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Hartford:1636to1900

Hartford.Photo:CarolM.Highsmith,LibraryofCongress

Hartfordisthestatecapital.LikeNewHaven,Hartfordwassettledbyaministerandhisfollowers.ReverendThomasHookerledagroupacrossland.TheycamefromMassachusettsin1636.TheysettledontheConnecticutRivernearaDutchtradingpost.NotfarawayweretheEnglishsettlementsofWindsorandWethersfield.

TheSaukiogandPodunkIndianslivedinthearea.ChiefSequassonsoldthelandtothesettlers.TheIndianscontinuedtolivenearby.Thethree“rivertowns”joinedtogetherastheConnecticutColony.

Hartford’ssettlersbuiltfarms.SmallmillswerebuiltalongtheLittleRiver.Asawmillturnedtreesintolumber.Agristmillgroundgrainintoflour.Akilnbakedbricksfromclaydugnearby.Apersonmightbeaminister,oracarpenter,oratailor,buthewasafarmer,too.

TheNewHavenColonywasitsneighbor.Thetwocoloniesjoinedtogetherin1665.For200years,Connecticuthadtwocapitals:



HartfordandNewHaven.Thelegislaturemetineachcityeveryotheryear.

Hartfordbecameabustlingcenterofrivertrade.Thefirstwharfwasbuiltin1720.Warehousesandshopslinedtheriverfront.

TheHartfordCourantnewspaperwasstartedinHartfordin1764.Ithasbeenpublishedeversince.Thatmakesitthelongest-publishednewspaperintheUnitedStates.

LikeNewHaven,Hartfordbecameacityin1784.In1788,GeorgeWashingtonbecamethenation’sfirstpresident.HeworeasuitofwoolclothmadebytheHartfordWoolenCompanytohisinauguration.

TherailroadcametoHartfordin1839.Factorieswerebuilttomakesteamengines,nails,organs,saddles,andmore.Hartfordbecameaninsurancecenter.Itwasalsoknownforbookpublishing.That’swhythefamousauthorMarkTwaincametoliveinHartford.Best-sellingauthorHarrietBeecherStowewashisneighbor.

In1855,SamuelColtbuiltalargefactory(right)alongtheConnecticutRiver.Hisfactorybecamefamousformakingguns.Hebuilthousingforhisworkers.Hetoppedhisfactorywithabluedomecoveredingoldstars.TheareawillsoonbetheColtsvilleNationalHistoricalPark.

Manyinventorsgottheirstartinthefactories.Bicycles,sewingmachines,earlyautomobiles,airplanes,andelevatorsweremadeinHartford.



In1875Hartfordbecamethecapitalcity.Thenewcapitolbuildingwascompletedin1878.

Today,Hartfordisstillaninsurancecenter.Saddlesarestillmadeinthecity.TheWadsworthAtheneumMuseumofArt(right)wasfoundedin1842.Itissaidtobetheoldestcontinuouslyoperatingartmuseuminthenation.

Inthe20thcenturyamigrationofAfricanAmericansfromthesouthandtheWestIndies,andPuertoRicansbroughttheirculturetoHartford.TheAmistadCenterforArt&Culture(above),theArtistsCollective,andGuakiaarethreeorganizationsthatcelebrateHartford’srichculturetoday.

Truckloadoftobaccoworkers,includingboysandgirls,indowntownHartfordboundforAmericanSumatraTobaccoFarm,SouthWindsor,1917.Photo:LewisHine,LibraryofCongress