In this presentation, Professor Gencarella will introduce several historical and contemporary legends of southern New England, with a special focus on the greater North Haven area, and with an emphasis on tales that accompany the Halloween season. He will draw from his recent hiking guide, Spooky Trails and Tall Tales: Connecticut (Falcon Guides 2019), and share other legends not included in the book, all of which speak to the appeal of the ghostly, the strange, and the fantastic. There will be time for audience members to share local legends they know as well.
Stephen Olbrys Gencarella is a professor of folklore studies at UMass Amherst. He is the author of three books on New England folklore, two of which focus on hiking sites associated with legends in Connecticut and Massachusetts.