The state capital of Connecticut sits on the Connecticut River, taking its name from the English town of Hertford. Many early settlers came from England and this connection is celebrated in Hertford being amongst the town's sister cities. Hartford Connecticut has many elegant buildings and green spaces for its residents to enjoy. It is well known for being the location for several of the world's insurance company headquarters.
The town boasts the largest and oldest public park in the United States. Bushnell Park contains a lake, pond, fountains, statues and lawns. It also has a period carousel, recreation center and sports fields. Hartford Connecticut has another historical landmark at Elizabeth Park, the oldest and largest municipal rose garden in the US.
The Wadsworth Athenium of Art holds another place in the record books, being the oldest art museum in the country. The building was constructed in the style of a castle in the 19th century and contains exhibits from many different time periods. There are ancient bronzes and paintings from the Renaissance and Impressionist era. Early art work from African American artists is also displayed and the museum supported the work of the Surrealist Movement.
There are two important literary connections in the town, in Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. The former home of Beecher Stowe, author of the best selling Uncle Tom's Cabin, has been converted into a museum. The Victorian house displays antiques and memorabilia of the author and her family. The gardens are impressive and visitors can book a guided tour in them. The former home in Hartford Connecticut of Samuel Clemens, famous under his pen name of Mark Twain, has also been adapted as a museum. Twain lived there for twenty years, writing many of his best known works in that period, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The house was built in the Victorian Gothic style of architecture and has nineteen rooms, including a beautifully furnished library and billiards room.
Family days out are great fun at Westmoor Park, a large area with a farm full of barnyard animals, such as ducks, rabbits, chickens, llamas and horses. There is no charge to enter the park. There is also a Children's Museum in Hartford Connecticut and there is free admission on the first Sunday of each month. Annual events on the town calendar include the Jewish film Festival, showing films that celebrate Jewish culture and history, and the Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
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