The Old Leather Man: Historical Accounts of a Connecticut and New York Legend (Garnet Books) [Hardcover]

Dan W. DeLuca (Author), Dione Longley (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Garnet Books | Publication Date: October 30, 2008

In 1883, wearing a sixty-pound suit sewn from leather boot-tops, a wanderer known only as the Leather Man began to walk a 365 mile loop between the Connecticut and Hudson Rivers that he would complete every 34 days, for almost six years. His circuit took him through at least 41 towns in southwestern Connecticut and southeastern New York, sleeping in caves, accepting food from townspeople, and speaking only in grunts and gestures along the way. What remains of the mysterious Leather Man today are the news clippings and photographs taken by the first-hand witnesses of this captivating individual. The Old Leather Man gathers the best of the early newspaper accounts of the Leather Man, and includes maps of his route, historic photographs of his shelters, the houses he was known to stop at along his way, and of the Leather Man himself. This history tracks the footsteps of the Leather Man and unravels the myths surrounding the man who made Connecticut's caves his home.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Old Leather Man was an enigma in the later 1800s and remains so today. Dan Deluca has compiled his decades of research into a most comprehensive account, with photographs and maps of this mysterious, punctual, and unique character's travels through New York and Connecticut." (Nicholas Bellantoni, Connecticut State Archaeologist )

About the Author

DAN DELUCA is a genealogist, a Meriden, Connecticut historian, and a retired high school teacher. He has been researching the Leather Man for twenty years and is the leading expert on the subject. DIONE LONGLEY is the former executive director of the Middlesex County Historical Society in Middletown, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Wesleyan (October 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819568627
• ISBN-13: 978-0819568625
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #789,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fascinating tale of The Leather Man Unveiled, January 24, 2009

By 

Robert Troup "dogstarman" (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Old Leather Man: Historical Accounts of a Connecticut and New York Legend (Garnet Books) (Hardcover)

I grew up roaming the same woods that the Leather Man shuffled through one hundred years earlier. As a young man we would visit his caves, read and tell tales of his adventures, whether embellished by us or not, his story was always fascinating. "The Old Leather Man: Historical Accounts of a Connecticut and New York Legend" is an incredible assemblage of newspaper, personal and photographic first hand documentations of this mysterious historical figure. Dan W. DeLuca's obvious years of research and passion for the subject is plainly evident in the thoroughness and completeness that he brings to this biographic accounting of an enigmatic, almost mythical person dead some 130 years. DeLuca puts to rest Victorian embellishments to this lonely man's legend and attempts in the end to construct a more truthful picture of who the Leather Man really was. Great reading for anyone interested in New England history, a closer bond with the dark forested hills and tales of silent wanderers therein who's real identity we will probably never know.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HISTORY TEACHERS PERSPECTIVE, May 4, 2011

By 

LEN PRYGODA - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Old Leather Man: Historical Accounts of a Connecticut and New York Legend (Garnet Books) (Hardcover)

AFTER PURCHASING AND READING "THE OLD LEATHER MAN" BY DAN W. DELUCA, GENEALOGIST FROM MERIDEN,CT. I OFFER THE FOLLOWING REVIEW. AS A FORMER MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER, I FOUND THE RESEARCH OF MR DELUCA ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT HIS NEARLY TWENTY YEARS OF RESEARCH OF THE OLD LEATHER MAN ( 1839 - 1889 ) GIVES CREDENCE TO MR DELUCA AS BEING THE " TOP GUN " OF THE FAMOUS VAGABOND. THE PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTICLES, DOCUMENTS AND IMAGES ARE OUTSTANDING! AS A FORMER 30 YEAR PLUS TEACHER OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, COLONIAL AND AMERICAN HISTORY AND FORMER BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER, I FEEL THAT THIS BOOK SHOULD BE IN EVERY SCHOOL IN CONNECTICUT AND SOUTH EASTERN NEW YORK. THE LESSONS OF INDEPENDENCE, FORTITUDE, PERSEVERANCE, AND ADVENTURE ARE UNIVERSAL VALUES THAT WILL SERVE OUR STUDENTS THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. I MOST HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE PURCHASE AND FULL DISSEMINATION OF THIS WONDERFUL MYSTERY STORY. THIS LEGAND MUST BE KEPT ALIVE FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. MR. DELUCA IS TO BE DULY COMMENDED FOR HIS STEADFAST PERSEVERANCE IN DOING ALL OF HIS PAINSTAKING RESEARCH. I COULD NOT DO WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED! THE OLD LEATHER MANS GRAVE AT THE SPARTA CEMETERY, RT. 9 IN OSSINING, NEW YORK SHOULD BE DULY AND RESPECTFULLY HONORED WITH HISTORICAL ACCURACY.

LEONARD D PRYGODA
TEACHER
MEMBER, BERLIN BOARD OF EDUCATION
BOARD OF DIRECTOR, CABE,HARTFORD,CT

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling Local History, August 19, 2010

By 

Steve (HOLDEN, MA, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Old Leather Man: Historical Accounts of a Connecticut and New York Legend (Garnet Books) (Hardcover)

As a kid I had heard about the "leather man's caves". I've always been a fan of hiking and the outdoors, and for a long time I thought the leather man was just something that adults made up to play around with kids - so I was totally psyched to find this book. It's an amazing collection of information about one of history's most unique individuals. If you're into this type of thing at all, check this book out!

The only bummer is that there's no complete map detailing the leather man's route.