In Praise of Foot Guard Hall

The Hartford Courant's Tom Condon reminds us that amid all the new construction in downtown Hartford, there's a wonderful, century-old building that deserves greater use and appreciation: Foot Guard Hall on High Street. Though obscured now by Intersate 84, which runs close by it, the red-brick Hall once served as the city's major entertainment venue. "John Phillip Souza and his band played there, as did Benny Goodman and his quartet," Condon writes. "Willie Pep fought there, and Willie didn't need a band." It's only within the past few decades, when the nearby Civic Center and other venues sprang up, that the Hall receded from everyone's consciousness. More people should see the still-impressive interior of the building, Condon argues, adding that the First Company, Governor's Foot Guard, welcomes volunteers.