Timeline of Hartford, Connecticut facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Hartford, Connecticut, USA.

Prior to 19th century

• 1623 – Fort Hoop built by Dutch West India Company.
• 1635 – English settlers arrive.
• 1636 – First Church congregation relocates to "Newtown", Connecticut, from New Town, Massachusetts.
• 1637
  • Settlement renamed Hartford.
  • Town square laid out.
• 1638 – Latin school founded.
• 1640 – Burying Ground established (approximate date).
• 1647 – Alse Young hanged for witchcraft.
• 1662 – Hartford serving as capital of Connecticut Colony.
• 1670 – Indian treaty signed.
• 1701 – Hartford and New Haven designated joint capitals of Connecticut Colony.
• 1764 – Connecticut Courant newspaper begins publication.
• 1774 – Library Company formed.
• 1775 – 4th Connecticut Regiment organized.
• 1783 – Town of East Hartford separates from Hartford.
• 1784
  • City chartered.
  • American Mercury newspaper begins publication.
• 1788 – Woollen mill in operation.
• 1790 – Population: 2,683.
• 1792 – Hartford Bank incorporated.
• 1796
  • American Cookery published.
  • State House built.
• 1797 – Joseph Steward's museum opens.

19th century

• 1810 – Hartford Fire Insurance Company incorporated.
• 1812 – Chauncey Goodrich elected mayor.
• 1814
  • Hartford Convention.
  • Phoenix Bank incorporated.
• 1818
  • Bridge over Connecticut River built.
  • American Asylum for Deaf-mutes incorporated.
• 1819 – Aetna Insurance Company and Society for Savings incorporated.
• 1820 – Population: 4,726.
• 1823
  • Washington College founded.
  • Hartford Female Seminary established.
  • Connecticut River Steamboat Co. incorporated.
• 1824
  • Nathaniel Terry becomes mayor.
  • Connecticut Retreat for the Insane opens.
• 1825
  • Connecticut Historical Society established.
  • Times & Hartford Advertiser newspaper begins publication.
  • Connecticut River Banking Co. and Protection Insurance Co. incorporated.
• 1826
  • The Hartford Times newspaper begins publication.
  • African Religious Society church built on Talcott Street.
• 1827 – Christ Church Cathedral built.
• 1830 – Population: 7,074.
• 1833
  • Miss Draper's Seminary for Young Ladies in operation (approximate date).
  • Hartford Literary and Religious Institution
  • Farmers & Mechanics Bank incorporated.
• 1834 – Exchange Bank incorporated.
• 1835 – Patriot and Democrat newspaper begins publication.
• 1836
  • Firemen's Benevolent Society organized.
  • Northern Courier newspaper begins publication.
• 1837 – Daily Courant newspaper begins publication.
• 1838 – Hartford Young Men's Institute formed.
• 1840
  • Hartford Times newspaper begins publication.
  • Population: 9,468.
• 1841 – Washington Temperance Society, Martha Washington Temperance Society, and Young Men's Temperance Society organized.
• 1843 – Hartford Journal newspaper begins publication.
• 1844
  • Hartford and New Haven Railroad and Hartford and Springfield Railroad begin operating.
  • Wadsworth Atheneum opens.
• 1847 – I. & G. Fox Co. established.
• 1848 – Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company founded.
• 1849 – The Republican newspaper begins publication.
• 1850 – Population: 13,555.
• 1853 – Aetna Life Insurance Company incorporated.
• 1854
  • Henry C. Deming becomes mayor.
  • West Hartford municipality splits from Hartford.
  • Connecticut State Library and Hartford Hospital established.
• 1856
  • City rechartered.
  • Charter Oak felled in storm.
  • Hartford Evening Press newspaper begins publication.
  • Armsmear built for Samuel Colt.
• 1858 – Hartford Daily Post newspaper begins publication.
• 1860
  • Boys' Club founded.
  • Population: 26,917.
  • Police department established.
• 1864 – Travelers Insurance Company founded.
• 1865 – Theological Institute of Connecticut relocates to Harford.
• 1866 – Charles R. Chapman becomes mayor.
• 1868
  • Bushnell Park laid out.
  • Cedar Hill Cemetery consecrated.
• 1869 – Travelers Journal newspaper begins publication.
• 1872
  • New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and Ados Israel Synagogue founded.
  • Windsor Avenue Congregational Church built (approximate date).
• 1873 – Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church built.
• 1874 – Mark Twain's house built on Farmington Avenue.
• 1876 – Cheney Building constructed.
• 1877 – Hartford Society for Decorative Art formed.
• 1878
  • George G. Sumner elected mayor.
  • State Capitol building constructed.
  • Pope Manufacturing Company in business, making Columbia Bicycles.
• 1880 – Morgan Bulkeley becomes mayor.
• 1881 – Watkinson School founded.
• 1882 – Post Office and Custom House built.
• 1883
  • Hartford Telegram newspaper begins publication.
  • Hartford Electric Light Co. organized.
• 1884 – The Wooden Nutmeg begins publication.
• 1885 – Hartford Camera Club organized.
• 1886 – Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch dedicated.
• 1888 – Hartford Morning Record newspaper begins publication.
• 1889 – Union Station built.
• 1890 – Population: 53,230.
• 1892 – Hartford Public Library opens.
• 1896 – City consolidated.
• 1897 – Elizabeth Park laid out (approximate date).
• 1898
  • Pope Park laid out.
  • La Salette Missionary college in operation.
  • Sage-Allen building constructed.
• 1899 – Corning Fountain in Bushnell Park dedicated.

20th century

• 1901 – Underwood Typewriter Company factory in operation.
• 1908
  • Bridge over Connecticut River rebuilt.
  • Royal Typewriter Company manufactory in operation.
  • Morgan art gallery built.
• 1909 – Flood.
• 1910
  • Connecticut State Library and Supreme Court Building constructed.
  • Population: 98,915.
• 1919 – Travelers Tower built.
• 1920 – The Hartt School founded.
• 1921 – University of Connecticut School of Law established.
• 1925 – WTIC (AM) radio begins broadcasting.
• 1930 – Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall opens.
• 1931 – Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford organized.
• 1934
  • February 7: Premiere of Thomson's opera Four Saints in Three Acts.
  • Symphony Society of Greater Hartford formed.
• 1935 – Thomas J. Spellacy elected mayor.
• 1938 – Hurricane.
• 1941 – Windsor Locks airfield active.
• 1942 – Connecticut Opera formed.
• 1944
  • Interstate 84 constructed.
  • Circus fire.
• 1945
  • Hartford Collection of local history established at the public library.
  • State governor's residence locates to Prospect Avenue in Hartford.
• 1947
  • Edward N. Allen becomes mayor.
  • Bradley International Airport established.
  • Hillyer College established.
• 1950 – Population: 177,397.
• 1955 – Hartford Graduate School established by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
• 1957 – University of Hartford chartered.
• 1962 – Cathedral of St. Joseph rebuilt.
• 1963
  • Hartford Stage founded.
  • Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Building constructed.
• 1964 – Constitution Plaza built.
• 1967 – Greater Hartford Community College established.
• 1968 – Harriet Beecher Stowe House museum opens.
• 1970
  • Racial unrest.
  • Cinestudio founded.
• 1974
  • Mark Twain House museum opens.
  • Hartford Advocate begins publication.
• 1975
  • Hartford Civic Center opens.
  • Real Art Ways established.
  • Valley Advocate and Hartford Inquirer newspapers begin publication.
• 1976 – Connecticut Transit Hartford founded.
• 1979
  • Hartford Whalers hockey team active.
  • Charter Oak Cultural Center established.
• 1980
  • Population: 136,392.
  • City Place I built.
• 1987
  • Hartford Karma Thegsum Choling established.
  • Carrie Saxon Perry elected mayor.
  • Hartford News begins publication.
• 1992
  • Capital Community College established.
  • Connecticut Forum founded.
• 1998 – City website online (approximate date).
• 1999 – Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy established.

21st century

• 2001 – Eddie Perez elected mayor.
• 2004 – University High School of Science and Engineering established.
• 2005 – Connecticut Convention Center opens.
• 2008 – Global Communications Academy opens.
• 2009 – Connecticut Science Center opens.
• 2010
  • Population: 124,775.
  • Pedro Segarra becomes mayor.
• 2011 – Hurricane Irene.