author
Lewis Sprague Mills
1874–1965
Best known for bringing Connecticut’s past to young readers, this teacher and local historian turned years of research into lively books about the state’s people and places. His work grew out of a long career in rural education and a deep attachment to northwestern Connecticut.
1 Audiobook
Legend of Barkhamsted Light House A Tale from the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut
by Lewis Sprague Mills
About the author
Born in Canton Center, Connecticut, in 1874, Lewis Sprague Mills was an American educator, writer, photographer, and public servant whose life was closely tied to the history of his home state. He spent decades working in education in northwestern Connecticut, and he became especially known for making local history accessible to students and general readers.
One of his most lasting achievements was The Story of Connecticut. What began as an assignment to help prepare a school history text grew into a major project that he largely carried himself, resulting in a substantial book used to introduce generations of students to the state’s past. He also wrote other works rooted in Connecticut history and folklore, including Legend of Barkhamsted Light House.
Mills’s interests went beyond writing. He documented Connecticut through photography, took part in local politics, and remained such a respected figure in regional education that a high school in Burlington was later named for him. He died in 1965, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both a teacher’s patience and a historian’s affection for place.