The Israel Putnam Wolf Den or Putnam's Cave in Mashamoquet Brook State Park, near Pomfret was a popular tourist attraction in 19th century Connecticut. The reason why can be found in the 1788 manuscript, The Life and Heroic Exploits of Israel Putnam, by General David Humphreys. The book was first published at Hartford in 1788 as An essay on the life of... Israel Putnam. - AsNotedIn

Connecticut's Last Wolf

Connecticut's last wolf had been preying on Pomfret area livestock for years. Farmers would try tracking her but, despite mangling a paw in a steel trap, she escaped by flying to the western woods. Each fall, she birthed a litter of pups that would be destroyed by the settlers, but the wolf would escape.

One night in 1742, Israel Putnam lost 70 sheep and goats to the predator, but his time Putnam, his neighbor and a pack of bloodhounds could track the wolf through new-fallen snow. They followed her to the Connecticut River and back, eventually forcing her into her den about three miles from Putnam's farm. Unable to flush her from her den, Putnam removed his jacket and waistcoat, made a torch from birch bark and was lowered into the cave by a rope tied around his legs. He ascertained the situation and was pulled back to the surface. Putnam descended again, killed the she-wolf and returned to the top. With one more trip, he brought back the corpse. For a man who joined the American Revolution on an impulse, this wolf tale is easy to believe. - AsNotedIn