Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was founded in 1635, making it one of the oldest cities in the United States. The city has many important historical sites, including the country's oldest continuously operating public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the home where author Mark Twain wrote his famous books, the Mark Twain House.

Hartford has been the official capital of Connecticut since 1875. For many years after the American Civil War, it was one of the richest cities in the United States. Today, it is known as the "Insurance Capital of the World" because many big insurance companies have their main offices there.

Although Hartford itself has faced economic challenges, the larger area around it, called the Greater Hartford metropolitan area, is strong and produces a lot of goods and services. The city continues to be an important center for education, healthcare, and many other services in the region.

History

Main article: History of Hartford, Connecticut

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Hartford, Connecticut.

Many Native American tribes lived in or near Hartford a long time ago. These tribes included the Podunks, Poquonocks, Massacoes, Tunxis, Wangunks, and Saukiog.

The first Europeans to explore the area were the Dutch in 1614. They built a small fort called Fort Hoop in 1623. Later, English settlers arrived and founded a new town called Newtown in 1636. They changed its name to Hartford in 1637 to honor a town in England. Thomas Hooker, a leader in the town, helped create important rules for the new colony.

Hartford grew into an important manufacturing center in the 1800s and early 1900s. Factories made many things, including bicycles, automobiles, and typewriters. The city was known as the "Typewriter Capitol of the World" for a time.

In the 1900s, Hartford faced many changes. After World War II, people began moving to the suburbs, and the city’s population shrank. In 1997, a professional hockey team left the city. Despite these challenges, Hartford continues to host cultural events and has a lively theater scene today.

Geography

The city of Hartford has a total area of 18 square miles, with 17 square miles of land and a small amount of water. It is surrounded by several towns and is next to the Connecticut River.

Hartford experiences cold winters with snow and hot, humid summers. Spring and fall are usually mild. The city gets about 47 inches of rain each year and around 52 inches of snow in winter. Temperatures can vary widely, with summer highs sometimes reaching 90 °F and winter lows dropping below freezing. The city has had damage from hurricanes in the past, such as in 1938 and 2011.

The main areas of Hartford include the downtown district with important buildings, Parkville near a former river, Frog Hollow close to a park and a college, and Asylum Hill with historic homes. Other neighborhoods feature parks, schools, and cultural spots representing different communities.

Main article: Neighborhoods of Hartford, Connecticut

Demographics

Hartford, Connecticut, had a population of 121,054 people as of the 2020 United States census. The city's population includes many different groups of people. In 2019, about 36% were White, 43% were Black or African American, and 24% were of some other race. Many people in Hartford come from Puerto Rico, making up a large part of the city's community.

Most of the city's families live in households with children, and many families are led by single parents. The city has a young population, with many people under the age of 30. The average income for a family in Hartford is quite low, showing that many people face financial challenges.

Economy

Hartford is an important place for medical care, research, and education. The city has several hospitals, including Hartford Hospital, The Institute of Living, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, and Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center.

Hartford has a long history as a center for insurance, with many big insurance companies based there, such as Aetna, The Hartford, and The Phoenix Companies. The city is also home to headquarters for other companies like CareCentrix and Insurity.

Hartford is growing as a technology hub, with companies like Infosys and CGI Inc. opening offices there. The city focuses on technology in insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Arts and culture

Cuisine

The first American cookbook was written by Amelia Simmons and published in Hartford in 1796. It included recipes for squash, cornmeal, and pumpkin pie, and it showed how to make bread rise using a special ingredient. Hartford’s food comes from many places. Early settlers brought Dutch and English recipes, and Native American traditions added more flavors. In the 1900s, many people from Poland moved to Hartford and opened restaurants. Later, Italian food became popular too. Today, Hartford has food from all over the world.

The city has many farmers’ markets, with the Hartford Regional Market being the biggest one between New York City and Boston. The nearby sea gives fresh seafood, and the Connecticut River Valley grows lots of vegetables. Hartford also has many places to enjoy beer, cider, and spirits.

Points of interest

See also: List of public art in Hartford, Connecticut

• Aetna building – A big building with a tall tower, inspired by an old hall downtown.
• Ancient Burying Ground – Hartford’s oldest graveyard where many important people are buried.
• Armsmear – The home of the Colt family.
• Bulkeley Bridge – A stone bridge connecting Hartford to East Hartford.
• Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts – A theater with beautiful designs and a large painting on the ceiling.
• Bushnell Park – A park with grass, statues, fountains, and a carousel, designed by Jacob Weidenmann.
• Cathedral of St. Joseph – A large church with tall windows and important music instruments.
• Center Church – An old church founded by Thomas Hooker.
• Cheney Building – A building from the late 1800s that once housed a big store.
• Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House – Built to remember Samuel Colt and his family.
• City Place I – The tallest building in Connecticut with 38 floors.
• Colt Armory – A big building that used to make guns, now being turned into homes and shops.
• Xfinity Theater – A place for concerts and shows.
• Connecticut Science Center – A big museum with fun science exhibits.
• Connecticut State Library – A library with history and art, near the State Capitol.
• Connecticut Convention Center – A huge center for events, with a hotel nearby.
• Connecticut Governor's Mansion – The home of the governor, on a hill in Hartford.
• Connecticut Opera – A group that puts on operas.
• Connecticut State Capitol – A big building with statues and a golden dome.
• Constitution Plaza – A big area with offices, parking, and a restaurant.
• Dunkin' Donuts Park – A baseball field for the Hartford Yard Goats.
• Elizabeth Park & Rose Garden – A park with beautiful roses.
• Harriet Beecher Stowe House & Research Center – The home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, now a museum.
• The Hartford Financial Services Group headquarters – On the site of an old school for deaf children.
• Hartford Public Library – A library with many books and free computers.
• Hartford Stage – A theater that has won many awards.
• Hartford Symphony Orchestra – The main orchestra for the area.
• The Hartt School at the University of Hartford – A school for music and theater.
• The Mark Twain House and Museum – The home where Mark Twain wrote many of his books.
• Old State House – One of the oldest government buildings in the United States.
• Phoenix Life Insurance Company Building – A special building with two sides.
• Polish National Home – A building that started as a place for Polish families, now a restaurant.
• Pope Park – A public park designed by famous landscapers.
• Real Art Ways – An art gallery with new and exciting art.
• Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch – A memorial for people from Hartford who served in a big war.
• Trinity College – A college founded in 1823.
• Unitarian Meeting House (1964) – A modern building designed by an artist.
• University of Connecticut Hartford Campus – A part of the university in downtown Hartford.
• University of Connecticut School of Business – A business school in downtown Hartford.
• University of Connecticut School of Law – A law school with a big library.
• University of Hartford – A university with a big campus.
• Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art – One of the oldest art museums in the United States.
• PeoplesBank Arena – A place for concerts and sports games.

Parades

• Greater Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade – Downtown – March – Run by The Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee.
• Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade – Downtown, South Green, and Frog Hollow – June – Run by The Connecticut Institute for Community Development.
• Greater Hartford West Indian Parade – Northeast – August – Run by The West Indian Independence Celebrations since 1962.
• Hooker Day Parade – Downtown – May – Run by Hartford Business Improvement District.
• Connecticut Veterans Parade – Downtown – November – Run by The Ferris Group, LLC.

Sports

The Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League plays ice hockey at the PeoplesBank Arena in downtown Hartford. The arena also hosts games for the men's and women's basketball teams of the UConn Huskies. Other UConn home games are held at Gampel Pavilion on the university's main campus in Storrs, Connecticut. All UConn Men's Ice Hockey home games take place at the PeoplesBank Arena.

The Hartford Yard Goats, the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, moved from New Britain to Hartford in 2017 and currently plays at Dunkin' Donuts Park.

Hartford is home to a USL Championship division team, Hartford Athletic, founded in 2019. This team plays in the 5,500-seat Trinity Health Stadium. The city is also home to another semi-pro soccer team, Hartford City FC, which is a member of the NPSL and also plays at Trinity Health Stadium.

Hartford became the home of the WHA's New England Whalers in 1975 after the club moved from Boston. One of four WHA teams, it joined the NHL in 1979 as the Hartford Whalers and stayed there until 1997, when the team moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Boston Celtics played some home games in Hartford from 1975 until 1995, when they opened the new TD Garden.

Hartford was also home to the Hartford Hellions of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL).

In the 1870s, Hartford had a National League baseball team, the Hartford Dark Blues. The city also had an NFL team, the Hartford Blues, for three seasons in the 1920s.

Hartford briefly had a team in the UFL called the Hartford Colonials, but games were played in neighboring East Hartford's Rentschler Field.

From 2000 to 2006, Hartford was home to the Hartford FoxForce of World TeamTennis.

Government

See also: Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut and Mayoral elections in Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford uses a mayor-council system to run the city. The current mayor is Arunan Arulampalam. In 2003, the city voted to bring back this system after many years. The city council, called the "Court of Common Council," has nine members.

Hartford is a city that supports all residents, no matter where they come from. The city has always voted for Democratic Party candidates in presidential elections. In recent years, these votes have been very strong for the Democratic choice.

City council

Education

Hartford has many schools for children and young people. The city’s public schools are run by Hartford Public Schools. One famous school is Hartford Public High School, which is one of the oldest high schools in the United States. There are also other high schools like Bulkeley High School, Global Communications Academy, Weaver High School, and Sport Medical and Sciences Academy. There are special schools too, such as The Learning Corridor, which includes the Montessori Magnet School and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. There are private schools like Watkinson School and special education schools like Grace S. Webb School.

Hartford is also a place where many students go to college. Some of these schools include Trinity College, Capital Community College, and the University of Connecticut’s Hartford campus. The University of Hartford has many cultural places like galleries and performance centers.

Media

The daily Hartford Courant newspaper is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the country, founded in 1764. A weekly newspaper, the Hartford Advocate, also serves Hartford and the surrounding area, along with the Hartford Business Journal and the weekly Hartford News.

The Hartford region has several magazines, including Hartford Magazine, a monthly lifestyle magazine, CT Cottages & Gardens, Connecticut Business, and Home Living CT.

Broadcast media

Several radio stations are based in Hartford, including WDRC (AM), WDRC (FM), WHCN (FM), WJMJ (FM), WPOP (AM), WTIC (AM), WTIC (FM), and WPKT (FM, NPR).

Hartford's major television stations include WFSB 3 (CBS), WTNH 8 (ABC), WUVN 18 (Univision), WRDM-CD 19 (Telemundo O&O), WCCT-TV 20 (The CW), WHPX-TV (Ion Television O&O), WVIT 30 (NBC O&O), WHCT-LD 35 (MeTV O&O), WCTX 59 (MyNetworkTV) and WTIC-TV 61 (Fox). PBS member stations include WEDH 24 and WEDY 65, which are part of the Connecticut Public Television network. These stations serve the Hartford/New Haven market, the 33rd largest media market in the U.S. as of 2020.

Film

• Must Read After My Death, a 2009 documentary film

See also: List of newspapers in Hartford in the 18th century

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

I-84 and I-91 intersect in downtown Hartford. Other highways serving the city include Route 2, the Wilbur Cross Highway part of Route 15, and the Conlin–Whitehead Highway. Hartford has busy traffic, especially during rush hour, as many people travel to and from the city each day.

Several major roads also go through the city, such as Albany Avenue (Route 44), Blue Hills Avenue (Route 187), Main Street (Route 159), and Wethersfield Avenue (Route 99).

Rail

The city has Hartford Union Station, which is served by Amtrak trains and buses. The Hartford Line commuter rail service began running in 2018, connecting New Haven and Springfield.

Airports

Bradley International Airport is nearby in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, with many daily flights. Other airports serving the area include Hartford-Brainard Airport, Westover Metropolitan Airport, Logan International Airport, and Tweed New Haven Regional Airport.

Bus

Connecticut Transit runs local and commuter buses in Hartford. The Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) is a free bus that circles downtown. CTfastrak, a bus rapid transit system, opened in 2015 between Hartford and New Britain. Interstate bus services are provided by Peter Pan Bus, Greyhound Bus, and Megabus.

Bicycle

There is a bicycle route through Hartford as part of the East Coast Greenway. The route goes through Bushnell Park, and there are bicycle lanes on several streets.

Emergency services

Fire department

The Hartford Fire Department is the fifth-largest in Connecticut, operating from 12 fire stations. Some of these stations are historic and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Police department

The Hartford Police Department was founded in 1860.

Emergency medical services

Hartford uses private companies for ambulance services.

Notable people

For a more comprehensive list, see List of people from Hartford, Connecticut.

Hartford has been home to many important people throughout history. Some famous residents include dictionary author Noah Webster, creator of American Sign Language Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, and inventor of the .45 Colt Sam Colt.

Many artists and writers also lived in Hartford. After the US Civil War, the area known as Nook Farm attracted authors like Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Other famous writers from Hartford include poet Lydia Sigourney and Wallace Stevens. Actors such as Katharine Hepburn and Norman Lear were also born or lived there.

The city has produced many musicians, including singer Sophie Tucker and members of famous bands like Toto. In science, Barbara McClintock, who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her work in genetics, was born in Hartford. The city has also been home to athletes like NBA player Marcus Camby and NFL player Dwight Freeney.

Recent developments

Hartford has seen many new developments recently. Adriaen's Landing includes a large convention center and a hotel, plus plans for a science center. The Capital Community College now uses a renovated department store building for classes and offices.

A new bus system called CTfastrak connects Hartford to New Britain to help with traffic. Front Street, another part of Adriaen's Landing, plans to include shops, entertainment, and homes but is still underway. There are also plans for a faster train service called the Hartford Line to connect nearby cities.

Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts, started the Knowledge Corridor Partnership to work together on economic and cultural projects, supported by many universities in the area.

Sister cities

Hartford has several sister cities around the world. These include:

• Caguas, Puerto Rico
• Dongguan, China
• Floridia, Italy
• Huế, Vietnam
• Morant Bay, Jamaica
• New Ross, Ireland
• Ocotal, Nicaragua
• Sogakope, Ghana
• Thessaloniki, Greece
• Hertford, England