In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, as Connecticut agriculture and industry began to fade, those in power, from publishers to politicians, began shaping a new identity for the Nutmeg State that continues to define us today. “The Rebranding of Connecticut,” focuses on the topics explored in, “Country Acres and Cul-de-Sacs: Connecticut Circle Magazine Reimagines the Nutmeg State, 1938–1952,” a new publication edited by Jay Gitlin, professor of history at Yale University, who will lead the presentation. The free event will be followed by a book signing.
Published by the Acorn Club, which is dedicated to the advancement of about Connecticut history, “Country Acres and Cul-de-Sacs” is comprised of articles and images from the publication Connecticut Circle from 1938 through 1952, a pivotal period in the state, and the entire country.
Joining Gitlin will be Helen Higgins, former executive director of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, who specializes in historic preservation and the history of Connecticut. Currently treasurer and member of Acorn Club’s Editorial Committee, Higgins penned the introduction to the “Connecticut Writers, Artists, Musicians, and Actors” section of “Country Acres and Cul-de-Sacs”
Also on the panel will be Patrick Pinnell, principal of Architecture & Town Planning, LLC, whose expertise is in the history of land use, planning, and architecture.