TGIF March 18, 2022: Historian Teresa Vega, Byram River Overflows in 1936, Semloh Farm, St. Patrick's Day and Calves Island

This podcast is made possible by Peter F. Alexander of Site Design Associates; the Long Island Sound Institute (LISI), the Ambassador Museum United States of America, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management, and listeners like you everywhere! Were you aware that in 1914 Greenwich people could do this? As we observe Women's History Month, we are not just celebrating women from Greenwich's remarkable history, but also recognizing those women and women's organizations in the present day who are actively engaged in both scholarship and preservation of Greenwich, Connecticut's fascinating history.Teresa VegaToday's guest on Talk of the Town is historian, genealogist and anthropologist Teresa Vega. Her African American ancestor in Greenwich, Allen Green, constructed what we know today as the Green-Twachtman House in 1845. The house is located in an area known as "Hangroot." Vega is a descendant of the Lyon family of the town, and of enslaved people who were emancipated in the 19th century. She holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Anthropology and Asian Studies from Bowdoin College and worked as an adjunct professor in Cultural Anthropology while attending CUNY Graduate School and University Centers doctoral program in Anthropology. Vega is also the co-administrator of Family Tree DNA’s Malagasy Roots Project along with CeCe Moore of PBS’s Finding Your Roots and DNA Detectives.As a reminder, the exhibition Life and Art: The Greenwich Paintings of John Henry Twachtman, postponed due to water damage to the Greenwich Historical Society’s Museum & Library building caused by Hurricane Ida, has been rescheduled to October 19, 2022–January 22, 2023. Highlighting artworks created by the American Impressionist artist Twachtman depicting his home in Greenwich and its surroundings, Life and Art will be accompanied by a series of public tours and programs, including guided tours of the artist’s former property on Round Hill Road -the Green-Twachtman House at 30 Round Hill Road, built by Vega's ancestor in 1845 (pictured above). On March 12, 1936, "on the forty-eighth anniversary of the Blizzard of 1888, Pemberwick was today changed to a miniature Mississippi River flood area, as an overflowing Byram River and overloaded drains were unable to carry away the flow of water released by melting snow and heavy rain. Large property losses were sustained throughout the township.  The entire Byram River valley in the Pemberwick section was inundated, forcing residents to upper floors." This segment is sponsored by the Long Island Sound Institute (LISI). As we continue to mark the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the Greenwich Police Department, I’ll share news of burglaries, arrests and crimes committed and recorded from throughout Greenwich's history. The Junior League of Greenwich, chartered in February, 1959, has played a continuous role in designing and establishing a wealth of projects and services for the community. One of those projects was the research and publication of The Great Estates Greenwich, Connecticut 1880-1930. The book depicts what the late-Town Historian William E. Finch called, "The Flowering of Greenwich," the changing of a farming community into a quiet, genteel town, interested in community improvement and appreciation for its historical past. The period 1880-1930, perhaps the zenith in Greenwich's nearly then-350-year history, was the age when the word 'Greenwich' became synonymous for "millionaire." On today's show, you'll hear about one of the backcountry estates, Semloh Farm -today's Stanwich Club.  (pictured from a postcard above).If you are looking for yet another Greenwich history book, it's my pleasure to recommend Greenwich Before 2000: A Chronology of the Town of Greenwich 1640-1999, edited by Susan Richardson. On today's show and on future episodes you'll be treated to excerpts. Did you know that Calf Island -also known as Calves' Island off Byram Shore- at about 31 acres is the largest island in Greenwich's waters? In January, 1916 townspeople learned that a group of wealthy residents acquired it. Lest we forget that this coming Sunday Greenwich Avenue will be the scene of a much anticipated St. Patrick's Day parade. You might be surprised just how far back in Greenwich's history the holiday was celebrated.We'll have all this, news of events and much more as today's show unfolds! Contact me at [email protected]. I’m on Facebook, too. Just look for Jeffrey Bingham Mead and send me a friend request. The show is also available on Facebook at Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons. Learn more about the show -and listen to past episodes for free- on the web at GreenwichATownForAllSeasons.blogspot.comMarch is Women's History Month! Be sure to tune in for our next show, which is scheduled for Friday, the 25th of March 2022.