Hartford, CT Local Community

Also known as the Insurance Capital of the World,  it hosts many insurance company headquarters, and insurance is the region's major industry. This city was founded in 1635. Can you believe it? It's among the oldest cities in the US. This is the reason why you'll find the oldest public art museum (Wadsworth Atheneum), the oldest continuously published newspaper, and the second-oldest secondary school. Another very cool fact about this city is that it was the home of famous writer Mark Twain! There is a lot of history going on here. 

Hartford lies in the humid continental climate zone. This is a place with a cool weather: warm to hot summers and cooler months during the winter.

Connecticut Transit (CTtransit) is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The Hartford Division of CTtransit operates local and commuter bus service within the city and the surrounding area. There is also one bicycle route that runs through the center of Hartford.

Things to do in Hartford: 
Visit the Wadsworth Atheneum. This is the very old museum that we were telling you about. Arts patron Daniel Wadsworth founded it in 1842. Being such an old museum, it's very obvious that a lot of "firsts" happened in this place. They were the very first museum in the U.S to purchase masterpieces from the “big” artists. Caravaggio, Dalí, Joan Miró, and even Picasso are names that appear on this museum's list and will delight you if you decide to visit it.

The Mark Twain House and Museum is a place that, as they say, "has a heart and soul." The tour will allow you discover the house room by room. If you are into Twain’s stories, you will love to see with your own eyes the very place where there were created.

For something more modern, a trip to the Connecticut Science Center is sure to inspire you with more than 165 different hand-on exhibits, educational labs, a 3-D digital theater, and numerous daily events and activities. Opened in 2009, the Center has quickly risen to prominence as the region’s leading learning center for science, especially in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.

Free hourly tours of the Connecticut State Capitol building are operated by the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. Visitors can also go on self-guided tours Monday through Friday during normal business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The building opened in 1878 and was designated a Registered National Landmark in 1971.

For a little bit of nature, you can visit the very green and charming Elizabeth Park. This is also a place with history- it appears on the National Record of Historic Places. Acres and acres of green trees and flowers that will delight you.

The Riverfront park system and Mortensen Riverfront Plaza offers a nice spot of nature in the middle of the city along the Connecticut River. Founders Bridge crosses the river and connects Hartford with the East Hartford community.
 

Other activities:

- Connecticut Science Center: With 150 hands-on exhibits

- Old State House: this is one of the oldest state houses in the country