In his new book, Under the Dark Sky: Life in the Thames River Basin, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Steven G. Smith offers a rich portrait of a region that extends from southern Massachusetts through Connecticut to the Long Island Sound. Sometimes called “the Last Green Valley” or “the Quiet Corner,” this region was designated a Natural Heritage Corridor in 1994 because it is one of the last remaining stretches of green in the area and boasts some of the largest unbroken forests in southern New England.
Taken near the town of South Willington, Connecticut, this photo from Under the Dark Sky: Life in the Thames River Basin shows the Willimantic River, which once helped power a number of 19th-century textile mills but today is a haven for kayakers. Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith
The January/February issue of Yankee features a photo essay from Under the Dark Sky: Life in the Thames River Basin, which Smith says was the product of three years of shooting during nights and weekends — whenever he had spare time from his freelance work and his job teaching visual journalism at the University of Connecticut. Of working on the book, he has written, “I have learned to love the quiet beauty of the Thames watershed. However, it has been the people that have impressed me the most.”
The following are some additional images from Smith’s book, which was published in 2018 by Wesleyan University Press. See more in the photo essay “Under the Dark Sky,” in the January/February 2019 issueof Yankee.“In its heyday, Connecticut boasted over forty drive-in theaters. Today, the state has only three drive-ins. Given the high land values and declining revenues, the businesses suffered one of the highest attrition rates for drive-ins. A full 95% of its drive-ins have gone dark or have been demolished. The largest remaining outdoor theater is the Mansfield Drive-In; it boasts three screens and can park nearly 1,000 cars.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Curt Patch of the Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes and Drums walks into a cornfield on the Nathan Hale Homestead after a celebration remembering the Hale family. After graduating from Yale in 1773, Nathan Hale became a teacher at East Haddam. A statue in memory of Nathan Hale stands in a courtyard of the Old Campus at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Over 5,000 one-arm bandit slot machines fill the floor at the Mohegan Sun Casino along the banks of the Thames River in Uncasville, Connecticut. The casino is one of the largest in the country, with over 10,000 employees.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Blue Slope Farm in Franklin, Connecticut, uses agritourism to help the family farm during changing economic times. The farm is home to over 200 cows but also holds a number of events to make ends meet. An Amish group from Pennsylvania built the farm’s barn. The barn also houses a number of antique farm implements.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Luis Lopez runs a fabric tacker at the American Woolen Company in its Stafford Springs factory. American Woolen Company is the only remaining garment factory in the valley. New England was once the center of the American garment industry.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Laura Walls, a museum docent, pauses from her tour of duties at the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, Connecticut. Nathan Hale Homestead is the family farm of Connecticut’s state hero, Nathan Hale, who was hanged as a spy during the Revolutionary War. Hale is famous for his last words, ‘I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.’” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“The summer celebrations held by the city of Putnam, Connecticut, include the Riverfire event on the Quinebaug River. Bonfires are lit on flotillas while the town folk sit on the banks and enjoy music and an evening out. The Thames River has 17 tributaries, including the Quinebaug River, which flows for 69 miles.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Peter Ransom, class of 1950, sits in the Clark Chapel at Pomfret School. The school is located in the Pomfret Street Historic District and considered to be one of ‘Most Beautiful Boarding Schools Around the World’ as ranked by Town and Country Magazine.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Douglas Yeager (left) and Ron Black, dressed in Victorian attire, wait for the official tour of the old City Hall in Windham County, Connecticut. The historic town hall was built in 1896 and includes historical photos of previous mayors. The historic ‘Hill Section’ of Willimantic has over 800 vintage structures and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In June of each year, the town celebrates its history with a Victorian Day celebration.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“Sailors from the Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut, carry flags depicting submarines lost at sea at the Groton 4th of July Parade in Groton, Connecticut. The New London Naval base is considered the primary submarine base on the East Coast and is located several miles up the Thames River.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“A light dusting of snow coats the ground in front of the Asa Knight Store in Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts. The store was originally built as a modest one-story building. By 1838, it had grown into an imposing two-and-a-half-story emporium that stocked an expanding variety of products. —Old Sturbridge Village, History Museum.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith“A timeless winter scene plays out on the rolling hills near Pomfret, Connecticut, as a flock of Canadian geese fly by a leafless tree. Farming was a staple for this area of Connecticut; early settlers worked tirelessly to clear the deciduous forest from the land.” Photo Credit : Steven G. Smith
