| |  Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Small city charm, big city entertainment, and early American historic
sites make Hartford, Connecticut an accessible and vibrant U.S. city.
Connecticut’s changing New England climate and wooded landscape offers
residents opportunities for hiking, skiing, and water sports at the nearby
countryside, mountains, and beaches. In Hartford, Connecticut, residents
are never far from urban or rural entertainment.
Hartford residents can
enjoy theater at the acclaimed Hartford Stage, attend exhibits at the
Wadsworth Atheneum, and explore historic areas like the Indian Burial
ground. Smaller venues like Real Art Ways offer contemporary films, exhibits,
and theater while the Hartford Civic Center hosts sporting events and
exhibitions. People who wish to explore New York City or Boston need only
travel two hours from Hartford, by car, railroad, or bus.
Established
in 1623, Hartford was originally settled as a Dutch trading post. John
Steele established the first English settlement in the area and later
in 1636 Thomas Hooker and Samuel Stone of Massachusetts re-established
the colony with members of their Congregationalist congregation, changing
the Algonquin name of the area, “Sauciog,” to “Hartford” after Hertford
in England. Hartford officially became a part of the Connecticut Colony
in 1639.
Established as an early trading post, Hartford continued to be
an important supplier for the Revolutionary War and later became a booming
industrial center during the late 18th and 19th centuries. As an industrial
center, Hartford attracted diverse groups of immigrants. Today, contemporary
Hartford’s population reflects this rich cultural diversity with cultural
events, community groups, and international cuisine.
Nicknamed “the Insurance
Capital of the World,” Hartford merchants in the early 1800s, out of concern
for the safety of their goods, gathered and created the Hartford Fire
Insurance Group. Large insurance companies still make Hartford their home
and contribute to the wealth and corporate environment prevalent in Hartford
today. Hartford’s rich history, cultural and ethnic diversity, and contemporary
vigor and prosperity make it one of the most interesting and engaging
small cities on the East Coast.
|
|
Welcome
