Hartford is the state capital of Connecticut, USA. It was the
county seat of Hartford County until Connecticut dissolved the
county government in 1960. It is the largest city in the Capitol
Planning Area and the hub of the Hartford metropolitan area.
Hartford's 2020 population of 121,054 is her fourth-largest city
in Connecticut, after the coastal cities of Bridgeport, New
Haven, and Stamford, according to the 2010 U.S. census and
beyond.
Founded in 1635, Hartford is one of the oldest
cities in the United States. The nation's oldest public art
museum (Wadsworth Atheneum), oldest publicly funded park
(Bushnell Park), oldest continuously published newspaper
(Hartford Courant) and second oldest There is a middle school
(Hartford Public High School). It was home to the oldest
"shelter for the deaf", the American School for the Deaf,
founded by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet in 1817. It's also home to
Mark's Twain House, where the author wrote his most famous works
and raised his family, among other places of historical
significance. Mark Twain wrote in his 1868: "Among all the
beautiful cities, I was lucky to see this one."
Hartford
has been Connecticut's sole capital since 1875. Previously, New
Haven and Hartford alternated as dual capitals as part of the
treaty that incorporated the colony of New Haven into the Colony
of Connecticut in 1664. For decades after the Civil War,
Hartford was the richest city in the United States. Since 2015,
it has been one of the poorest cities in the country, with 3 out
of 10 households living below the poverty line. In stark
contrast, in 2015 the Hartford metropolitan area ranked 32nd out
of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic output and 8th out
of 280 metropolitan areas in per capita income.
Also
known as the 'Insurance Capital of the World', the city enjoys a
high status as a global city, being home to the headquarters of
numerous insurance companies, the region's most important
industry. Other important sectors are services, education and
healthcare. Hartford coordinates specific regional development
issues between Hartford and Springfield as part of the Knowledge
Corridor Economic Partnership.
1 Connecticut State Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave. Tel: +1 860-240-0222 .
Downtown on Bushnell Park is the Capitol, a National Historic Landmark
that opened in 1878. This impressive building is made of marble and is
crowned by a golden dome. Open all year round free of charge. Open: M-F
8AM-5PM. Price: free.
2 Bushnell Park, Bounded by Jewell Street,
Trinity Street, Elm Street and Capitol Avenue downtown. The first
publicly funded park in America. It is located in the center of the city
and borders the Capitol. The park was designed by the architect of
Central Park in New York City.
3 Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch,
Bushnell Park. The first permanent triumphal arch and war memorial in
America pays tribute to the Connecticut soldiers who lost their lives in
the American Civil War. It is also a tribute to slaves and their
struggle. The iconic arch was inaugurated on September 17, 1886.
4
Old State House, 800 Main Street. Tel: +1 860-522-6766 . Downtown. The
original Connecticut Capitol building is a National Historic Landmark
dating back to 1796, making it one of the oldest government buildings in
the country. Open: M-F 10AM-5PM.
5 Elizabeth Park, 1561 Asylum
Avenue. Tel: +1 860-231-9443. Elizabeth Park is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. It offers just over 100 acres of gardens,
green spaces, leisure facilities, walking trails and the Pond House
Café. Come and enjoy the beauty of the gardens and grounds.
6 Mark
Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave. Tel: +1 860-247-0998 . The
city's Asylum Hill historic district was home to noted author Mark Twain
from 1874 to 1891. During this time, Twain wrote many famous books,
including "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn." Built in the Victorian Gothic style, this home has
been fabulously restored and offers a revealing glimpse into the family
life of one of America's most beloved authors. The accompanying visitor
center provides an additional educational perspective related to the
themes of Twain's daily routine. Open: 9:30AM-5:30PM. Price: Museum:
$6/adult, $4/child; Tour & museum: $20/adult, $18/senior, $12/child.
7 Harriet Beecher Stowe House & Library, 77 Forest Street. Tel: +1
860-522-9258 . This is the historic home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, best
known as the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The Stowes moved into this
house in 1873, a year before Mark Twain moved next door.
8 Butler
McCook House & Garden, 396 Main Street. Tel: +1 860-522-1806 . Downtown.
The city's oldest house, dating back to 1782. It is also home to the
city's oldest collection of art, antiques and household items. There is
also a beautifully restored garden on site.
9 Connecticut Historical
Society Museum & Library, One Elizabeth Street at Asylum Avenue. Tel: +1
860-236-5621 . In the West End, the Connecticut Historical Society is
one of the oldest historical societies in the country and has one of the
largest library and museum collections in New England.
10 The
Governor's Residence, 990 Prospect Ave. Tel: +1 860-566-4840 . Located
in the city's West End, the Governor's Mansion was built in 1909 and has
been home to the Governor and his families since 1943. The
15,000-square-foot residence sits on 4 acres and features 9 fireplaces,
nine bathrooms, a pool and a National Historic Landmark. Tours can be
arranged.
11 Colt Factory (Colt Armory), 140 Huyshope Avenue.
Hartford. America's favorite gun shop, shaped like an Arabian palace. It
can be seen south of the East Hartford skyline. It's in Hartford's south
end.
Corning Fountain, Horace Bushnell Promenade, Hartford, CT 06103
(41.766588, -72.681058). 41.766588, -72.681058 Downtown, Hartford,
Connecticut 06103, USA Corning Fountain , United States Horace Bushnell
Promenade, Hartford, CT 06103.
Connecticut Science Center, 250 Columbus Boulevard. Tel: +1 860-SCIENCE (7243623) . With 150 hands-on exhibits, a state-of-the-art 3D digital theater, four educational laboratories, and daily programs and events, the Connecticut Science Center offers endless exploration for children, teens and adults.
By plane
Bradley International Airport (IATA: BDL). about 20km
north of the city. Continue by car via Interstate 91 or by CT Transit
bus #30.
An alternative is to go to Boston Logan International
Airport and then take the bus to Hartford.
On the street
I91 -
Interstate 91 comes from New Haven (Connecticut) and continues to
Springfield (Massachusetts)
I84 - Interstate 84 comes from Danbury,
goes to Sturbridge and then continues as I90 to Boston.
Due to the large Italian population, there are Italian restaurants throughout the city.
MaxDowntown, 185 Asylum Street (Downtown). One of the best
restaurants in the city.
Black Eyed Sally's, 350 Asylum Avenue,
Hartford (Downtown). It has expanded since opening in 1995 to become an
award-winning restaurant. The restaurant also has live music from many
well-known and local blues artists.
Mo's Midtown, 25 Whitney Street,
(West). Rated the best breakfast and lunch place in the area, by the
Hartford Advocate. The atmosphere is very relaxed and has many foods
that cannot be found anywhere else.
Vaughan's Public House, 59 Pratt
Street (Downtown). This place is owned by an Irishman, and has many
traditional Irish foods on the menu. It is the best place to go before
or after watching a football game.
Skinny Coyote, 635 New Britain
Avenue. Tasty Mexican restaurant located near Trinity College that has
served the community since 1998.
First and Last Tavern, 939 Maple
Avenue. Pizzeria visited by many famous people. It has a cozy bar and
reasonable prices.
Gold Roc Diner Cheap 24-hour dining near the
Amtrak Hartford-West Hartford line (I-84 Exit 44)
Great Taste, Main
Street, in the town of New Britain. Best Chinese food restaurant in the
area.
Moon Pizza. Restaurant chain located in Avon, Plainville, West
Hartford, Cromwell and Glastonbury. New York style pizza.
Rome's. A
local Italian treasure serving excellent pizzas and pastas.
5 Guys
Burgers and Fries, 255 W. Main St., Avon (Rt 44), Phone: (860)409-9100.
Voted one of the best burger joints in Connecticut.
Modern Pastry, 422 Franklin Avenue, Phone: 1-860-296-7628.
Mozzicato De Pasquale Bakery & Pastry Shop, 329 Franklin Avenue, Phone:
1-860-296-0426.
South End Bakery, 227 Franklin Avenue, Phone:
1-860-296-5225.
First and Last Bakery Cafe, 920 Maple Avenue, Phone:
1-860-956-7000.
Roma Bakery & Pastry Shop, 416 New Britain Avenue,
Phone: 1-860-527-3809.
Golden Crust Caribbean Bakery, 1170 Albany
Avenue and 657 Blue Hills Avenue, Phone: 1-860-724-7983.
Scotts'
Jamaican Bakery, 801 Windsor Street, Phone: 1-860-246-6776
Downtown
1 Red Lion Hotel Hartford, 50 Morgan Street. Tel: +1
860-549-2400. Downtown and a short walk to the Connecticut Convention
Center and XL Center with spectacular views of the Connecticut River.
The hotel offers a full breakfast buffet and daily drink specials, an
outdoor pool, fitness center, business center and 40-inch TVs.
2
Hartford Marriott Downtown, 200 Columbus Blvd. Tel: +1 860-249-8000,
Tel. Toll Free: +1-866-373-9806, Fax: +1 860-249-8181. It is attached to
the Connecticut Convention Center and offers views of the Connecticut
River and downtown. This new hotel features 409 rooms on 22 floors, as
well as an indoor pool, a fitness center, a full-service spa called Glo,
and a restaurant and bar.
3 Goodwin Hotel, 1 Haynes St. Phone: +1
860-246-1881.
4 The Capitol Hotel, 440 Asylum St. Tel.: +1
860-455-4001.
Hartford Hospital. Tel: +1 860 545 5000 . Hartford Hospital 80 Seymour St, Hartford, CT 06106, United States.
In 1623 the first settlers came from Nieuw Nederland, a territory on
the east coast that the United Netherlands claimed at the time. In 1633
they built the first fortified blockhouse and sent a small garrison of
soldiers with a few cannons to deal with the Indians. In 1636 the first
English settlers came with a trek from Newtown and began to settle north
of the Dutch settlement. Today's town came into being in the 19th
century when the two settlements grew together.
On July 6, 1944,
a devastating fire ensued when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey
circus burned down. 168 people were killed and more than 700 people
injured (numbers vary depending on the source). In all, about 800 kg of
paraffin and about 6000 gallons (25 m3) of gas exploded. The cause could
never be determined; Arson, a defective headlight or a discarded
cigarette are suspected.
A Swearingen Metro operated by Aviation
Services near Hartford crashed into the Connecticut River in 1993. Both
occupants died.
From 1979 to 1997, the only professional sports
franchise in Hartford was the Hartford Whalers in the NHL. Despite a
solid fan base, the team was relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina, and
has played there ever since as the Carolina Hurricanes. In 2016, the
Hartford Yard Goats were formed, a minor league baseball team playing in
the Double-A Northeast League. Home games are played at Dunkin' Donuts
Park, on the north edge of downtown. In 2018 the professional football
team Hartford Athletic was founded, which has played in the USL
Championship since 2019 and plays its home games at Dillon Stadium, in
the immediate vicinity of the Colt Armory (Samuel Colt's former arms
factory).
Eight structures and sites in Hartford have National
Historic Landmark status, including the Mark Twain House, the
Connecticut State Capitol and the Harriet Beecher Stowe House. The city
has 141 structures and sites listed on the National Register of Historic
Places (NRHP) as of October 31, 2018.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total
area of 46.5 km², of which 44.8 km² is land and 1.7 km² (3.67%) is
water.
Hartford is bordered by the cities of West Hartford,
Newington, Wethersfield, East Hartford, South Windsor, and Windsor. The
Connecticut River separates Hartford from the city's eastern suburbs.
Originally Park River divided Hartford into north and south
boroughs, and was a major part of Bushnell Park. The river was almost
completely enclosed by proposed flood control measures in the 1940s. The
old course of the river can still be seen on some of the roads that were
built in its place, such as Jewell St. and the Conlin-Whitehead
Expressway.
Hartford has a Humid Continental Climate (according to the Köppen Dfa climate classification). Summers are typically warm to hot and muggy, while winters are generally cold with frequent snowfall. The average monthly precipitation is around 96 mm, distributed evenly and regularly throughout the year. Hartford receives approximately 124 cm of snow in an average winter; the highest seasonal snowfall on record was 114 in (292.61 cm) in 1996.9 The first snowfall generally occurs in mid-to-late November and the last snow of the season usually falls in late March, although snow accumulations have occurred since late March. September to mid-May in extreme cases.
The Hartford area has historically been one of the industrial centers
of New England. Although Connecticut has not escaped the
deindustrialization trend common to the United States, the city still
plays an important role in the industry of the US Northeast. In the
Hartford suburb of Farmington, the headquarters of the UTC (United
Technologies Corporation) group of companies is located, which includes:
Carrier (one of the world's leading companies in the production of
heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration)
Hamilton
Standard (a defense complex company that develops and manufactures
aviation and other military equipment)
Otis (the world's largest
manufacturer of elevators and escalators)
Pratt & Whitney
(manufacturer of aircraft engines, gas turbines, etc.)
Sikorsky
Aircraft Corporation from July 1929 to November 2015 (world leader in
the development and production of helicopters for commercial, industrial
and military needs)
Pratt & Whitney America is headquartered in
Hartford. Also in the city and its environs are the company's factories
for the production of aircraft engines and their components.
Insurance, health care and, especially, education also play an important
role in the urban economy. Within the boundaries of Hartford and its
immediate suburbs are the University of Hartford, Trinity College,
Goodwin College, St. Joseph University, the University of Connecticut
School of Law, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Hartford campus) and
Hartford Seminary. There are over 26 colleges and universities located
in the Hartford and Springfield area. The area has the second largest
number of institutions of higher learning in New England.
Due to
the status of the state capital, many citizens are provided with jobs in
various levels of government.
The city is served by the Bradley International Airport (IATA: BDL,
ICAO: KBDL) with an annual passenger traffic of 5.6 million (2011). The
airport operates flights to most major US cities except the West Coast,
as well as Toronto and Montreal. There are seasonal flights to Cancun
and Punta Cana. For long-distance flights, citizens often use the
airports of Boston and New York.
Hartford has an Amtrak train
station that stops more than a dozen New York-Boston trains daily, as
well as trains to various cities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and
Vermont.
Interstate highways I-84 and I-91 pass through the city.
Public transportation in and around Hartford is provided by 43
regular bus routes and 17 express bus routes operated by Connecticut
Transit Hartford.
According to the 2000 census, there were 121,578 people, 44,986
households, and 27,171 families residing in the city, and the population
density was 2,711.8 hab/km². There were 50,644 accommodation units with
an average density of 1,129.6/km². The racial makeup of the city was
27.72% White, 38.05% African American, 0.54% Native American, 1.62%
Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 26.51% other races and 5.44% from two or
more races. 40.52% of the population was Hispanic or Latino, primarily
of Puerto Rican origin. 17.83% of the population classified themselves
as non-Hispanic white.
Of the 44,986 households surveyed, 34.4%
had children under the age of 18 living in them, 25.2% had married
couples living together, 29.6% had a female householder with no husband
present , and 39.6% were not families. 33.2% of all households were
occupied by a single individual and 9.6% had someone living alone who
was 65 years of age or older. The mean household size was 2.58 and the
mean family size was 3.33.
In the city the population was made up
of 30.1% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44,
18.0% from 45 to 64 , and 9.5% of those 65 years of age or older. The
mean age was 30 years. For every 100 women there were 91.4 men. For
every 100 females over the age of 18, there were 86.0 males.
The
median household income in the city was $24,820, and the median income
for a family was $27,051. Men had a median income of $28,444 against
$26,131 for women. The city's per capita income was $13,428.
Approximately 28.2% of families and 30.6% of the population were below
the poverty line, of which 41.0% were under the age of 18 and 23.2% 65
or older. further.
After World War II and during the last half of
the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the city of Hartford. In
2000, 32.56% of Hartford residents were of Puerto Rican ancestry. This
was the second largest concentration of Puerto Ricans on US soil, behind
only Holyoke, Massachusetts. Today, the flags of Puerto Rico are found
on cars and buildings all over the city. Hartford's current mayor, Eddie
Pérez, was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Hartford in 1969 at the age
of twelve. In 2001, he became the first Puerto Rican (and first Latino)
to be elected as the city's mayor.
Hartford's neighborhoods are rich in diversity and history. In the
center of the city of Hartford is located the central business district.
Parkville is named for the confluence of the north and south branches of
the Park River; It is the headquarters of the Real Art Ways. Pope Park
is located in Frog Hollow. Asylum Hill is a mixed residential and
commercial area that houses the headquarters of several insurance
companies and the Mark Twain House.
In the West End is the
Governor's residence, the University of Hartford and adjoins the
Hartford Golf Club. In Sheldon Charter Oak was located the "Charter Oak"
(see History of Connecticut) and its memorial and also the former Colt
headquarters including Armsmear. The North East includes Keney Park. In
the South End is "Little Italy". On the South Green is the Hartford
Hospital. The Hartford-Brainard Airport and the Hartford Industrial
Complex are located in the South Meadows. The North Meadows have car
sales and retail parcels, and are home to the Dodge Music Center. Other
Hartford neighborhoods are: Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, Blue Hills,
Clay Arsenal, Southwest' and Upper Albany.
Hartford is home to several world-class institutions such as the
Wadsworth Atheneum (in the city center), Trinity College (in the Barry
Square neighborhood), the Hartford Conservatory (in the Asylum Hill
neighborhood), the Institute of Living, Capital Community College (in
downtown), University of Connecticut School of Business (also in
downtown), Hartford Seminary (in the West End), University School of Law
of Connecticut (also in the West End) and Rensselaer in Hartford (a
North Meadows campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). The
University of Hartford is located in Hartford, West Hartford, and
Bloomfield.
In the region of Hartford and Springfield
(Massachusetts) there are more than 26 colleges and universities
including the main universities of each State. The Hartford-Springfield
area is known as the "New England's Knowledge Corridor."
Hartford
is served by Hartford Public Schools Hartford Public High School, the
second oldest high school in the nation, is located in the Asylum Hill
neighborhood of Hartford. The city also has Bulkeley High School on
Wethersfield Avenue and Weaver High School on Granby Street. Hartford is
also home to the Montessori Middle School, the Math and Science Academy,
and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts.
At the cinema
The film Far from Heaven, starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Haysbert and
Dennis Quaid, is set in this city.