Amazing Tales from CT: Redding's Favorite Son - Mark Twain, Part 1

We encourage you to tune in to our newest program, Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut’s Beaten Path, which airs Sunday afternoons at 4:30 right after the Opera.

 

Amazing Tales uses a story-telling format to focus on historically significant people, places, and events from Connecticut’s past. Host Mike Allen interviews subject matter experts on a variety of historical topics.

He specializes in bringing local history to life, by using his journalism and story-telling skills with podcasting and public speaking. For 15 years, Mike worked as a radio journalist, both at NPR's Boston affiliate WBUR and as News Director at i-95 (WRKI-FM) in western Connecticut. He subsequently worked in government and corporate before retiring and starting his podcast. As a resident of Connecticut for more than 50 years, Mike also makes public appearances throughout the state, speaking on topics of local history

 

June 11th

Part 1: Redding's Favorite Son - Mark Twain

 

Mark Twain died exactly 112 years ago, to the very day, of the publication of this podcast episode (April 21, 1910). This first in a two-part series takes a look at Samuel Clemens's last two years of life, spent in Redding, Connecticut, in his famed mansion, Stormfield. Redding historian Brent Colley (who is also the First Selectman of Sharon, CT) shares rarely heard and incredibly insightful stories about Clemens and some of his closest friends (including Helen Keller, Hartford Congregational Minister Joseph Twitchell, and his biographer, Art Bigelow Paine). Also, you'll learn fascinating details about the Stormfield house itself.