A new display in downtown Hartford highlights the state capital’s long and varied history.
The Hartford History Walk – “389 Years in 389 Steps” – consists of banners lining the fencing around Connecticut’s Old State House replete with facts, photos and stories.
“No matter how much of a Hartford history buff you may think you are, you’re going to find out new things about this city,” said Mayor Arunan Arulampalam at a Wednesday ribbon-cutting ceremony for the display. “Hartford should be proud of this history.”
Sally Whipple, executive director of the Old State House, said the display can help connect Hartford residents more strongly with where they live.
“The more you like the place where you live, the more civically engaged you’ll be, because you want to do the best for a place that you live,” Whipple said. “And I think that looking at these historical pieces of information are a good way to help people build pride in their community.”
The banners touch on Hartford icons and longtime points of pride — from author Mark Twain and his love of baseball, to the roots of American bicycle manufacturing.
“People love history, they just don’t know it,” Whipple said. “So somebody who doesn’t even think about history is going to walk by here and see some fact that they never knew before and they’re going to say, ‘Huh, I didn’t know that happened in Hartford.’ And then they’re going to tell a friend about that and that person’s going to say, ‘Hey, I didn’t know that either.’ You learn one little thing and that may increase your curiosity.”
The banners will be on display through December.
