the group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly, too.

Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 18th of March 2025.

Archival Insights! Henry Louis 'Alabam' Walker

A highlight of the archival work done at our campus is researching Greenwich family histories.

As Black History Month comes to a close, we seek assistance in finding any information regarding a long-time Greenwich resident named Henry Louis Walker (nicknamed “Alabam”).

Walker was born around 1827 on a large plantation in Locust Hill, Albemarle County, Virginia to enslaved parents Lewis and Clara Walker.

He resided briefly in New York and made his home in Greenwich in 1883. He married Louvinia (Simmons) Walker, in 1869.

A 1934 Greenwich Time article acknowledging the couple’s 65th wedding anniversary notes that they had “14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.”

Walker worked as a dynamite handler for local contractor and businessman Henry C. Webb.

The 1920 federal census lists his occupation as “Powderman” and his home address as 71 Hamilton Avenue.

This location (near Edgewood Avenue) was so closely associated with Mr. Walker that it was known by the locals as “Alabam’s corner” and referenced many times as such in various newspaper accounts.

Henry Lewis Walker passed away at the Municipal Hospital in Greenwich in June 1943. Although the exact year of his birth seems to be undetermined, it was said he was 116 years old.

Should you have any information regarding Walker or his family please reach out to Christopher Shields, Director of Library & Archives at cshields@greenwichhistory.org