Country Acres and Cul-de-Sacs

Connecticut Circle Magazine Reimagines the Nutmeg State, 1938–1952

In 1938, the first year of its publication, Connecticut Circle magazine covered the opening of the Merritt Parkway in June, a devastating hurricane in September, and a transformative election in November that saw Raymond Baldwin replace Governor Wilbur Cross on the brink of WWII. Covering the news, recreation, literary figures, and politicians, and above all—the achievements and products of the state, Connecticut Circle entertained, promoted, and projected the image of a bustling state with more than its share of creative citizens and renowned institutions of higher learning. Its readership included not only proud Nutmeggers, but potential tourists, and more than a few Mr. and Mrs. Blandings contemplating—the state's board of realtors hoped—a potential move from New York City to an ancient colonial homestead made newly accessible via the Merritt Parkway or the New Haven Railroad. The magazine was saturated with ads and articles that presaged the state's residential (and suburban) future, and people and events of this dramatic time come alive in this large collection of articles from Connecticut Circle magazine, as Connecticut defines itself for the modern era. With an illuminating introduction and context-setting headnotes for its thirteen sections, this volume provides a wealth of fascinating articles for anyone seeking to reminisce, and understand the values that pushed Connecticut into the postwar world.