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Top 10 Facts about Connecticut state

Connecticut was the 5th state to join the United States of America in 1788.

This state is famous for its beautiful fall foliage and Yale University. It got its name from the Connecticut River which approximately bisects the state

Connecticut is the third smallest state by area, the 29th most populous, out of all the 50 States. The state has several nicknames like the Constitution State, the Nutmeg State, the Provisions State, and the Land of Steady Habits.

This State was influential in the development of the federal government of the United States.

Known as the home of ESPN, the famous American cable sports channel, Connecticut鈥檚 capital is Hartford while the most populous city is Bridgeport. Its state flower is the Mountain Laurel

There is a lot of hidden and surprising facts. Read them in the top 10 facts about Connecticut State.

1. Connecticut was named after a river

Photo by OnlyMakeBelieve – Wikimedia

This state is named after the Connecticut River, which divides the state and is one of the main rivers in the U.S.

The Connecticut River flows through the middle of the state, south to the Long Island Sound.

Connecticut is a Native American word 鈥渜uinetucket鈥� meaning the long tidal river. It flows through four states including New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Native American tribes that lived here before the Europeans immigrated were Paugussets, the Mohegans and the Pequots. They spoke different languages from the Algonquian language group.

These tribes used stone tools for hunting, fishing, and woodworking.

2. The first publicly funded library is found in Connecticut

Connecticut is home to Scoville Memorial Library, the first publicly funded library and the oldest in the United State.

Scoville Memorial Library does not charge any subscription fee and was founded by Richard Smith. He donated 200 books back from London to Salisbury in 1771.

Clienteles were allowed to borrow books and return them every 3^rd Monday of every 3^rd month. There was a penalty fee for damaged books.  

As time went by, more books were added to the collection in 1805. These books were housed in the Town Hall.

In the 1890s, some funds were donated to the town of Salisbury by Jonathan Scoville. The money was used to build a permanent library building to house the ever-growing collection of books.

Since then, the library has been expanding and the collection of books is now over 30,000.

3. Mary Kies, an American inventor, came from Connecticut

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Mary Kies invented hats made from woven silk and straws. Her patent was signed in 1809 by President James Madison.

Kie鈥檚 patent involved a new technique of weaving straw with silk and thread to make hats. Her method was cost-effective, and boosted the hat economy in New England,

She is said to be among the first women to receive a US Patent.

The other women are Hannah Slater 1793, who invented a new method of producing sewing thread from cotton and Hazel Irwin invented a cheese press in 1808.

On the other hand, Betsy Metcalf invented the straw bonnets that became popular in 1798. Women and girls were able to make the bonnets from local resources.

4. The first explorers in Connecticut were from the Netherlands

The first European explorer to arrive in Connecticut was a Dutch, Adriaen Block. He arrived in Connecticut in 1614.

His ship was called Onrust together with several other men. They explored 60 miles of the Connecticut River to Hartford, which is now the capital of the state.

Their arrival in Connecticut led to the colonization of the state. However, the Dutch did not settle in Connecticut.

English settlers immigrated to this state and made it their home. These settlers were a break-away group from the protestants of the Church of England.

The Puritans believed the church needed to be purified of its Roman Catholic influences.

5. Connecticut is known as the Constitution State

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Connecticut鈥檚 nickname is the Constitution State. The nickname came after the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was adopted in 1639.

This served as a model for the U.S. Constitution as well as the first form of a written constitution within Western culture.

They were the first laws that acknowledged people as the true foundation of public authority. Additionally, it gave voters the right to elect government officials.

Connecticut was one of the states that had a great amount of political freedom and independence in the early days. This is what gave birth to the Fundamental Orders in 1639.

6. Connecticut State was the first to adopt the automobile law

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In 1901, Connecticut was the first American state to adopt a U.S. law limiting automobile speeds.

This law was passed by Representative Robert Woodruff. Robert submitted a bill to the State General Assembly proposing a motor-vehicles speed limit of 8 mph within city limits and 12 mph outside.

The law passed in May 1901 specifying higher speed limits. Additionally, it required drivers to slow down upon approaching or passing horse-drawn vehicles.

Drivers were also required to come to a complete stop if necessary to avoid scaring the animals.

The penalty for violating the act was not more than two hundred dollars for each offence. This was a lot considering the average price of a car was $920.

A year later in 1902, Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. president to ride in a vehicle while in office.

He made a stop in Hartford鈥檚 Pope Park and spoke to a gathering of about 10,000 workers.

Remarkably, Mr Roosevelt was also the first president to own a car and have a telephone in his home.

7. The first nuclear-powered submarine was in Connecticut

USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the first operational nuclear-powered submarine in the world. This sub-marine was also the first to complete a submerged transit of the North Pole on 3 August 1958.

It was launched in Groton in 1954. Part of her crew were 95 enlisted men and 10 officers. The sub was capable of reaching speeds of over 20 knots (37 km/h or 23 mph).

It got its power from steam provided by nuclear-generated heat that turned two turbines.

In 1986 she was put on display at the Submarine Force Museum at Groton, Connecticut, where she still is today.

8. Connecticut was once known as the Arsenal of the Nation

The nickname, arsenal of the nation, originated from the fact that during the 19th and 20th centuries.

After the war broke in the spring of 1861, Samuel Colt designed and developed the newest military shoulder arm, the first muzzle-loader.

Connecticut used to be home to several firearm manufacturing companies including Volcanic Repeating Arms Company, Sturm Ruger, Joslyn Firearms and Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

The first-ever firearm manufacturer was Eli Whitney and his muskets in Hamden, Connecticut. His imminent success led to the boom of the arms manufacturing industry.

Today, the major rifle makers in the state are Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford.

9. New Haven in Connecticut was an early education centre

Photo by Henry Trotter – Wikimedia

New Haven in Connecticut was one of the earliest centres for education with the founding of Yale University in 1716.

Today, its art and natural history museums are among the finest in the northeast region.

Yale University campus has several interesting attractions like the outstanding Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. This is one of the most popular places to visit in New Haven.

Several concerts and events are held at Yale, attracting several art lovers. Some of these events include a variety of theatres, a symphony, and a summertime jazz festival.

You can also take a tour of the three historic churches dating from the early 1800s in the Green, a park in New Haven.

10. The first hamburger was served in Connecticut

Photo by amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash

The first hamburgers in U.S. history were served in New Haven at Louis’ Lunch sandwich shop in 1895. Its founder, Louis Lassen, ran a small lunch wagon selling steak sandwiches to local factory workers.

The story of the hamburger is that Louis Lassen threw together a few simple ingredients for a customer who was in a rush.

Louis didn’t like to waste excess beef from his daily lunch rush, so he ground it up, grilled it, and served it between two slices of bread; and that, ladies and gentlemen was the first hamburger in America.

Today, the eatery is run by the 3^rd and 4^th generations of the Lassen family.