This podcast was inspired by Connecticut Captured: A 21st Century Look at an American Classic, on view at the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford through March 12. This exhibit, by acclaimed visual documentarian Carol M. Highsmith, is an effort to capture in images the character of Connecticut in the 21st century.

State Historian Walter Woodward worked with Carol Highsmith on this project, and when the exhibit opened, he and his musical group The Band of Steady Habits gave a musical lecturetitled "What Makes Connecticut Conecticut" Someone recorded the talk, and though the sound isn't perfect, we thought you might find this account of Connecticut's character worth a listen.

In our first segment, Jennifer LaRue takes you to the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, where Executive Director Patti Philippon tells us about the Mickey Mouse watch that saved the Timex Company during the Great Depression, and so much more. The sound of the many different clocks ticking, ringing, and counting the time make this episode a feast for the ears.

In segment two, Sarajane Cedrone finds out why Noah Webster's dictionary was so revolutionary when she visits Jennifer DiCola Matos, Executive Director of the Noah Webster House Museum in West Hartford.

In Grating the Nutmeg Episode 3, State Historian Walt Woodward takes you on a whirlwind tour of the Fall 2015 Association for the Study of Connecticut History conference, whose focus was "Connecticut in World War I". In part one of a two-part program Woodward condenses talks on weapons and whaling, the wartime transformation of Bridgeport, and Connecticut's women physicians in the war doown to their essence. There's also a lunch time conversation with CCSU professor Matt Warshauer on a new experimental course he has developed on and for the post 911 generation. Sections are interspersedw ith World War I song as performed by historian musician Rick Spencer in one of highlight conference presentations.

In segment three Connecticut Explored Editor Jennifer LaRue reprises her Fall 2015 article on The Musical Club of Hartford, interviewing three club members on their experiences as Club members.

Listen in as the editorial team of Connecticut Explored discusses highlights of the Winter 2015-2016 issue - on Connecticut's iconic brands. Then go on a field trip with historian Rich Malley to hear Roger Eddy's Audubon bird call in action and visit the New Britain Industrial Museum to find out about hardware and appliances from long ago.

In this first podcast, publisher Elizabeth Normen, Editor Jennifer LaRue, and State Historian Walt Woodward explain what Grating the Nutmeg is About; how it got its spicy name; and what their vision for its development is.

Then, inspired by the Fall 2015 Connecticut Explored issue on the history of Connecticut philanthropy, Walt Woodward visits Lebanon's historic green to learn from Ed Tollman about that town's amazing life-long benefactor, Hugh Trumbull Adams.

Grating the Nutmeg is a co-production of the State Historian and Connecticut Explored, with support from the Sue B. Hart Foundation.