History:

Did you know …  Before Europeans arrived in Connecticut, the land was inhabited by Native American tribes. Some of the major tribes were the Mohegan, the Pequot, and the Nipmuc.  After the Revolutionary war, Connecticut worked with the rest of the colonies to form a government. Connecticut ratified the new U.S. Constitution on January 9, 1788 and became the fifth state to join the United States. Connecticut took a leading role in the industrial revolution of the United States, with its many factories establishing a worldwide reputation for advanced machinery. The educational and intellectual establishment was strongly led by Yale College, by scholars such as Noah Webster and by writers such as Mark Twain, who lived in Connecticut after establishing his association with the Mississippi River. LEARN MORE: HERE & HERE.

Agriculture and Industry:

Did you know …  Nearly 60 percent of Connecticut is covered in woodland, so it’s no wonder forests are one of the state’s top Natural Resources, providing lumber, firewood, and even maple syrup. Finance and insurance are Connecticut's largest Industry. Manufacturing is the third biggest industry, followed by real estate, healthcare, and engineering. Connecticut’s Agricultural products include dairy products and eggs, tobacco, fish and shellfish, and fruit. LEARN MORE: HERE & HERE.

State Bird and State Flower

Did you know …  The official State Bird of Connecticut is the American Robin.  Connecticut designated the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) as the official state bird in 1943. Robins are a true thrush and one of America's favorite songbirds.  LEARN MORE.

The official State Flower of Connecticut is the Mountain Laurel. Connecticut designated mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) as the official state flower in 1907. The mountain laurel is one of the most beautiful of native American shrubs. Its fragrance and the massed richness of its white and pink blossoms so vividly contrast with the darker colors of the forests and the fields that they have continually attracted the attention of travelers since the earliest days of our colonization.  LEARN MORE: HERE & HERE.

Hartford, CT

Did you know …  Connecticut’s largest city is Bridgeport, but the State Capitol is Hartford, which is a city rich in history. Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry. Founded in 1635, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Hartford is home to the nation's oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum; the oldest publicly funded park, Bushnell Park; the oldest continuously published newspaper, The Hartford Courant; the second-oldest secondary school, Hartford Public. LEARN MORE.

Fun Facts

Did you know …  Connecticut is also known as the Constitution State.  Connecticut earned its nickname the Constitution State because it’s home to what some consider the United States’ first written constitution: the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, adopted in 1639. Benedict Arnold, whose name has become synonymous with the word “traitor” after he conspired with the British to turn over the post at West Point in exchange for money and a command in the British Army, was born in Norwich, Connecticut. Connecticut is home to “firsts” including the first color television, hamburger, phone book, Polaroid camera, nuclear-powered submarine, and helicopter. Famous residents of Connecticut include Nathan Hale, a spy during the American Revolution; Revolutionary War general and “turncoat” Benedict Arnold; actress Katharine Hepburn; and authors Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. LEARN MORE: HERE, HERE, & HERE.

LEGO: America’s Favorite Interlocking Toy Bricks!

Did you know … LEGO corporate office and headquarters is in Bloomfield, Connecticut and its LEGO Systems is located in Enfield, Connecticut.

Here’s a little bit of LEGO history:

The company that makes these famous interlocking bricks started as a small shop in Billund, Denmark. The company was established in 1932 by master carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen, who was aided by his 12-year-old son Godtfred Kirk Christiansen. It made wooden toys, stepladders, and ironing boards. It wasn't until two years later that the business took the name of LEGO, which came from the Danish words "LEg GOdt," meaning "play well." 

In 1947, the company made a huge purchase that was to transform the company and make it world-famous and a household name. In that year, LEGO bought a plastic injection-molding machine, which could mass produce plastic toys. By 1949, LEGO was using this machine to produce about 200 different kinds of toys, which included automatic binding bricks, a plastic fish and a plastic sailor. The automatic binding bricks were the predecessors of the LEGO toys of today. 

In 1953, the automatic binding bricks were renamed LEGO bricks. In 1957, the interlocking principle of LEGO bricks was born, and in 1958, the stud-and-coupling system was patented, which adds significant stability to built pieces. This transformed them into the LEGO bricks we know today. LEARN MORE.

Check out this YouTube video on Connecticut!

Did you know that LEGO first made wooden toys until 1949 when the company began making interlocking toy bricks made of plastic from special injection- molding machines?

Here are some LEGO  jokes to make you giggle:

Q: What dance do LEGO people like most?

A: Square dancing

Q: What was the LEGO pirate’s favorite letter?

A: Arrrrrrrr!

Q: What do they do every year in the LEGO neighborhood?

A: They have a block party.

Q: How do LEGO minifigures measure distance?

A: In square feet.

Q: How does an Eskimo build a strong LEGO house?

A: Igloos it together!

Knock Knock

Who’s there?

Ice cream.

Ice cream who?

Ice cream when I step on a LEGO with bare feet.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

LEGO.

LEGO who?

LEGO the door knob and let me in.

Please enjoy "Story Time with Miss Trudy" as she reads us another of her favorites, "The Monster who Loved Books" by Jonathan Lambert and Keith Faulkner

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Fun fact: Connecticut’s most popularly used unofficial nickname is that of the Nutmeg State. During the 18th and 19th centuries, early sailors would bring the valuable seed back on their foreign voyages. Over time, Yankee peddlers developed a reputation for selling fake nutmegs made of carved wood.  Today, nutmeg is used to spice some very popular desserts, including the Pumpkin Pie.

Ingredients:

• (1) 9 inch deep dish pie crust unbaked
• (1) 15 oz can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling or 2 cups fresh pumpkin
• (1) 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon whole nutmeg freshly ground

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. 2In a small bowl, mix sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until blended.
3. 3Beat eggs in large mixing bowl, whip in pumpkin, vanilla, and sweetened condensed 
4. milk.
5. 4Add sugar-spice mixture and mix well
6. 5Pour into prepared pie crust, cover with a tent of aluminum foil 
7. 6Bake for 15 minutes
8. 7Reduce oven to 350 and bake for 30-40 minutes until set. (remove aluminum foil just prior to removing pie from oven to ensure a browned crust