The Greenwich, A Town for All Seasons Show with Jeffrey Bingham Mead

The Greenwich, A Town for All Seasons Show with Jeffrey Bingham Mead

By Jeffrey Bingham MeadHistory
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The Greenwich, A Town for All Seasons Show with Jeffrey Bingham Mead episodes

  • Cos Cob's Evolution, Housekeepers League Announced, 1932, Human Flight's Future, A Romance Rekinded

     

    Amos Mead Brush House, Strickland Road Historic District, Cos Cob.


    Welcome to the 18th of November 2025 Show.


    This

    podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander
    Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J.
    O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you
    everywhere! 


    On

    Greenwich Life As It Is-And Was, you'll learn about the evolution of Cos Cob from Lucian B. Edwards. What happened in 1932? A Housekeepers League was announced in 1913. Human flight was predicted to evolve in unexpected ways. 



    A romance was rekindled in Cos Cob after it started under a massive oak tree 35 years earlier.

    We'll have news of crimes, accidents, and so much more as our history continues to unfold. 



           

    Starting

    October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial
    women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art
    colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the
    earliest in the nation.

    The

    Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876
    reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered
    in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House
    proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential
    businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.


    The

    picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home
    environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley
    MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to
    Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob
    art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This

    exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the
    second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to
    explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third
    exhibition follows in April  2026.




    The holidays are fast approaching! Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Relax in the Artist's Cafe with free coffee or tea.

    Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I

    encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From
    Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 25th of November 2025. 



    Jeffrey

    Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement;
    Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and
    Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306.
    [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride

    of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors
    over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Horsemanship Riding Programs at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com. 

     



    36 min
  • Veterans Day, 1845-1849, Famous Building Contractor, Crimes and More!

    Welcome to the Veterans Day, 11th of November 2025 Show.

    Support The Podcast Here! 

    This

    podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander
    Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J.
    O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you
    everywhere! 

    Welcome

    to the 11th of November Veterans Day 2025 show. We salute our veterans
    and thank you for your service to the nation and the world.

    We'll

    go back to Armistice Day 1921. What happened in 1845 - 1849? On
    Greenwich Life As It Is-And Was, you'll learn about one of Greenwich's
    most successful and accomplished building contractors?

    We'll have news of crimes, accidents, and so much more as our history continues to unfold.



           

    Starting

    October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial
    women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art
    colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the
    earliest in the nation.

    The

    Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876
    reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered
    in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House
    proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential
    businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.

    The

    picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home
    environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley
    MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to
    Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob
    art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This

    exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the
    second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to
    explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third
    exhibition follows in April  2026.



    Sail

    away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's
    Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved
    one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I

    encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From
    Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 18th of November 2025. 



    Jeffrey

    Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement;
    Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and
    Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306.
    [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride

    of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors
    over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Horsemanship Riding Programs at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com.

     



    32 min
  • Haunted History of Greenwich: The Mysterious Bush Family Cemetery and Vault Formerly at Field Point (1894)


    Bush Family Cemetery Plot, Putnam St. Mary's Cemetery, Greenwich, Connecticut. 
           


    THE MYSTERIOUS VAULT

    BUILT BY SMUGGLERS, IT BECOMES A BURIAL PLACE FOR THE DEAD-MY ANCIENT FRIEND'S STORY.

    The

    Railroad Company, at its own expense, will re-inter the bodies of the
    dead under the supervision of an undertaker, and such reinterment, if
    desired, will be in ground provided by the Company.

                                        -H. LYNDE HARRISON.


    These

    were Judge Harrison's words, addressed to the Railroad Commissioners at
    the Greenwich station last week and duly recorded in the GRAPHIC. This
    business of the hour was the submission for approval of the new layout,
    and the locality being discussed was the private cemetery on the Dougan
    property, near the Field Point Road. 

    Who

    were these dead, whose bones are to be lifted from beneath the rattle
    and roar of the Consolidated trains? I had never heard of such a
    cemetery, and even Mr. Parker was in doubt about its existence. 

    But

    he promptly sent a hall boy for my ancient friend who gave me its
    entire history. I repeat as nearly as I can the old man's words.

    "About

    the year 1750 there came to this town from New York one William Bush, a
    young man of great wealth, the only son of a retired shipping merchant.
    His shoe-buckles were of the finest wrought silver and his small
    clothes were of the choicest silk. He had the swiftest horses, the
    sleekest oxen and the greatest herd of sheep of any man hereabouts and
    his acres for broad and fertile. 

    "He

    built himself a home that was the talk of the town, and when he died he
    left a will duly probated January 8, 1802, that disposed of a large
    estate. 

    "The

    century in which he died his still with us, but no one in life to-day
    remembers William Bush. My knowledge of him comes from my father, who
    was his neighbor and regarded him with the highest esteem. His landed
    property included a large part of the southern portion of the town, and
    extended east almost to Cos Cob. Its northern boundary ran across the
    Field Point road near the residence of James R Mead.

    "The

    cemetery was laid out by Captain Bush, as he was called, about five
    years after his arrival in town, and was designed wholly for a family
    burial place. But in the years immediately following the Revolutionary
    war, the burials there were numerous and graves were made on all sides,
    far beyond the present narrow limits of the cemetery. On the outskirts
    many slaves were buried, in the picks and spade of the Italian will turn
    up many an unexpected thigh-bone. The use of the cemetery has never
    been limited to the lineal heirs of Captain Bush, and many of his
    collateral heirs were buried there.

    "Hence

    we have the names upon the stones of Bush Mead, Mary A. Sherwood,
    Matthew Mead, Mrs. Stephen Marshall, Rebecca Gilmore, Polly Mead and
    Justus B. Mead. 

    "In

    the center of the plot is a vault, the roof of which is nearly level
    with the surrounding ground, and to one one unacquainted with the fact,
    its existence its existence would be unsuspected. 

    "A

    weird story, the truth of which has never been questioned, is told of
    this vault and the proof of its truth will be revealed when the old
    vault is laid open to the sunlight. Before the Revolutionary war Great
    Britain levied a tax upon imports to the American colonies, Before the
    Revolutionary war Great Britain levied a tax imports to the American
    colonies, the West India trade being included in the impost. The tax
    upon sugar, molasses and rum was particularly obnoxious to the
    colonists, and smuggling these commodities into the country through Long
    Island Sound, was indulged in to a considerable extent. 

    "Smuggled

    goods were secreted in barns, potato cellars, amid caves in the rocks
    and in most cases beyond the reach of the revenue officers, although at
    times arrests and punishment followed such violations of the King's law.

    "One night several years after Captain Bush had laid out his cemetery and two of his children had been interred there, he saw a light  moving in a mysterious way through the grounds. 

    "The

    next night he looked for it again but saw nothing, and as the graves
    were undisturbed, the fact soon escaped from his mind. A month or two
    after that he saw the light again. It came and went like the flickering
    of a great candle. 

    "He

    called his dogs, and with his flink-lock over his shoulder he strode
    across the fields, to find nothing but a quiet burial place, with the
    mute, white headstones of his two little children reflecting in the
    starlight. It troubled Captain Bush, for he feared that his nerves were
    breaking down and that the strange lights were but the fancies of a
    weakened mind. So he said nothing but watched from his window and noted
    every two or three weeks the peculiar coming and going of the light. 

    "He

    observed also that on the nights when he saw the light a strange black
    schooner, long, and rakish, lay at anchor just outside Field Point.
    Sometimes he saw her come to anchor before the sun went down, but
    oftener she crawled in at the edge of the evenings as the shades of
    night were settling across the water.

    "That

    the presence of this black schooner was accountable for the lights in
    the cemetery he felt certain, and he may have suspected their meaning,
    for on one occasion, in the broad daylight, he made his negro servant
    dig beneath the loosely lying sod in the cemetery yard. And the digging
    revealed the great wonder of those colonial days.

    "Beneath the sod was a vault, unknown to the Captain,

    and supported, strange to say, by an arch of seashells, many of them
    great tropical conch shells, wedged in one beside the other, and keyed
    in place by the battered fragments of coral reef. There was a noisome,
    musty smell in the place that suggested between decks of a slaver, and
    the slimy ooze upon the floor smacked of rum and molasses.

    "I

    never heard the value of the smugglers treasure, the Captain Bush had
    all the barrels rolled into his cellar, and many a glass of that Santa
    Cruz rum was drank by the great open fireplace in Captain Bush's
    hospitable home.

    "No one ever knew when or by whom that vault was built but that it was built, and of sea shells, too, is very certain. And

    Captain Bush, to keep the smugglers out, he said, used it for a vault
    for the dead, and scores of bodies, including the old captain's, were
    placed there in the years that followed.

    "When

    the vault is torn to pieces this summer, and for this first time in one
    hundred and twenty-five years the sunlight reaches all its odd nooks
    and corners, and touches the glittering bits of ancient seas you will
    realize that I have told you the truth.

     

      

    Source: The Greenwich Graphic, Greenwich, Connecticut. Saturday, March 17, 1894. Page 1.

    Transcribed and Audio by Jeffrey Bingham Mead





    OPENING THE MYSTERIOUS VAULT

    IT

    DISCLOSES A SIGHT THAT MAKES EVEN THE UNDERTAKER PALL - IT IS ESTIMATED
    THAT FIFTY BODIES WERE ENTOMBED HERE  - NO CLUE AS TO THE IDENTITY OF
    ANY ONE OF THEM - THE INSIDE OF THE VAULT PRESENTED A SCENE THAT MIGHT
    BE LIKENED TO A NIGHTMARE.

    "We

    have opened that mysterious vault that the GRAPHIC had a description of
    a few weeks ago," said Undertaker Mead to a representative of this
    paper on Friday evening of last week. 

    "Mr.

    W.S. Waterbury and myself are going down there tomorrow morning, and
    don't you want to come along with us and see what the mysterious vault
    has disclosed?"

    Bright

    and early Saturday morning Undertaker Mead and Mr. Waterbury with their
    cameras, and the writer, were at the door of this vault. 

    Mr.

    Mead had given instructions to his men to disturb nothing whatsoever
    inside of the vault until he had taken a picture of it. 

    What

    a sight it presented, this dark recess– the abode of the dead – as we
    gazed inside standing in the doorway! It was like a horrible nightmare
    after eating a hearty Thanksgiving dinner. 

    The

    floor of the vault is covered with a mass of debris that once were
    human bones. There were skulls and all the bones that make up the body
    lying promiscuously around. There did not seem to be any coffin or
    anything that looked like such a receptacle. But these had all probably
    rotted away and left nothing but was white and hard. 

    Mr. Mead thought that there must be about fifty bodies represented by these remains. 

    It

    seemed to him the coffins been piled up one on top of another, and that
    the lower ones had rotted away, being the oldest, and the top ones had
    gradually fallen down until finally they had become mixed in one pile of
    bones.

    Mr.

    Mead and Mr. Waterbury succeeded in taking a very excellent photograph
    of the inside of the vault, a copy of which lies on our table as we
    write, and it is a picture suggestive, realistic, and a shudder comes
    over one to look at it.

    One

    day last week, three carriages drove into the ground of the Putnam
    Cemetery. They contained H. Lynde Harrison, Undertaker I. L. Mead,
    George G. McNall, James R. Mead, Henry Mead, Thomas Ritch and John
    Dayton. After some little consultation Mr. Harrison agreed to purchase
    for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad a plot of land twenty
    feet square, situated on the west side of Putnam Cemetery. 

    This

    plot was obtained for the purpose of a burial place for the bodies to
    be removed from the vault and the cemetery back of the Mansion House,
    over which land the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company to
    construct their additional tracks.

    The

    contract for removing these bodies was given to Undertaker I. L. Mead
    to, with instructions to enclose all the remains found in the old vault
    in one grave in the center of a lot in Putnam Cemetery, and to remove
    all the other bodies to separate graves in this plot and put the stones
    at the head or foot of them, as they were found in the old place. 

    The

    mound in the center for those who were entombed in the vault to have a
    slab over it with a proper inscription to indicate where the remains
    came from.

    On

    Thursday of last week, Mr. Mead, with a corps of workmen, begin the
    work of removing these bodies. They knew where the vaults were situated,
    and so dug down at the end of it to a distance of about three feet, and
    there they found the doorway of the tomb. At one time there has been a
    door hung on hinges, but this had been taken away, evidently, and the
    aperture have been stoned up. 

    It

    did not take long to force an entrance here, and by Friday the vault
    was opened for Mr. Mead's investigation. It seemed it to the workmen as
    though the vault was full of bodies and those last there had determined
    to put in one more, and the last coffin have been placed in such a way
    as to give the impression that the opening was stoned up to keep it in
    place– in other words the vault was as full as it could hold when the
    last body was put into it, which was about thirty years ago.

    We

    said that there was nothing to show the identity of the bodies in the
    vault, but they did find one plate on which was the name of Brown, and
    this was all. So far as they could judge from what little woodwork could
    be seen, the coffins were not enclosed in the second box. Mr. Mead very
    carefully and thoroughly gathered up the remains in this vault and
    enclosed them in a very large box, and this was interred in the mound at
    Putnam Cemetery. There were about twenty-five single graves in this old
    cemetery; and they have all been opened and the contents carefully
    removed to their new resting place in Putnam Cemetery.

    Mr.

    Mead thinks that the cemetery was a very old one, for he says he could
    not turn up the soil in any portion of it to any depth without coming
    across some bones. It is more than probable that this graveyard was used
    before the Revolutionary war, and up to within about thirty years ago,
    and was the cemetery for Horseback.

    These

    are all the names that could be deciphered on the head-stones, Sarah,
    wife of Bush Mead; Bush Mead; Nancy, wife of Matthew Mead; Matthew Mead;
    My Mother, Pamelia, wife of Steven Marshall; In Memory of Rebecca, wife
    of William Gilmore; In Memory of Justin B. Mead; In Memory of Polly
    Mead; To The Memory of David Bush; (David and Sarah are deposited in the
    vault); In memory of Samuel Bush; In memory of Ann Bush; Mary Aphelia,
    daughter of William and Mary Sherwood; Susan Denton; John Anderson and
    wife.

     The last body placed in the cemetery was H. Jane Davis, wife of William Davis, June 17, 1867, aged 36 years.

    Mr.

    Mead expects to have all the bodies removed this week. He has
    superintended the work himself, and no one could have exercised more
    care or done the work more conscientiously and thoroughly than he has.
    Thus doth the hand of time and the march of progress compel the old to
    give way to the new.



    Source: The Greenwich Graphic, Greenwich, Connecticut. Saturday, May 19, 1894. Page 1.

    Transcribed and Audio by Jeffrey Bingham Mead




     

     

     

     

    16 min
  • Haunted History of Greenwich: The Haunted House at Putnam Lake (1899)

     


    GHOST STORIES GALORE

    Strange Antics at the Late Home of Josephus Palmer-Present Occupants Bombarded with Apples, Nuts, and Coal-The Mysterious Woman in Black.


    If Mr. of Mrs. Stephen Hubbard were believers in spooks and ghosts, they certainly would not now reside in their present home.

    Many queer stories have gone forth about the nightly pranks of some person or persons who made Mr. Hubbard's home the place of some queer antics.

    Mr. Hubbard resides in a cottage near the edge of Putnam Lake, a short distance above the dam. The house is of old-fashioned design, and has an entrance on three sides. The chimney is one of those massive structures which pass up through the center of the house and afford an open fireplace in four rooms.

    Some might claim this to be a typical house for spooks, but Mr. Hubbard does not agree in this opinion. 

    It was at this house about five weeks ago that a stranger called and asked to see Mr. Hubbard. Mrs. Hubbard said that he was not at home, and for a while she entertained the visitor, who finally asked for a glass of water, and while she was getting it the caller questioned her daughter, Bessie, about the pictures on the wall, asking which was a photograph of Mr. Hubbard and other members of the family. 

    After he had obtained his drink, the stranger left.

    A night or two after this visit, Mr. Hubbard found these pictures of his family torn in halves, while the likenesses of others were left undisturbed. When or how these pictures were taken from the walls and destroyed Mr. Hubbard does not know. 

    One day after this Mrs. Hubbard and her daughter were on their way home from a call to Mrs. Wilson's, who lives for the short distance below Mr. Hubbard's home, and when they were about mid-way between the two houses apples were fired at them, which seemed to come from all directions, but fortunately none of them struck either Mrs. Hubbard or Bessie. 

    When they reached home they related their experience to Mr. Hubbard. When he started out to see who it was that was firing them, he, too, was made a target for the same kind of missiles, and for the life of him he could not tell where they came. 

    At night, chairs, boards, pickaxes, shovels stones and such things were thrown at the house, sometimes breaking many panes of glass. 

    One evening, just after dusk, apples were sent bumping against the house like Spanish bullets, and when Mr. Hubbard stepped out the door, one or two of them struck his head. They seem to come from an apple tree standing near the house. Mr. Hubbard took his gun and shot once or twice into the tree, but no one was there. The neighbors who through the firing came over to see what was the cause of it, and when they explained, they, too, were unable to comprehend the meaning of such actions. 

    These nightly revels of persons who sought to make Mr. Hubbard believe it was the pranks of ghosts always occurred before the family had retired.

    One evening but a short time ago, as Mr. Hubbard sat reading by a table in the sitting-room, about a bushel of hickory nuts fell all about him as though as though they can come through the ceiling, smashing they shade of the lamp by which he was reading, and fell about the floor.

    And another time a big stone came falling down the big chimney, scattering dust and ashes about the rooms, and startling people in the house as well.

    Clothes were frequently taking from the lines in the yard and rolled in the mud. Pins were stuck in clothing as well as in chairs, and once or twice Mr. Hubbard was made to leave a chair rather suddenly on the account of one of these pins, which had been stuck, point upward in the cushion of the chair. 

    A heavy French clock was taken from the mantle-shelf and set out in the middle of the road, books and other articles were also taken from the rooms and placed in the street, and all this in open daylight!

    Squeals like mice and grunts of a pig would sometimes come from the cellar, and the cat when she heard the squeal, would go to the corner of the room from which they seemed to come, and watch for the expected mouse to appear. 

    One day a voice came from the cellar in the measured tones of a gramophone calling Bessie, telling her to go upstairs as something was on fire. When she went found several of Mr. Hubbard's coats and jumpers in flames. Two or three times garments have been set afire in this manner on the upper floor.

    At another time this same gramophone voice called from the region of the cellar, telling Mrs. Hubbard to go into the kitchen, that  something was burning. On entering the room she found a dinner which had been cooking strewn all over the stove and floor. As fast as she would replace the supply it would be thrown out again. That day it was found necessary to eat meals in the barn.

    There were days when things were literally turned upside down in the house. The lace curtains were taken from the windows and placed over the mirror, and again they were removed and some of them turned up in the stove.

    At night, when all was quiet about the house, nuts, apples and coal would come clattering down the garret stairs,  making noise enough to drive the family out-of-doors. When Mr. Hubbard went up to investigate, nothing would be found to explain the unusual noise, although every nook and corner of the garrett was thoroughly searched, and all the boxes and barrels emptied of their contents.

    In all these happenings no one has been seen about the place save a woman -or a person dressed as a woman. 

    This person Mrs. Hubbard has seen in the house in about the place a number of times. Once Mrs. Hubbard thought it was her daughter making an unusual noise, and went to see what she was doing. She entered the room just in time to see this woman pass out by another door into the street. At another time as this woman was leaving the house after one of her visits, she was seen by Mrs. Hubbard and her daughter. The latter gave chase, and succeeded in getting close enough to strike her across the head with a stick. On none of these encounters was Mrs. Hubbard able to get a glimpse of her fleeing visitor's face. She was always dressed in black except on one occasion, when she wore a pink waist. 

    At times this mysterious woman would talk with the family, sometimes from the cellar, and others from the garret, but always in that peculiar gramophone voice. 

    In spite of all these disagreeable occurrences, neither Mr. or Mrs. Hubbard felt in the least alarmed, and only laugh at the spook feature of the story.

    Mr. Hubbard contends that there are two parties who seek to secure the place he now owns and take this means of driving him from his home, hoping that he will sell the property cheap. In fact, this woman who has been seen about the place, in a conversation while she was in the cellar, stated that she was to be paid twenty-five dollars by each of the parties if she succeeded in ousting Mr. Hubbard, but if Mr. Hubbard would pay her one-hundred dollars she would go away and not trouble him again. But Mr. Hubbard has no idea of paying any sum of money for such a purpose. 

    Last Saturday a son of Mr. Hubbard came up from Port Chester. During the evening the mystery solicitor was about the place as usual. He went to the garret to a large hole in one corner of the building, which he knew of, but of which his parents had no knowledge. He found a large blanket placed on the floor at this opening, so that person might go in and out noiselessly. He fired his  pistol into this hole several times, but no one appeared to be there. Later in the evening, when the "spirit" was in the cellar, he engaged it in conversation, informing it that the property belong to him, and that he would not sell it under any consideration. 

    Since this time there has been no further disturbance at the house near the edge of the lake.


    Source: Greenwich Graphic. November 18, 1899. Page 1.

    Transcribed by Jeffrey Bingham Mead

    10 min
  • Old Elections Warm Affairs, 1894 Pointers for Voters, 1896 Public Demonstrations & More!
    Ezekiel Lemondale

    Welcome to the Election Day, 4th of November 2025 Show.

    Support The Podcast Here! 

    This podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere! 


    Oliver Deliverance Mead, aged 95, in
    1937 casting his vote. 

    In 1928, Judge Frederick A. Hubbard penned a piece under his moniker Ezekiel Lemondale about how Greenwich's old elections were "warm affairs." 

    The local press offered its readers "pointers for voters" in the Connecticut state elections in 1894.

    No one in Greenwich had seen anything like this before in 1896. The elections featured a tidal wave of enthusiasm and public demonstrations; you'll learn the details. 

    We'll have news of crimes, accidents, and so much more as our history continues to unfold. 



           

    Starting October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the earliest in the nation.

    The Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.

    The picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third exhibition follows in April  2026.



    Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Veteran's Day, Tuesday, the 11th of November 2025. 



    Jeffrey Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement; Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306. [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Horsemanship Riding Programs at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com.


     

    38 min
  • President Cleveland Comes to Greenwich, A Bachelor's Invention, Runaway Horses, Halloween 1911 and More!

     


    1911.

    Welcome to the 28th of October 2025 Show.

    Support The Podcast Here! 

    This podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere! 


    President Grover Cleveland came to Greenwich, but he did not have much to say. A bachelor farmer who hated cooking his breakfast invents a solution. 

    Runaway horses galloped in a frenzy down Greenwich Avenue.  

    A prize fight went wrong, and the people of Greenwich society celebrated Halloween in style at the new Greenwich Country Club House in 1911.

    We'll have news of crimes, accidents, and so much more as our history continues to unfold. 



           

    Starting October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the earliest in the nation.

    The Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.

    The picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third exhibition follows in April  2026.




    Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Election Day, Tuesday, the 4th of November 2025. 



    Jeffrey Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement; Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306. [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Summer Horsemanship Riding Program at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com.


     

    32 min
  • Maud Ballington Booth of the Salvation Army Comes to Town, Halloween Countdown, Assaults, Burglaries, Haunted History of Greenwich & More!

     

    Maud Ballington Booth of the Salvation Army
    .

    Welcome to the 21st of October 2025 Show.

    CLICK HERE

    Support The Podcast Here! 

    This podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere! 

    On a Friday evening in June, 1894 Maud Ballington Booth was Greenwich Academy's speaker for its seventy-eighth graduation exercises.  Booth and her husband were commanders of the Salvation Army of the United States of America. 

    "The fact that Mrs. Ballington Booth was going to speak evidently had something to do with the unusual attendance, for the church was fairly packed and it was difficult, almost, to get standing room."

    Our countdown to Halloween continues this week with two haunted stories from the North Mianus section of Greenwich. 

    We'll have news of crimes, accidents, and so much more as our history continues to unfold. 

     

    Mark your calendars! Host Jeffrey Bingham Mead (pictured above with special fan) will be sharing the Haunted History of Greenwich on Friday, October 24, 2025 at the Wallace Center in the Old Town Hall, 299 Greenwich Avenue. This is free and open to the public. Commences 1:00 p.m. Register at myactivecenter.com, call 203-862-6721 or stop by the Center.

    October tours at the Greenwich Historical Society feature exploring some of the most useful historical maps in our collection. These demonstrate significant development over time and are useful in genealogical research. You may even be able to learn more about the history of your neighborhood or home.



           

    Starting October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the earliest in the nation.  

    The Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.

    The picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third exhibition follows in April  2026.




    Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 28th of October 2025. 



    Jeffrey Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement; Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306. [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Summer Horsemanship Riding Program at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com.


     

    27 min
  • Artist's Halloween, Greenwich Robberies, Fights, Accidents, Crimes & More

     


    Welcome to the 14th of October 2025 Show.

    Support The Podcast Here! 

    This podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere!

    One of my favorite Halloween stories in Greenwich was set at the Holley Inn in Cos Cob (Bush Holley House, Greenwich Historical Society headquarters) It featured a cast of characters from the American Impressionist Art Colony that once flourished there over a century ago. 


           

    Starting October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the earliest in the nation.

    The Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.

    The picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third exhibition follows in April  2026.




    On this week's show you'll hear about robberies, fights accidents and more as our history continues to unfold.

    Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 21st of October 2025. 



    Jeffrey Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement; Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306. [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Summer Horsemanship Riding Program at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com.


     

    32 min
  • Rosemary Hall Comes to Greenwich, Thomas Lyon House, Crimes & More

     

    Welcome to the 7th of October 2025 Show.

    CLICK HERE

    Support The Podcast Here! 

    This podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere! 

    The year was 1900. A new school -Rosemary Hall- just moved to Greenwich 125 years ago this month. Virginia Whitney of The Greenwich News visited the campus in Rock Ridge Park two weeks before the official opening. I'll share her impressions.

     A century ago an appeal was made by a letter writer to save the Thomas Lyon House at the New York/Connecticut state line on West Putnam Avenue. 

    We'll have news of crimes, accidents, and so much more as our history continues to unfold. 

    October tours feature exploring some of the most useful historical maps in our collection. These demonstrate significant development over time and are useful in genealogical research. You may even be able to learn more about the history of your neighborhood or home.

    It’s that time of year again! Bring the whole family for a fun fall day at our annual Fall Scarecrow Festival! This year’s theme for the Fall Festival will connect with our newest fall exhibition The Holley Boarding House: Inspiring American Impressionism.

                                          

    Starting October 8, 2025, this dynamic exhibition explores how entrepreneurial women enabled Holley House to become the setting for the Cos Cob art colony, the first Impressionist community in Connecticut, and among the earliest in the nation.

    The Centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 reignited national interest in the ideals of the Revolution and ushered in new opportunities for women. This enabled the Holley House proprietors to expand upon their domestic roles and become influential businesswomen who attracted the founders of American Impressionism.

    The picturesque setting on the banks of the Mianus River and familial home environment created by Josephine Holley and her daughter Constant Holley MacRae ignited the creativity of the artists who were attracted to Holley House as a respite from their New York City dwellings. Cos Cob art colony founders and frequent boarders included John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Childe Hassam and Theodore Robinson who were instrumental in shaping American Impressionism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    This exhibition has been curated by Kathleen Craughwell-Varda and is the second in a three-part exhibition series that kicked off in fall 2024 to explore the impact of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The third exhibition follows in April  2026.




    We'll have Crimes and Misdemeanors -our historical crimes report- announcements -and more as our history continues to unfold.

    Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 14th of October 2025. 



    Jeffrey Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement; Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306. [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Summer Horsemanship Riding Program at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com.


     

    38 min
  • Save Freccia Brothers Garage of Greenwich, Connecticut

     


    Please give generously and save Freccia Brothers Garage today (GoFundMe)


                      Welcome to the 2nd of September 2025 Show

                                             CLICK HERE

                                    Support The Podcast Here!


    This podcast is made possible by Greenwich Farm Hui, LLC, Alexander Affiliates, Eastern Neurologic Services of New York, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere!


     

    In October, 2024 I enjoyed -and I mean I really enjoyed- one of the most fun-filled conversations about one of Greenwich's most beloved families and institutions -Freccia Brothers Garage.

    When we met at Coffee for Good in the Solomon Mead House at 48 Maple Avenue that autumn morning, the Freccia family did more to educate me -and entertain me- about their place in Greenwich, Connecticut's nearly four centuries of history. 

    With over 103 years of history under their belts I also learned something else about the Freccia's: They are a hardworking, tenacious and fearless bunch. 

    And we are the better for it.

    Flash forward to less than a year into the future to a set of circumstances that none of us foresaw. We were all caught off-guard in the worst possible way.

    As reported in various media outlets, a legal battle and family dispute over ownership of the building has resulted in the business' eviction, and now the community is rallying to help Freccia Brothers Garage find a new home.

    "Despite being hopeful that it would work out, unfortunately we’ve just learned that we lost the dispute and the family member who won has decided to immediately evict us," the description says.

    "Every dollar you contribute goes toward helping us recover — critical expenses, securing a new space, stabilizing our future, and preserving what’s left of a century-old institution that should have never been taken away," the description adds.

    In a letter posted to Facebook by Freccia Brothers Garage, Guinevere Freccia reiterated the business did not fail - it was "forced out."

    "After 103 years of business, we were evicted by our landlord—Frank’s mother, my grandmother. All but one of Skip’s children are rallying to keep the shop open," wrote Guinevere. She noted the Freccias don't want to leave the building, but they "will respect the law."

     


    Sail away with gifts for everyone from the Greenwich Historical Society's Museum Store. Order online and we'll ship directly to you or your loved one. Enjoy complimentary gift wrapping, too. 

    The Greenwich Historical Society is hosting a series of exhibitions and public events -and you're invited! 

     

    Join us at the Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons Show site on Facebook.  

     

    I encourage you to like and visit the Facebook group You Know You're From Greenwich Ct If, where links to the show are posted weekly. 

    Mark your calendars. The next show is scheduled for Tuesday, the 9th of September 2025. 



    Jeffrey Bingham Mead, Officiant and Celebrant of Life. Weddings; Retirement; Adoptions; Civil Unions; Vow Renewals; Divorces with Civility and Dignity; Official Ceremonies; Blessings & More. Call 808.721.0306. [email protected].  

    Mr. Myllan Mosquera: Reliable curbside door-to-door airport transportation services. Contact him anytime at 1.203.621.8383. 


    Michael Helupka Tree Service, LLC in Greenwich. Call 203.622.8737.



    Call-A-Ride of Greenwich: Free door-to-door transportation for ambulatory seniors over age 60, Monday-Friday. Call 203.661.6633. CallARideGreenwich.org

    Summer Horsemanship Riding Program at Mead Farm, 107 June Road, Stamford. MeadFarm.com. 203.322.4984.  

    

Marc Bernier: Irish Music, Sea Chanteys and Drinking Songs! Fine Bodhans Made and Played! 401.596.7508. [email protected] www.marcbernier.com

     

     

     

     

    45 min

About The Greenwich, A Town for All Seasons Show with Jeffrey Bingham Mead

From the publisher's feed

This weekly podcast show takes its listener on journeys to the history and culture of one of America's premier communities, Greenwich, Connecticut USA. Hosted by Jeffrey Bingham Mead, a direct…