Hartford History

Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, is located on the Connecticut River near the center of the state. Founded by the Reverend Thomas Hooker, Hartford's government is considered by many to be the precursor to American democracy.

Fleeing persecution from the state-supported Church of England, Hooker and a group of his parishioners made the perilous journey across the Atlantic to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, settling in Newtown in 1635. Hooker soon found that his democratic ideals clashed with the ruling body of Newton, so he led a hundred Puritans to the Connecticut River Valley, where there were reports of fertile land. They founded a settlement in June 1636, naming it Hartford in honor of the English town Hertford.

Hooker was something of a visionary, and he preached frequently on the virtues of democracy. On May 31, 1638, he delivered his famous sermon which described the manner in which Hartford should govern itself, stating that "[t]he foundation of authority is laid, firstly, in the free consent of the people." Hooker envisioned a government where people would be able to choose their rulers, as well as set limits to their power. This sermon was used as the basis for the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, adopted by Connecticut on January 14, 1639. The Fundamental Orders are believed to be the first written constitution, which earned Connecticut its nickname "The Constitution State."

The General Court of Connecticut won a charter from King Charles II on October 9, 1662, making it virtually independent. This didn't set well with Sir Edmund Andros, governor of New England. According to a popular legend, Andros met with Governor Robert Treat and other colonists to demand surrender of the charter. Treat responded with a long speech that ran on well after night fell and candles had to be lit. At one point the candles went out, plunging the room into darkness. When the candles were relit, the charter was gone! Captain Joseph Wadsworth had taken the charter under cover of night and hidden it in a giant white oak. The great Charter Oak went on to become one of Hartford's most cherished landmarks. It was finally toppled by a windstorm in 1856, but a plaque on Charter Oak Avenue marks its spot to this day.

Hartford has come to be known as the "insurance capital of the world," due to the number of insurance companies headquartered there. Companies such as Travelers, The Hartford, Phoenix Insurance, and Aetna are located in downtown Hartford, in huge office towers constructed over the past 30 years. The state capitol building is located downtown as well, in scenic Bushnell Park.