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Hartford, CT

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Connecticut's Old State House

4.2 (16 reviews)
Open • 12:00 pm - 5:00 PM

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Connecticut's Old State House, Hartford
Bruce K.

Located in downtown Hartford, the Old State House is still closed in late May due to the pandemic. Maybe that's changing soon. You can still walk the grounds and take photographs and that's what I did. This beautiful building was completed in 1796 and was the center of Connecticut's legislative activities for the next 82 years. After 1878, the building served as Hartford's city hall and remained an active government facility until 1915. In the early 20th century, after Hartford's construction of a new city hall, the Old State House became vacant and remained so for long periods-only used sporadically as a community center for the Red Cross and other local groups. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and that saved it from destruction. When it's open, the exhibits are of course about the history of Hartford and important events in Connecticut history. The building has a reputation of paranormal activity so maybe that's something that will interest you. There is metered street parking all around downtown Hartford and paid parking lots near the building. [Review 15168 overall, 670 of 2021, number 24 in Connecticut.]

Scott G.

Connecticut's Old State House is a cool spot to visit and learn some CT history! This building served as the home to all three branches of the CT state government from 1796 to 1878. Here's the scoop: Hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 12-5PM, though Thursday they're open later, until 8PM. The last ticket is sold one hour before closing. Adult tickets are only $8 each and can be purchased at the front desk when you walk in. They have discounts for seniors, AAA members, etc. and children 5 and under, active military, veterans, etc. are free with ID. Parking is available on-street (metered, but free after 6PM and on weekends) or in the nearby State House Square Garage at 55 Market St. Before you leave have them validate your parking and it's only $5 (versus the $2 per half hour that the garage charges). Once inside, you can choose to take a guided tour or do self-guided. I chose self-guided, and they gave me an informational packet to read, which guided me through the various rooms including the Senate Chamber, House Chamber, court room, etc. I thought the coolest room was the Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities, which is located on the top floor. On display you can see a taxidermy two-headed calf, many other taxidermy animal heads, a two-headed piglet, reptile heads, etc. Very interesting stuff! Once you finish touring the main building, head to the basement for a more interactive/kids area where you can learn more about CT history. There's also a historical Hartford Fire Department truck on display, which was super cool to see! Overall an interesting and inexpensive place to visit if you like CT history!

Old Fire Truck
Cam E.

Built in 1796, the Old State House in the capital of Hartford, Connecticut, is worth the visit if you are in town for whatever reason you should find yourself here. The exterior is made of brownstone on the lower floor and of red brick on the upper floors. The interior main floor with 20 foot height ceilings are in the old Federal style of the time. Three main rooms are on the top floor: Assembly Hall, Legislative meeting room, and Joseph Stewart's Museum of Curiosities. On the second floor is a grand courtroom where the famous Amistad trial was held in 1839. The main level has a Museum of the People of Connecticut, with many photos and artifacts representing events/changes throughout Connecticut' s history. For entry: Adults are $6.00 Seniors, AAA, Students are $3.00, Active Military/Retired Veterans and children are Free. Do take a guided tour. The tour guides very well informed and equipped with much knowledge to answer any questions. **Open Monday to Fridays: 10AM to 4PM. Closed Saturday & Sunday**

Lego version of the house inside the house!
Jason F.

I stopped by here earlier today with my wife. I had been past the Old CT State House many times before but was never able to take a tour due to the limited 10-5 hours. So I made sure whenever I had a free day in Hartford to do the tour. Whenever we arrived at the old state house we were immediately greeted by a very nice lady. After talking to her for a bit we found out that the noon tour would start in a few minutes. She also informed us that we could get a AAA discount off of the $6/person ticket and paid $6 for both of us. Since it was a random Tuesday the tour consisted of the tour leader, myself and my wife. It started with a video which gave a quick 5 minute overview about the house. We then proceeded through three floors of history. Interestingly enough most of the looks are attributed to a 1920s renovation and so a lot of what you see isn't very original. Still, we learned a lot about the house itself as well as the history of CT. Last but certainly not least you are treated to the Musuem of oddities which contains items like a two headed calf, narwhal horn, etc. The bottom line for me is that I might stop by here in the future. While I wouldn't consider it to be an essential thing to do while in the Hartford area it is certainly cheap and gives you some history on the old state house as well as the CT government.

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11 months ago

Great museum. Friendly staff. Large galleries. Broad collections. Friendly staff. Convenient hours.

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4 years ago

Such a beautiful museum and really great tour! Make sure to check out the museum of oddities, it won't disappoint!

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“The Senate and Victorian rooms are very historic and demonstrate what different periods in history were like.”

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Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront

Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront

(3 reviews)

I was incredibly surprised to have run into the Lincoln Financial Sculptures Walk. It actually…read morestretches from the Boathouse to the Founder's Bridge and across the river. And I believe I only saw half of it. It was definitely worth it. It took me nearly an hour so I'd think it could stretch to two hours to complete them all. Happy hunting!

Holy Mackerel !! I…read morehad no idea that this treasure chest of art, creativity, and history existed. Shame on me for not exploring the Hartford Riverfront earlier. In 2005, Lincoln Financial donated a $500,000 grant to the Greater Hartford Arts Council to design a Sculpture Walk along the Connecticut River in both Hartford and East Hartford. They announced a nationwide competition for accomplished artists around the country and selected 16 works for this permanent public art exhibit representing the life, accomplishments and values of President Abraham Lincoln. I looked at three of the sixteen statues today as part of my wandering around the Riverfront during the Dragon Boat and Asian Festival. Sculpture Three: Lincoln Meets Stowe (Bruno Lucchesi - 2006) This bronze sculpture commemorates the 1862 meeting of Abraham Lincoln and Hartford author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Upon meeting, Lincoln purportedly quipped, "So you're the little lady who started this big war." Sculpture Four: Toward Union Lines (Preston Jackson - 2007) This sculpture represents a young woman walking north toward Union lines. The accompanying plaque describes the plight of "contrabands" or escaped slaves. Sculpture Five: Frontier Life (Neil Goodman - 2008) This sculpture represents Lincoln's Indiana boyhood years living in a log cabin and growing up to be a skilled ax-man and rail splitter. I can't wait to see the other 13 exhibits. Riverfront Recapture offers a walking tour of all sixteen stations and additional artwork on the very impressive Hartford riverfront.

The Safe Arrival

The Safe Arrival

(1 review)

Downtown

If you find yourself walking across the outdoor plaza at the Travelers Insurance Company, you may…read morebe so taken by the sculpture of a giant red umbrella, that you might miss this gem of a monument, near the plaza entrance to the building. It commemorates the 1636 arrival of Hartford's earliest settlers, when 100 members of Thomas Hooker's congregation travelled from Cambridge, MA to found what became known as the Connecticut Colony, here in Hartford. You'll see a 6 foot tall and nine feet wide bronze statue on a granite base that depicts one of the families in that arrival -a Puritan family of four and their lamb. You can see the father kneeling in prayer with his head bowed and his hand on a Bible. You can see the mother cradling a baby in her left hand. You'll see a young girl holding a lamb on a rope. It's a great acknowledgement of the state's history, and a reminder of just how old this state is. The inscription on the base reads: THE SAFE ARRIVAL HE WHO BROUGHT US HERE SUSTAINS US STILL There's a plaque on the wall behind the statue that reads: {Qui Transtulit - Seal of Connecticut - Sustinet} In June 1636, about 100 members of Thomas Hooker's congregation arrived safely in this vicinity. With one hundred and sixty cattle, they had followed old Indian trails from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to the Connecticut River to build a new community. Here they established the form of government upon which the present Constitution of the United States is modeled. Their deeply religious principles found expression in the emblem and the motto of the seal which the colony soon adopted. The Seal Of The State of Connecticut still bears the transplanted grapevines and the legend "Qui Transtulit Sustinet". This statue, honoring the spirit of all founders, is dedicated to The Founders Of Hartford. It commemorates the beginning of the second century of service by the Travelers Insurance Companies. April 1, 1964

Connecticut River @ Hartford - The Connecticut River- view from a rusty old defunct railroad bridge 2

Connecticut River @ Hartford

(2 reviews)

Downtown

The Connecticut River - New England's longest is soo beautiful especially in the fall. Blue waters…read morewith the sun bouncing off at places like sparkles from a fire cracker, and the sides lined up trees with all possible colors of leaves except green ! But....We were a week early so missed the fall color enchantment....the river was beautiful nevertheless. Another interesting historical piece, all those railroad bridges along. Some of them are rusty and defunct but make a great location for a pic. We stopped at one such bridge to capture some frame worthy memories. The Connecticut River is called a " Blueway" and is known for connecting Canada all the way to Long Island. Also known for its biodiversity, scenic beauty, and historic importance for indigenous trade. There was a little local store with Native Indian artifacts like pots and stuff. The colorful shop just popped up out of nowhere, that is, until I read that Native Indians played a very important role in New Hampshire history and still, very much live in these parts. Bought a few trinkets to carry home and left on our way. The River and its blue stayed with me

The Connecticut River was my route to Shangri-La as a boy. My dad and I would take our 18-foot…read moreoutboard motor boat across Long Island Sound at its widest part from Mattituck Inlet and follow the river north. There were lovely little side tributaries we'd explore, including Hamburg Cove and a really intriguing unnamed jungle-like stream which somehow left the river and then came back to it, so turning back wasn't necessary. Gillette Castle, high on a bluff, was always a great landmark to look forward to. And every few miles an automobile bridge or railroad bridge would cross over our heads. The construction of these bridges was always fascinating, as you'd view them from afar before eventually motoring underneath them. The trip always required an overnight stay on land somewhere, usually with a docking at Wethersfield Marina in Wethersfied Cove. We never would quite make it to Hartford, because my dad said the river wasn't navigable beyond there and our nautical chart ended prior to the capital city. Now I'm a resident of a small city in Massachusetts which brushes up against the banks of the mighty Connecticut. Mostly a coincidence, except I know that I wanted to live in this region based, in part, on those wonderful youthful excursions. To this day I get a thrill whenever I cross the river on any of the bridges above Hartford. You see, I can look out the car window and examine what I never got to enjoy while cruising its waters on our boat! If it were only navigable beyond Hartford, it would be a cinch for that extra star!

General Pulaski Monument

General Pulaski Monument

(2 reviews)

Downtown

He was a Polish count…read more He fought for Polish freedom from Russia He joined the Continental Army and became a friend of George Washington. He fought for American freedom from England He was an American patriot. He is known as "the father of the American cavalry". He was fatally wounded fighting for American independence in Savannah, GA on October 11, 1779. He was awarded honorary United States citizenship, and that has happened to only seven people. That is the amazing story of General Casimir Pulaski. This 12 foot high bronze statue honoring a hero of the Revolutionary war was funded by the Polish-American community of Hartford. It's a spectacular statue of Pulaski on a charging horse, holding the reigns in his left hand and a curved sword in his right hand. The statue was commissioned in 1973 and dedicated on July 3, 1976 for the Bicentennial. The statue rests on a pedestal Inscribed with the name: PULASKI On the front of the pedestal is a bronze plaque with the inscription: "I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it..." * General Casimir Pulaski * was born in Poland in 1748. he led the unsuccessful revolt of Polish Patriots against Russia. Upon arrival in America he joined General George Washington's Army. Having distinguished himself in the battle of Brandywine, Congress appointed him a Brigadier General. He organized the independent Corps of Calvary and Infantry, known as The Pulaski Legion. General Casimir Pulaski was wounded on October 9, 1779 at the siege of Savannah and died on October 11, 1779. The back of the pedestal has more inscriptions: "..I Have Passed Hither From Europe To Do Myself The Honor Of Being Among Worthy Citizens In The Defence Of Their Country And Their Liberty." Count Casimir Pulaski Who Offered His Life For Our Freedom. On This Bicentennial Of American Independence A Grateful People Commemorate His Enduring Contribution July 4 1976

This monument was sculpted by Granville W. Carter,NA, NFSS. He was a resident of Baldwin, LI. The…read morestatue was unveiled on July 4, 1976.

Connecticut's Old State House - museums - Updated October 2026

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