Built as a replacement for the Gothic-style church that burned down in 1956, the majestically modern Cathedral of St. Joseph built in was built in 1962. The cathedral is beautifully adorned with stained glass, elegant bronze bells and ceramic-titled murals that surround the altar of this impressive edifice.
One of the best museums in the entire country, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art houses some of the finest collections of European art. The museum walls are lined with Renaissance and Modern art, including work by Caravaggio, Lorrain, Picasso, Degas, Cézanne, van Dyck, Monet, Van Gogh, and more. One of the most outstanding collections at the museum is that of the Hudson River School and late 19th Century oil and watercolors from local artists. Open since 1842, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is the oldest public art museum in the United States.
Take a break from your hectic schedule and enjoy a few moments of relaxation at Elizabeth Park Conservancy. Operating since 1897, this beautiful park has been a place of interest for the locals as well as the tourists due to its charming gardens. The property spans an area of 102 acres (41 hectares) and is home to a heritage rose garden, horticultural garden, shade garden and four other gardens. Besides the lush greenery, it features four century-old Greenhouses verdant pathways, lawns and many more things to do on a sunny day. It also provides facilities for recreational activities like tennis courts, basket ball courts, picnic groves and many others. All in all you are sure to enjoy your time here.
This home on Farmington Avenue is where Mark Twain lived from 1874 until he moved to Europe (due to bankruptcy) in 1891. It is also the place where Twain wrote some of his most famous works, such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The estate is in constant renovation and the curating team is always looking to restore it as it was when Twain lived here. Nonetheless, the adjacent Museum offers an exclusive documentary about the writer by director Ken Burns and the home was one of the first 100 architectural sites to be registered as a National Historic Landmark in the United States.
Since the American Revolution, Connecticut has had three Capitols; built in 1878, this angelic-white structure is the state's third and last one. Designed by renowned American architect Richard M. Upjohn, the gold-domed building was erected in the Victorian Eastlake Movement-style and constructed using marble sourced from three different East Coast states. The iconic structure's stunning main facade is embellished with a series of carefully-crafted statues that bear likenesses to some of the most influential politicians and historic citizens to have come out of Connecticut. The capitol building is currently home to the state senate and the house of representatives, while also maintaining the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state.
Take a walk by the lake, have a picnic, or ride on the vintage 1914 carousel that is housed in one of America's first municipal parks. Since the mid-1850s, Bushnell Park has offered citizens a comfortable place to unwind away from the hustle-and-bustle of downtown Hartford. On the registry of National Historic Landmarks since 1970, the famous Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch dedicated to those in the Civil War is one of the major highlights as well as the Horace Wells Monument and the Corning Fountain.
The New England Civil War Museum in Rockville, Connecticut is located northeast of Hartford and is a wonderful small, volunteer-run museum dedicated to the role of New England and its inhabitants during the Civil War. It is housed inside of a lovely brick structure (the Memorial Building) built in 1890 to honor veteran Union soldiers. The museum houses three different collections: the Hirst Brothers Collection of the 14th Connecticut Infantry, the Weston Collection of the 4th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry and the Thomas F. Burpee Collection of the 21st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Visitors can check out the exhibits on the second and fourth Sunday of the month.
Located to the east of Wethersfield, the Buttolph-Williams House is one of the oldest structures in the city. Established in 1711, this house was constructed in the Puritan style. Its facade features wooden clapboards and casement windows with diamond-shaped panes. The house was renovated in the 1940s by Frederick C. Palmer, who restored it to its former glory. Managed by the Connecticut Landmarks, Buttolph-Williams House opened as a museum in 1951. Elizabeth George Speare's historical fiction, "The Witch of Blackbird Pond," was set around this house, making it a popular visitation spot amongst fans of this novel.
Built in the early 20th Century by the industrialist George C.F. Williams in the Georgian Style of Architecture, the Connecticut Governor's Residence has been serving the state governors since 1945. It was added to a National Register of Historic Places in the year 1985. The structure has been restored to its original form and part of the interiors have been modified. You can visit the house with prior appointment.
Old-timers of Connecticut will never forget the Hartford Circus Fire of July 6, 1944, and this memorial plaque stands in honor of those 168 people who perished in one of the worst circus tragedies to date. A result of coating the roof with paraffin and gasoline (placed to act as a water repellent), nearly 6500 people were inside at the time of the blaze. One of the most enduring legends of the disaster was Little Miss 1565, an unidentified child who was never claimed despite a well-publicized effort to find her family. In recent years, DNA samples have claimed to have solved the case; however, doubts still remain. Circuses were banned in many parts of Connecticut after the fire, up until the 1970s. The memorial is on the sport of the tent during that harrowing night.
Established in the year 1977, the facility is a center for ecological study and community welfare, and is dedicated in helping the locals discover and understand more about nature and the natural surroundings. The center is home to a variety of wildlife like birds, bunnies, ferrets, lizards, turtles, snakes etc. There are hands-on activities for children, exhibits and a reading cum game corner. The center can be rented for community welfare programs, birthdays and celebrations. There is no admission fee, but visitors are requested to make a nominal donation for the welfare of the museum. Since the center is located in the vicinity of Mill Wood Park, visitors can take a hike and explore the meadows and trekking trails after a visit to the museum.