Special Program - The Cabin
Down the Glen by Odell Shepard
On Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. at the Riverton Grange, the Barkhamsted Historical
Society joined with the Winchester and Colebrook Historical Societies to host a
special program. Rick Sowash, a publisher from Ohio, unveiled his recently
published book The Cabin Down the Glen by Odell Shepard.
Odell Shepard
was a Pulitzer Prize winning Connecticut author and renowned Trinity College (Hartford)
professor. He
was the well-known
publisher of Thoreau's journals. In the early 1930s, he built a writing retreat
in the woods of Winchester adjoining the Robertsville section of Colebrook and Barkhamsted.
During a year-long stay in this cabin he wrote the manuscript for The Cabin Down
the Glen. The manuscript was never published and laid hidden in the Trinity
library until Rick Sowash discovered it.
At the book launching
Dan Ringuette sang three of Odell Shepard's poems set to music composed by Rick
Sowash. Copies of The Cabin Down the Glen were available
to the over 120 people attending, who learned about Odell Shepard, his life and
love of Connecticut.
Photo above- Barkhamsted Historical Society president Walt Landgraf and publisher
Rick Sowash address the audience at the Grange Hall in Riverton.
Photo above- Rebecca Ransom and Walt Landgraf unveil The Cabin Down the Glen
by Odell Shepard while Rich Sowash plays a flourish on the piano.
Odell Shepard, author of The Cabin Down
the Glen. The Barkhamsted Historical Society has a limited number of the
books for sale.