Hartford, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut
. The seat of Hartford County
until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England
's largest river, the Connecticut River
. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making it Connecticut's third-largest city after the coastal cities of Bridgeport
and New Haven
. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford was the seventh largest city in New England
(after, in order: Boston
, Worcester
, Providence
, Springfield
, Bridgeport
, and New Haven
.) As of the 2010 census, Greater Hartford
was the largest metropolitan area in Connecticut with a population of 1,212,381.
Greater Hartford's close proximity - and economic and cultural interconnectedness with - Metropolitan Springfield
combine to make the Hartford-Springfield Metropolitan Area the second most populous region in New England, with a population of approximately 1.9 million. Collectively, the Hartford-Springfield Metropolitan Region is nicknamed the Knowledge Corridor
because it contains 32 universities and colleges, with approximately 160,000 university students. The two Connecticut River cities share Bradley International Airport
, which lies equidistant between their downtowns.
Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry. Almost 400 years old, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Following the American Civil War
, Hartford was the wealthiest city in the United States for several decades. In 1868, Mark Twain wrote, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."
In 2010, the Hartford metropolitan area ranked second nationally in per capita economic activity, behind only San Francisco
. Hartford is ranked 32nd of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic production and, with its Knowledge Corridor
sister city Springfield, Massachusetts
, the two cities generate over $110 billion GDP - which is more than 16 U.S states.
Hartford is home to the nation's oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum
; the oldest public park, Bushnell Park
; the oldest continuously published newspaper, The Hartford Courant
; the second-oldest secondary school, Hartford Public
, and the Mark Twain House
, among other historically significant attractions.
After Dutch explorer Adriaen Block
visited the area in 1614, fur traders from the New Netherland
colony set up trade at Fort Goede Hoop (Good Hope) at the confluence of the Connecticut
and Park Rivers
as early as 1623, but abandoned their post by 1654. Today, the neighborhood near the site is still known as Dutch Point. The first English settlers arrived in 1635 and their settlement was originally called Newtown, but was renamed Hartford in 1637. The name "Hartford" was chosen to honor the English town of Hertford, home of Samuel Stone
, one of the settlers.
The leader of Hartford's original settlers
from what is now Cambridge, Massachusetts
, Pastor Thomas Hooker
, delivered a sermon which inspired the writing of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
, a document (ratified January 14, 1639) investing the people with the authority to govern, rather than ceding such authority to a higher power. Hooker's conception of self-rule embodied in the Fundamental Orders went on to inspire the Connecticut Constitution
, and ultimately the U.S. Constitution. Today, one of the Connecticut's nicknames is the 'Constitution State'.
On December 15, 1814, delegations from throughout New England gathered at the Hartford Convention
to discuss possible secession
from the United States. Later in the century, Hartford was a center of abolitionist activity. Harriet Beecher Stowe
, daughter of Lyman Beecher and author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, lived in Nook Farm, part of the Asylum Hill section of the city.
On the week of 12 April 1909 the Connecticut River
reached a then-record flood stage of 24½ feet above the low water mark flooding the city and doing great damage.
On July 6, 1944, the Hartford Circus Fire
destroyed the big top at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
, the deadliest circus fire in the history of the United States. In 1987, Carrie Saxon Perry was elected mayor of Hartford, the first female African-American mayor of a major American city.
Starting in the late 1950s the suburbs of Hartford grew while the capital city began a long decline. This decline may have been accelerated by construction of highways (including I-84
& I-91 which intersect in downtown Hartford). Many residents moved out of the city and into the suburbs, and this trend continues. During the 1980s, Hartford experienced an economic boom of sorts and by the late 1980s, almost a dozen new skyscrapers were proposed to be built in the city's downtown. For various reasons, including the economic recession that followed in the early 1990s, many of these buildings were never built. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, many workers in Hartford lived more than twenty-minutes drive from the city—though according to the Census Bureau, the city's average commute time of 22 minutes is a full three minutes less than the US average.
, the city has a total area of 18 square miles (46.6 km²), of which 17.3 square miles (44.8 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (3.67%) is water.
Hartford is bordered by the towns of West Hartford
,
Newington
, Wethersfield
, East Hartford
, Bloomfield
, South Windsor
, and Windsor
.
The Connecticut River
forms the boundary between Hartford and East Hartford.
The Park River
originally divided Hartford into northern and southern sections and was a major part of Bushnell Park
, but the river was nearly completely enclosed and buried by flood control projects in the 1940s. The former course of the river can still be seen in some of the roadways that were built in the river's place, such as Jewell Street and the Conlin-Whitehead Highway.
Hartford lies in the Humid continental climate
zone (Köppen
Dfa). Summers are typically hot and muggy by New England standards, while winters are typically cold with frequent snowfall. The average annual precipitation is approximately 46.2 inches (117 cm), which is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Hartford typically receives about 45 inches (114 cm) of snow in an average winter; the record seasonal snowfall was 115.2 inches (293 cm) during the winter of 1995–1996. The first snowfall typically occurs in mid to late November and the last snow of the season usually occurs in late March, although accumulating snow has occurred as early as mid-October and as late as mid-May in extreme events. During the summer, temperatures often exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and do so on an average of 18 days per year. The record for 90 degree days is 38 which occurred in 1983. Conversely, winter temperatures dip to 0 °F (-18 °C) or below on an average of 5 nights per year. Thunderstorms are common during the summer months since the frontal boundary that separates the tropical air mass from colder air to the north moves back and forth over the city. While these thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds and hail, tornadoes are rare. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also struck Hartford, although the occurrence of such systems is rare and is usually confined to the remnants of such storms. Hartford saw extensive damage from the 1938 New England Hurricane; as well as with Hurricane Irene in 2011. The highest temperature recorded in Hartford is 103 °F (39 °C) on July 22, 2011 and the lowest is -26 °F on January 22, 1961.
As of the census of 2000, there were 121,578 people, 44,986 households, and 27,171 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,025.5 people per square mile (2,711.8/km²). There were 50,644 housing units at an average density of 2,926.5 per square mile (1,129.6/km²). The racial makeup
of the city was 27.72% white, 38.05% African American or black, 0.54% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 26.51% from other races, and 5.44% from two or more races. 40.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, chiefly of Puerto Rican origin. 17.83% of the population classified itself as non-Hispanic White.
There were 44,986 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.2% were married couples living together, 29.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the city, the population distribution skews young: 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% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
With 30 percent of the population living below the poverty line, Hartford's rate of poverty is second in the United States only to Brownsville, Texas
. About 28.2% of families were below the poverty line, including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 23.2% of those age 65 or over.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,820, and the median income for a family was $27,051. Males had a median income of $28,444 versus $26,131 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,428. After World War II, and continuing through the latter half of the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the city. As of 2000, 32.56% of Hartford residents claimed Puerto Rican heritage. This was the second-largest concentration of Puerto Ricans on the US mainland, behind only Holyoke, Massachusetts
.
Hartford's neighborhoods are diverse and historic. The central business district, as well as the State Capitol, Old State House and a number of museums and shops are located Downtown. Parkville, home to Real Art Ways
, is named for the confluence of the north and the south branches of the Park River. Frog Hollow, in close proximity to Downtown, is home to Pope Park
and Trinity College which is one of the nation's oldest institutions of higher learning. Asylum Hill, a mixed residential and commercial area, houses the headquarters of several insurance companies as well as the historic homes of Mark Twain
and Harriet Beecher Stowe
. The West End, home to the Governor's residence, Elizabeth Park
, and the University of Connecticut School of Law
, abuts the Hartford Golf Club. Sheldon Charter Oak is renowned as the location of the Charter Oak
and its successor monument as well as the former Colt
headquarters including Samuel Colt's
family estate – Armsmear
. The North East neighborhood is home to Keney Park and a number of the city's oldest and ornate homes. The South End features "Little Italy" and was the home of Hartford's sizeable Italian community. South Green hosts Hartford Hospital
. The South Meadows is the site of Hartford-Brainard Airport
and Hartford's industrial community. The North Meadows has retail strips, car dealerships, and Comcast Theatre. Blue Hills is home of the University of Hartford
and also houses the largest per capita of residents claiming Jamaican-American heritage in the United States. Other neighborhoods in Hartford include Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, Clay Arsenal, South West, and Upper Albany- which is dotted by many Caribbean restaurants and specialty stores.
In 2010, Hartford ranked 19th in the United States' annual national crime rankings, (below the 200.00 rating.) It had the second highest crime rate in Connecticut, behind New Haven. Statistically Hartford's Northern districts (North East, Asylum Hill, Upper Albany) had the highest murder rate, while the South districts (Downtown, Sheldon, South Green) had a slightly lower murder rate, but had the most crime overall. Overall, the South Meadows neighborhood had the lowest crime rate, respectively.
Hartford is the historic international center of the insurance industry, with companies such as Travelers, Aetna
, The Hartford
, The Phoenix Companies
, Uniprise and Hartford Steam Boiler
based in the city. The area is also home to U.S. Fire Arms
and United Technologies.
From the 19th century until the mid-20th century, Hartford was a major manufacturing city. During the Industrial Revolution
into the mid-20th century, the Connecticut River Valley cities produced many major precision manufacturing innovations. Among these was Hartford's pioneer bicycle (and later) automobile maker Pope
. As in nearly all former Northern manufacturing cities, many factories have been closed, relocated, or reduced operations.
Despite the city's lengthy history with the insurance industry, various insurers have recently left Hartford and moved their operations to other locations, including to some of Hartford's suburbs. Citing the tax structure in the city and parking shortages, MetLife recently vacated several floors in CityPlace, Connecticut's largest office building, and joined CIGNA
in a large suburban campus in Bloomfield, Connecticut
. Lincoln Financial has recently cut its Hartford workforce, while Travelers elected to construct a sprawling training complex in Windsor, Connecticut
, just north of the city. Originating from the acquisition of the travel protection division of Travelers, Travel Insured International
operates out of East Hartford, Connecticut
. Additionally, the Fortune 100 MassMutual Company recently relocated its Hartford operations 16 miles north to Enfield, Connecticut
. The Hartford
's life insurance division is primarily located in nearby Simsbury, Connecticut
.
At the same time, many companies have moved to or expanded in the central business district and surrounding neighborhoods. Aetna
announced mid-decade that by 2010 it would move nearly 3,500 employees from its Middletown, Connecticut
offices to its corporate headquarters in the Asylum Hill section of the city. Travelers recently expanded its operations at several downtown locations. In 2008, Sovereign Bank
consolidated two bank branches as well as its regional headquarters in a nineteenth century palazzo on Asylum Street. In 2009, Northeast Utilities
, a Fortune 500 company and New England's largest energy utility, announced it would establish its corporate headquarters downtown. In the same year, work began at the southeastern corner of Constitution Plaza on the AI Technology Center, the future headquarters of the eponymous engineering firm. AI's chief executive helped finance the building, the first commercially leasable structure in Connecticut to be certified at the platinum level under the US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. Other recent entrants into the downtown market include GlobeOp Financial Services and specialty insurance broker S.H. Smith.
Hartford is a center for medical care, research, and education. Within Hartford itself the city includes Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, and Saint Francis Hospital (which merged in 1990 with Mount Sinai Hospital).
Following the housing market decline, Hartford renters are finding cheap and declining rent averages in relation to national trends. “Declining rents are affecting not only Hartford but also other markets in Connecticut and across the country as employers remain restrained about hiring. Connecticut's unemployment now stands at 9.1 percent, below the nation's 9.7 percent.”
Hartford houses several world-class institutions such as Trinity College. Other notable institutions include Capital Community College
(located Downtown in the old G. Fox Department Store building on Main Street), the University of Connecticut School of Business
(also Downtown), the Hartford Seminary
(in the West End), the University of Connecticut School of Law
(also in the West End) and Rensselaer at Hartford
(a Downtown branch campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
). Saint Joseph College is currently building a school of pharmacy
in the downtown area. The official opening is planned for fall of 2011.
The University of Hartford
features several cultural institutions: the Joseloff Gallery, the Renee Samuels Center, and the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts center. The "U of H" campus is co-located in the city's Blue Hills neighborhood and in neighboring towns West Hartford and Bloomfield.
http://www.hartfordschools.org/. Hartford Public High School
, the nation's second oldest high school, is located in the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford. The city is also home to Bulkeley High School on Wethersfield Avenue, Weaver High School on Granby Street, and Sport Medical and Sciences Academy on Huyshope Avenue. In addition, Hartford contains The Learning Corridor, which is home to the Montessori Magnet School, Hartford Magnet Middle School, Greater Harford Academy of Math and Science, and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. One of the technical high schools in the Connecticut Technical High School System, A.I. Prince Technical High School
, also calls the city home.The Classical Magnet School is one of the many Hartford Magnet Schools. Hartford is also home to Watkinson School
, a private, coeducational day school.
and Cambridge, Massachusetts
. The HFD responds to, on average, approximately 23,000 emergency calls annually. http://www.hartford.gov/fire/ The proposed 2010–2011 budget for the fire department is $32,462,602 which includes 399 sworn positions and 8 civilian posts.
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Hartford was home to the NHL's Hartford Whalers
from 1979 to 1997, before the team relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina
and became the Carolina Hurricanes
.
The Boston Celtics
played various home games per year in Hartford from 1975–1995.
The University of Connecticut
men's and women's basketball team – the UConn Huskies – also play a number of their home games at the XL Center downtown. Other home games are played at Gampel Pavilion located on the university's campus in Storrs.
Hartford also used to have a National League
baseball team, the Hartford Dark Blues
, back in the 1870s, and a NFL team, the Hartford Blues
, for one season in 1926.
Promoted as "New England's Rising Star", the City of Hartford has generated renewed interest with both local and national developers who are investing in the city and the Knowledge Corridor
region.
In 2000, at The Big E
in West Springfield, Massachusetts
, Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts
- the two major New England
, Connecticut River Valley cities with centers only 24 miles apart - jointly announced the Knowledge Corridor
Partnership. The Knowledge Corridor Partnership aims to unite the bi-state Hartford and Springfield metropolitan areas economically, culturally, and geographically. The region is nicknamed the "Knowledge Corridor" because the metropolitan region features numerous well-regarded universities and research hospitals. The Knowledge Corridor is the second most populous metropolitan region in New England with 1.9 million people, and features over 32 universities and liberal arts colleges, including several of the United States' most prestigious. Increasingly, Hartford and Springfield are considered twin cities
- they are considerably closer geographically than other U.S. twin cities like Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. As of the 10th anniversary of the Knowledge Corridor, it was announced that the Knowledge Corridor is beginning to receive federal funds, as opposed to either state or city.
In 1997, Hartford lost its NHL franchise, the Hartford Whalers
, but it has since gained an AHL
franchise, the Connecticut Whale.
Some of the major new development projects include:
Adriaen's Landing: The state- and privately funded project is situated on the banks of the Connecticut River
along Columbus Boulevard, and connects to Constitution Plaza. Constitution Plaza forced hundreds of households to relocate when it was built a few decades ago. The latest project includes the 540000 square feet (50,167.6 m²) Connecticut Convention Center, which opened in June 2005 and is the largest meeting space between New York City and Boston
. Attached to the Convention Center is the 22-story, 409 room Marriott
Hartford Hotel-Downtown which opened in August 2005. Being constructed next to the convention center and hotel is the 140000 square feet (13,006.4 m²) Connecticut Science Center.
The final component of the project, 'Front Street', sits across from the Convention Center and covers the land between Columbus Boulevard and the Hartford Times Building. The Front Street development combines retail, entertainment and residential components. Publicly funded parts of the project will include transportation improvements. There have been significant delays in the Front Street project – the first developer was removed from the project because of lack of progress. The city has chosen a new developer, but work is yet to begin on the retail and residential component of Front Street. The city and state may soon take action to increase the speed with which the project enters implementation phases. There has been talk of bringing an ESPN Zone
to the Front Street (ESPN
is headquartered in nearby Bristol
). On the back side of Front Street, the historic Beaux-Arts Hartford Times Building is being converted for administrative offices for the Wadsworth Atheneum
. In 2004, Underground Coalition, a Connecticut hip hop promotion company, produced The First Annual Hartford Hip Hop festival, which also took place at Adriaen's Landing. The event drew over 5,000 fans. A significant number of cultural events and performances take place every year at Mortensen Plaza (Riverfront Recapture Organization) by the banks of the CT River. These events are held outdoors and include live music, festivals, dance, arts and crafts and they are very diverse in ethnicity. Hartford also has a vibrant theater scene with major Broadway productions at the Bushnell Theater as well as performances at the Hartford Stage and Theaterworks (City Arts).
The New Haven – Hartford – Springfield commuter rail line (officially named The Knowledge Corridor Intercity Rail Line) is expected to be operational during 2015. According to Connecticut Governor Malloy, the Knowledge Corridor line will reach speeds up to 110 mph (49 m/s). The rail line is intended to unite the densely populated, 61 mile region between Hartford, Springfield, and New Haven; ease the frequently congested Interstate 91
automobile highway; and increase mobility in a region that is now almost entirely dependent upon automobile ownership. As of May 2011, Connecticut's portion of the commuter line has been 3/4 funded. Currently, the state is seeking the $227 million necessary to complete the northern portion of the line from the $2.4 billion in Federal funds that Florida rejected to fund its own high-speed rail project.
Hartford 21: Recently completed on the site of the former Hartford Civic Center
Mall (now known as the XL Center), the project includes a 36 story residential tower—the tallest residential tower between New York City and Boston
. Attached to the tower is 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of office space and 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) of retail space, all contained within a connected complex. The Greater Hartford YMCA
has opened in the complex and will soon be closing its Jewell Street site which will be knocked down for another project. The XL Center Arena remains open and hosts the AHL Connecticut Whale and the UConn
men's and women's basketball teams, as well as shows and concerts.
Capital Community College
at the 11-story G. Fox Department Store Building: The 913000 square feet (84,820.5 m²) former home of the G. Fox & Company Department Store
on Main Street has been renovated and made the new home of Capital Community College as well as offices for the State of Connecticut and ground level retail space. Capital Community College helps train (mostly) adult students in specific career fields. On Thursdays, vendors sell crafts on the Main Street level. Two music clubs, Mezzanine and Room 960, are housed in the building.
Connecticut Culinary Institute: The school recently relocated its main campus to the former Hastings Hotel and Conference Center, which is next to Aetna
headquarters in the city's Asylum Hill neighborhood just west of downtown. The school also has a branch campus in Suffield, Connecticut
. The Hastings Hotel and Conference Center, which closed abruptly in 2004, was the hotel where former President Bill Clinton
stayed when he was in the city.
Rentschler Field: In neighboring East Hartford
, the stadium for UConn football was part of the revitalization plan for Hartford and was built on some of the lands donated by United Technologies. The bulk of the land donated will be used for technology, entertainment, lodging and retail development. A high-tech research park is also currently being planned for the site.
Transportation and parking changes: The New Britain-Hartford Busway is in the works. Local activists are pushing for more bike lanes, as well as for these lanes to be respected by motorists and kept clear of debris. The local bicycle advocacy organization formed in 2005, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance, has been making surprising inroads in Hartford and the surrounding suburbs.
Some roads were turned into pedestrian walkways to reduce gridlock, while other roads were widened or made one-way. Some intersections were also improved to better handle traffic. A large parking garage was built downtown to ease parking problems. A series of shuttle routes was created, known as the "Star Shuttle" and now run by the Greater Hartford Transit District.
New condos and apartments:
, in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
, is twenty minutes north of downtown Hartford. It features over 100 daily departures to 30 destinations on nine airlines. Other airports serving the Hartford area include:
, Greyhound Bus
and to a lesser degree, Bonanza Buses. Chinatown bus lines
provides low-cost bus service between Hartford and their New York and Boston hubs. Megabus provides low-cost bus service between New York and Springfield, and Amherst, Massachusetts. Additionally, there are buses for connections to smaller cities in the state. The bus station is located on the ground floor of the transport center at One Union Place in Downtown Hartford. A free people circulator, known as the "Star Shuttle," operates around downtown.
A proposed bus rapid transit
line between Hartford and New Britain, the New Britain–Hartford Busway, is being considered as a way to reduce traffic congestion on I-84.
I-84
, which runs from Scranton
, to its intersection with I-90 in Sturbridge
, just over the Massachusetts border, and I-91
, which runs from New Haven
along the Connecticut River
ultimately to Canada, intersect in downtown Hartford. In addition to I-84
and I-91, two other highways service the city: Route 2
, an expressway that runs from downtown Hartford to Westerly, passing through Norwich
and past Foxwoods Resort Casino
; and the Wilbur Cross Highway
portion of Route 15
that skirts the southeastern part of the city near Brainard Airport. A short connector known as the Conlin-Whitehead Highway also provides direct access from I-91 to the Capitol Area of downtown Hartford.
Hartford experiences heavy traffic as a result of its substantial suburban population (nearly 10 times that of the actual city). As a result, thousands of people travel on area highways at the start and end of each workday. I-84 experiences traffic from Farmington
through Hartford and into East Hartford
and Manchester
during the rush hour
.
Several major surface arteries also run through the city. Albany Avenue (Route 44
) runs westward through the northern part of West Hartford
to the hills of northern Litchfield County and into New York, and eastward towards Putnam
and into Rhode Island
. Main Street (Route 159
) heads north through Windsor
towards the western suburbs of Springfield, Massachusetts
. Wethersfield Avenue (Route 99) heads south through Wethersfield
towards Middletown
. Farmington Avenue heads west through West Hartford Center and Farmington
towards Torrington
.
(ECG). The 3000 miles (4,828 km) ECG runs from Calais, Maine
to the Florida Keys
. The route is intended to be off road, but some sections are currently on-road. The section through Hartford is right through the middle of Bushnell Park.
There are designated bicycle lanes on several roads including Capitol Avenue, Zion Street, Scarborough Lane, Whitney, and South Whitney.
The dependence on railroads has decreased since the construction of Interstate 91
and Interstate 84
through the city center. However, Hartford's Union Station at One Union Place still operates a significant schedule. Amtrak
provides service from Hartford to Vermont
via Springfield
, and southward to New Haven
, with connections to New York, Boston
, Providence
, and Washington DC. The station also serves numerous bus companies because of Hartford's mid-way location on the New York to Boston route.
Currently, there are preliminary plans to create a New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
with stations in communities close to I-91
. It would use rail currently used by Amtrak
, which in turn was formerly part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
system.
is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation
. CTTRANSIT operates local and commuter bus service within the city and the surrounding area. Taxi service is available from the train station at 1 Union Place or by calling one to any location in the area. There is a free downtown shuttle, and city buses are equipped with bike racks.
The daily Hartford Courant newspaper is the country's oldest continuously published newspaper, founded in 1764. A weekly newspaper, owned by the same company that owns the Courant, the Hartford Advocate, also serves Hartford and the surrounding area, as does the Hartford Business Journal ("Greater Hartford's Business Weekly") and the weekly Hartford News.
The Hartford region is also served by several magazines. Among the local publications are: Hartford Magazine, a monthly lifestyle magazine serving Greater Hartford; CT Cottages & Gardens; Connecticut Business, a glossy monthly serving all of Connecticut; and Home Living CT, a home and garden magazine published five times a year and distributed statewide.
Several television and radio stations based in Hartford, including Connecticut Public Television
which is headquartered in Hartford. These stations serve the Hartford/New Haven
market, which is the 29th largest media market in the U.S.
See also: List of newspapers in Connecticut in the 18th-century: Hartford
(1900–57); L. Paul Bremer
(b. 1941), ex-Administrator of US-occupied Iraq and foreign service officer; city planner and parks champion Frederick Law Olmsted
(1822–1903); dictionary author Noah Webster
(1758–1843); inventor Sam Colt (1814–62); and American financier and industrialist J.P. Morgan (1837–1913).
Some of America's most famous authors lived in Hartford, including Mark Twain
(1835–1910), who moved to the city in 1874; his next-door neighbor at Nook Farm, Harriet Beecher Stowe
(1811–96); and poet Wallace Stevens
(1879–1955), an insurance executive in the city. More recently Dominick Dunne
(1925–2009) and John Gregory Dunne
(1932–2003) resided in Hartford.
Many broadcasters have called Hartford home over the years. King of All Media Howard Stern
worked mornings at WCCC-FM
in 1979, meeting local resident and sidekick Fred Norris
there. Both Bill O'Reilly
and Gayle King
worked at WFSB
. Twisted Sister
lead vocalist Dee Snider
also did a morning show on WMRQ radio in the mid 2000's. MSNBC
"Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski
was a reporter for years on WTIC
ch 61 and WFSB. Former NFLer Beasley Reece
was Sports Director for WVIT
in the late 80's and early 90's, also a one-time home to ESPN
's Chris Berman, and ESPN
anchor Steve Berthiaume
started his broadcasting career there as well. Charley Steiner
broadcast for WPOP
prior to working for ESPN, and Jason Jackson
hosted a local sports radio show on ESPNRadio 1410 in 2003.
Actors and others in the entertainment business from Hartford include Academy Award–winning film icon Katharine Hepburn
, actors Ben Cooper
, Tony Todd
, Linda Evans
, Jenna Dewan
, comedian Totie Fields
, William Gillette
, Eriq La Salle
, Norman Lear
, Jenna Dewan
, Charles Nelson Reilly
, film executive and academic August Coppola
(father of Nicolas Cage
), Remote Control
host Ken Ober
, Brooke Burke
, and Sophie Tucker
, (1884–1966), "last of the red-hot mamas." Amy Brenneman
, who grew up in Glastonbury
, adapted the experiences of her mother, a Connecticut Superior Court judge in Hartford, into the television series Judging Amy
. Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE mogul Vince McMahon
was born in Hartford.
In the field of music, residents include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Members, Gene Pitney
, Mike Carabello
(original conga drummer in Santana); Mark McGrath
; bass guitarist Doug Wimbish
(Sugar Hill Records, Living Colour); Cindy Blackman
(Drummer for Lenny Kravitz
); jazz alto saxophonist Jackie McLean
; concert violinist Elmar Oliveira
(b.1950); R&B, Reggae, Dancehall and Reggaeton artist Notch
; gospel artist Kurt Carr
were born in the city; and brothers Jeff Porcaro
, Mike Porcaro
and Steve Porcaro
of the group Toto
.
Cleveland Browns
head coach Eric Mangini
is from Hartford. Former NHL player Craig Janney
was born in Hartford. Basketball stars include NBA players Marcus Camby
, Rick Mahorn
, Johnny Egan
, and Michael Adams
, as well as NFL kicker John Carney, and former NFLer Eugene Robinson
. Jeff Bagwell
and Vin Baker
attended the University of Hartford
.
Bydgoszcz, Poland: A city in north-central Poland. It is part of the metroplex Bydgoszcz-Toruń with Toruń, only 45 km away, and over 850,000 inhabitants. Caguas, Puerto Rico: A midsized city in central Puerto Rico. The city of Hartford has the highest percentage of individuals with Puerto Rican ancestry in the continental United States. Floridia
, Italy: A small suburb of Siracusa
located on the southeastern coast of the island of Sicily
. Freetown
, Sierra Leone: Capital City of Sierra Leone. Hertford, England: The town has a population of about 24,000 and serves many commuters to London. The town has a country feel while only 20 miles (32.2 km) north of London. Mangualde, Portugal: A small town in Centro Region that is very close to the Serra da Estrela Mountains. Morant Bay
, Jamaica: A town in southeastern Jamaica. It was the starting point of the only peasant rebellion in Jamaican history. New Ross
, Ireland: A small town in southeast Ireland
, at the confluence of the River Barrow
and the River Nore
. It is the ancestral home of the Kennedy family
. Ocotal
, Nicaragua: A large town in northern Nicaragua. Thessaloniki
, Greece This mediterranean port is Greece's second largest city, with a population of just over 1 million people.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. The seat of Hartford County
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the US state of Connecticut. The 2010 Census records show that the county population is at 894,014 making it the second most populated county in Connecticut....
until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
's largest river, the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making it Connecticut's third-largest city after the coastal cities of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
and New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford was the seventh largest city in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
(after, in order: Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, and New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
.) As of the 2010 census, Greater Hartford
Greater Hartford
Greater Hartford is a region located in the state of Connecticut, centered on the state's capital of Hartford.Hartford's role as a focal point for the American insurance industry is known nationally. The vibrant music and arts scene defines the region's culture...
was the largest metropolitan area in Connecticut with a population of 1,212,381.
Greater Hartford's close proximity - and economic and cultural interconnectedness with - Metropolitan Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan area
The Springfield Metropolitan Area is a region that is socio-economically and culturally tied to the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Springfield metropolitan statistical area as consisting of three counties in Western Massachusetts. As of...
combine to make the Hartford-Springfield Metropolitan Area the second most populous region in New England, with a population of approximately 1.9 million. Collectively, the Hartford-Springfield Metropolitan Region is nicknamed the Knowledge Corridor
Knowledge Corridor
The Knowledge Corridor is term for the area comprising north-central Connecticut and the south-central Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts...
because it contains 32 universities and colleges, with approximately 160,000 university students. The two Connecticut River cities share Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
, which lies equidistant between their downtowns.
Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry. Almost 400 years old, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Following the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Hartford was the wealthiest city in the United States for several decades. In 1868, Mark Twain wrote, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."
In 2010, the Hartford metropolitan area ranked second nationally in per capita economic activity, behind only San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Hartford is ranked 32nd of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic production and, with its Knowledge Corridor
Knowledge Corridor
The Knowledge Corridor is term for the area comprising north-central Connecticut and the south-central Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts...
sister city Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, the two cities generate over $110 billion GDP - which is more than 16 U.S states.
Hartford is home to the nation's oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum
Wadsworth Atheneum
The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, with significant holdings of French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces and contemporary works, as well as extensive holdings in early American furniture and...
; the oldest public park, Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut is the oldest publicly funded park in the United States. It was conceived by the Reverend Horace Bushnell in the mid-1850s at a time when the need for open public spaces was just starting to be recognized....
; the oldest continuously published newspaper, The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is a morning newspaper for most of the state north of New Haven and east of Waterbury...
; the second-oldest secondary school, Hartford Public
Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States , second to the Boston Latin School. It is a part of the Hartford Public Schools district.-History:...
, and the Mark Twain House
Mark Twain House
The Mark Twain House and Museum was the home of Mark Twain from 1874 to 1891 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Before 1874, Twain had lived in Hannibal, Missouri. The architectural style of the 19-room house is Victorian Gothic...
, among other historically significant attractions.
History
- This is a summary. For more information, see: History of Hartford, ConnecticutHistory of Hartford, ConnecticutThe History of Hartford, Connecticut has occupied a central place in Connecticut's history from the state's origins to the present, as well as the greater history of the United States of America.-Colonial days:...
After Dutch explorer Adriaen Block
Adriaen Block
Adriaen Block was a Dutch private trader and navigator who is best known for exploring the coastal and river valley areas between present-day New Jersey and Massachusetts during four voyages from 1611 to 1614, following the 1609 expedition by Henry Hudson...
visited the area in 1614, fur traders from the New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
colony set up trade at Fort Goede Hoop (Good Hope) at the confluence of the Connecticut
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
and Park Rivers
Park River (Connecticut)
The Park River, sometimes called the Hog River, is a subterranean urban river that flows through and under the city of Hartford, Connecticut. It was diverted underground by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1940. The stated reason for this was to reduce the risk of spring seasonal floods which had...
as early as 1623, but abandoned their post by 1654. Today, the neighborhood near the site is still known as Dutch Point. The first English settlers arrived in 1635 and their settlement was originally called Newtown, but was renamed Hartford in 1637. The name "Hartford" was chosen to honor the English town of Hertford, home of Samuel Stone
Samuel Stone
Samuel Stone was a Puritan Minister.Stone was born in Hertford, England. In 1620, he left Hertford to study at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, from where he graduated in 1624. He was ordained on July 8, 1626 at Peterborough and a year later became curate at Stisted, Essex...
, one of the settlers.
Founders of Hartford, Connecticut
Here are the 163 men and women listed in the Book of Distribution of Land as being those who settled in Hartford, Connecticut before February 1640. Their names are on a monument in Hartford's Ancient Burying Ground....
from what is now Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Pastor Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts...
, delivered a sermon which inspired the writing of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders were adopted by the Connecticut Colony council on January 14, 1638/39 OS . The orders describe the government set up by the Connecticut River towns, setting its structure and powers....
, a document (ratified January 14, 1639) investing the people with the authority to govern, rather than ceding such authority to a higher power. Hooker's conception of self-rule embodied in the Fundamental Orders went on to inspire the Connecticut Constitution
Connecticut Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Connecticut is the basic governing document of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was approved by referendum on December 14, 1965, and proclaimed by the governor as adopted on December 30. It is the second constitution that the state has had...
, and ultimately the U.S. Constitution. Today, one of the Connecticut's nicknames is the 'Constitution State'.
On December 15, 1814, delegations from throughout New England gathered at the Hartford Convention
Hartford Convention
The Hartford Convention was an event spanning from December 15, 1814–January 4, 1815 in the United States during the War of 1812 in which New England's opposition to the war reached the point where secession from the United States was discussed...
to discuss possible secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the United States. Later in the century, Hartford was a center of abolitionist activity. Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom...
, daughter of Lyman Beecher and author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, lived in Nook Farm, part of the Asylum Hill section of the city.
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
reached a then-record flood stage of 24½ feet above the low water mark flooding the city and doing great damage.
On July 6, 1944, the Hartford Circus Fire
Hartford Circus Fire
The Hartford Circus Fire, which occurred on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States...
destroyed the big top at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
, the deadliest circus fire in the history of the United States. In 1987, Carrie Saxon Perry was elected mayor of Hartford, the first female African-American mayor of a major American city.
Starting in the late 1950s the suburbs of Hartford grew while the capital city began a long decline. This decline may have been accelerated by construction of highways (including I-84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
& I-91 which intersect in downtown Hartford). Many residents moved out of the city and into the suburbs, and this trend continues. During the 1980s, Hartford experienced an economic boom of sorts and by the late 1980s, almost a dozen new skyscrapers were proposed to be built in the city's downtown. For various reasons, including the economic recession that followed in the early 1990s, many of these buildings were never built. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, many workers in Hartford lived more than twenty-minutes drive from the city—though according to the Census Bureau, the city's average commute time of 22 minutes is a full three minutes less than the US average.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 18 square miles (46.6 km²), of which 17.3 square miles (44.8 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (3.67%) is water.
Hartford is bordered by the towns of West Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
,
Newington
Newington, Connecticut
Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, it had a total population of 29,306. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has its headquarters in Newington....
, Wethersfield
Wethersfield, Connecticut
Wethersfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Many records from colonial times spell the name Weathersfield, while Native Americans called it Pyquag...
, East Hartford
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Bloomfield
Bloomfield, Connecticut
Bloomfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,626 at the 2009 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.2 square miles is water.Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the...
, South Windsor
South Windsor, Connecticut
-History:In 1659, Thomas Burnham purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, chief sachem of the Podunk Indians. Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children...
, and Windsor
Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population was estimated at 28,778 in 2005....
.
The Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
forms the boundary between Hartford and East Hartford.
The Park River
Park River (Connecticut)
The Park River, sometimes called the Hog River, is a subterranean urban river that flows through and under the city of Hartford, Connecticut. It was diverted underground by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1940. The stated reason for this was to reduce the risk of spring seasonal floods which had...
originally divided Hartford into northern and southern sections and was a major part of Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut is the oldest publicly funded park in the United States. It was conceived by the Reverend Horace Bushnell in the mid-1850s at a time when the need for open public spaces was just starting to be recognized....
, but the river was nearly completely enclosed and buried by flood control projects in the 1940s. The former course of the river can still be seen in some of the roadways that were built in the river's place, such as Jewell Street and the Conlin-Whitehead Highway.
Climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
zone (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfa). Summers are typically hot and muggy by New England standards, while winters are typically cold with frequent snowfall. The average annual precipitation is approximately 46.2 inches (117 cm), which is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Hartford typically receives about 45 inches (114 cm) of snow in an average winter; the record seasonal snowfall was 115.2 inches (293 cm) during the winter of 1995–1996. The first snowfall typically occurs in mid to late November and the last snow of the season usually occurs in late March, although accumulating snow has occurred as early as mid-October and as late as mid-May in extreme events. During the summer, temperatures often exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and do so on an average of 18 days per year. The record for 90 degree days is 38 which occurred in 1983. Conversely, winter temperatures dip to 0 °F (-18 °C) or below on an average of 5 nights per year. Thunderstorms are common during the summer months since the frontal boundary that separates the tropical air mass from colder air to the north moves back and forth over the city. While these thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds and hail, tornadoes are rare. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also struck Hartford, although the occurrence of such systems is rare and is usually confined to the remnants of such storms. Hartford saw extensive damage from the 1938 New England Hurricane; as well as with Hurricane Irene in 2011. The highest temperature recorded in Hartford is 103 °F (39 °C) on July 22, 2011 and the lowest is -26 °F on January 22, 1961.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 121,578 people, 44,986 households, and 27,171 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,025.5 people per square mile (2,711.8/km²). There were 50,644 housing units at an average density of 2,926.5 per square mile (1,129.6/km²). The racial makeup
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the city was 27.72% white, 38.05% African American or black, 0.54% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 26.51% from other races, and 5.44% from two or more races. 40.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, chiefly of Puerto Rican origin. 17.83% of the population classified itself as non-Hispanic White.
There were 44,986 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.2% were married couples living together, 29.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the city, the population distribution skews young: 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% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
With 30 percent of the population living below the poverty line, Hartford's rate of poverty is second in the United States only to Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
. About 28.2% of families were below the poverty line, including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 23.2% of those age 65 or over.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,820, and the median income for a family was $27,051. Males had a median income of $28,444 versus $26,131 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,428. After World War II, and continuing through the latter half of the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the city. As of 2000, 32.56% of Hartford residents claimed Puerto Rican heritage. This was the second-largest concentration of Puerto Ricans on the US mainland, behind only Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active Voters | Inactive Voters | Total Voters | Percentage |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
30,332 | 5,981 | 36,313 | 65.81% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2,248 | 351 | 2,599 | 4.71% |
Unaffiliated | 12,880 | 3,324 | 16,204 | 29.37% |
Minor Parties | 48 | 13 | 61 | 0.11% | |
| Total | 45,508 | 9,669 | 55,177 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Neighborhoods
Real Art Ways
Real Art Ways is a non-profit art space established in 1975. Located at 56 Arbor Street in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford, Connecticut, Real Art Ways exhibits visual art, houses an independent cinema and presents live music, theater, and literary and community events.It has shown such...
, is named for the confluence of the north and the south branches of the Park River. Frog Hollow, in close proximity to Downtown, is home to Pope Park
Pope Park, Hartford, Connecticut
Pope Park in Hartford, Connecticut is a public park, originally landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers.The Park was donated to the City in 1895 by Colonel Albert Augustus Pope for use of his employees and city residents. Colonel Pope was founder of the Pope Manufacturing Company, which built both...
and Trinity College which is one of the nation's oldest institutions of higher learning. Asylum Hill, a mixed residential and commercial area, houses the headquarters of several insurance companies as well as the historic homes of Mark Twain
Mark Twain House
The Mark Twain House and Museum was the home of Mark Twain from 1874 to 1891 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Before 1874, Twain had lived in Hannibal, Missouri. The architectural style of the 19-room house is Victorian Gothic...
and Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe House (Hartford, Connecticut)
The Harriet Beecher Stowe House is a historic house in Hartford, Connecticut that was once the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Stowe lived in this house for the last 23 years of her life...
. The West End, home to the Governor's residence, Elizabeth Park
Elizabeth Park, Hartford
Elizabeth Park is a city park located in Hartford and West Hartford, Connecticut. It is covers and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
, and the University of Connecticut School of Law
University of Connecticut School of Law
The University of Connecticut School of Law is the only public law school in Connecticut and one of only four in New England. The school was recently ranked forty-sixth out of the 190 American Bar Association-accredited law schools in the United States and is considered a Tier 1 school by U.S...
, abuts the Hartford Golf Club. Sheldon Charter Oak is renowned as the location of the Charter Oak
Charter Oak
The Charter Oak was an unusually large white oak tree growing, from around the 12th or 13th century until 1856, on what the English colonists named Wyllys Hyll, in Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
and its successor monument as well as the former Colt
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
headquarters including Samuel Colt's
Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company , and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver. Colt's innovative contributions to the weapons industry have been described by arms historian James E...
family estate – Armsmear
Armsmear
Armsmear , also known as the Samuel Colt Home, is a historic house located at Hartford, Connecticut. It was the family home of firearm manufacturer Samuel Colt and is now a National Historic Landmark....
. The North East neighborhood is home to Keney Park and a number of the city's oldest and ornate homes. The South End features "Little Italy" and was the home of Hartford's sizeable Italian community. South Green hosts Hartford Hospital
Hartford Hospital
Hartford Hospital is an acute care hospital located in the South End of Hartford, Connecticut. The hospital was formed in 1854 after the State of Connecticut granted a charter for the Formation of Hartford Hospital following a boiler explosion and resulting fire at the Fales and Grey Car Works...
. The South Meadows is the site of Hartford-Brainard Airport
Hartford-Brainard Airport
- See also :* Bradley International Airport * Connecticut World War II Army Airfields- External links :* at Connecticut DOT website...
and Hartford's industrial community. The North Meadows has retail strips, car dealerships, and Comcast Theatre. Blue Hills is home of the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
and also houses the largest per capita of residents claiming Jamaican-American heritage in the United States. Other neighborhoods in Hartford include Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, Clay Arsenal, South West, and Upper Albany- which is dotted by many Caribbean restaurants and specialty stores.
In 2010, Hartford ranked 19th in the United States' annual national crime rankings, (below the 200.00 rating.) It had the second highest crime rate in Connecticut, behind New Haven. Statistically Hartford's Northern districts (North East, Asylum Hill, Upper Albany) had the highest murder rate, while the South districts (Downtown, Sheldon, South Green) had a slightly lower murder rate, but had the most crime overall. Overall, the South Meadows neighborhood had the lowest crime rate, respectively.
Economy
Aetna
Aetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
, The Hartford
The Hartford
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , usually known as The Hartford, is a Fortune 500 company and one of America’s largest investment and insurance companies...
, The Phoenix Companies
The Phoenix Companies
The Phoenix Companies, Inc. is a publicly traded financial services company that traces its origins to 1851.Phoenix is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut and had approximately 1,100 employees as of the end of 2008...
, Uniprise and Hartford Steam Boiler
Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company
The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company founded in 1866 and headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S., is a global specialty insurer and reinsurer...
based in the city. The area is also home to U.S. Fire Arms
U.S. Fire Arms Mfg. Co.
United States Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company, Inc. is a privately-held firearms-manufacturing firm based in Hartford, Connecticut. USFA produces firearms, primarily single action revolvers, of a type associated with the late 19th Century in the United States...
and United Technologies.
From the 19th century until the mid-20th century, Hartford was a major manufacturing city. During the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
into the mid-20th century, the Connecticut River Valley cities produced many major precision manufacturing innovations. Among these was Hartford's pioneer bicycle (and later) automobile maker Pope
Pope Manufacturing Company
Pope Manufacturing Company was founded by Albert Augustus Pope in Hartford, Connecticut. The company began with the introduction of the "Columbia High Wheeler" bicycle in 1878.-History:...
. As in nearly all former Northern manufacturing cities, many factories have been closed, relocated, or reduced operations.
Despite the city's lengthy history with the insurance industry, various insurers have recently left Hartford and moved their operations to other locations, including to some of Hartford's suburbs. Citing the tax structure in the city and parking shortages, MetLife recently vacated several floors in CityPlace, Connecticut's largest office building, and joined CIGNA
CIGNA
Cigna , headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, is a global health services company, owing to its expanding international footprint and the fact that it provides administrative services only to approximately 80 percent of its clients...
in a large suburban campus in Bloomfield, Connecticut
Bloomfield, Connecticut
Bloomfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,626 at the 2009 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.2 square miles is water.Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the...
. Lincoln Financial has recently cut its Hartford workforce, while Travelers elected to construct a sprawling training complex in Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population was estimated at 28,778 in 2005....
, just north of the city. Originating from the acquisition of the travel protection division of Travelers, Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International is a privately held American travel insurance supplier . It specializes in travel insurance and emergency assistance services. Travel Insured International is headquartered out of East Hartford, Connecticut within the historical insurance hub of greater Hartford,...
operates out of East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. Additionally, the Fortune 100 MassMutual Company recently relocated its Hartford operations 16 miles north to Enfield, Connecticut
Enfield, Connecticut
Enfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 45,212 at the 2000 census. It sits on the border with Longmeadow, Massachusetts and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts to the north, Somers to the east, East Windsor and Ellington to the south, and the...
. The Hartford
The Hartford
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , usually known as The Hartford, is a Fortune 500 company and one of America’s largest investment and insurance companies...
's life insurance division is primarily located in nearby Simsbury, Connecticut
Simsbury, Connecticut
Simsbury is a suburban town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 23,234 at the 2000 census. The town was incorporated as Connecticut's twenty-first town in May 1670.-Early history:...
.
At the same time, many companies have moved to or expanded in the central business district and surrounding neighborhoods. Aetna
Aetna
Aetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
announced mid-decade that by 2010 it would move nearly 3,500 employees from its Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
offices to its corporate headquarters in the Asylum Hill section of the city. Travelers recently expanded its operations at several downtown locations. In 2008, Sovereign Bank
Sovereign Bank
Sovereign Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Spanish Grupo Santander. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the bank—whose principal market is in the Northeastern United States—has more than $77 billion in assets, operates 723 retail banking offices, over 2,300 ATMs and employs approximately 8,500...
consolidated two bank branches as well as its regional headquarters in a nineteenth century palazzo on Asylum Street. In 2009, Northeast Utilities
Northeast Utilities
Northeast Utilities is a publicly-traded, Fortune 500 energy company headquartered in Berlin, Connecticut, with several regulated subsidiaries offering retail electricity and natural gas service to more than 2.1 million customers in New England....
, a Fortune 500 company and New England's largest energy utility, announced it would establish its corporate headquarters downtown. In the same year, work began at the southeastern corner of Constitution Plaza on the AI Technology Center, the future headquarters of the eponymous engineering firm. AI's chief executive helped finance the building, the first commercially leasable structure in Connecticut to be certified at the platinum level under the US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. Other recent entrants into the downtown market include GlobeOp Financial Services and specialty insurance broker S.H. Smith.
Hartford is a center for medical care, research, and education. Within Hartford itself the city includes Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, and Saint Francis Hospital (which merged in 1990 with Mount Sinai Hospital).
Following the housing market decline, Hartford renters are finding cheap and declining rent averages in relation to national trends. “Declining rents are affecting not only Hartford but also other markets in Connecticut and across the country as employers remain restrained about hiring. Connecticut's unemployment now stands at 9.1 percent, below the nation's 9.7 percent.”
Colleges and universities
Capital Community College
Capital Community College is a community college in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The only public undergraduate institution in the City of Hartford, Capital's roots date to 1967 with the founding of Greater Hartford Community College. In 1992 Capital merged with Hartford State Technical...
(located Downtown in the old G. Fox Department Store building on Main Street), the University of Connecticut School of Business
University of Connecticut School of Business
The University of Connecticut School of Business was founded in 1941 with the mission to create and disseminate knowledge that significantly influences and enriches the students, the community of business scholars and the global world of business practice...
(also Downtown), the Hartford Seminary
Hartford Seminary
Hartford Seminary is a theological college in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.-History:Seminaries in the city of Hartford date back to 1833. In 1913, the current Hartford Seminary came into existence through the combination of three Hartford-based schools affiliated with the city's Congregationalist...
(in the West End), the University of Connecticut School of Law
University of Connecticut School of Law
The University of Connecticut School of Law is the only public law school in Connecticut and one of only four in New England. The school was recently ranked forty-sixth out of the 190 American Bar Association-accredited law schools in the United States and is considered a Tier 1 school by U.S...
(also in the West End) and Rensselaer at Hartford
Rensselaer at Hartford
Rensselaer at Hartford is the Hartford, Connecticut branch of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, NY. Until 1997, it was known as the Hartford Graduate Center. The primary focus of the institution is still to offer graduate-level education for working professionals...
(a Downtown branch campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
). Saint Joseph College is currently building a school of pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
in the downtown area. The official opening is planned for fall of 2011.
The University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
features several cultural institutions: the Joseloff Gallery, the Renee Samuels Center, and the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts center. The "U of H" campus is co-located in the city's Blue Hills neighborhood and in neighboring towns West Hartford and Bloomfield.
Primary and secondary education
Hartford is served by the Hartford Public SchoolsHartford Public Schools
Hartford Public Schools is the school district of Hartford, Connecticut.-Schools:* Arts & Sciences High School * Bulkeley High School* Culinary Arts Academy...
http://www.hartfordschools.org/. Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States , second to the Boston Latin School. It is a part of the Hartford Public Schools district.-History:...
, the nation's second oldest high school, is located in the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford. The city is also home to Bulkeley High School on Wethersfield Avenue, Weaver High School on Granby Street, and Sport Medical and Sciences Academy on Huyshope Avenue. In addition, Hartford contains The Learning Corridor, which is home to the Montessori Magnet School, Hartford Magnet Middle School, Greater Harford Academy of Math and Science, and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. One of the technical high schools in the Connecticut Technical High School System, A.I. Prince Technical High School
A.I. Prince Technical High School
A.I. Prince Technical High School is a technical high school located in Hartford, Connecticut. The school is one of 17 technical high schools in the Connecticut system.- History :...
, also calls the city home.The Classical Magnet School is one of the many Hartford Magnet Schools. Hartford is also home to Watkinson School
Watkinson School
Watkinson School is a private coeducational day school in Hartford, Connecticut. Watkinson is situated on Bloomfield Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut, adjacent to the University of Hartford and serves students from sixth through 12th grade...
, a private, coeducational day school.
Fire department
The city of Hartford is protected 24/7, 365 by 325 professional firefighters of the City of Hartford Fire Department – Class 1(HFD). The Hartford Fire Department operates out of 12 Fire Stations, strategically located throughout the city, under the command of 2 District Chiefs in 2 Districts. The HFD maintains a fire apparatus fleet of 11 Engines, 5 Ladders, 1 Tac. Unit(Rescue), and numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The Hartford Fire Department is one of 3 ISO Class 1 fire departments in New England, which includes Milford, ConnecticutMilford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
and Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. The HFD responds to, on average, approximately 23,000 emergency calls annually. http://www.hartford.gov/fire/ The proposed 2010–2011 budget for the fire department is $32,462,602 which includes 399 sworn positions and 8 civilian posts.
| Engine Company | Ladder Company | Special Unit | District Chief | Address | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 1 | Ladder 6 | 197 Main St. | South Green | ||
| Engine 2 | Ladder 3 | Dist. 2 | 1515 Main St. | Clay Arsenal | |
| Tac. 1 | Dist. 1(Deputy Chief) | 275 Pearl St. | Downtown | ||
| Engine 5 | 129 Sigourney St. | Asylum Hill | |||
| Engine 7 | 181 Clark St. | Northeast | |||
| Engine 8 | 721 Park St. | Frog Hollow | |||
| Engine 9 | 655 New Britain Ave. | Southwest | |||
| Engine 10 | 510 Franklin Ave. | South End | |||
| Engine 11 | Ladder 5 | Rehab. Unit | 180 Sisson Ave. | West End | |
| Engine 14 | Ladder 4 | 25 Blue Hills Ave. | Upper Albany | ||
| Engine 15 | Ladder 2 | 8 Fairfield Ave. | Barry Square | ||
| Engine 16 | 635 Blue Hills Ave. | Blue Hills |
Police department
The HPD was founded in 1860, though the history of law enforcement in Hartford begins in 1636. The current Hartford Police Chief is Daryl K. Roberts. The department is located at 50 Jennings Road and includes divisions such as Animal Control, Bomb Squad, Detective Bureau, K-9 Unit, Marine Division, Negotiator, Records, S.W.A.T and Vice & Narcotics. To date seven officers have died in the line of duty. The proposed 2010–2011 budget for the police department is $76,110,089 which includes 424 sworn officers.Points of interest
- AetnaAetnaAetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
Headquarters – The world's largest colonial revival building, the Aetna headquarters is crowned by a tall Georgian tower inspired by the Old State House downtown. - ArmsmearArmsmearArmsmear , also known as the Samuel Colt Home, is a historic house located at Hartford, Connecticut. It was the family home of firearm manufacturer Samuel Colt and is now a National Historic Landmark....
– The Colt family estate.
- Bulkeley BridgeBulkeley BridgeThe Bulkeley Bridge is a stone arch bridge composed of nine spans located in Hartford, Connecticut. The bridge carries Interstate 84, U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 44 across the Connecticut River, connecting Hartford to East Hartford...
– Spanning the Connecticut River and connecting the city of Hartford with East Hartford, the nine-span structure is a stone-arch bridge. - Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts – Constructed in the 1930s by the same architects who designed New York City's Radio City Music HallRadio City Music HallRadio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
, the theater features a Georgian Revival exterior and an exquisite Art Deco interior, with a large hand-painted mural suspended from the ceiling that is the largest of its kind in the United States. - Bushnell ParkBushnell ParkBushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut is the oldest publicly funded park in the United States. It was conceived by the Reverend Horace Bushnell in the mid-1850s at a time when the need for open public spaces was just starting to be recognized....
– Located below the State CapitolConnecticut State CapitolThe Connecticut State Capitol is located north of Capitol Avenue and south of Bushnell Park in Hartford, the capital of Connecticut. The building houses the Connecticut General Assembly; the upper house, the State Senate, and lower house, the House of Representatives, as well as the office of the...
and legislative office complex, this park consists of rolling lawn, sculpture, fountains, and a historic carousel. It is the first park in the country purchased by a municipality for public use, and it was designed by Jacob WeidenmannJacob WeidenmannJacob Weidenmann was a noted American landscape architect.Weidenmann was born in Winterthur, Switzerland, and educated at the Akadomie der Bildenden Kunste, where he studied art, architecture, and engineering. After graduating, he worked in Munich, Paris, London, New York City, Panama, and Peru,...
. The Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, a Civil War Memorial which frames the northern entrance to the park, is the first triumphal archTriumphal archA triumphal arch is a monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crowned with a flat entablature or attic on which a statue might be...
in the United States.
- Cathedral of St. Joseph – Located west of downtown along Farmington Avenue in the Asylum Hill neighborhood, this 281 feet (85.6 m) limestone Roman Catholic cathedral (built in 1961 to replace its predecessor lost to fire) has large Parisian stained glass windows, an 8,000 pipe organ, and the largest ceramic tile mural of Christ in Glory in the world.
- Charter Oak Cultural Center – Located at 21 Charter Oak Avenue, near the Charter OakCharter OakThe Charter Oak was an unusually large white oak tree growing, from around the 12th or 13th century until 1856, on what the English colonists named Wyllys Hyll, in Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
monument, COCC is housed in Connecticut's first synagogue, built in 1876. Today it is a secular non-profit institution bringing together art, drama, music, and other cultural excursions. - Cheney BuildingCheney BuildingThe R. and F. Cheney Building, also known as the Brown Thomson Building, is a commercial building designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson. It is located at 942 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.The Cheney Building was...
– Constructed in the late 19th-century, this notable building by famed architect H. H. Richardson is located Downtown on Main Street. It housed the Brown, Thomson & Co. department store. - City Place ICity Place ICity Place I is a highrise skyscraper located at 185 Asylum Street in Hartford, Connecticut. At it is the tallest building in Hartford and in the state of Connecticut. It is only three meters taller than the Travelers Tower, built in 1919. City Place I was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill,...
- The tallest building in Hartford at 38 stories and the tallest building in Connecticut. It is located at 185 Asylum St. - Colt ArmoryColt ArmoryThe Colt Armory is a historic factory complex for the manufacture of firearms, created by Samuel Colt. It is located in Hartford, Connecticut along the Connecticut River, and as of 5 December 2007 is part of the Coltsville Historic District, named a National Historic Landmark...
– Topped with a blue and gold dome, the complex was once the main factory building of Colt's Manufacturing CompanyColt's Manufacturing CompanyColt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
. It is currently being redeveloped and renovated and will feature apartments, retail and office space. - Comcast Theater (formerly the Meadows Music Theater) – Located in the North Meadows, it is an indoor/outdoor amphitheater-style performance venue.
- Connecticut Science CenterConnecticut Science CenterThe Connecticut Science Center is a nine-story museum located on the Connecticut River in Hartford, Connecticut designed by César Pelli & Associates. It opened on June 12, 2009...
– 154,000 square foot (14,000 m²), nine-story, $165 million museum. Designed by César PelliCésar PelliCésar Pelli is an Argentine architect known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects listed Pelli among the ten most influential living American architects...
, it opened on June 12, 2009. - Connecticut State Library & Supreme CourtConnecticut State LibraryThe Connecticut State Library is the state library for the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is also an executive branch agency of the state. It is located in Hartford, Connecticut....
– Located in the hill district near the State Capitol atop Bushnell Park, the building also contains the Museum of Connecticut History and a number of galleries devoted to Samuel ColtSamuel ColtSamuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company , and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver. Colt's innovative contributions to the weapons industry have been described by arms historian James E...
memorabilia. - Connecticut Convention CenterConnecticut Convention CenterThe Connecticut Convention Center is a convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, United States, overlooking the Connecticut River....
– The 540,000 square foot (42,000 m²) convention centerConvention centerA convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
is now open, and overlooks the Connecticut River and the central business district. Attached to the center is a new 409 room, 22-story Marriott Hotel (opened late August 2005). - Connecticut Governor's MansionConnecticut Governor's MansionThe Connecticut Governor's Residence serves as the official home of the Governor of Connecticut. It is located at 990 Prospect Avenue in Hartford....
– An imposing Georgian revival mansion situated near the highest point in the City of Hartford on upper Prospect Avenue. Four landscaped acres surround the residence continuing the garden setting of Elizabeth Park, just opposite Asylum Avenue. - Connecticut OperaConnecticut OperaConnecticut Opera was a professional, non-profit, opera company based in Hartford, Connecticut, and a member of OPERA America. The company presented three fully staged opera productions during an annual season. It was founded in 1942 under the directorship of Frank Pandolfi and was the sixth oldest...
– Founded in 1942, is the six-oldest opera company in the United States, performing three fully staged operas per season, primarily at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford. - Connecticut State CapitolConnecticut State CapitolThe Connecticut State Capitol is located north of Capitol Avenue and south of Bushnell Park in Hartford, the capital of Connecticut. The building houses the Connecticut General Assembly; the upper house, the State Senate, and lower house, the House of Representatives, as well as the office of the...
– Located atop Bushnell Park, this large GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
-inspired building features many statues and engravings on its exterior. It is topped with a gold leafed dome.
- Constitution PlazaConstitution PlazaConstitution Plaza is a large commercial mixed-use development in downtown Hartford, Connecticut.-Construction:Constitution Plaza was built for $42 million and completed in stages from 1962 to 1964. Its planning and construction was spearheaded by a committee of local corporate leaders and business...
– Built in the early 1960s, Constitution Plaza is a renowned, and notorious, redevelopmentRedevelopmentRedevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses.-Description:Variations on redevelopment include:* Urban infill on vacant parcels that have no existing activity but were previously developed, especially on Brownfield land, such as the redevelopment of an industrial site...
project. To build the plaza, Hartford's historic Front Street neighborhood was razed. The complex is composed of numerous office buildings, underground parking, a restaurant, broadcasting studio and outdoor courtyards and fountains. During the holiday season the area is filled with Christmas lights for the Festival of Light. The Plaza passes over I-91 and connects the city to the Connecticut RiverConnecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
by way of Riverfront Plaza. - Elizabeth Park & Rose GardenElizabeth Park, HartfordElizabeth Park is a city park located in Hartford and West Hartford, Connecticut. It is covers and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
– Straddling the Hartford/West HartfordWest Hartford, ConnecticutWest Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
border, both sections of the park administered by the City of Hartford. - Harriet Beecher Stowe House & Research Center – The former home of Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom...
, located in the Asylum Hill neighborhood on Farmington Avenue, has become a museum, along with its neighbor – the home of Mark Twain. - The Hartford Financial Services GroupThe HartfordThe Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , usually known as The Hartford, is a Fortune 500 company and one of America’s largest investment and insurance companies...
headquarters campus on Asylum Hill occupies the former site of the American School for the DeafAmerican School for the DeafThe American School for the Deaf is the oldest permanent school for the deaf in the United States. It was founded April 15, 1817 in Hartford, Connecticut by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc and became a state-supported school in 1817.-History:...
, which has moved to a campus in West Hartford. - Hartford Public LibraryHartford Public LibraryHartford Public Library’s history spans more than 200 years. It began in 1774 as the Library Company, started by a group of city leaders. The founding members included Jonathan Brace, Jeremiah Wadsworth, Daniel Wadsworth, George Bull, Elisha Colt, Theodore Dwight, George Goodwin, Chauney Goodrich...
– The Library was founded in 1774 and has over 500,000 holdings, an extensive calendar of programs and free public access computers and wifi.
- Hartford StageHartford StageHartford Stage, located in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the leading resident theatres in the United States, known internationally for entertaining and enlightening audiences with a wide range of the best of world drama, from classics to provocative new plays and musicals and neglected works...
– Dedicated to the production of classic works and new play development. - Hartford Symphony OrchestraHartford Symphony OrchestraThe Hartford Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Hartford, Connecticut.-External links:* - Official site*...
– Connecticut's regional orchestra. - The Hartt SchoolHartt SchoolThe Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford located in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre...
at the University of Hartford is recognized as one of the premiere performing arts conservatories in the United States. - Isham-Terry House- This Italian Villa was built in 1854 as the residence of a businessman and is one of the city's older homes.
- The Mark Twain HouseMark Twain HouseThe Mark Twain House and Museum was the home of Mark Twain from 1874 to 1891 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Before 1874, Twain had lived in Hannibal, Missouri. The architectural style of the 19-room house is Victorian Gothic...
and Museum – Once the home of Samuel ClemensMark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, the house is now a museum, located in Nook Farm, now part of the Asylum Hill neighborhood, on Farmington Avenue. - Old State HouseOld State House (Hartford)The Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut is generally believed to have been designed by noted American architect Charles Bulfinch as his first public building...
– The Old State House, dating back to 1796, makes it one of the nation's oldest. It was designed by Charles BulfinchCharles BulfinchCharles Bulfinch was an early American architect, and has been regarded by many as the first native-born American to practice architecture as a profession....
, who later went on to design the Massachusetts State HouseMassachusetts State HouseThe Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
in Boston. Recently restored with a gold-leafed dome rising from its top, the Old State House sits facing the Connecticut River in Downtown. The Old State House was the site of the AmistadAmistad (1841)The Amistad, also known as United States v. Libellants and Claimants of the Schooner Amistad, 40 U.S. 518 , was a United States Supreme Court case resulting from the rebellion of slaves on board the Spanish schooner Amistad in 1839...
trial.
- Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance BuildingPhoenix Mutual Life Insurance BuildingThe Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Building, locally called the "Boat Building", is a notable modernist office building located on Constitution Plaza in Hartford. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the world's first two-sided building.The building was designed by...
, the first two-sided building in the world, it is located on Constitution PlazaConstitution PlazaConstitution Plaza is a large commercial mixed-use development in downtown Hartford, Connecticut.-Construction:Constitution Plaza was built for $42 million and completed in stages from 1962 to 1964. Its planning and construction was spearheaded by a committee of local corporate leaders and business...
and listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - Pope Park, Hartford, ConnecticutPope Park, Hartford, ConnecticutPope Park in Hartford, Connecticut is a public park, originally landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers.The Park was donated to the City in 1895 by Colonel Albert Augustus Pope for use of his employees and city residents. Colonel Pope was founder of the Pope Manufacturing Company, which built both...
- Real Art WaysReal Art WaysReal Art Ways is a non-profit art space established in 1975. Located at 56 Arbor Street in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford, Connecticut, Real Art Ways exhibits visual art, houses an independent cinema and presents live music, theater, and literary and community events.It has shown such...
is an alternative art gallery and hosts contemporary art, music, and film productions. - Riverfront Recapture and Park – The park connects the downtown with the Connecticut River. It contains bike and walking trails, playing fields, and a white triangle-shaped dome covers one of the performing stages. The boat launch for a Connecticut River tour is also located here. A walkway spanning the Connecticut River leads to East HartfordEast Hartford, ConnecticutEast Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
.
- Soldiers and Sailors Memorial ArchSoldiers and Sailors Memorial ArchThe Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch is a notable memorial to the American Civil War located in Hartford, Connecticut. It was the first permanent triumphal arch in America, and honors the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the war, and the 400 who died for the Union.The arch's first conception...
– Located in Bushnell Park, the now buried Park River once flowed beneath it. Honoring the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and the 400 whom perished, the brownstone memorial is the first triumphal archTriumphal archA triumphal arch is a monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crowned with a flat entablature or attic on which a statue might be...
in the United States. - Stone Field Sculpture – Located at the corner of Gold and Main Streets, this work of public art consisting of 36 boulders was completed by the MinimalistMinimalismMinimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
, Carl AndreCarl AndreCarl Andre is an American minimalist artist recognized for his ordered linear format and grid format sculptures. His sculptures range from large public artworks to more intimate tile patterns arranged on the floor of an exhibition space Carl Andre (born September 16, 1935) is an American...
, in 1977. - Trinity College – The liberal arts college was founded in 1823 and has more than 2,100 students. It is the second-oldest in Connecticut after Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in New Haven. - University of Connecticut School of BusinessUniversity of Connecticut School of BusinessThe University of Connecticut School of Business was founded in 1941 with the mission to create and disseminate knowledge that significantly influences and enriches the students, the community of business scholars and the global world of business practice...
– A branch of the University of Connecticut Business school operates in downtown Hartford. The building is located on Market Street, north of Constitution Plaza. - University of Connecticut School of LawUniversity of Connecticut School of LawThe University of Connecticut School of Law is the only public law school in Connecticut and one of only four in New England. The school was recently ranked forty-sixth out of the 190 American Bar Association-accredited law schools in the United States and is considered a Tier 1 school by U.S...
– located off Farmington Avenue, the campus features an extensive GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
-inspired library. * University of HartfordUniversity of HartfordThe University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
– The University, which was founded in 1877, sits on 340 acres (137.6 ha) with a 13 acres (5.3 ha) campus on Bloomfield Avenue situated on land divided between Hartford, West Hartford and Bloomfield. Located in the Blue Hills neighborhood, the campus is minutes from Downtown. There are more than 7,200 students and 86 undergraduate majors. - Wadsworth AtheneumWadsworth AtheneumThe Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, with significant holdings of French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces and contemporary works, as well as extensive holdings in early American furniture and...
Museum of Art – The oldest art museum in the U.S. is located on Main Street in downtown Hartford opposite the Travelers Tower. The museum features a significant collection of Italian Baroque old masters and post-impressionist modern art. In the plaza located between it and Hartford City Hall, Alexander CalderAlexander CalderAlexander Calder was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing mobile sculptures. In addition to mobile and stable sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.-Childhood:Alexander "Sandy" Calder was born in Lawnton,...
's 'Stegosaurus' sculpture sits in an open-air plaza. - XL Center – Built in 1975, the center hosts concerts and shows. Formerly home to the NHL Hartford WhalersHartford WhalersThe Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, it is currently the home to the Connecticut Whale AHL hockey team and, part-time, to the UConn HuskiesConnecticut HuskiesThe Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
basketball team.
Parades
- Greater Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade - DowntownDowntown HartfordThe Downtown area of Hartford, Connecticut, is that city's primary business district and the center of Connecticut's state government.Downtown is home to such corporations as Travelers Insurance, The Hartford Steam Boiler, Phoenix Insurance, Prudential Retirement and United Technologies...
- March 2011 was the 40th year - Run by The Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee - Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade - DowntownDowntown HartfordThe Downtown area of Hartford, Connecticut, is that city's primary business district and the center of Connecticut's state government.Downtown is home to such corporations as Travelers Insurance, The Hartford Steam Boiler, Phoenix Insurance, Prudential Retirement and United Technologies...
, South Green, and Frog Hollow - June 2010 - Run by The Connecticut Institute for Community Development - Greater Hartford West Indian Parade - Northeast - August - Run by The West Indian Foundation
- Hooker Day Parade - DowntownDowntown HartfordThe Downtown area of Hartford, Connecticut, is that city's primary business district and the center of Connecticut's state government.Downtown is home to such corporations as Travelers Insurance, The Hartford Steam Boiler, Phoenix Insurance, Prudential Retirement and United Technologies...
- October - Run by Hartford Business Improvement District
Sports
| Club | Sport | League | Venue |
| Connecticut Whale | Ice hockey Ice hockey Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take... |
American Hockey League American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
XL Center |
| Hartford Colonials | American Football American football American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by... |
United Football League | Rentschler Field |
| Hartford Wanderers Hartford Wanderers Hartford Wanderers is a Rugby union club, from Hartford, Connecticut, United States.-History:The Hartford Wanderers Rugby Football Club, Inc... |
Rugby Union Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... |
New England Rugby Football Union New England Rugby Football Union The New England Rugby Football Union is a stand-alone union for rugby union teams in New England.NERFU had been a local area union , and part of the Northeast Rugby Union , which is the governing body for three LAU's The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a stand-alone union for rugby... |
Colt Park |
Hartford was home to the NHL's Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
from 1979 to 1997, before the team relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and became the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
.
The Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
played various home games per year in Hartford from 1975–1995.
The University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
men's and women's basketball team – the UConn Huskies – also play a number of their home games at the XL Center downtown. Other home games are played at Gampel Pavilion located on the university's campus in Storrs.
Hartford also used to have a National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
baseball team, the Hartford Dark Blues
Hartford Dark Blues
The Hartford Dark Blues were a 19th century baseball team. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut.-History:They were a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1874 and 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1877...
, back in the 1870s, and a NFL team, the Hartford Blues
Hartford Blues
The Hartford Blues of the National Football League played only in the 1926 NFL season, with a record of 3-7. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut but played at the East Hartford Velodrome.-Origins:...
, for one season in 1926.
New development
Knowledge Corridor
The Knowledge Corridor is term for the area comprising north-central Connecticut and the south-central Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts...
region.
In 2000, at The Big E
The Big E
The Big E, also known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as "New England's Great State fair". The Big E serves as the de facto state fair for all six of the New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Each of the New England states is...
in West Springfield, Massachusetts
West Springfield, Massachusetts
The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
, Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
- the two major New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, Connecticut River Valley cities with centers only 24 miles apart - jointly announced the Knowledge Corridor
Knowledge Corridor
The Knowledge Corridor is term for the area comprising north-central Connecticut and the south-central Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts...
Partnership. The Knowledge Corridor Partnership aims to unite the bi-state Hartford and Springfield metropolitan areas economically, culturally, and geographically. The region is nicknamed the "Knowledge Corridor" because the metropolitan region features numerous well-regarded universities and research hospitals. The Knowledge Corridor is the second most populous metropolitan region in New England with 1.9 million people, and features over 32 universities and liberal arts colleges, including several of the United States' most prestigious. Increasingly, Hartford and Springfield are considered twin cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
- they are considerably closer geographically than other U.S. twin cities like Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. As of the 10th anniversary of the Knowledge Corridor, it was announced that the Knowledge Corridor is beginning to receive federal funds, as opposed to either state or city.
In 1997, Hartford lost its NHL franchise, the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, but it has since gained an AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
franchise, the Connecticut Whale.
Some of the major new development projects include:
Adriaen's Landing: The state- and privately funded project is situated on the banks of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
along Columbus Boulevard, and connects to Constitution Plaza. Constitution Plaza forced hundreds of households to relocate when it was built a few decades ago. The latest project includes the 540000 square feet (50,167.6 m²) Connecticut Convention Center, which opened in June 2005 and is the largest meeting space between New York City and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Attached to the Convention Center is the 22-story, 409 room Marriott
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
Hartford Hotel-Downtown which opened in August 2005. Being constructed next to the convention center and hotel is the 140000 square feet (13,006.4 m²) Connecticut Science Center.
The final component of the project, 'Front Street', sits across from the Convention Center and covers the land between Columbus Boulevard and the Hartford Times Building. The Front Street development combines retail, entertainment and residential components. Publicly funded parts of the project will include transportation improvements. There have been significant delays in the Front Street project – the first developer was removed from the project because of lack of progress. The city has chosen a new developer, but work is yet to begin on the retail and residential component of Front Street. The city and state may soon take action to increase the speed with which the project enters implementation phases. There has been talk of bringing an ESPN Zone
ESPN Zone
ESPN Zone is a Southern California-based chain of two sports-themed restaurants that include arcades, TV studios, and radio studios that are currently franchised, but formally owned by the American cable network ESPN. The first ESPN Zone opened in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 11, 1998, in the Power...
to the Front Street (ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
is headquartered in nearby Bristol
Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
). On the back side of Front Street, the historic Beaux-Arts Hartford Times Building is being converted for administrative offices for the Wadsworth Atheneum
Wadsworth Atheneum
The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, with significant holdings of French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces and contemporary works, as well as extensive holdings in early American furniture and...
. In 2004, Underground Coalition, a Connecticut hip hop promotion company, produced The First Annual Hartford Hip Hop festival, which also took place at Adriaen's Landing. The event drew over 5,000 fans. A significant number of cultural events and performances take place every year at Mortensen Plaza (Riverfront Recapture Organization) by the banks of the CT River. These events are held outdoors and include live music, festivals, dance, arts and crafts and they are very diverse in ethnicity. Hartford also has a vibrant theater scene with major Broadway productions at the Bushnell Theater as well as performances at the Hartford Stage and Theaterworks (City Arts).
The New Haven – Hartford – Springfield commuter rail line (officially named The Knowledge Corridor Intercity Rail Line) is expected to be operational during 2015. According to Connecticut Governor Malloy, the Knowledge Corridor line will reach speeds up to 110 mph (49 m/s). The rail line is intended to unite the densely populated, 61 mile region between Hartford, Springfield, and New Haven; ease the frequently congested Interstate 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
automobile highway; and increase mobility in a region that is now almost entirely dependent upon automobile ownership. As of May 2011, Connecticut's portion of the commuter line has been 3/4 funded. Currently, the state is seeking the $227 million necessary to complete the northern portion of the line from the $2.4 billion in Federal funds that Florida rejected to fund its own high-speed rail project.
Hartford 21: Recently completed on the site of the former Hartford Civic Center
Hartford Civic Center
The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, USA. It is owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
Mall (now known as the XL Center), the project includes a 36 story residential tower—the tallest residential tower between New York City and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Attached to the tower is 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of office space and 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) of retail space, all contained within a connected complex. The Greater Hartford YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
has opened in the complex and will soon be closing its Jewell Street site which will be knocked down for another project. The XL Center Arena remains open and hosts the AHL Connecticut Whale and the UConn
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
men's and women's basketball teams, as well as shows and concerts.
Capital Community College
Capital Community College
Capital Community College is a community college in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The only public undergraduate institution in the City of Hartford, Capital's roots date to 1967 with the founding of Greater Hartford Community College. In 1992 Capital merged with Hartford State Technical...
at the 11-story G. Fox Department Store Building: The 913000 square feet (84,820.5 m²) former home of the G. Fox & Company Department Store
G. Fox & Co.
G. Fox & Co. was a large department store that originated in Hartford, Connecticut. The store was also the largest privately held department store in the nation when it was sold in 1965 to the May Department Stores Company. In 1992 May Department stores phased out the G. Fox & Co. name converting...
on Main Street has been renovated and made the new home of Capital Community College as well as offices for the State of Connecticut and ground level retail space. Capital Community College helps train (mostly) adult students in specific career fields. On Thursdays, vendors sell crafts on the Main Street level. Two music clubs, Mezzanine and Room 960, are housed in the building.
Connecticut Culinary Institute: The school recently relocated its main campus to the former Hastings Hotel and Conference Center, which is next to Aetna
Aetna
Aetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
headquarters in the city's Asylum Hill neighborhood just west of downtown. The school also has a branch campus in Suffield, Connecticut
Suffield, Connecticut
Suffield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It had once been within the boundaries of Massachusetts. The town is located in the Connecticut River Valley with the town of Enfield neighboring to the east. In 1900, 3,521 people lived in Suffield; and in 1910, 3,841. As of the...
. The Hastings Hotel and Conference Center, which closed abruptly in 2004, was the hotel where former President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
stayed when he was in the city.
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, the stadium for UConn football was part of the revitalization plan for Hartford and was built on some of the lands donated by United Technologies. The bulk of the land donated will be used for technology, entertainment, lodging and retail development. A high-tech research park is also currently being planned for the site.
Transportation and parking changes: The New Britain-Hartford Busway is in the works. Local activists are pushing for more bike lanes, as well as for these lanes to be respected by motorists and kept clear of debris. The local bicycle advocacy organization formed in 2005, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance, has been making surprising inroads in Hartford and the surrounding suburbs.
Some roads were turned into pedestrian walkways to reduce gridlock, while other roads were widened or made one-way. Some intersections were also improved to better handle traffic. A large parking garage was built downtown to ease parking problems. A series of shuttle routes was created, known as the "Star Shuttle" and now run by the Greater Hartford Transit District.
New condos and apartments:
- Hartford 21: Opened adjacent to the XL Center in September 2006, this sleek 36-story apartment tower is the tallest in New England, and is located at the intersection of Trumbull Street and Asylum Street. The building includes 232 luxury one-bedroom and two-bedroom units (including four penthouses), an adjacent parking garage and spacious common areas.
- Trumbull on the Park: Recently opened along Bushnell Park, this apartment community is housed in a new 11-story brick building along with a parking garage and ground-level retail space. Additional units are housed in recently renovated historic buildings on nearby Lewis Street.
- 55 on the Park: Formerly a SNET office building, it has been turned into luxury apartments that sit along Bushnell Park. The building reopened a few years ago and was among the first new residences to open downtown in years.
- Sage Allen Building: On Main Street, the former Sage Allen department store building has been turned into 44 4-bedroom townhouses as well as an upscale apartment building comprising about 70 units that opened in January 2007. The project also includes the renovation of the Richardson Food Court and the reopening of Temple Street, which once again reconnects Main and Market Streets. Many of the townhouses will be occupied by University of HartfordUniversity of HartfordThe University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
students. It sits directly across Market Street from the University of ConnecticutUniversity of ConnecticutThe admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Graduate Business Learning Center. - The Metropolitan: The former Hartford Electric Light Company Building on Pearl Street is being converted into luxury condominiums.
- American Airlines Building: Located at 915 Main Street across from Capital Community College and the Residence Inn by MarriottResidence Inn by MarriottResidence Inn by Marriott is a brand of extended stay hotels. The chain was launched in 1975 in Wichita, Kansas by Jack DeBoer, and acquired by Marriott International in 1987. As of April 2005, there were over 450 Residence Inn hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The brand's slogan...
, the site was formerly home to an E. J. KorvetteE. J. KorvetteE. J. Korvette, also known as Korvette's, was an American chain of discount department stores, founded in 1948 in New York City. It is notable as one of the first department stores to challenge the suggested retail price provisions of anti-discounting statutes. Founded by World War II veteran...
department store and later American Airlines. The building has been converted into apartments with renovated ground-level retail space.
Airports
Bradley International AirportBradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
, in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum...
, is twenty minutes north of downtown Hartford. It features over 100 daily departures to 30 destinations on nine airlines. Other airports serving the Hartford area include:
- Hartford-Brainard AirportHartford-Brainard Airport- See also :* Bradley International Airport * Connecticut World War II Army Airfields- External links :* at Connecticut DOT website...
, located in Hartford off I-91Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
and close to Wethersfield, serves charter flights and local flights. - Westover Metropolitan AirportWestover Metropolitan AirportFor the military airport use of this facility, see Westover Joint Air Reserve BaseWestover Metropolitan Airport is a civilian airline, and general aviation airport located in the Massachusetts communities of Chicopee, Granby, and Ludlow, near the cities of Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts...
, located in Chicopee, MassachusettsChicopee, MassachusettsChicopee is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in...
, 27 miles (43.5 km) north of Hartford, serves commercial, local, charter, and military flights. - Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is served by US Airways ExpressUS Airways ExpressUS Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
.
Buses
Hartford city buses run at regular intervals throughout the city. Interstate bus is provided by Peter Pan BusPeter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines is a long-distance bus carrier headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. It operates in the northeastern United States. Over four million passengers per year travel on Peter Pan's bus routes....
, Greyhound Bus
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
and to a lesser degree, Bonanza Buses. Chinatown bus lines
Chinatown bus lines
Chinatown bus lines are discount intercity bus services that have been established in the Chinatown communities of the East Coast of the United States since 1998. Similar Chinese American-run bus services are cropping up on the West Coast...
provides low-cost bus service between Hartford and their New York and Boston hubs. Megabus provides low-cost bus service between New York and Springfield, and Amherst, Massachusetts. Additionally, there are buses for connections to smaller cities in the state. The bus station is located on the ground floor of the transport center at One Union Place in Downtown Hartford. A free people circulator, known as the "Star Shuttle," operates around downtown.
A proposed bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
line between Hartford and New Britain, the New Britain–Hartford Busway, is being considered as a way to reduce traffic congestion on I-84.
Highways
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
, which runs from Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, to its intersection with I-90 in Sturbridge
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
, just over the Massachusetts border, and I-91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, which runs from New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
along the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
ultimately to Canada, intersect in downtown Hartford. In addition to I-84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
and I-91, two other highways service the city: Route 2
Route 2 (Connecticut)
Route 2 is a state highway in Connecticut and is in length. It is a primary state route, with a freeway section connecting Hartford to Norwich and a non-freeway section extending to Stonington.-Route description:...
, an expressway that runs from downtown Hartford to Westerly, passing through Norwich
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
and past Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is a hotel-casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States. Together with the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, it is one of the largest casino complexes in the world in terms of floor space for gaming. The entire resort comprises of space. The casino has over 380 gaming tables...
; and the Wilbur Cross Highway
Wilbur Cross Highway
The Wilbur Cross Highway is the designation for the portion of old Route 15 from Wethersfield in Connecticut, through Hartford and Manchester, to the Massachusetts Turnpike in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The highway was built in the 1940s before the Interstate Highway era...
portion of Route 15
Route 15 (Connecticut)
Route 15 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut that runs from a connection with New York's Hutchinson River Parkway in Greenwich, Connecticut to its northern terminus intersecting with Interstate 84 in East Hartford, Connecticut...
that skirts the southeastern part of the city near Brainard Airport. A short connector known as the Conlin-Whitehead Highway also provides direct access from I-91 to the Capitol Area of downtown Hartford.
Hartford experiences heavy traffic as a result of its substantial suburban population (nearly 10 times that of the actual city). As a result, thousands of people travel on area highways at the start and end of each workday. I-84 experiences traffic from Farmington
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
through Hartford and into East Hartford
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and Manchester
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...
during the rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
.
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
) runs westward through the northern part of West Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
to the hills of northern Litchfield County and into New York, and eastward towards Putnam
Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
and into Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. Main Street (Route 159
Route 159 (Connecticut)
Route 159 is a state highway connecting the Hartford and Springfield areas in the U.S. states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. It begins as the northern extension of Main Street in Hartford and proceeds northward along the west bank of the Connecticut River towards Agawam, Massachusetts...
) heads north through Windsor
Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population was estimated at 28,778 in 2005....
towards the western suburbs of Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. Wethersfield Avenue (Route 99) heads south through Wethersfield
Wethersfield, Connecticut
Wethersfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Many records from colonial times spell the name Weathersfield, while Native Americans called it Pyquag...
towards Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. Farmington Avenue heads west through West Hartford Center and Farmington
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
towards Torrington
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
.
Bicycle
A bicycle route runs through the center of Hartford. This route is a small piece of the large eastern bicycle route – the East Coast GreenwayEast Coast Greenway
The East Coast Greenway, or ECG, is a project to create a nearly urban path linking the major cities of the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, for non-motorized human transportation...
(ECG). The 3000 miles (4,828 km) ECG runs from Calais, Maine
Calais, Maine
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
to the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
. The route is intended to be off road, but some sections are currently on-road. The section through Hartford is right through the middle of Bushnell Park.
There are designated bicycle lanes on several roads including Capitol Avenue, Zion Street, Scarborough Lane, Whitney, and South Whitney.
Railroad
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
and Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
through the city center. However, Hartford's Union Station at One Union Place still operates a significant schedule. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
provides service from Hartford to Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
via Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, and southward to New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, with connections to New York, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, and Washington DC. The station also serves numerous bus companies because of Hartford's mid-way location on the New York to Boston route.
Currently, there are preliminary plans to create a New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
The New Haven–Hartford–Springfield commuter rail line is a planned commuter rail line with a southern terminus at Union Station in New Haven, Connecticut, and a northern terminus at Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States...
with stations in communities close to I-91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
. It would use rail currently used by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, which in turn was formerly part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
system.
Public transport
Connecticut TransitConnecticut Transit
Connecticut Transit is a bus system serving much of the U.S. state of Connecticut and is a division of that state's Department of Transportation. CT Transit provides bus service via contract providers for seven different metropolitan areas in the state, mostly concentrated in Hartford and New...
is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
. CTTRANSIT operates local and commuter bus service within the city and the surrounding area. Taxi service is available from the train station at 1 Union Place or by calling one to any location in the area. There is a free downtown shuttle, and city buses are equipped with bike racks.
Media
The Hartford region is also served by several magazines. Among the local publications are: Hartford Magazine, a monthly lifestyle magazine serving Greater Hartford; CT Cottages & Gardens; Connecticut Business, a glossy monthly serving all of Connecticut; and Home Living CT, a home and garden magazine published five times a year and distributed statewide.
Several television and radio stations based in Hartford, including Connecticut Public Television
Connecticut Public Television
Connecticut Public Television is the PBS member network for the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is owned by Connecticut Public Broadcasting, who also owns Connecticut Public Radio. Together, the television and radio stations make up the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network...
which is headquartered in Hartford. These stations serve the Hartford/New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
market, which is the 29th largest media market in the U.S.
See also: List of newspapers in Connecticut in the 18th-century: Hartford
Notable Hartford residents
Hartford has been home to many historically significant people: arts innovator "Chick" AustinArthur Everett Austin, Jr.
Arthur Everett "Chick" Austin, Jr. was the innovative and pacesetting director of the Wadsworth Atheneum from 1927 through 1944. Austin's visionary gift included persistence in the introduction of then-modern theater and modern design and especially contemporaneous art...
(1900–57); L. Paul Bremer
L. Paul Bremer
Lewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing the country's occupation after the 2003 invasion. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S. Secretary of...
(b. 1941), ex-Administrator of US-occupied Iraq and foreign service officer; city planner and parks champion Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
(1822–1903); dictionary author Noah Webster
Noah Webster
Noah Webster was an American educator, lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author...
(1758–1843); inventor Sam Colt (1814–62); and American financier and industrialist J.P. Morgan (1837–1913).
Some of America's most famous authors lived in Hartford, including Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
(1835–1910), who moved to the city in 1874; his next-door neighbor at Nook Farm, Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom...
(1811–96); and poet Wallace Stevens
Wallace Stevens
Wallace Stevens was an American Modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, educated at Harvard and then New York Law School, and spent most of his life working as a lawyer for the Hartford insurance company in Connecticut.His best-known poems include "Anecdote of the Jar",...
(1879–1955), an insurance executive in the city. More recently Dominick Dunne
Dominick Dunne
Dominick John Dunne was an American writer and investigative journalist, whose subjects frequently hinged on the ways in which high society interacts with the judicial system...
(1925–2009) and John Gregory Dunne
John Gregory Dunne
John Gregory Dunne was an American novelist, screenwriter and literary critic.-Life:He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and was a younger brother of author Dominick Dunne. He suffered from a severe stutter and took up writing to express himself. Eventually he learned to speak normally by...
(1932–2003) resided in Hartford.
Many broadcasters have called Hartford home over the years. King of All Media Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
worked mornings at WCCC-FM
WCCC-FM
WCCC-FM branded as "The Rock 106.9" is a radio station serving central Connecticut that plays hard rock and occasionally classic rock. WCCC markets itself as the only non-corporate operation in Connecticut, with no pre-recorded DJs The station regularly invites listeners to make requests and also...
in 1979, meeting local resident and sidekick Fred Norris
Fred Norris
Eric Fred Norris is an American radio personality known for being the longest-tenured staff member of The Howard Stern Show aside from Stern himself...
there. Both Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
and Gayle King
Gayle King
Gayle King is editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine and the best friend of Oprah Winfrey. She has previously worked as a television news anchor and talk show host...
worked at WFSB
WFSB
'WFSB, channel 3, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, owned by the Meredith Corporation. WFSB's studios and offices are located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and its broadcast transmitter is based on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut. Syndicated...
. Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
lead vocalist Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
also did a morning show on WMRQ radio in the mid 2000's. MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
"Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski
Mika Brzezinski
Mika Emilie Leonia Brzezinski is an American television news journalist at MSNBC. Brzezinski is co-host of MSNBC's weekday morning program Morning Joe, where she provides regular commentary and reads the news headlines for the program...
was a reporter for years on WTIC
WTIC-TV
WTIC-TV, channel 61, is a television station in Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the Tribune Company, WTIC-TV is a charter affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
ch 61 and WFSB. Former NFLer Beasley Reece
Beasley Reece
Beasley Young Reece, Jr. was an American football defensive back with a nine year NFL career from 1976 to 1984...
was Sports Director for WVIT
WVIT
WVIT, virtual channel 30, is the NBC owned and operated television station for the state of Connecticut, licensed to New Britain. WVIT has its offices and studios located in West Hartford, and transmitter based in Farmington, Connecticut....
in the late 80's and early 90's, also a one-time home to ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Chris Berman, and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
anchor Steve Berthiaume
Steve Berthiaume
Steve Berthiaume is an anchor on ESPN and a former sportscaster for SportsNet New York . He is married to current SportsCenter anchor Cindy Brunson...
started his broadcasting career there as well. Charley Steiner
Charley Steiner
Charles Harris "Charley" Steiner is an American sportscaster and broadcast journalist. He is currently the main play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network, paired with Rick Monday.-Early career:...
broadcast for WPOP
WPOP
WPOP is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Hartford, Connecticut, USA, the station serves the Hartford-New Britain-Middletown area...
prior to working for ESPN, and Jason Jackson
Jason Jackson
Jason Jackson is an American sportscaster and writer. He worked for ESPN from 1995 until 2002, best known as the host of NBA 2Night. Jackson was fired from ESPN in May 2002 for violating company policy...
hosted a local sports radio show on ESPNRadio 1410 in 2003.
Actors and others in the entertainment business from Hartford include Academy Award–winning film icon Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
, actors Ben Cooper
Ben Cooper
Ben Cooper is a retired American actor of film and television, who won a Golden Boot award in 2005 for his work in westerns.-Early films:...
, Tony Todd
Tony Todd
Anthony T. "Tony" Todd is an American actor and movie producer, known for his height of 6'5", and deep voice. He is well known for playing the Candyman in the horror movie franchise of the same name, William Bludworth in Final Destination and for guest starring roles on numerous television...
, Linda Evans
Linda Evans
Linda Evans is an American actress. She is known primarily for her roles on television, and rose to fame playing Audra Barkley in the 1960s Western TV series, The Big Valley...
, Jenna Dewan
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Lee Dewan-Tatum , better known by her birth name Jenna Dewan, is an American actress, dancer, and former model.-Early life:...
, comedian Totie Fields
Totie Fields
Totie Fields was an American comedienne.-Life and career:Fields was born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut. She started singing in Boston clubs while still in high school, taking the stage name of Totie Fields...
, William Gillette
William Gillette
William Hooker Gillette was an American actor, playwright and stage-manager in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who is best remembered today for portraying Sherlock Holmes....
, Eriq La Salle
Eriq La Salle
Eriq La Salle is an American actor and director, known for his portrayals of Darryl in the 1988 comedy film Coming to America and Dr. Peter Benton on the NBC drama series ER.-Early life:...
, Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
, Jenna Dewan
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Lee Dewan-Tatum , better known by her birth name Jenna Dewan, is an American actress, dancer, and former model.-Early life:...
, Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game....
, film executive and academic August Coppola
August Coppola
August Floyd Coppola was an American academic, author, film executive and advocate for the arts. He is also known as the father of actor Nicolas Cage.-Family life:...
(father of Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
), Remote Control
Remote Control (game show)
Remote Control is a TV game show that ran on MTV for three seasons from 1987 until 1990. It was MTV's first original non-musical program. New episodes were made for first-run syndication in 1989 which were distributed by Viacom...
host Ken Ober
Ken Ober
Ken Ober was an American game show host, comedian, and actor.- Early life and career :Born Kenneth Oberding in Brookline, Massachusetts, he was raised in Hartford, Connecticut. Ober hosted four game shows over the course of his career. He received his break after appearing as a contestant on Star...
, Brooke Burke
Brooke Burke
Brooke Burke Charvet , better known by her maiden name, Brooke Burke, is an actress, dancer, model and television personality...
, and Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker was a Russian/Ukrainian-born American singer and actress. Known for her stentorian delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertainers in America during the first half of the 20th century...
, (1884–1966), "last of the red-hot mamas." Amy Brenneman
Amy Brenneman
Amy Frederica Brenneman is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles in the television series NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Private Practice...
, who grew up in Glastonbury
Glastonbury, Connecticut
Glastonbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1693. The population was 31,876 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England. Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles southeast of Hartford. The town...
, adapted the experiences of her mother, a Connecticut Superior Court judge in Hartford, into the television series Judging Amy
Judging Amy
Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
. Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE mogul Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
was born in Hartford.
In the field of music, residents include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Members, Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
, Mike Carabello
Mike Carabello
Michael Carabello in San Francisco, California. In 1998, Michael Carabello was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the latin rock group Santana....
(original conga drummer in Santana); Mark McGrath
Mark McGrath
Mark Sayers McGrath is an American singer of the rock band Sugar Ray. McGrath is also known for his work as a co-host of Extra, and he was the host of Don't Forget the Lyrics! in 2010...
; bass guitarist Doug Wimbish
Doug Wimbish
Doug Wimbish is a bass player, primarily known for his studio work for the rap/hip hop label Sugarhill Records and his membership of the funk metal band Living Colour. He has played for a vast range of artists, including Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Madonna, George Clinton, Paula Cole, Bomb the Bass,...
(Sugar Hill Records, Living Colour); Cindy Blackman
Cindy Blackman
Cindy Blackman is an American jazz and rock drummer. Blackman is best-known for recording and touring with Lenny Kravitz...
(Drummer for Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
); jazz alto saxophonist Jackie McLean
Jackie McLean
John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra...
; concert violinist Elmar Oliveira
Elmar Oliveira
Elmar Oliveira is a contemporary American violinist.The son of Portuguese immigrants, Elmar Oliveira was born on June 28, 1950, in Naugatuck, Connecticut. Mr. Oliveira was nine when he began studying the violin with his brother John. He later continued his studies with Ariana Bronne and Raphael...
(b.1950); R&B, Reggae, Dancehall and Reggaeton artist Notch
Notch (artist)
Norman Howell , better known as Notch is a R&B, reggae, dancehall and reggaeton artist. He was the former lead vocalist and one of the creative force behind the hip hop-reggae act, Born Jamericans....
; gospel artist Kurt Carr
Kurt Carr
Kurt Carr is an American gospel music composer and performer. While living in the city of Hartford, Connecticut he served as Minister of Music at The First Baptist Church of Hartford located at the time on Greenfield Street...
were born in the city; and brothers Jeff Porcaro
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
, Mike Porcaro
Mike Porcaro
Mike Porcaro is best noted as the bass player in the Grammy Award winning band, Toto.He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro...
and Steve Porcaro
Steve Porcaro
Steven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
of the group Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
is from Hartford. Former NHL player Craig Janney
Craig Janney
Craig Harlan Janney is a retired professional ice hockey center who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League from 1987–88 until 1998–99, when blood clots ended his career prematurely.-Playing career:...
was born in Hartford. Basketball stars include NBA players Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby
Marcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
, Rick Mahorn
Rick Mahorn
Derrick Allen Mahorn is a retired American NBA basketball player who, at 6'10", played power forward and center...
, Johnny Egan
Johnny Egan
John Francis "Johnny" Egan is a retired American professional basketball player and coach.A 5' 11" guard from Weaver High School and Providence College, he played 11 seasons in the NBA, spending time with the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland...
, and Michael Adams
Michael Adams (basketball)
Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
, as well as NFL kicker John Carney, and former NFLer Eugene Robinson
Eugene Robinson
Eugene Keefe Robinson is a former professional American football player who played free safety. He played collegiately at Colgate University...
. Jeff Bagwell
Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
and Vin Baker
Vin Baker
Vincent Lamont Baker is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was halted due to alcoholism....
attended the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
.
Sister cities
Hartford features numerous sister cities. They include:Bydgoszcz, Poland: A city in north-central Poland. It is part of the metroplex Bydgoszcz-Toruń with Toruń, only 45 km away, and over 850,000 inhabitants. Caguas, Puerto Rico: A midsized city in central Puerto Rico. The city of Hartford has the highest percentage of individuals with Puerto Rican ancestry in the continental United States. Floridia
Floridia
Floridia is a town and comune in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily .-Geography:Floridia lies 12 km west of Syracuse...
, Italy: A small suburb of Siracusa
Syracuse, Italy
Syracuse is a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in...
located on the southeastern coast of the island of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, Sierra Leone: Capital City of Sierra Leone. Hertford, England: The town has a population of about 24,000 and serves many commuters to London. The town has a country feel while only 20 miles (32.2 km) north of London. Mangualde, Portugal: A small town in Centro Region that is very close to the Serra da Estrela Mountains. Morant Bay
Morant Bay
Morant Bay is a town in southeastern Jamaica. It is the capital of the parish of St. Thomas. In 1867 it was the starting point of the Morant Bay Rebellion, the only major peasant revolt , in Jamaican history...
, Jamaica: A town in southeastern Jamaica. It was the starting point of the only peasant rebellion in Jamaican history. New Ross
New Ross
New Ross is a town located in southwest County Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland. In 2006 it had a population of 7,709 people, making it the third largest town in the county after Wexford and Enniscorthy.-History:...
, Ireland: A small town in southeast Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, at the confluence of the River Barrow
River Barrow
The Barrow is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest and most prominent of the three rivers...
and the River Nore
River Nore
The River Nore is a long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately of Leinster. The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, North Tipperary...
. It is the ancestral home of the Kennedy family
Kennedy family
In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...
. Ocotal
Ocotal
Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua, Central America.-Description:Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua with light industry and crafts. The main agricultural production is coffee. The city, which has a population of 31,932 , is located...
, Nicaragua: A large town in northern Nicaragua. Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece This mediterranean port is Greece's second largest city, with a population of just over 1 million people.
Appearances in popular culture
- Hartford was one of the 23 American cities bombed in the CBS drama JerichoJericho (TV series)Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
. - Hartford was the site of episode 3.29 of the documentary television series Gangland on the History Channel about its Los Solidos gang.
- The city was the setting for the Amy BrennemanAmy BrennemanAmy Frederica Brenneman is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles in the television series NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Private Practice...
series Judging AmyJudging AmyJudging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
, which aired on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from 1999–2005. - Many scenes in the WBThe WB Television NetworkThe WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
/CWThe CW Television NetworkThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
series Gilmore GirlsGilmore GirlsGilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
take place in Hartford. - Hartford was the setting for the 2002 movie, Far From HeavenFar from HeavenFar from Heaven is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Todd Haynes and starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, and Patricia Clarkson....
. - In the Simpsons episode They Saved Lisa's BrainThey Saved Lisa's Brain"They Saved Lisa's Brain" is the twenty-second episode of The Simpsons tenth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 9, 1999. After writing a thoughtful letter to the Springfield Shopper, Lisa is invited to join the Springfield chapter of Mensa...
, Homer enters a talent competition in which the winner will receive (as advertised on television) "a free trip to Hawaii". When participants show up for the event, the announcer reveals that the trip is actually to Hartford, Connecticut, claiming that "no one said Hawaii". - In Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's novel The MistThe MistThe Mist is a horror novella by the American author Stephen King, in which the small town of Bridgton, Maine is suddenly enveloped in an unnatural mist that conceals otherworldly monsters. It was first published as the first and longest story of the 1980 horror anthology Dark Forces. A slightly...
, Hartford is the only word heard on the radio by protagonist David Drayton after he leaves with a group from the supermarket in his home town. - Hartford is one of the Eastern seaboard cities shown to be targeted with a nuclear weapon by the antagonist of the video game, Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...
. - In the Kevin SmithKevin SmithKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
written movies MallratsMallratsMallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota...
and Chasing AmyChasing AmyChasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. The central tension revolves around sexuality, sexual history, and evolving friendships. It is the third film in Smith's View Askewniverse series....
, two different characters played by Jason LeeJason Lee (actor)Jason Michael Lee is an American actor and skateboarder known for his role as the title character on the NBC television series My Name is Earl, his portrayal of Syndrome in the film The Incredibles, his role as Dave Seville in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films, and his work with director Kevin...
refer to the Hartford WhalersHartford WhalersThe Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
. In Mallrats, Lee's character Brody says, "Breakfasts come and go, Rene. Now Hartford, the Whale? They only beat Vancouver once or twice in a lifetime." In Chasing Amy, Lee's character Banky says, "What difference does it make if I refer to her as a dyke? Or if I call the Whalers a bunch of faggots in the comfort of my own office, far from the sensitive ears of the rest of the world?"
External links
- Hartford.gov – Official Hartford website
- Hartford.com – Official tourism website
- Riverfront.org – Riverfront Recapture site
- MetroHartford.com – Chamber of Commerce
- enjoyhartford.com – Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Hartford, Connecticut: Landmarks ~ History ~ Neighborhoods
- Hartford Advocate
- Hartford Radio and TV History Site