# Timeline of Hartford, Connecticut

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.
* 1720 - “Hartford Hills” separate to form the town of Bolton.
* 1758 - Noah Webster born here, publisher of Grammatical Institute of the English Language
* 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 and Colored Methodist Episcopal congregation formed.
** 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
** The Putnam Phalanx, a ceremonial honor guard, established.
** 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.
* 1900 - Population: 79,850.

## 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 Life Insurance Company 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.
* 2016 – Hartford Connecticut Temple of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated in Farmington, Connecticut, a suburb. It is the second Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in New England.