The Heartbeat
Saturday, March 21st, 2009
John Parks asked:
Some call it “The Hearbeat.” They call themselves “New England’s Rising Star.” Whatever way you choose to look at it, Hartford Connecticut is a fascinating city—full of history, full of life, and full of potential. General Information regarding Hartford Hartford is not a gigantic city on the scale of L.A. or New York City. With a population of almost 125,000, Hartford boasts a vibrant history and a burgeoning modern industry. Hartford is the capitol of the state of Connecticut and is located in the geographical center of the state. If the population of Hartford encompasses the greater metro area, the population crawls above one million, placing Hartford on the top fifty of largest American metro areas. Historical Riches; Modern Appeal Hartford is one of America’s oldest cities—nearly 400 years old to be exact. Founded by Dutch fur trappers in the early 1600s, Hartford had her humble beginnings as a trade post. As the English settlers arrived to this wilderness outpost, the name Hartford, after the English town of the same name, began to be used. Today’s Hartford still contains vestiges of her distant past, but the future of the city is still bright. Hartford is known as “The Insurance Capital of the World.” Hartford is the birth center for many of the world’s largest and most prestigious insurance firms, and insurance remains the city’s most profitable industry sector. Names like Aetna, MetLife, The Hartford, and others are familiar names grace the insurance sector. Schools But insurance is only one of the city’s profit points. Since Hartford is one of the nation’s wealthiest cities, there is definitely much more. Hartford is a hub of higher education. Wadsworth Athenaeum, Trinity College, The Hartford Conservatory, the University of Hartford and the University of Connecticut are just a few of the city’s prestigious schools. Transportation The Bradley International Airport in Hartford is the state’s most populous transportation center. However, the airport is dwarfed by its big-brother neighbors, namely Logan International in nearby Boston and JFK and LaGuardia in New York City. Attractions Hartford is a place of great historical interest. Armsmear is the location of the old Colt Family estate, and elegant and haunting location. The Bulkely Bridge, the largest stone bridge in the world, provides an impressive span across the Connecticut River. The Colt Armory, former headquarters for the Colt Manufacturing Company is based in downtown Connecticut. The city’s capitol building is of itself an impressive attraction, boasting an immense dome with gold leaf coating. For those interested in the fine arts, Hartford will not disappoint. Hartford Stage is an award-winning popular theater for the performing arts. The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, of international acclaim, performs in the city. Harriet Beecher Stowe, of literary fame, lived in Hartford. Her house is still standing. Mark Twain, the pen name for the famous Samuel Clemens, also resided in Hartford, and his house is still available for viewing. Sports Sports are not one of Hartford’s main attractions, although their sports teams are notable in their own right. They boast a hockey team and a rugby team. The University of Connecticut is home to the UConn Huskies, a team that is very competitive on the NCAA. For more information on Hartford, Connecticut visit http://hartfordmicroblog.com and http://connecticutmicroblog.com
Some call it “The Hearbeat.” They call themselves “New England’s Rising Star.” Whatever way you choose to look at it, Hartford Connecticut is a fascinating city—full of history, full of life, and full of potential. General Information regarding Hartford Hartford is not a gigantic city on the scale of L.A. or New York City. With a population of almost 125,000, Hartford boasts a vibrant history and a burgeoning modern industry. Hartford is the capitol of the state of Connecticut and is located in the geographical center of the state. If the population of Hartford encompasses the greater metro area, the population crawls above one million, placing Hartford on the top fifty of largest American metro areas. Historical Riches; Modern Appeal Hartford is one of America’s oldest cities—nearly 400 years old to be exact. Founded by Dutch fur trappers in the early 1600s, Hartford had her humble beginnings as a trade post. As the English settlers arrived to this wilderness outpost, the name Hartford, after the English town of the same name, began to be used. Today’s Hartford still contains vestiges of her distant past, but the future of the city is still bright. Hartford is known as “The Insurance Capital of the World.” Hartford is the birth center for many of the world’s largest and most prestigious insurance firms, and insurance remains the city’s most profitable industry sector. Names like Aetna, MetLife, The Hartford, and others are familiar names grace the insurance sector. Schools But insurance is only one of the city’s profit points. Since Hartford is one of the nation’s wealthiest cities, there is definitely much more. Hartford is a hub of higher education. Wadsworth Athenaeum, Trinity College, The Hartford Conservatory, the University of Hartford and the University of Connecticut are just a few of the city’s prestigious schools. Transportation The Bradley International Airport in Hartford is the state’s most populous transportation center. However, the airport is dwarfed by its big-brother neighbors, namely Logan International in nearby Boston and JFK and LaGuardia in New York City. Attractions Hartford is a place of great historical interest. Armsmear is the location of the old Colt Family estate, and elegant and haunting location. The Bulkely Bridge, the largest stone bridge in the world, provides an impressive span across the Connecticut River. The Colt Armory, former headquarters for the Colt Manufacturing Company is based in downtown Connecticut. The city’s capitol building is of itself an impressive attraction, boasting an immense dome with gold leaf coating. For those interested in the fine arts, Hartford will not disappoint. Hartford Stage is an award-winning popular theater for the performing arts. The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, of international acclaim, performs in the city. Harriet Beecher Stowe, of literary fame, lived in Hartford. Her house is still standing. Mark Twain, the pen name for the famous Samuel Clemens, also resided in Hartford, and his house is still available for viewing. Sports Sports are not one of Hartford’s main attractions, although their sports teams are notable in their own right. They boast a hockey team and a rugby team. The University of Connecticut is home to the UConn Huskies, a team that is very competitive on the NCAA. For more information on Hartford, Connecticut visit http://hartfordmicroblog.com and http://connecticutmicroblog.com