Downtown Hartford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Downtown Hartford
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Pratt Street is a "historic, one-block, quasi-pedestrian mall" in the heart of downtown Hartford.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Connecticut |
| NECTA | Hartford |
| Region | Capitol Region |
| Time zone | EST |
Downtown Hartford, Connecticut is the main business area of the city. It's also where Connecticut's state government offices are located. Many large insurance companies have their main offices here, which is why Hartford is sometimes called the "Insurance Capital of the World." This means a lot of important decisions about insurance happen right here!
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Exploring Historic Places
Downtown Hartford has many old and important places. Eight areas are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are officially recognized for their history and special buildings. Some of these areas include the Ann Street Historic District, Pratt Street Historic District, and Main Street Historic District. These places help us remember what Hartford was like a long time ago.
Major Companies and Buildings
Downtown Hartford is home to many big companies. You'll find the main offices for places like The Hartford, Travelers Insurance, Aetna, and United Technologies Corporation. Many of these companies are in tall office buildings built in the last 20 to 30 years.
This area is also a busy hub for transportation. It's where many bus routes for Connecticut Transit Hartford start and end. Union Station, a train station, is also located here.
You can find many important public buildings downtown too:
- The Hartford City Hall, where the city government works.
- The Hartford Public Library, a great place to read and learn. It's currently being updated!
- The Old State House, which is one of the oldest state government buildings in the entire country.
- The Wadsworth Atheneum, which is the oldest public art museum in the United States. It has amazing art to see!
- The Travelers Tower, a very tall and famous building.
- The historic Hotel Bond.
- Bushnell Park, a lovely green space in the middle of the city.
- The Connecticut State Capitol and Legislative Office Complex, where the state laws are made.
South of Bushnell Park, you'll see several grand buildings built in the early 1900s. These were often the headquarters for large insurance companies.
Cool Apartment Buildings
A big part of the downtown skyline is Hartford 21. This is a 36-story apartment tower that was finished in 2006. It's a tall building where many people live. Another interesting building is 777 Main Street. This used to be an office building, but in 2014, it was changed into 285 fancy apartments.
Learning and Studying Downtown
Downtown Hartford is also a place for education. Along Main Street, you'll find Capital Community College. This college is in an 11-story building that used to be a big department store called G. Fox and Company until 1993. The offices for the Hartford Public Schools are also in this building.
The University of Connecticut School of Business has a newly updated campus at Constitution Plaza. At the eastern edge of downtown, you'll find the Connecticut Convention Center. This large center opened in 2005 and is near the Marriott Hartford Hotel. It's a place where big meetings and events happen.
Famous Downtown Landmarks
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Goodwin Square
