Hartford, Connecticut

City of Hartford

Skyline of Hartford viewed from the Connecticut River

Flag
Seal
Nickname(s): The Insurance Capital of the World, The Heartbeat, New England's Rising Star

Location in Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford

Location in the United States

Coordinates: 41°45′45.85″N 72°40′27.43″W / 41.7627361°N 72.6742861°W
Country United States
State Connecticut
NECTA Hartford
Region Capitol Region
Named 1637
Incorporated (city) 1784
Consolidated 1896
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Mayor Pedro Segarra (D)
Area
 • City 18.0 sq mi (46.5 km2)
 • Land 17.3 sq mi (44.8 km2)
 • Water 0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
 • Urban 469 sq mi (1,216 km2)
Elevation 59 ft (18 m)
Population (2012)
 • City 124,893
 • Density 7,025.5/sq mi (2,776/km2)
 • Metro 1,212,381
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
ZIP code 061xx
Area code(s) 860
FIPS code 09-37000
GNIS feature ID 0213160
Website www.hartford.gov

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut and the historic seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775,[1] making it Connecticut's fourth-largest city after the coastal cities of Bridgeport, New Haven, and Stamford.

Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry.[2] Almost 400 years old, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United 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; Trinity College, an elite, private liberal arts college, and the Mark Twain House where the author wrote his most famous works and raised his family, among other historically significant attractions. In 1868, resident Mark Twain wrote, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."[3]

Following the American Civil War, Hartford was the richest city in the United States for several decades.[4] Today, Hartford is one of the poorest cities in the nation with 3 out of every 10 families living below the poverty line.[5] In sharp contrast, the Hartford metropolitan area is ranked 32nd of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic production[6] and 7th out of 280 metropolitan statistical areas in per capita income. Highlighting the socio-economic disparity between Hartford and its suburbs, 83% of Hartford's jobs are filled by commuters from neighboring towns who earn over $80,000, while 75% of Hartford residents who commute to work in other towns earn just $40,000.[7]

History

1877 map of Hartford

Various tribes, all part of the loose Algonquin confederation, lived in or around present-day Hartford. The area was referred to as Suckiaug', meaning "Black Fertile River-Enhanced Earth, good for planting." These included the Podunks, mostly east of the Connecticut River; the Poquonocks, north and west of Hartford; the Massacoes, in the Simsbury area; the Tunxis tribe, in West Hartford and Farmington; the Wangunks, to the south; and the Saukiog in Hartford itself.[8]

Colonial Hartford

The first whites known to have explored the area were the Dutch, under Adriaen Block, who sailed up the Connecticut in 1614. Dutch fur traders from New Amsterdam returned in 1623 with a mission to establish a trading post and fortify the the area for the Dutch West India Company. The original site was located on the south bank of the Park River in the present-day Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood. This fort was called Fort Hoop, or the “House of Hope.” In 1633, Jacob Van Curler formally bought the land around Fort Hoop from the Pequot chief for a small sum. It was home to perhaps a couple families and a few dozen soldiers. The area today is known as Dutch Point, and the name of the Dutch fort, "House of Hope," is reflected in the name of Huyshope Avenue.[9] The fort was abandoned by 1654, but its neighborhood in Hartford is still known as Dutch Point.[10] The Dutch outpost, and the of the tiny contingent of Dutch soldiers that were stationed there, did little to check the English migration. The Dutch soon realized they very vastly outnumbered. The House of Hope remained an outpost, but it was steadily swallowed up by waves of English settlers. In 1650, when Peter Stuyvesant met with English representatives to negotiate a "permanent" boundary between the Dutch and English colonies, the line they agreed on was more than 50 miles (80 km) west of the original settlement.

The English began to arrive 1637, settling a few miles upstream from Fort Hoop near the present-day neighborhood of Sheldon/Charter Oak. Pastor Thomas Hooker and Governor John Haynes led 100 settlers with 130 head of cattle in a trek from Newtown (now Cambridge, Massachusetts) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and started their settlement just north of the Dutch fort.[11] The settlement was originally called Newtown, but was changed to Hartford in 1637 to honor the English town of Hertford the explorer also created the town of Windsor (in 1633).[12]

The fledgling colony along the Connecticut River had issues with the authority by which it was to be governed because it was outside of the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Bay Colony's charter. Therefore, Hooker delivered a sermon that 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. Historians suggest that 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 Connecticut's nicknames is the "Constitution State."[13]

The original settlement area is site of The Charter Oak site. The Charter Oak was an unusually old white oak tree in which, according to legend, colonists hid the Connecticut's Royal Charter of 1662 to protect it from confiscation by an English governor-general. Thus the grand, stately tree came to symbolize the power of nature as a defender of freedom throughout Connecticut. In fact, the state adopted the image as the emblem of the Connecticut state quarter. The Charter Oak Monument is located at the corner of Charter Oak Place, a historic street, and Charter Oak Avenue.[14]

19th century

On December 15, 1814, the Hartford Convention was called to order in Hartford. Delegations from the five New England states, (Maine was still part of Massachusetts at that time) were sent to Hartford to discuss New England's possible secession from the United States.

State Street in 1914

During the early 19th century, the Hartford area was a center of abolitionist activity. The most famous abolitionist family was the Beechers. The Reverend Lyman Beecher was an important Congregational minister known for his anti-slavery sermons. His daughter, Harriet Beecher Stowe, wrote the famous Uncle Tom's Cabin, while her brother, the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher, was a noted clergyman who vehemently opposed slavery and supported the temperance movement and women's suffrage. Beecher Stowe's sister, Isabella Beecher Hooker, was a leading member of the women's rights movement.

Bulkeley Bridge, circa 1906-1916

In 1860, Hartford was the site of the first "Wide Awakes," abolitionist supporters of Abraham Lincoln. These supporters organized torch-light parades that were both political and social events, often including fireworks and music, in celebration of Lincoln's visit to the city. This type of event caught on and eventually became a staple of mid-to-late-19th century campaigning.

20th century

On the week of April 12, 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.[15]

On July 6, 1944, Hartford was the scene of one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States. The fire, which occurred at a performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, became known as the Hartford Circus Fire.

Old Post Office and Custom House next to the Old State House (left) in 1903. Completed in 1882, the building was demolished in 1934.

After World War II, many residents of Puerto Rico moved to Hartford and even today Puerto Rican flags can be found on cars and buildings all over the city. Former Hartford Mayor Eddie Pérez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Hartford in 1969, when he was 12 years old.

Starting in the late 1950s, as the suburbs ringing Hartford began to grow and flourish, the capital city began a long decline. Insurance giant Connecticut General (now CIGNA) moved to a new, modern campus in the suburb of Bloomfield. Constitution Plaza, at first hailed as a model of urban renewal, gradually became a concrete office park. Once-flourishing department stores such as Brown Thomson, Sage-Allen, and G. Fox & Co. all shut down as suburban malls such as Westfarms and Buckland Hills grew in popularity.

In 1997, the city lost its professional hockey franchise, the Hartford Whalers, to Raleigh, North Carolina despite an increase in season ticket sales and an offer of a new arena from the state. Currently a developer from Newton, Massachusetts who is also the city's largest property owner is working with the city to bring an NHL team back to Hartford and house them in a new largely publicly funded stadium.[16]

Hartford experienced problems as the population shrank 11 percent during the 1990s. Only Flint, Michigan; Gary, Indiana; Saint Louis and Baltimore experienced larger population losses during the decade. However, the population has increased since the 2000 Census.[17]

In 1987, Carrie Saxon Perry was elected mayor of Hartford, the first female African-American mayor of a major American city.[18]

Geography

Downtown Hartford from the air
Astronaut photography of Hartford Connecticut taken from the International Space Station (ISS)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.0 square miles (47 km2), of which 17.3 square miles (45 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.[19] 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.[20]

Climate

State House Square in Downtown Hartford

Hartford lies in the humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfa), and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 6b, degrading to 6a in the northern, western, and eastern suburbs away from the Connecticut River valley.

Seasonally, the period from May through October is warm to hot in Hartford, with the hottest months being June, July, and August. In the summer months there is often high humidity and occasional (but brief) thundershowers. The cool to cold months are from November through April, with the coldest months in December, January, and February having average highs in the lower 30's F and overnight lows near 20 F.

The average annual precipitation is approximately 45.9 inches (1,170 mm),[21] which is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Hartford typically receives about 44.5 inches (113 cm) of snow in an average winter – about 40% more than coastal Connecticut cities like New Haven, Stamford, and New London.[21] seasonal snowfall has ranged from 115.2 inches (293 cm) during the winter of 1995–96 to 13.5 inches (34 cm) in 1999–2000.[22] During the summer, temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on an average of 17 days per year,[21] though the record number of occurrences was 38 in 1983 and 1920 saw none. Conversely, on average, temperatures do not rise above freezing on 30 days and dip to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on 4.0 nights per year.[21] 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 officially recorded temperature is 103 °F (39 °C) on July 22, 2011 and the lowest is −26 °F (−32 °C) on January 22, 1961; the record cold daily maximum is −1 °F (−18 °C) on December 2, 1917, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is 80 °F (27 °C) on July 31, 1917.[21]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
17902,683—
18003,52331.3%
18103,95512.3%
18204,72619.5%
18307,07449.7%
18409,46833.8%
185013,55543.2%
186026,91798.6%
187037,18038.1%
188042,01513.0%
189053,23026.7%
190079,85050.0%
191098,91523.9%
1920138,03639.6%
1930164,07218.9%
1940166,2671.3%
1950177,3976.7%
1960162,178−8.6%
1970158,017−2.6%
1980136,392−13.7%
1990139,7392.5%
2000121,578−13.0%
2010124,7752.6%
Population 1800–1990[26]

As of the census[27] of 2010, there were 124,775 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 29.8% white, 38.7% African American or black, 0.6% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 23.9% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. 43.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, chiefly of Puerto Rican origin.[28] Whites not of Latino background were 15.8% of the population in 2010,[29] down from 63.9% in 1970.[30]

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.[31]

The median income for a household in the city was $20,820, and the median income for a family was $22,051. 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 2010, 33.7% of Hartford residents claimed Puerto Rican heritage. This was the second-largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the Northeast, behind only Holyoke, Massachusetts (source: 2010 census).

Government

Hartford is governed via the strong-mayor form of the mayor-council system. The current mayor is Pedro Segarra. He succeeded former Mayor Eddie Perez in 2010 and was subsequently elected for a full term the next year.[32] Segarra, who was sworn in as mayor on June 25, 2010, is Hartford's second mayor of Puerto Rican ancestry and the first openly gay mayor of the city. He is also the second openly gay mayor of an American state capital city (David Cicilline of neighboring Providence, Rhode Island was the first).[33][34]

More than fifty years after establishing the council-manager form, Hartford voted in favor of restoring a mayor-council system in 2003, restoring municipal authority in an elected mayor in 2003. Mayor Eddie Perez, first elected in 2001, was re-elected with 76% of the vote in 2003. As the first strong mayor elected under the revised charter, he is widely credited with reducing crime, reforming the school system and sparking economic revitalization in the city. However, his reputation was hurt by accusations of corruption[35]

In Connecticut there is no county-level executive or legislative government; the counties determine probate, civil and criminal court boundaries, but little else. Connecticut municipalities (like those of neighboring states Massachusetts and Rhode Island) provide nearly all local services (such as fire and rescue, education, snow removal, etc.), as county government has been abolished since 1960.[36]

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 29, 2013[37]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
  Democratic 34,324 7,397 41,721 71.8%
  Republican 1,732 428 2,160 3.7%
  Unaffiliated 10,700 3,237 13,937 24.0%
  Minor Parties 285 17 302 0.5%
Total 45,508 9,669 55,177 100%

Fire

Engine Co 1 Fire Station Hartford CT

The Hartford Fire Department provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the city of Hartford. Operating out of 12 fire stations located throughout the city, the HFD is the fifth-largest fire department in Connecticut. Under the command of two Deputy Chiefs in two Districts, the HFD maintains a fire apparatus fleet of eleven engines, five ladders, one tac unit (rescue), one fireboat, one rehab unit, one decon Unit, one foam unit, one fire investigation unit, three Maintenance Units, and numerous other spare apparatus. The spare apparatus fleet comprises six spare engines, three spare ladders, one spare tac, and three spare district chief's units.[38][39]

Police

The Hartford Police Department (HPD) was founded in 1860, though the history of law enforcement in Hartford begins in 1636.[40] The current Hartford Police Chief is James Rovella.[41] The department is located at 253 High Street 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.[42] The proposed 2010–2011 budget for the police department was $76,110,089, which includes 424 sworn officers.[43]

Ambulance

Hartford outsources ambulance services to private companies, including Aetna Ambulance in the South End and American Medical Response in the North End.[44]

Neighborhoods

Pratt Street in Downtown Hartford

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.)[45] 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.[46]

Economy

Travelers Tower in Downtown Hartford

Hartford is the historic international center of the insurance industry, with companies such as Aetna, Conning & Company, The Hartford, The Phoenix Companies, UnitedHealthcare and Hartford Steam Boiler based in the city, and companies such as Travelers and Lincoln National Corporation having major operations in the city. The city is also home to the corporate headquarters of 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.[47] As in nearly all former Northern manufacturing cities, many factories have been closed, relocated, or reduced operations.

Aetna and the Hartford Financial Services Group, both Fortune 100 companies, are headquartered in Hartford. Travelers Insurance has its largest national employment center and historical headquarters in the city. CIGNA insurance is headquartered in the region with a presence in Hartford and its suburb Bloomfield. United Health Insurance has a significant presence in the city.[48]

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. CareCentrix, a patient home healthcare management company, is moving into downtown from East Hartford, where it will add over 200 jobs within the next few years.

Hartford is a center for medical care, research, and education. Within Hartford itself the city includes Hartford Hospital, The Institute of Living, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, and Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center (which merged in 1990 with Mount Sinai Hospital).

After rising during the Great Recession to over 9% during 2010, unemployment in Connecticut had fallen by December 2014 to 6.4%, .6 above the national average of 5.8%.[49]

Media

The Hartford Courant Co. building

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 are 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

Education

Colleges & universities

Trinity College Chapel

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). University of Saint Joseph opened its school of pharmacy in the downtown area in 2011.[50] 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.

Primary & secondary education

Hartford is served by the Hartford Public Schools. 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, Global Communications Academy on Greenfield 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. The city's high school graduation rate reached 71 percent in 2013, according to the state Department of Education.[51] Hartford is also home to Watkinson School, a private coeducational day school, and Grace S. Webb School, a special education school. Catholic schools are administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford.

Hartford Public Schools

District-only schools

Open Choice schools

Magnet schools

Non-Hartford Public Schools

State Technical School

Private School

K-12 School at The Institute of Living

Catholic schools

The following Catholic Schools are administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford:

Transportation

Airports

Bradley International Airport

Bradley International Airport, in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, is twenty minutes north of downtown Hartford. It features over 150 daily departures to over 30 destinations on nine airlines. Other airports serving the Hartford area include:[52]

Buses

Hartford city buses run at regular intervals throughout the city. Interstate bus is provided by Peter Pan Bus, Greyhound Bus and to a lesser degree, Bonanza Buses. Chinatown bus lines provide low-cost bus service between Hartford and their New York and Boston hubs. In addition, 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.

In March 2015, CTfastrak, Connecticut's first bus rapid transit corridor opened, providing a separated right-of-way between Hartford and New Britain. In addition, express bus services travel from downtown Hartford and Waterbury, servicing intermediate communities like Southington and Cheshire, providing reliable public transportation between these communities for the first time.

Highways

Bulkeley Bridge over Connecticut River in Hartford

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.

Charter Oak Bridge over Connecticut River in Hartford

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.

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 Greenway (ECG). The 3,000-mile (4,800 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.

Railroad

Hartford's Union Station

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 from there to points west, e.g. to Chicago, or east through the western suburbs of Boston,) 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.

Public transport

Connecticut Transit 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.

Culture

Points of interest

Aetna Headquarters in the Asylum Hill neighborhood
Armsmear
Cathedral of Saint Joseph
Cheney Building
The house of Katherine Seymour Day (grandniece of Harriet Beecher Stowe). Adjacent to the Stowe house, it now forms part of the research center dedicated to the author and abolitionist.
Connecticut State Capitol
Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, CT on the Riverfront

Parades

Sports

The Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League plays ice hockey at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. The XL Center also hosts larger-profile games for both the men's and women's basketball teams of the UConn Huskies. Other UConn home games are played at Gampel Pavilion located on the university's campus in Storrs.

The New Britain Rock Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, will be moving to Hartford in 2016. The city will build a new baseball stadium in time for opening day of that season, with a seating capacity of at least 10,000 spectators. The move was made in an effort to keep the team from leaving the state for nearby Springfield, Massachusetts.[56]

Former teams

Hartford became the home of the WHA's New England Whalers in 1975 after the club moved from Boston, one of four WHA teams that joined the NHL in 1979. The city 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 until 1995, when they opened the new TD Garden.

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

Hartford also used to have a National League baseball team, the Hartford Dark Blues, back in the 1870s, and had an NFL team, the Hartford Blues, for three seasons in the 1920s.

"Hartford Has It"

Connecticut Convention Center

Formerly promoted as "New England's Rising Star", The City of Hartford Recently unveiled "Hartford Has It"[57] this has generated renewed interest with both local and national developers who are investing in the city and the Knowledge Corridor region.

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 540,000-square-foot (50,000 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 140,000-square-foot (13,000 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).[58] On the back side of Front Street, the historic Beaux-Arts Hartford Times Building is being converted into a downtown campus of the University of Connecticut.[59] 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).

Connecticut Culinary Institute

The New Haven – Hartford – Springfield commuter rail line (officially named The Knowledge Corridor Intercity Rail Line)[60] is expected to be operational during 2015. According to Connecticut Governor Malloy, the Knowledge Corridor line will reach speeds up to 110 mph (177 km/h).[61] 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.[61]

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 90,000 square feet (8,000 m2) of office space and 45,000 square feet (4,200 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 913,000-square-foot (84,800 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.

Lincoln 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

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 made 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 "dash" is a service of the CT Department of Transportation and operated by CTTRANSIT.

New condos and apartments:

Knowledge Corridor Partnership
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 two metropolitan areas economically, culturally, and geographically. The nickname comes from the metropolitan region's over 32 universities and liberal arts colleges, including several of the United States' most prestigious. 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.[62]

Notable Hartford residents

Hartford, Connecticut and region at night, as seen from space.[63]

Hartford has been home to many historically significant people such as 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); poet Wallace Stevens (1879–1955), an insurance executive in the city; and World War II correspondent Lyn Crost (1915-1997). More recently Dominick Dunne (1925–2009), Suzanne Collins (1962–?), and John Gregory Dunne (1932–2003) resided in Hartford.

Many broadcasters have called Hartford home over the years. 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-2000s. 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.

Actors and others in the entertainment business from Hartford include Academy Award–winning film icon Katharine Hepburn, actors Linda Evans, Eriq La Salle, William Gillette, Charles Nelson Reilly, TV producer and writer Norman Lear. Former (deceased) Marvel Comics artist George Tuska was born in and spent the formative years of his life in Hartford.

In the field of music residents include singer Sophie Tucker (1884–1966), "last of the red-hot mamas." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Members Gene Pitney, Mike Carabello (of Santana); Mark McGrath; bass guitarist Doug Wimbish of Living Colour; Cindy Blackman (drummer for Lenny Kravitz); jazz alto saxophonist Jackie McLean;[64] concert violinist Elmar Oliveira (b. 1950); was born in the city; and brothers Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro and Steve Porcaro (of the group Toto). Composer and multi-instrumentalist Dawn LaRue (b. 1962) from AOL Music is also from Hartford.

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini is from Hartford. Former NHL player Craig Janney and current player Nick Bonino were born in Hartford. Other sports 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.

Sister cities

Hartford features numerous sister cities. They include:[65]

Notes

  1. ↑ Official records for Hartford kept at downtown from January 1905 to December 1948, Brainard Airport from January 1949 to December 1954, and at Bradley Int'l in Windsor Locks since January 1955.[23]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-8.pdf Connecticut: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts, U.S. Census Bureau, June 2012, table 8, page 11. Retrieved May 17, 2014
  2. ↑ City of Hartford History (The State of Connecticut is sometimes known as "the land of steady habits.")Connecticut Nicknames, Connecticut State Library
  3. ↑ "Letter from Mark Twain". Twainquotes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  4. ↑ Paul Zielbauer, "Poverty in a Land of Plenty: Can Hartford Ever Recover?" The New York Times, August 26, 2002.
  5. ↑ part 2: follow the money from city to suburbs | On The Line. Ontheline.trincoll.edu (2013-01-09). Retrieved on 2013-07-15.
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ Metro Hartford Progress Points, retrieved 3/13/2015
  8. ↑ Bacon, Nick. 2013. "Podunk after Pratt: Place and Placelessness in East Hartford, CT." Pp. 46–64 in Confronting Urban Legacy: Rediscovering Hartford and New England's Forgotten Cities. Xiangming Chen and Nick Bacon (eds). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
  9. ↑ Sterner, Daniel (2012). A Guide to Historic Hartford, Connecticut. The History Press. p. 81. ISBN 1609496353. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  10. ↑ "House of Hope". The New Netherland Institute. The New Netherland Institute. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Walsh, Andrew. "Hartford: A Global History." Pp. 21–45 in Confronting Urban Legacy: Rediscovering Hartford and New England's Forgotten Cities. Xiangming Chen and Nick Bacon (eds.). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books
  12. ↑ Shuffelton, Frank (1977). Thomas Hooker, 1586-1647. Princeton University Press. p. 212. ISBN 9780691613277. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  13. ↑ Voigt, Steven. "Lessons from Thomas Hooker about the frailty of humanity and the importance of a worldview". Renew America. Archived from the original on January 24, 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  14. ↑ "The Charter Oak Fell – Today in History: August 21". connecticuthistory.org. Connecticut Humanities. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "Record-Breaking Flood at Hartford, Conn.". Popular Mechanics. June 1909. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  16. ↑ "Developer proposes new arena in Hartford" AP report on ESPN.com (December 29, 2005)
  17. ↑ The estimated population as of 2008 is 124,062 – an increase of 2,484 from the 2000 Census. US Census: Population Finder: hartford city, CT
  18. ↑ "I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America" by Brian Lanker
  19. ↑
  20. ↑ "Main Street Bridge". Past-inc.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  22. ↑ "The Winter of 95–96: A Season of Extremes, National Climatic Data Center" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  23. ↑ ThreadEx
  24. ↑ "Station Name: CT HARTFORD BRADLEY INTL AP". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  25. ↑ "WMO Climate Normals for HARTFORD/BRADLEY INT'L ARPT CT 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  26. ↑
  27. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  28. ↑ Hartford (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Quickfacts.census.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-15.
  29. ↑ "Hartford (city), Connecticut". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau.
  30. ↑ "Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990". U.S. Census Bureau.
  31. ↑ "Poverty: 1999" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  32. ↑ Hartford Mayor Arrested for Second Time This Year from the New York Times 3 September 2009
  33. ↑ Hartford Mayor Quits Under Fire from the New York Times 25 June 2010
  34. ↑ Pedro Segarra Poised To Become Hartford Mayor from the Hartford Courant 23 June 2010
  35. ↑ http://www.hartfordinfo.org/issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_102807_1.asp
  36. ↑ "Connecticut Ends County Rule Oct. 1; State to Take Over Historic Government Units – Minor Court System Also to Go". The New York Times. 1960-08-14. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  37. ↑ http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/registration_and_enrollment_stats/nov13re.pdf
  38. ↑ http://www.hartford.gov/fire/
  39. ↑ http://www.hartford.gov/about-hfd
  40. ↑
  41. ↑
  42. ↑
  43. ↑
  44. ↑ Bordobaro, Gregory (22 July 2013). "CT’s ambulance services fragmented, consolidated". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  45. ↑ http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/2010/City_crime_rate_2010-2011_hightolow.pdf
  46. ↑
  47. ↑ Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.37.
  48. ↑ http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/full_list/
  49. ↑ "Labor Situation State of Connecticut". www1.ctdol.state.ct.us. January 26, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Downtown Pharmacy School Opens". Hartford Courant.
  51. ↑ The Hartford Courant. Retrieved on 2014-05-15.
  52. ↑ "Destinations". Bradleyairport.com. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  53. ↑ "Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford, Connecticut". Charteroakcenter.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  54. ↑ "Elizabeth Park A Century of Beauty". Epcentury.com. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  55. ↑ Lande, Nathaniel; Lande, Andrew. The 10 Best of Everything, Third Edition: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers (National Geographic the 10 Best of Everything) (New York: National Geographic, 2012), p.60-1.
  56. ↑ http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-hartford-rockcats-0605-20140604,0,5401516.story
  57. ↑ http://www.hartford.com. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  58. ↑ "The New Pulse of Hartford | Home". Front Street District. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  59. ↑ Gosselin, Kenneth (November 21, 2014). "Authority Gets Look at Latest UConn Hartford Campus Renderings". The Hartford Courant.
  60. ↑ "Fact Sheet: High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program: Northeast Region | The White House". Whitehouse.gov. 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 "Conn. seeks funds for rail work on Hartford-to-Springfield line (document)". The New Haven Register. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  62. ↑ The Republican file photo. "Hartford Springfield Economic Partnership gets $4.2 million to boost Knowledge Corridor". masslive.com. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  63. ↑ Long Island Sound Region at Night (September 30, 2013)
  64. ↑ Dixon, Ken, "Music Hall of Fame proposed for state", article in Connecticut Post in Bridgeport, Connecticut, April 26, 2007 ("Other famous state residents include the late jazz saxophonist Jackie McLean of Hartford")
  65. ↑ "Hartford Sister Cities International". Hartford Public Library. Retrieved 2011-07-03.

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Coordinates: 41°45′46″N 72°40′27″W / 41.762736°N 72.674286°W