The authors of several books on the history of the Groton-Mystic area come together to discuss all things Groton-Mystic on Aug. 18, at the Streeter History Room at the Groton Public Library. This event – the first of its kind – will feature authors representing all nine of the volumes of Groton-Mystic history available from Arcadia Publishing and The History Press. Copies of each book will be available for the public to purchase.
All are welcome and there is no charge for admission.
The panel contains a distinguished list of local history luminaries, including three college professors, the heads of two historical societies, a former mayor, a town historian, a television show host, and the head of one of the best ghost tours in the area. Members of the panel have also served in the United States Armed Forces and attended such distinguished Ivy League institutions as the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and Yale University.
The event will start at noon. Each panel member will be open to questions from the public, and autographed copies of each volume will be available for public purchase.
Arcadia Publishing & The History Press creates the largest and most comprehensive publisher of local and regional content in the USA. By empowering local history and culture enthusiasts to write local stories for local audiences, we create exceptional books that are relevant on a local and personal level, enrich lives, and bring readers closer to their community, their neighbors, and their past.
The authors, who will be featured at the event, are:
James L. Streeter is a historian and lifelong resident of Groton. After serving in the United States Army, Streeter returned to Groton, where he served as a police officer, a forensic expert, and member of Groton’s Representative Town Meeting. He served as a member of Town of Groton Council from 2005-2013, and as mayor from 2009-2011. In 2010, he succeeded fellow Arcadia author Carol Kimball as the town historian of Groton, a position he still holds today. He has written or co-written six books about Groton, including three titles by Arcadia Publishing.
M. Earl Smith is a professor of English literature at Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Chatfield College in Saint Martin, Ohio, Smith completed his master’s degree in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. He is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing in the Solstice MFA program at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He has written eight books, five of which are published by Arcadia Publishing, including Postcard History: Mystic, which was released in 2017. He resides in Philadelphia with his Shetland Sheepdog, Che.
Dr. Leigh Fought is an associate professor of history at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. She completed her doctorate in history at the University of Houston in 2000, as well as a Master of Library Science from Simmons College in Boston. The author of several books, articles, and presentations, Fought has seen her work published by academic presses at institutions such as Yale, Oxford, and the University of Missouri, as well as her volume Mystic, Connecticut: From Pequot Village to Tourist Town, which was released by The History Press in 2006.
Lou Allyn is the current president of the Mystic River Historical Society, which composed Images of America: Mystic for Arcadia Publishing in 2004. The work was done by MRHS members Dorrie Hanna and Judy Hicks. He is a graduate of Yale University with a BChe in Chemical Engineering and a life-long interest in the Great New England Hurricane of 1938.
Lisa Saunders is an award-winning writer and speaker. She was instrumental in getting Connecticut to become the second state in the U.S. to enact a law combatting the leading viral cause of birth defects, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV). A graduate of Cornell University, she is the author of 10 books, works as a part-time history interpreter at Mystic Seaport, and holds writing and publishing workshops at New London Adult & Continuing Education. A history lover, Lisa scours out-of-print books and long-forgotten letters to shed new light on historic figures and events. She is the co-author of Images of Modern America: Mystic, released by Arcadia Publishing in 2016.
Hali Keeler lives in Groton. She is a past president of the Avery-Copp House Museum Board of Directors, vice-president of the Groton Historic Society and a member of the Groton Bank Historical Association, as well as the president of Friends of Fort Griswold. She has previously worked as the director of the Bill Memorial Library in Groton and is an adjunct professor at Three Rivers Community College. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island. She is the author of Ghosts of Groton Bank, released by The History Press in 2016.
Courtney McInvale is the founder of Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours of Mystic, Connecticut, specializing in the research of paranormal history and local lore. Having grown up in a haunted house investigated by famed ghost hunters, Courtney is able to bring a unique perspective to the world of ghostly occurrences. She is a graduate of Catholic University. She is the author of Haunted Mystic, released by The History Press in 2014.
William J. Tischer is a career firefighter who started as a 17-year-old volunteer in Salem and Montville, finally serving and retiring as Captain of the Groton City Fire Department. He is the co-author of Images of America: Groton-Mystic Emergency Services, released by Arcadia Publishing in 2016.
Jade Huguenin grew up as a “navy brat” in Connecticut, and is an author, non-profit community organizer, youth mentor, as well as a direct descendant of several New England and Acadian founders, including French-Canadian Filles a Marier and Filles du Roi. She studied at UConn, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and Connecticut community colleges. Jade co-founded the Matthew Chew Memorial Scholarship for The Arts; worked for the US Coast Guard and the US Navy; and is the co-author of Postcard History: Mystic, published by Arcadia Publishing in 2017. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Sandpoint Literary Collective (SLC) and the Sandpoint Team Leader for Citizens Against Newport Silicon Smelter in Sandpoint, Idaho, where she now lives.
