Abby Epplett, Historian

For the 250 th anniversary of the United States, I took a three-day patriotic trip to the Thames River National Heritage Park in Groton and New London, CT. On Day 1, I spent the morning touring Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park, which included its monument, museum , and the interior of the fort , followed by an early afternoon boat tour , and a visit to Avery-Copp House ( first part , second part ). After making several quick history stops around Groton , I finished the day at UCONN Avery Point . The second day began at Fort Trumbull in New London. In the first part of this four-part mini series , I learned the architectural history of the fort and explore its interior. In the second part, I explore the views around the fort and informational signage about the wars in which the fort served. Spectacular views about from the top of the fort after climbing the very cool, comparatively not too long winding stairs. To the far left is Gold Star Memorial Bridge , twi...

For the 250 th anniversary of the United States, I took a three-day patriotic trip to the Thames River National Heritage Park in Groton and New London, CT. For the next few weeks, I will cover the historical sites in that area, starting with two parts on Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park . In the first part, I will cover the Groton Monument, the Monument House Museum, and other historical sites around the park. In the second part, I will cover the inside of Fort Griswold and Ebenezer Avery House, along with a more detailed story about the battle for which it is known.

Back in August 2025, I visited the Clara Barton Birthplace Museum in North Oxford, MA. I had previously visited the museum about twenty years early, and I wanted to see how the tour had changed. This small house tour focuses on the life of Clarissa “Clara” Harlowe Barton , founder of the American Red Cross, along with describing her family. Also on the property is The Barton Center for Diabetes Education, Inc. , a camp for children with Type 1 Diabetes. The property has been on the National Register of Historic Places as the Clara Barton Homestead since 1977. It is also one of the northern-most towns in The Last Green Valley , formerly known as Quinebaug-Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor.

Back in July, I visited Washington, DC. This is the fourth installment to my miniseries on the National Museum of American History , and the final post about my adventure in the capital. I will be taking a two week break during the holiday season but will be back in the New Year with more history-themed posts. Quickly reviewing my in-depth tour of the museum, I covered second floor of the museum plus “Entertainment Nation” in Part 1 ; “First Ladies”, “American Presidency”, and “The Price of Freedom” in Part 2 ; and “Food” and “American on the Move” in Part 3 . For this last part, I will visit “Lighting A Revolution & Power Machinery”, “Change Your Game”, “American Enterprise”, and “The Value of Money”.

In late August 2024, after a morning of hiking the Cliff Walk and viewing the Great Elephant Migration, I spent the afternoon at Fort Adams State Park . After a relaxing picnic lunch, I took  a tour of Fort Adams itself, originally named after second U.S. President John Adams, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970 . As an added bonus, the fort was celebrating its 200 Year Anniversary, with construction started in 1824 and completed in 1857.

Last Saturday — June 15, 2024 — I had an adventure in New Bedford, MA. My third major stop was Fort Taber Park , which included the remains of a historic fort, a paved walking trail, and Fort Taber - Fort Rodman Historical Association Military Museum . This museum was my second stop in the Passport to History developed by Old Colony History Museum , my first stop being Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA on June 2, 2024 .

For all my gallivanting across Massachusetts, I have never toured the Massachusetts State House! Fortunately, the government website provides a virtual tour of these space , allowing me to see panoramic images on the interior from the comfort of my home. This tour highlights nine areas in the statehouse with unique artwork and furniture. 1 st Floor The 1 st Floor of the State House has no artifacts and lists only a few points of interest: house clerk, house council, hearing rooms, house minority, and state bookstore. I wish some explanation had been offered on why this section was left blank, or that details were giving for what business happened in each of the points of interest. 2 nd Floor The 2 nd listed the state auditor, state treasurer, senate counsel, and another hearing room as points of interests in addition to listing several featured areas. Each featured area was represented by a colorful circle on the map of the floor and also in a list underneat...

Back in November, I took a trip to Cumberland, RI to walk the trails around the former Cumberland Monastery , formerly called  Our Lady of the Valley Monastery . Once the home to Cistercians or Trappist monks, this property now contains the Cumberland Public Library , Cumberland Senior Center , and the Office of Children, Youth, and Learning for the town of Cumberland .

On the same day as my visit to the New England Carousel Museum , I took a walk around Rockwell Park in Bristol, Connecticut . This small city park is a great outing for the people of Bristol and the surrounding area.