Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the
capital of the
U.S. state of
Connecticut, in
Hartford County. It is located on the
Connecticut River, near the center of the state. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 121,578, but a
July 1,
2002 Census estimate puts the city's population at 124,558. It is the second largest city in the state, after
Bridgeport. Greater Hartford is also the 44th largest metro area in the country (
2004 census estimate) with a population of 1,184,564.
Sometimes referred to as "insurance capital of the world," Hartford houses many of the world's insurance company headquarters, and insurance is one of the region's major industries. Hartford and its environs are also known as "the land of steady habits." The region has a relatively low population of adults between the ages of 18 and 25, although Hartford itself has a relatively young population. Hartford's West End is home to Elizabeth Park, the oldest and largest municipal rose garden in the country. With
Springfield, Massachusetts, greater Hartford consitutes New England's
Knowledge Corridor.
This is a summary. For more information, see: History of Hartford, ConnecticutAfter Dutch explorer
Adriaen Block visited the area in
1614, fur traders from the
New Netherland colony set up trade on the site as early as
1623 but abandoned their post by
1654. The neighborhood near the site is still known as Dutch Point. The first
English settlers arrived in
1635. The settlement was originally called Newtown, but was changed to Hartford in
1637 to honor the English town of
Hertford.
The founding leader of the new colony,
Thomas Hooker, wrote the
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, a document (ratified
January 14,
1639) investing the authority to govern with the people, instead of with a higher power. Some historians believe Hooker's concepts of self-rule were the forerunners of the
U.S. Constitution.
On
December 15,
1814, delegations from New England gathered at the
Hartford Convention to discuss
secession from the United States. Later in the century, Hartford was a center of
abolitionist activity.
In
July 6,
1944, the
Hartford Circus Fire became one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States.
Starting in the late 1950s, the suburbs ringing Hartford began to grow and flourish, but the capital city began a long economic decline. In the last few years, revitalization efforts have started.
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Christ Church Cathedral Chapter House in downtown Hartford. |
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.5
km² (18.0
mi²). 44.8 km² (17.3 mi²) of it is land and 1.7 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (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 separates Hartford from the region's eastern suburbs.
As of the
census² of 2000, there were 121,578 people, 44,986 households, and 27,171 families residing in the city. The
population density was 2,711.8/km² (7,025.5/mi²). There were 50,644 housing units at an average density of 1,129.6/km² (2,926.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 17.72%
White, 38.05%
Black or
African American, 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 of any race.
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 was spread out with 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.
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. About 28.2% of families and 30.6% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 23.2% of those age 65 or over.
After
World War II, many residents of
Puerto Rico moved to Hartford and today Puerto Rican flags can be found on cars and buildings all over the city.
In 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 Mayor Eddie Perez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Hartford in
1969, when he was 12 years old.
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The Connecticut State Capitol in downtown Hartford |
Central Business District/Downtown
Downtown is Hartford's primary business district. Downtown is home to such corporations as Travelers, The Hartford Steam Boiler, Phoenix Insurance, Prudential Retirement and United Technologies Corporation.
Downtown is also home to the Hartford City Hall, the Hartford Public Library, the Old State House, the
Wadsworth Atheneum, The Travelers Tower,
Bushnell Park, and the
State Capitol and Legislative Office Complex. Capital Community College and the Hartford Public Schools offices are also located along Main Street in the former G. Fox and Company Building. The newly renovated
University of Connecticut School of Business is located at Constitution Plaza.
Asylum Hill
The Asylum Hill neighborhood was originally known as "Lords Hill." The Asylum Hill neighborhood is home to the Asylum Hill Congregational Church (organized in
1864), The Trinity Episcopal Church, and Saint Joseph's Cathedral (dedicated
1892).
There are also many insurance companies that were or are still located in the Asylum Hill area such as the Hartford Fire Insurance Company (now the Hartford Financial Services Group) and Rossia Insurance Company (now Northeastern Insurance Company).
AETNA Insurance Company still remains as a major fixture along Farmington Avenue. Also along Farmington Avenue are the homes of
Mark Twain and
Harriet Beecher Stowe, which are now museums.
Coming soon to the Asylum Hill neighborhood is the Connecticut Culinary Institute which will move in the recently vacated Hastings Hotel and Conference Center next to AETNA
West End
The West End neighborhood, which runs from a little bit past the
Mark Twain house to the
West Hartford border, was mostly farmland until
1870. During the
1910s, many two and three story homes were built, giving the area more of a suburban feel.
Elizabeth Park in the West End was created in
1895, when Charles N. Pond gave his estate to the Hartford Parks Commission which created the park and named it in honor of his wife. The park boasts a playground, softball field, and other recreational facilities in addition to views of the downtown skyline. It's the oldest municipal rose garden in the United States, and one of the largest.
The
University of Connecticut School of Law,
Watkinson School and the
Hartford Seminary are located in the West End. Part of Prospect Avenue boasts mansions including the Governor's Mansion. Mansions can also be found along Scarborough Street including the former residence of A. Everett Ausin (Director of
Wadsworth Atheneum from
1927-
1944).
Sheldon/Charter Oak
The neighborhood is located just south of downtown with the
Connecticut River and
I-91 running at the eastern end of the neighborhood. The
Charter Oak monument is located at the corner of Charter Oak Place, a historic street, and Charter Oak Avenue.
The area was home to the
Colts Firearm Factory which was started by
Samuel Colt, who invented the revolver. Along with building a factory, Mr. Colt also made a village with houses, a library, and recreational activities so that his employees could be close to work. Colt's estate, Armsmear, was given to the city as Colt's Park after Mr. and Mrs. Colt's death. A developer is currently in the process of renovating the whole facility to create office space and apartments for completion in 2006/2007.
The Capewell Horsenail Company was also in the area. In
1881,
George Capewell invented a machine to make horseshoe nails.
North End
The neighborhood is a conglomeration of formerly distinct neighborhoods that have been collapsed into a largely impoverished zone. Generally identified as consisting of the vast area north of Albany Avenue leading up to the Bloomfield and Windsor borders, the North End has been wracked by decades of policies such as redlining and racist city planning that transformed a once multi-cultural area of African-American, Jewish, and European immigrants into an underdeveloped zone of housing projects and slums that is nearly entirely African-American and poor. This began in the
1950s with the construction of
I-84, which cut off North End from the rest of the city, followed by a high concentration of government-financed housing projects that caused the flight of the working and middle class to the suburbs.
Although many of the housing projects have been demolished in
1990s and
2000s, and were replaced with
HUD home constructions designed to increase the proportion of working families in the North End, the area still suffers from underdevelopment and crime. Many of the North End's parks, such as Keney Park, are considered among the city's most dangerous. The schools are among the most segregated and underperforming in the country, with populations of impoverished and African-American students extending into the 90th percentile. Mortality rates in the North End are comparable to those of the
South Bronx in
New York City.
The North End is home to an active community of West Indian immigrants that provide the area with a cultural and artistic presence: the West Indian Social Club and Scott's Jamaican Bakery are two notable neighborhood institutions. The North End is also home to Weaver High School, which was also the alma mater of
ER actor
Eriq La Salle.
South End
This neighborhood is home to the area of Franklin Avenue, known as Little Italy. Although many Italians have moved just over the border to
Wethersfield,
Newington, and
Rocky Hill, there is still a major Italian presence in the city. There are numerous Italian bakeries along Franklin Avenue. In the past few decades, there has been
white flight from the South End, with many Puerto Rican families moving into the neighborhood but nevertheless there are many local favorites (restaurants, bakeries and stores) that draw people back into the South End.
Another resident of Hartford's South End is the
South Park Inn emergency shelter.
South Green
South Green is home to Barnard Park in honor of
Henry Barnard, whose home is located on Main Street. Congress Street is a historic district with many Greek Revival and Italianate homes. Hartford Hospital and the Connecticut Children's Medical Center are also located in South Green.
South Meadows
Located at the southeastern corner of the city, the area is home to many industrial and commercial businesses. The neighborhood is home to the Regional Market, a 32 acre (129,000 m²) facility with 185,000 of warehouse space. Brainard Field along
I-91 serves small aircraft and offers flight instruction. The Hartford Electric Light Company which started in
1921 is still operational and owned by CT Light and Power. One of the Metropolitan District Water pollution control plants is located in the south meadows. Also, the Mid-Connecticut Resource Recovery Facility, which opened in
1987 and is on 57 acres (231,000 m²), is located in the area.
North Meadows
Located just north of downtown along the CT River and I-91 the North Meadows is a largely commercial and industrial area that is home to many of the area's car dealerships including dealers for Mercedes Benz, BMW, Nissan, Infiniti, Jaguar, Toyota and Mazda as well as a brand new CarMax dealership. The North Meadows is also the home of the CT Expo Center which features 88,000 square feet of exhibition space, the Dodge Music Center (formerly the Meadows Music Theater), which hosts dozens of big name concerts each year, and Riverside Park.
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Central Business District. |
Greater Hartford is an international center of the
insurance industry, with companies such as
AETNA and
The Hartford based in the city. The area is also home to
Colt Firearms and large corporations like
United Technologies (the parent corporation for
Pratt & Whitney,
Otis Elevator,
Sikorsky Aircraft,
Carrier Corporation,
Hamilton Sundstrand, UTC Fire & Security and UTC Fuel Cells) and others.
Hartford is the home of several institutions such as
Trinity College, the
Hartford Conservatory (in the Asylum Hill neighborhood), the
Institute of Living,
Capital Community College (located downtown), the
University of Connecticut School of Business (also downtown),
Hartford Seminary (in the West End), the
University of Connecticut School of Law (also in the West End) and a branch campus for
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In neighboring
West Hartford, there is
The Hartt School, a performing arts conservatory attached to the University of Hartford,
The American School for the Deaf, the
University of Hartford, the
University of Connecticut Greater Hartford campus, and
Saint Joseph College.
Hartford Public High School, the nation's second oldest high school, also finds it's home in the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford.
The Greater Hartford area is also home to many well-known private and parochial schools, including The
Loomis Chaffee School in
Windsor,
Watkinson School in Hartford,
Kingswood-Oxford School in
West Hartford,
Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford,
Renbrook School in West Hartford,
Avon Old Farms School in
Avon,
Westminster School in
Simsbury,
Miss Porter's School in
Farmington,
Ethel Walker School in Simsbury,
The Masters School in Simsbury,and
East Catholic High School in
Manchester.
Points of interest
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Bushnell Park - Located below the
State Capitol and legislative office complex, this park consists of rolling lawns, fountains, a lake, and a historic carousel. It is the first park in the country purchased by a municipality for public use. The Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch is an 85 ft Civil War Memorial which frames the northern entrance to the park.
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Bushnell Center for Performing Arts*
Cathedral of St. Joseph - Located outside of downtown, this Roman Catholic cathedral has stained glass windows and a large ceramic mural.
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Charter Oak Cultural Center - Located at 21 Charter Oak Avenue, near the Charter Oak monument, COCC is housed in the first synagogue in the northeast, built in 1876. Today it is a secular non-profit institution bringing together art, drama, music, and other cultural excursions.
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Connecticut State Capitol - Located at Bushnell Park, this large
Gothic-inspired building features many statues on its exterior. It is topped with a gold leafed dome.
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Colt Arms Factory and Park - Topped with a blue and gold dome, the complex is currently being redeveloped and renovated. It will feature office space, apartments, and retail space.
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Armsmear - The Colt family estate.
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Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration - The 150,000 square foot (14,000 m²) facility will be built along the
Connecticut River on Columbus Boulevard near the convention center (opening in 2007+).
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Connecticut Convention Center - The 540,000 square foot (42,000 m²)
convention center 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 in late August
2005).
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Constitution Plaza - Built in the early
1960s, Constitution Plaza is a renowned
redevelopment project. The complex is comprised of numerous office buildings, underground parking, a restaurant, and outdoor courtyards along with a broadcasting studio. During the holiday season the area is filled with
Christmas lights, and the annual Taste of Hartford celebration is held here. The Plaza passes over the highway and connects the city to the Connecticut River.
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Elizabeth Park & Rose Garden - Located on the Hartford/
West Hartford border.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe House & Research Center - The former home of
Harriet Beecher Stowe is now a museum located on Farmington Avenue near the Mark Twain House.
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Hartford Civic Center - Built in
1975, the center hosts concerts and shows. It hosted the former
NHL Hartford Whalers, and is also the home to the
Hartford Wolf Pack AHL hockey team and is a part time home to
UConn basketball team. A new 36 story apartment complex (Hartford 21) is being built directly on top of the Civic Center and will also include retail and entertainment space. It will be the tallest apartment building in New England (completion expected in mid
2006).
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Hartford Stage - One of the country's top regional theatres, dedicated to the production of classic works and new play development.
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Hartford Symphony Orchestra - Connecticut's premier musical organization widely recognized as one of America's leading regional orchestras
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Isham-Terry House- The house was built in
1854 as the residence of a business man. The house is designed in an Italian Villa style.
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The Mark Twain House- Once the home of
Samuel Clemens, the house is now a museum located in the city's west end on Farmington Avenue.
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Old State House - The Old State House was the first in the U.S., designed by
Charles Bulfinch, and recently restored with a gold-leafed dome rising from its top. The Old State House sits facing the Connecticut River in Downtown.
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Pope Park, Hartford, Connecticut*
Riverfront Recapture and Park - This 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 Hartford.
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Saint Thomas Seminary - Located on 80 acres (324,000 m²) in
Bloomfield. The seminary is three miles north of Hartford near the
University of Hartford. The seminary opened in
1930 and its campus consists of rolling greens and
Gothic-inspired buildings.
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Trinity College - The liberal arts college, founded in
1823, has more than 2,100 students. The college is consistently ranked as one of the best liberal arts colleges in America.
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University of Connecticut Business School - In an effort to be more accessible to part time business students, a branch of the University of Connecticut Business school opened in downtown Hartford. The building is located on Market Street just north of Constitution Plaza.
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University of Connecticut Law School - located just off Farmington Avenue, the campus includes an extensive, large
Gothic-inspired library
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University of Hartford - The University, which was founded in
1877, sits on 340 acres (1.4 km²) with a 13 acre (53,000 m²) campus on Bloomfield Avenue situated on land divided between Hartford and West Hartford minutes from downtown. There are more than 7,200 students and 86 undergraduate majors.
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The Hartt School at University of Hartford*
Wadsworth Atheneum of Art - the oldest art museum in the U.S.
In the last few years, Hartford has begun to generate renewed interest as many redevelopment projects have been completed, are currently in progress or planned across the city. These initiatives include both commercial and residential projects such as Adriaen's Landing, the Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration, an extensive system of riverfront trails and parks, Park Street and Parkville neighborhood improvements and significant downtown development. The historic Colt building and complex is also being renovated to National Park standards.
In
1997, the city lost its professional hockey franchise, the
Hartford Whalers, but efforts are being made to bring in an NHL team.
Currently Hartford is experiencing a revitalization with over 1 billion dollars worth of private and publicly funded projects recently completed, under construction or in the works throughout the city's 17 neighborhoods and also in neighboring
East Hartford. The overlying theme for the project was creating more activity downtown and reconnecting
Constitution Plaza to the waterfront, which was cut-off when Interstate 91 was constructed.
Some of the major 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. The project includes the 540,000 square foot 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 Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration. The final component of the project is Front Street which sits across from the convention center and is the retail, entertainment and residential component of the entire project. Publicly funded parts of the project will include transportation improvements (see below). Work will soon begin on the construction of new residential units which will be housed in towers, along with retail and entertainment space which will include an
ESPN Zone. On the back side of Front Street the historic
Hartford Times Building is being converted into the home of administrative offices for the
Wadsworth Atheneum.
Hartford 21:Currently being constructed on the site of the
Hartford Civic Center Mall the project includes the construction of a 36 story residential tower, the tallest between
New York City and
Boston. Attached to the tower will be 90,000 square feet of office space and 45,000 square feet of retail space all of which will be housed in a large block. The old convention center under the mall will be converted into a world-class gym. The
Hartford Civic Center is still open and is part of the project as home to the AHL
Hartford Wolfpack, the
UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams as well as hosting shows and concerts.
Capital Community College at the G. Fox Department Store: The 913,000 square foot former home of the G. Fox & Company Department Store on Main Street recently underwent a complete renovation and is now the new home of Capital Community College as well as offices for the State of CT and ground level retail space.
Connecticut Culinary Institute: The school has recently completed a deal that will relocate part of the school to the former Hastings Hotel and Conference Center in the city's Asylum Hill neighborhood just west of downtown and next to the AETNA Headquarters.
Rentschler Field: Though 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.
Transportation and parking improvements: Some roads were turned into pedestrian walkways to reduce gridlock, other roads were widened, or made one-way. Some intersections were also improved to better handle traffic. A large parking garage was also built in down town to ease parking problems. There was also a series of shuttle routes created, known originally as the "Downtown Circulator Project" and now run by the
Greater Hartford Transit District.
New condos and apartments:*
Trumbull on the Park: This apartment community recently opened along Bushnell Park, housed in a new 11 story brick building and also has a parking garage and ground level retail space. There are also additional units oused in recently renovated historic buildings nearby on Lewis Street.
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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.
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Sage Allen Building: On Main Street, the former Sage Allen Department Store building is being turned into 44 4-Bedroom townhouses. The project also includes the renovation of the Richardson Food Court and the reopening of Temple Street which will once again reconnect Main Street and Market Street.
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The Metropolitan: The former Hartford Telephone Company Building on Pearl Street is being converted into luxury condominiums.
The city is served by the daily
Hartford Courant newspaper, which is the country's oldest continuously published newspaper, founded in
1764. A weekly newspaper, the
Hartford Advocate, also serves Hartford and the surrounding area, as does the
The Hartford Guardian (a city-wide, quarterly conservative newsmagazine) and
The Hartford Undercurrent (an independent, monthly paper that accepts open submissions).Several
television and
radio stations based in Hartford cover the entire state. These stations serve the Hartford/
New Haven market, which is the 28th largest market in the U.S.
Bradley International Airport, in
Windsor Locks, Connecticut, is twenty minutes north of Hartford and serves Hartford and
Springfield.
Other airports serving the Hartford area include:
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Brainard Airport, located in Hartford off of
I-91 and close to Wethersfield, serves charter flights and local flights.
*
John F. Kennedy International Airport and
LaGuardia Airport in New York, New York
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Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts
*
Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is served by
US Airways Express.
Interstate bus service is provided by
Bonanza Bus,
Greyhound Bus and by
Peter Pan Bus Lines. Additionally, there are are buses for connections to smaller cities in the state. The bus station is at the train station at One Union Place.
During the
1960s and
1970s, Hartford was something of a
poster child for highway construction, and has several highways surrounding the downtown area. Still more projects were canceled, both within the city and the suburbs like the proposed
I-291 beltway, due to community opposition.
I-84 runs from
Danbury, on the New York border, to
Union on the Massachusetts border.
I-91 starts in
New Haven off
I-95 and continues all the way up to
Canada along the
Connecticut River. The two highways intersect in downtown Hartford. Their
interchange remained incomplete, anticipating the extension of the
Conland-Whitehead Highway to connect the two near the capitol building. This created a traffic tie-up that was unsnarled in the 1990s.
Hartford suffers from notoriously heavy traffic as a result of its suburban population, which is proportionally much larger than that of any other nearby city. As a result, thousands of people clog area highways at the start of the workday. I-84 experiences traffic from
Farmington through Hartford and into
East Hartford and
Manchester during the
rush hour. Outside of Hartford, there are delays going westbound east of the Connecticut River and delays going eastbound west of the city, while in Hartford there is traffic in both directions. I-91 has significant delays, usually south of the city in
Wethersfield and
Rocky Hill and north of the city in
Windsor and
Bloomfield.
Besides the two major interstates, the
Route 2 expressway runs from
Norwich in the southeastern part of the state up to
East Hartford where it then intersects with I-84. There are delays through
Glastonbury and East Hartford in the morning hours.
Known as the
Berlin Turnpike, Routes
5 and
15 run south of the city. Before
I-91, the roadway carried people from Hartford to
New Haven. Along the Berlin Turnpike is an array of department stores, restaurants, and offices in
Berlin,
Newington, and
Wethersfield. In Wethersfield, it becomes a highway-grade roadway that intersects with
I-91 and
I-84. Past Berlin, Route 15 becomes the
Wilbur Cross Parkway in
Meriden, and later, the
Merritt Parkway which runs parallel to
I-95 to the
New York border.
West of Hartford,
Route 44 runs from
West Hartford up into the hills of
Litchfield County and eventually into
New York. East of Hartford, Route 44 runs to
Putnam and into
Rhode Island.
Hartford's dependence on the railroad has decreased since the automobile. However, the Hartford train station at One Union Place still operates.
Amtrak provides service from Hartford to
Springfield,
New Haven,
New York,
Boston,
Providence, and
Washington DC. The station is also a major bus station serving numerous bus companies as Hartford is a mid-way point between the popular 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.
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.
*
Frederick Law Olmstead, the renowned urban and suburban planner famous for many of the
New York City Parks and
Stanford University's campus, was born, raised and educated in Hartford.
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Ann Corio, burlesque star, was from Hartford.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe was originally from the
Litchfield area, but settled in Hartford during the
1870s. Her house on Forest Street is now open to the public and is right next to that of
Mark Twain.
*
Mark Twain moved to Hartford in
1874 and lived in Hartford for a number of years. The
Mark Twain House is a national historic site. Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, wrote many of his most famous works in Hartford, including
The Gilded Age,
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court,
Roughing It, and his most read and controversial,
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
*
Wallace Stevens, the poet, was an insurance executive in Hartford.
Stephen Cole Kleene and
Bill Morrissey were born in the area.
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Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003), the actress, was born in Hartford.
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George Keller (1842-1935), the architect, lived in Hartford until his death. He designed the Soldier's and Sailor's Arch, the Hartford Train Station, and the Garfield Memorial in Cleveland, Ohio. His ashes, along with the ashes of his wife, Mary, are interred in turrets of the arch he designed.
*
Dwight Freeney (
NFL Indianapolis Colts) and
Nykesha Sales (
WNBA Connecticut Sun) were also born in the Hartford area. They resided in the northwest suburb of
Bloomfield and grew up within brief walking distance of each other on Farmstead Circle. Both attended Bloomfield High School and were All State(CIAC) varsity athletes in football and basketball respectively.
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Terry Moor (born
1952), a former professional tennis player who was born in Hartford, and who won two singles and three doubles titles during his career. The lefthander became the number 32 of the world on October 29, 1984.
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Mark McGrath, lead singer of Sugar Ray was born in Hartford.
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Norman Lear, went to Weaver High School in Hartford.
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Charles Nelson Reilly, spent his childhood in Hartford.
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Totie Fields and
Sophie Tucker, both born and raised in Hartford.
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Amy Brenneman, grew up in
Glastonbury. She adapted the experiences of her mother, a Connecticut Superior Court judge in Hartford, into the television series
Judging Amy.
*
Jeff Porcaro,
Steve Porcaro,
Mike Porcaro of the rock band
Toto were born in Hartford. Lived early years in
South Windsor before moving to
Los Angeles. Father
Joe Porcaro is well known as a session and drum instructor.
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Eriq La Salle of the television show
ER was born and raised in Hartford.
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Rick Mahorn,
Johnny Egan,
Marcus Camby and
Michael Adams of the NBA are from Hartford.
*
Manute Bol, former NBA player, resides in nearby
West Hartford.
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Jim Murray longtime sports columnist of the
Los Angeles Times was born and raised in Hartford.
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Dominick Dunne and
John Gregory Dunne, famous writers, were born in Hartford and grew up in West Hartford.
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Jackie McLean, jazz alto saxophonist and educator
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Barbara Kolb, composer (b. 1939)
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L. Paul Bremer, ex- Administrator of Iraq and foreign service officer.
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Phil Tonken (1919-2000), longtime staff announcer at New York station
WOR-AM-
TV, was born in Hartford.
Because of Hartford's diverse population the city has numerous
sister cities. They include:
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Bydgoszcz, Poland*
Caguas, Puerto Rico*
Floridia, Italy: A small suburb of
Siracusa that is located on the southeastern coast of the island of
Sicily.
*
Freetown, Sierra Leone*
Hertford, England: The town has a population of about 24,000 and serves and has many commuters to
London. The town has a country feel but is also only 20 miles north of London.
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Mangualde, Portugal: The small town in
Centro Region is very close to the
Serra de Estrela Mountains.
*
Morant Bay, Jamaica*
New Ross, Ireland*
Ocotal, Nicaragua*
Thessaloniki, Greece*
Official Hartford website*
Hartford Info Center - Information about Hartford, CT*
Capital City Economic Development Authority*
Hartford Convention and Visitor's Bureau*
HartfordInfo.org -- Information and Data about Hartford and its Neighborhoods*
Hartford, Connecticut: Landmarks, History, Neighborhoods*
Central Regional Tourism District
