Celebrating 250 at the Library

Celebrating 250 programming provided by the Friends of the Bethel Public Library and the Library Board of Directors

Celebrating 250, A Click Away

This presentation explains the history of the pirates and pirate hunters of New England during the Golden Age of Piracy. Topics discussed are why people became pirates, how pirate ships were run, weapons and tactics used, politics of the pirates, the government, and of the colonies, as well as how piracy ended. Welcome aboard as we discuss this hidden part of New England’s history!

Join town historian Patrick Tierney Wild as he recounts the trials and triumphs that have given this New England town its charm, during the tumultuous days of the American Revolution.

Marc Albertson presents the history of the Firelands and Connecticut’s connection to Ohio. Originally part of Connecticut, this land was settled by many from the state and carries several place names and traditions from our great state. Learn about the cities of Marietta and Cincinnati which were also founded in part by Connecticut Revolutionary War veterans such as Samuel Parsons.

Few people know that there were submarines during the American Civil War. They were built by the North and the South. For the South they were desperate attempts to break the strangle hold of the Union blockade. This presentation is about one very special submarine, the H.L Hunley. On the night of February 17, 1864 at about 9:00pm the Confederate submarine H.L Hunley made history by becoming the very first submarine to sink a ship in combat, when sinking the war ship USS Housatonic. This feat was so advanced for its time that it would not occur again for another 50 years! However, after making this historic mission the Hunley and her 8 man crew would go missing, having never to return back to the home base. This would then begin a 140 year search to find this historic submarine.

Join Kathleen Maher, Executive Director of the Barnum Museum, for an engaging exploration of Phineas Taylor Barnum’s remarkable journey – from his modest beginnings in Bethel, Connecticut, to his lasting influence as a cultural icon. With more than 30 years of experience in the museum field, Kathleen brings deep expertise and captivating storytelling to the life and legacy of Barnum. She will trace his visionary entrepreneurship, showmanship, and impact on American culture, while also sharing the inspiring story of the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport. Despite disaster-related setbacks, the Museum is forging ahead with ambitious plans for the future, ensuring that Barnum’s legacy continues to educate, entertain, and inspire generations to come. Kathleen joined the Barnum Museum in 1998 and has served as Executive Director since 2005, making her a noted authority on all things Barnum.

Join the Christine Pittsley of the Connecticut State Library for an overview of Connecticut’s role in the war. Learn about Connecticut’s political and industrial contributions to the war effort, home front activities, men and women in foreign service, and remembrance after the war.

Aaron Elson has been recording the stories of World War 2 veterans for more than three decades. Over the years, he noticed certain trends among the veterans he interviewed. If a veteran was a paratrooper, he likely had bad knees. Tanker veterans had hearing aids. Navy veterans sported tattoos. Marine veterans were fiercely loyal to the Corps. Prisoners of war never met a meal they didn’t appreciate. Most significantly, though, the stories that flowed like wine at reunions and in interviews were rarely shared with their families. Join Aaron has he shares these stories about the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima and other major battles, plus Connecticut has the only Iwo Jima memorial built and paid for by Iwo Jima survivors.

On June 6, 1944, 156,000 American, British, Canadian, and Free French troops dropped by parachute, crash-landed by glider, or hit the beaches at Normandy. This talk explores the reasons for the greatest amphibious operation in military history. This presentation will answer such questions as why was Operation: OVERLORD mounted? What was the importance of the landings? What part did it play in the final defeat of the Third Reich? And most important, what was D-Day’s impact on the Cold War? Talk will include an overview of the war and the events leading up to June 6, 1944.