The incredible story of how America and its early colonies got started and the river that made it possible.

The history of the United States began for the most part in rural New England along the banks of its one connecting lifeline, the Connecticut River. This magnificent natural waterway runs for over 400 miles from the top of New Hampshire and Vermont through the middle of Massachusetts and Connecticut before spilling into Long Island sound. Along the way, the river has many stories to tell including the great hardships endured by the early colonists, the natural and hard-working industrialists and farmers who would lay the foundations upon which this country would build itself. There are also stories about the relationships with the various native American populations that were already here and which would foreshadow their eventual demise. Surprisingly enough, the story of the Connecticut River and her villages along the way is also the story of slavery in early America.

Beginning at the top and working our way down this winding waterway, our documentary will reveal the river in all its present day beauty as we stop in her towns and cities to hear stories about the past and find out how this country known as the United States of America came to be.

Word Master: Alfred Butts and the Story of Scrabble is the definitive historical documentary about the life of Alfred Butts and his ingenious creation. Invented during the Great Depression, the film explores the circumstances of Butts’ life that motivated him to create a word game on a board and details the lengthy and intricate process involved in the design of the game. With previously unseen footage, Word Master also traces the remarkable story of the marketing of the game from its anemic launch to a commercial sensation, and from the inception of a dedicated and passionate Scrabble community to a game now played online by millions of people around the world.