Discover the Nutmeg State: Top 15 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Connecticut!

1. Oldest Hamburger Joint

When you want a beefy bite with a side of historical sauce, look no further than Connecticut: Louis' Lunch in New Haven, established in 1895, boasts the title of being the oldest hamburger joint in the U.S., famous for their scrumptious blend of five cuts of beef, cooked in 1898-original cast iron vertical gas broilers. But let's not get too flame-grilled, as birthplace of the hamburger might be a bit of a stretch.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. First Auto Insurance Policy

Before automobiles started "rolling" with the punches and getting "coverage" like a movie star: Connecticut's very own Travelers insurance company stepped on the gas of innovation in 1897, becoming the first in the United States to issue an automobile insurance policy.
Source => travelers.com

Did you know Rhode Island was the first colony to call for a Continental Congress and the last of the original thirteen states to ratify the Constitution? Discover more about this feisty little state's role in American history!

=> Fun Facts about Rhode-Island

3. Praying Mantis Justice

In a twisted tale of insect espionage, even praying mantises won't be granted immunity in the eyes of Connecticut's backyard justice league: surprisingly, there's no specific law in Connecticut that forbids the killing of praying mantises, Chinese mantis being the most common species found in North America, leaving their fate to the whim of gardeners and property owners who either see them as beneficial insects or villainous pests.
Source => terrariumstation.com

4. Edgar Allan Poe Meets Dr. Phil

If Edgar Allan Poe and Dr. Phil had a literary lovechild, it'd probably be Connecticut's own Charles Brockden Brown: Born and bred in the Constitution State, Brown penned the Gothic psychological thriller "Wieland: or, The Transformation: An American Tale" in 1798, solidifying his status as an early American novelist extraordinaire.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Quirky Copper Tokens

Before cryptocurrencies left their mark, Connecticut had its own "pioneering" form of digital currency that made people say "Value Me as You Please": Samuel Higley, a Simsbury resident, produced copper tokens in 1737 which were inscribed with quirky phrases like "I Am Good Copper" and "J Cut My Way Through," turning ordinary coins into early American meme-worthy money.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. The Shadbush Fishing Calendar

While it might seem like the Wongunk tribe relied on the world's first natural Google Calendar, their secret was simply a botanical punctual pal: When the shadbush plant's blooms appeared in Wethersfield, Connecticut, it signaled the perfect time to grab their gear and head to the river for some prime fishing action, much like the Lenape American Indians described in the beloved book "When The Shadbush Blooms."
Source => wethersfieldhistory.org

7. Patriotic Sewing Machine Hero

In a sew-per heroic move fueled by the stitches of patriotism, Elias Howe Jr. from Bridgeport, Connecticut, set the bar for bravery in the face of threadening times: He was the first person in his city to sign up for the Civil War, serving as a private in Company D of the 17th Connecticut Volunteers, while trading his sewing machine empire for combat life – though he never fought in battle due to his fragile health.
Source => bportlibrary.org

8. Captain Kidd's Elusive Treasure

While ol' Captain William Kidd's ill-gotten booty has been playing a centuries-long game of hide-and-seek, countless adventurers have been left saying "X marks the knot" after failing to uncover this legendary pirate treasure: However, the tales still persist, with whispers of riches buried in various corners of the Northeast, including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maine, yet no successful discoveries have ever been confirmed.
Source => legendsofamerica.com

9. Connecti-shoe Walker

It seems Connecticut residents have been tying the knot (or the lace) for millennia: The state is home to one of the oldest shoes ever discovered, the Areni-1 shoe, dating back to around 3500 BC, complete with leather laces threading through carefully cut eyelets - making it clear that shoelaces and fashion-forward footwear have been around for much longer than one might have guessed.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. First Telephone Book Etiquette

Before e-har-mo-phonetic relationships began ringing off the hook, the people of Connecticut had to rely on a hip new pamphlet to get their conversational groove on: The world's first telephone book was issued by The Connecticut District Telephone Company of New Haven in November 1878, featuring 391 subscribers and advertisements for various businesses. Talkative customers were limited to three minutes per call and two calls an hour, with the innovative "yellow pages" laying down the law on proper phone etiquette.
Source => historyofinformation.com

11. Originator of Speed Limits

Long before Fast and Furious hit the screens, Connecticut was setting the stage for the plot with its own version of need for speed! In 1901, Connecticut was the first state in the U.S to pump the brakes and enforce some speed limits: The law dictated vehicles could only zip up to 12 mph in cities and a whopping 15 mph on country roads. This was the advent of regulating motor vehicles, but not the first-ever speed limit – that honor goes to New Amsterdam (currently New York) which set rules for wagons, carts, and sleighs back in 1652.
Source => history.com

12. Life in The Last Green Valley

Ever been to a place so lush, its own residents probably sprout leaves? Connecticut's Franklin is one of those places: a proud member of The Last Green Valley, home to intriguing historical figures like Uriah Tracy and Dr. Ashbel Woodward, and sustained by the interwoven roots of agriculture, industry, and business since its inception.
Source => connecticuthistory.org

13. The Biblically Peculiar Theme Park

When life gives you lemons, Holy Land USA makes biblical dioramas! This Connecticut theme park turned biblical passages into a rather peculiar vacation destination: Comprised of a chapel, stations of the cross, and replicas of catacombs and Israelite villages all built from discarded materials, it closed in 1984 but was resurrected by Mayor Neil O'Leary and car dealer Fred "Fritz" Blasius in 2013. Now, visitors can marvel at the 65-foot high, 26-foot wide steel cross featuring a state of the art LED lighting system that changes color based on the Roman Catholic Liturgical colors.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

14. Undersea Pioneer: USS Nautilus

Before Jules Verne went "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," Connecticut had a submarine that would've made Captain Nemo green with envy: the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), commissioned in Groton in 1954, was the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, capable of navigating entirely submerged thanks to innovative nuclear propulsion technology. Nautilus even made a groundbreaking trip under the North Pole in 1958, earning praise from President Eisenhower and a Presidential Unit Citation. Today, it rests as a museum ship and National Historic Landmark, proudly recounting tales of America's brave submariners.
Source => history.navy.mil

15. Noah Webster's Spelling Revolution

In the 19th century, when Noah Webster wasn't busy dining with President Jackson and debating the best cutlery to use, he was hard at work teaching ol' Betsy, the American public, how to spell words the right way: The fruit of his labor — the 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language — took more than 25 years to complete, boasting an impressive and comprehensive 70,000 words!
Source => noahwebsterhouse.org