Constitution Plaza: Worth it?

For the most recent edition of its Conversations at Noon series, the Old State House posed a question that always stirs up strong feelings in these parts: "Did Hartford's Constitution Plaza Hurt or Help the City?"

The August 1 event began with a talk by historian Jason Scappaticci, followed by a panel discussion that included Scappaticci, Christopher Wigren of the Connecticut Trust for the Historic Preservation, and Tom Deller of the city's Department of Development Services.

Here's full video of the discussion from the indispensable Connecticut Network (CT-N):

If you haven't been to one of Hartford's most historic sites yet...

Here's a great little article from the Reminder about free lunchtime tours of downtown's Ancient Burying Grounds. Best of all, the tours are conducted by Hartford middle-schoolers, specially selected and trained.

In case the article goes away: "For more information about summer tours of the site, contact Andrea Ader at 860-742-5234. For more information about the cemetery, visit www.theancientburyingground.org or contact the Ancient Burying Ground Association at 860-561-2585."

Remembering G. Fox & Co.

How did I miss this? The Connecticut Historical Society has an online exhibit entitled "Remembering G. Fox & Co." It's wonderful, with lots of information and lots of photos, all well-presented. There's also a page where people can share their memories of the downtown department store, which opened in 1847 and closed in 1993.

Yours truly worked at G. Fox as a shoe salesman during his college years, in the early 1980s. It was still a hub of downtown Hartford but clearly losing business to suburban malls and strip malls--which, maddeningly for downtown boosters, often included G. Fox satellite stores. For prior generations, the downtown store had been integral to their sense of what "Hartford" meant, right there with the insurance companies, the parks, or any other institution you could name.

Here's hoping someone will create a similar tribute someday to G. Fox's competitor and next-door neighbor, Sage-Allen & Co.

Arch photos!

If, like me, you missed the ceremonies last Saturday to mark the 125th anniversary of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in downtown Hartford, there's still a great consolation gift from the State Library: a collection of vintage photos. It's fascinating to see how much the scenery around the Arch has changed over the years, with the Arch itself remaining the same, seeming to stand aloof from time.

Irene brings back memories of Hartford's hurricane past

The looming of Hurricane Irene is sending people back to the archives for information and pictures on similar events in Hartford history. The State Library, for instance, has kindly posted its photos of the 1938 hurricane. Meanwhile, WTNH-TV (News 8) state Capitol reporter Mark Davis has written about the 1936 floods. Hartford had always been prone to flooding, but it was these two events that finally led to construction of the current dikes along the Connecticut River and the underground piping of the Hog River, which flowed through downtown and out into the Connecticut. That work, by the way, was federally funded.

For some perspective on just how high the river rose in '36 and '38, here's a photo I took a couple of years ago at Riverside Park, where they have plaques indicating the high-water marks for major floods.

Fond memories of the brownstone life

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to live in one of the historic brownstone houses along Capitol Avenue, check out today's blog entry from Dennis House, news anchor for WFSB-TV. Dennis and his wife, Kara Sundlun (also an anchor at the station), have sold their brownstone, and Dennis writes movingly about their time there. He notes that the first owner of the house, in 1871, was eventual Connecticut Supreme Court Justice William Hamersley. But best of all, he supplies some fantastic photos. Best of luck to Dennis, Kara, and family.

How CNNMoney.com views Hartford

CNNMoney.com has ranked Hartford the country's fifth-best metropolitan area in which to launch a small business.  While that may have many of us scratching our heads--especially in light of near-daily bummers like the City Council's acknowledgment last week that the Project Mayor project planned for the vacant corner of Main and Park streets will never become reality--it's worth noting that CNNMoney.com repeatedly references the city's history:

"The past few years have seen new life--hotels, restaurants, a convention center and a science center--sprouting in the historic city, where you'll also find the country's first public art museum and oldest public park."

There's even a photo of the Old State House. It all speaks to the potential for using the Hartford area's history as a draw not just for visitors but new residents. Heck, it seems to be one of the positive attributes people already associate with us, so why not get the most out of it?

Some history with your food?

If you're looking for a place to eat downtown, check out Tinker's Main Seafood & Grill, at 489 Main Street. It occupies the space of the late, great Municipal Cafeteria and has old photographs of downtown on the walls, including some of the "Muni." All of the photos are large and sharp, revealing lots of detail. You'll find more in the Subway restaurant next-door.

Patrons of the Muni will recognize the bar in Tinker's, which was salvaged from the old restaurant. Those of us who've always bemoaned the city's lack of venues for bands playing original music will remember the Muni's valiant stab at remedying the situation in the '90s, when it doubled as a sort of nightclub. My favorite show: Jonathan Richman, with just his drummer.


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