Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 4:00 PM (ET)

Daniel Boone: The First Kentuckian

Daniel Boone (1734-1820) was an American pioneer, trailblazer, outdoorsman, revolutionary, and adventurer whose frontier exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. The story of the early settlement of Kentucky is well documented, and Daniel Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the U.S. state of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of the Thirteen Colonies.

There is a difference between the myth and the man who actually existed. Daniel Boone lived an extraordinary life—even if he didn’t wear a coonskin cap! Boone was celebrated in his own lifetime especially after stories of his adventures were published in 1784, making him famous both in America and Europe.

This ESU Happy Hour welcomes acclaimed actor, Kevin Hardesty, who has created a one-man play “Daniel Boone: The First Kentuckian.” Hardesty brings the famous frontiersman to life as he portrays Boone as a man who established himself as an accomplished hunter and explorer in Kentucky. We will see Hardesty live, in-person, as well as watch some recorded segments from his one-man play. This Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Kentucky Branch.

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM (ET)

Connecticut: “The Provisions State”

As ESU Happy Hours continue to salute America’s 250th birthday, we turn to the great state of Connecticut. By the mid-to-late 1700s, western Connecticut had developed as a quiet, agricultural “backwater,” insulated from the politics and secessionist turmoil of the big colonial cities. Nevertheless, during the Revolutionary War, Connecticut earned the nickname “The Provisions State,” by supplying vast amounts of meat, grain, clothing, and weaponry to General George Washington’s Continental Army, and was second only to Massachusetts in the number of men serving in the war.

Governor Jonathan Trumbull was the only colonial governor to openly and actively support the rebellion from the beginning. George Washington heavily relied on Trumbull’s logistical support, famously referring to him as “Brother Jonathan.” Many other soldiers, spies and resistance activities came out of “the Nutmeg State.” Join us as our guest speaker, Judge Edward Krumeich, relates the many lesser-known military men, skirmishes, and resistance activities that came out of Connecticut. This Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Greenwich, CT Branch.