Original subtitles

(air whooshing)

(upbeat music)

- Our journey begins in the northern corner

of the state at Lime Rock Park,

one of the earliest moto racing circuits in America.

From there we head south past Lake Lillinonah

and the sad legend of an Indian princess.

On the coast of Belle Haven, is a peninsula

with some of the most expensive

and exclusive properties in the state.

Bridgeport, is the largest city in the state,

and home in the 19th century,

of one of the greatest showman on earth, P.T Barnum,

who introduced a three-ring Barnum & Bailey Circus.

New Haven, is one of the oldest towns in the state.

And home to one of the most famous colleges in the world,

Yale University.

Our final location, stands out in Long Island Sound,

Faulkner's island, and Lighthouse.

Built in 1802, and one of the oldest in the country.

Connecticut, is the third smallest state in America,

and the southern most one in the New England region.

It spans just 177 Kilometers from east to west,

and 112 from north to south.

In the fall or autumn, the woods become a range of colors

for which New England is justly famous.

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And here in the sparsely populated northwest of the state,

much of the landscape is forested,

with fast running rivers, cutting through the valleys.

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It's therefore quite surprising

to rise up over a hill, and find a motor racing circuit.

This is Lime Rock Park,

and the most significantly historic road racing circuit,

in North America.

It opened in 1957, and has been in continuous operation,

ever since.

It faced opposition, in the form

of the Trinity Episcopal Church,

who won a permanent courting injunction,

against any racing on Sundays.

Lime Rock is 2.4 kilometers, of undulating track,

which looks deceptively simple,

but is immensely challenging to drive quickly.

Interestingly, there are no grandstands

but the track still offers,

tremendous, spectator viewing.

Over the years, the track has featured

many well known racers, including the actor Paul Newman,

who supported his own Newman Haas team

including Mario Andretti, Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney.

One of the icons of New England in general,

and here in Connecticut in particular,

are all are 19 century covered bridges.

Although today is seen as nostalgic links

to America rural past, they were high technology

for their time.

What made them innovative, was that

they multiplied the basic trans-pattern,

many times over, which allowed them to span

a much greater distance than was possible,

with the simpler timber beam bridges of the 18th century.

They were covered to prevent rain and snow

rotting the wood work, and also to provide extra stability

to the structure.

This is the West Cornwall Covered Bridge,

carrying a Turnpike road, over the Housatonic River.

It was built in 1841 and replaced an earlier one.

Which was swept away four years before.

In the 1970s, the bridge was reinforced

with a steel deck, so that modern traffic

could still use it.

And during the fall, the number of cars

in the wooded areas increases, as tourist,

known as leaf peepers, pour into the state

from across the country to marvel at the colorful display.

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Only certain varieties of trees

produce this dramatic spectacle.

They include dogwood, red oak, maples,

hickory, birch and elm.

The change requires the right soil and the right weather.

Sunny days, followed by crisp nights,

stop the production of chlorophyll,

the chemical that produces the green in the leaves.

This allows other pigment colors to show through,

such as orange and yellow, and red and purple.

(soft orchestral music)

Sitting amongst this stunning landscape,

are the old colonial towns, such as Litchfield,

which has a history stretching back to 1719.

By the end of the century, it will become

one of the leading commercial and social times

of Northwest Connecticut.

This resulted in many fine buildings including

a grand classical church,

along with brick and clapboard houses.

However, the town's fortunes declined

during the later years of the 19th century,

due to its not having an ample water supply,

and rail links for industrial expansion.

As a result, the town became a sleepy backwater

until it was rediscovered in the early 20th century

as a tourist destination, and a popular place

for weekend and summer homes.

The town embraced the Colonial Revival style,

and many of the new and old homes,

began to display the white paint

and black shutters of this period.

A few miles to the south of Litchfield,

near the village of Bethlehem,

is the Abbey of Regina Laudis.

The monastic community was founded in 1947

and is presently made up of 37 women

representing a wide diversity of personal

and professional backgrounds.

In a world in which many monasteries

are closing their doors, due to a lack of interest

in religious life, this abbey is a strong,

vigorous community, with numbers continuing to increase,

but sadly, nowhere to house the young women

asking to enter monastic life.

Due to the generosity of friends and private foundations,

funds are being raised to renovate

and increase the size of the abbey.

This fully enclosed monastery of Benedictine sisters,

who chant the Mass each day

and also work in the farm, is the only one of its kind

in the United States.

Lake Lillinonah is the second largest in the state.

The lake is 23 kilometers long

and as we can see very a narrow.

At the northern end is the small Lovers Leap State Park,

and the rocky outcrop that is the center

of the sad legend of Princess Lillinonah

and the young white man.

The story goes that one night walking on woods

above the river, the 18-year-old princess

came across a sick young white man,

whom she took home to nurse and look after.

When eventually he recovered,

love blossomed between them and they wished to marry.

But her father Chief Waramaug forbade it,

only to relent later, and asked the white man

to go back to his own people to tell them

of his impending marriage, and then return after the winter.

When he did not come back, her father arranged a marriage

to one of his Braves.

Distraught, she took out a canoe, determined

to end her life over the waterfall below the rocky outcrop.

As she awaited her fate, the white man appeared on the rock

and shouted to her, he lept in the save her

but it was too late and locked together in an embrace,

they went over the falls and were drowned.

In the southwest corner of the state,

is the town of Greenwich,

and the very private Belle Haven Estate.

First built as a residential park in the late 19th century,

this exclusive enclave has always had a certain cachet.

But what does it cost to live here?

This peninsula contains some of the most expensive

real estate in Connecticut.

And it's estimated that buyers will pay

a $2 million premium to purchase a property here.

Recently, a plot of land came up for sale

at just over $22 million.

And that's before you build a house.

Of course, one of the great advantages of living here

is that it's just under 60 kilometers away

from New York City and therefore makes it a very comfortable

commute at just over an hour.

Connecticut's coastline is a haven for sailors

with yachts or motor boats of all sizes.

There are rivers, islands, creeks, bays and beaches

to explore, as well as venturing out into Long Island Sound.

This is the village of Cos Cob,

which is dominated by the four marinas

along the Mianus River.

Boating is expensive, so today many families

buy a sharing one and then have a certain

amount of time each year to use it.

This puts costly yachts within reach

of those on more modest incomes.

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Along the coast are many old colonial period villages

and towns.

A good example is Westport.

It has a population of around 30,000 people,

and for its size is the 10th wealthiest

in the United States.

It was only after the Revolutionary Wars in 1835

that Westport was officially incorporated as a town.

To start with, the main industry was onion growing

and the development of its harbor.

However, at the beginning of the 20th century,

Westport experienced a cultural expansion

when artists, musicians and authors,

such as F. Scott Fitzgerald moved in,

and it became known as "creative heaven."

The town still attracts artists,

and one of its most famous residents

was the actor Paul Newman, who began

Newman's own food company in 1982.

With all profits, going to his charitable foundation.

15 kilometers along the coast,

is Connecticut's most popular city, Bridgeport.

It became a city in 1836, as local businesses moved

from agriculture to shipping and manufacturing.

And when the railroad arrived in 1840,

the city became a booming industrial center,

producing everything from Singer sewing machines

to military ammunition.

In 1870, the population was 25,000.

And by 1910, it was over 100,000.

Immigrant labor poured in from across Europe,

fueling this manufacturing growth.

But it was not to last,

de-industrialization in the 1970s

and 80s devastated the city,

and in 1991, it filed for bankruptcy.

Today, Bridgeport has redeveloped itself as a modern city,

attracting new businesses, as well as welcoming commuters

working in nearby New York.

In the late 19 century, Bridgeport was home

to one of the greatest showman on Earth,

Phineas Taylor Barnum, creator

of the Barnum & Bailey three-ring circus.

His statue stands in Seaside Park,

looking out over the ocean.

He was a politician, showman, and businessman,

remembered for promoting the Swedish singer Jenny Lind,

as well as the dwarf known as General Tom Thumb.

He was also an author, publisher, and philanthropist.

But in the end, he said of himself,

"I'm a showman by profession."

His impact reaches deep into American heritage

and the story of his vast contributions

are preserved and his Bridgeport museum.

This ornate, exotic building, conceived

and constructed by Barnum himself,

has been open to the public since 1893.

And it's one of Bridgeport's star attractions.

He is a testament to the pioneers

and visionaries of the 19th century.

In 1880, he said, "Whatever you do,

"do it with all your might, work at it early

"and late, in the season and out of season,

"not leaving a stone unturned

"and never deferring for a single hour

"that which can be done just as well now."

He died at his house in Bridgeport in 1891.

To the northeast of Bridgeport on the Housatonic River,

is one of the first companies to manufacture helicopters

for civilian and military use.

The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

It was established in 1925 by Igor Sikorsky,

an immigrant to America, from Kiev, in the Ukraine.

To begin with, he developed fixed-wing aircraft,

including flying boats for Pan American Airways.

But in 1939, he designed the first viable

American helicopter, which became the world's

first mass produced one.

It comprised a single main rotor,

and a single anti torque tail rotor,

which proved to be one of the most popular

helicopter configurations and is still used

in most helicopters produced today.

The company remains one of the world's leading

rotary aircraft manufacturers,

producing such well known models

as the Black Hawk and Seahawk.

Sikorsky has also supplied the American presidential

helicopters since 1957.

Continuing along with the coast,

we come to the wide entrance

to New Haven Harbor, which is the highest volume commercial

shipping port on the Long Island Sound.

And is considered the busiest port

between Boston and New York City.

For the colonists during the American War of Independence,

it was a harbor worth protecting from the British.

In early 1776, the colony of Connecticut

commissioned the construction of a fort

on a point of rock that stretched out into the sea.

It was named Black Rock fort.

This accurate reconstruction was completed in 1976.

In 1863, during the Civil War,

a much larger fort was built behind the old one

in case the South raided the port.

It was not needed, and was later abandoned.

The City of New Haven was founded in 1638

by English Puritans, and a year later,

eight streets were laid out in a four by four grid,

creating what is now commonly known as the Nine-Square Plan.

At the center was New Haven green,

a six hectare square, which is now

a National Historic Landmark.

Standing alongside New Haven green is Yale University,

and an integral part of the city's economy,

being new Haven's biggest taxpayer, and employer.

The university also provides the city with healthcare

in the form of hospitals and biotechnology,

professional services, including financial, legal,

architectural marketing, and engineering.

All form an economic base for the city.

Yale is considered one of the top universities

not only in America, but worldwide.

It can trace its roots back to the 1640s

when colonial clergymen led an effort to establish

a local college to preserve the tradition

of European liberal education in the new world.

The school officially became Yale College in 1718,

when it was renamed in honor of a Welsh merchant,

Elihu Yale, who had donated the proceeds

from the sale of nine bales of goods,

together with 417 books, and a portrait

of King George the first.

Over the years, Yale has produced five American presidents,

one of whom was Bill Clinton.

On the outskirts of New Haven in East rock Park

is a 19th century war memorial on a high rocky outcrop,

which can be seen from miles around.

It's 34 meters high, and on the top

is a large bronze statue of the Angel of Peace.

The monument was completed in 1887

and honors the residents of New Haven

who gave their lives in the War of Independence,

the War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Civil War.

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To the north, is the Sleeping Giant State Park,

a prominent basalt rock feature with commanding views.

Its name, according to native American legend,

is that the wicked giant stone spirit Hobbomock,

became enraged about the mistreatment of his people

and stamped his foot down in anger,

diverting the course of the Connecticut River.

To prevent him from stamping again.

The good spirit Keitan, cast a spell on Hobbomock

to sleep forever.

Today, the giant still slumbers peacefully

as woods cover his body.

On the top of the mount is a lookout tower,

which was built in 1936 as part of what was known

as the American New Deal.

The plan used millions of unemployed people

to carry out public works projects across the country

following the Great Depression.

Another basalt rock band can be found

to the north at Hubbard Park.

The name comes from a generous benefactor Walter Hubbard,

who gave the land to the public.

Hubbard built a viewing tower on east peak,

known as "Castle Craig" to resemble the towers

built by the Turks along the Danube River

In the 12th century.

Hubbard spent a great deal of time

and energy creating the park.

He cleared land, built roads,

and constructed Mirror Lake with the help

of Frederick Law Olmsted, who is best known

for designing New York City's Central Park.

In his donation, the land was given outright

with the stipulation that everything connected with the park

was to remain free of charge,

and that no concessions for profit,

were ever allowed within the park area.

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Back on the coast, near The village of Stony Creek

is an archipelago consisting of small islands

in Long Island Sound.

They are known as the Thimbles

and made of granite bedrock.

They were once the tops of hills

prior to the last ice age.

As a result of being made from such a hard material,

they are very stable, suffer much less erosion,

and provide a firm base to build houses.

To the early Native Americans,

the islands were known as the beautiful sea rocks.

Their number is difficult to calculate,

as it depends how small a rock can be classed as an island.

If all rocks can, then there are 365 of them.

Though many are submerged at high tide.

The first European to discover the islands

was Adrian Block in 1614.

A few decades later,

legend has it that the infamous pirate

Captain Kidd buried his treasure here.

Though nothing so far has ever been found.

The islands were first recorded as Thimble Islands

in records of 1739.

And the story goes that they were named after

thimbleberries, a relative of native black raspberries.

Today, there are 81 houses spread across the islands.

14 of them only have one house,

though some have vast mansions, and others,

a small studio like apartment.

Only six of the islands have power from the mainland

by underwater cable.

The rest make do with combinations of solar power,

diesel generators and propane.

The mainland supplied fresh water to half the houses

with the other half using rainwater and wells.

There is a ferry service which transports people

and goods between the various islands

and Stony Creek harbor.

In the days before telephones,

residents would hang out a red flag

to request the ferry.

To live here is not cheap, as an example,

one of the grandest houses for sale is on Rogers Island,

which has a swimming pool, tennis court,

and one golf hole designed by none other than Jack Nicklaus.

The sale also includes seven other smaller islands

with single houses on them.

The asking price, a mere $78 million.

Our final location is five kilometers off the coast,

Faulkner's Island, and on it is one of the oldest

lighthouses in Connecticut.

Over the years, many ships were wrecked on the rocks

around the island.

So in 1802, the government,

under President Thomas Jefferson,

bought it for $325 and began construction

of the Faulkner's Island light.

In 1818, a local man, Eli Kimberly was appointed keeper.

He moved to the island with his pregnant wife Polly,

and their two children.

They've remained here for 33 years,

raising 12 children.

They kept livestock and grew vegetables on the island,

and the children were taught by a tutor

who boarded with the family.

Visitors were common during the Kimberly's years

on the island, with as many as 100 people

arriving on a summer's day.

Since then, there have been three keepers houses,

with the last one built in 1871 burnt down in 1976.

In the early 1990s, an organization called

the Faulkner's Light Brigade was formed

to undertake its restoration and preservation.

In 2011, the last major part of the work was completed

securing the future of the second oldest lighthouse

in Connecticut for many decades to come,

the light is now listed on the National Register

of Historic Places.

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The island has also been designated as a wildlife refuge

with access to it restricted during the nesting season

of the roseate terns.

And to leave the birds in peace, the Faulkner's light

is now solar powered, and fully automatic.

A beautiful place to end this journey.

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