Timeline of Hartford, Connecticut

Prior to 19th century

1623 – Fort Hoop built by Dutch West India Company.

1635 – English settlers arrive.

1636 – First Church congregation relocates to "Newtown", Connecticut, from New Town, Massachusetts.

1637

Settlement renamed Hartford.

Town square laid out.

1638 – Latin school founded.

1640 – Burying Ground established (approximate date).

1647 – Alse Young hanged for witchcraft.

1662 – Hartford serving as capital of Connecticut Colony.

1670 – Indian treaty signed.

1701 – Hartford and New Haven designated joint capitals of Connecticut Colony.

1764 – Connecticut Courant newspaper begins publication.

1774 – Library Company formed.

1775 – 4th Connecticut Regiment organized.

1783 – Town of East Hartford separates from Hartford.

1784

City chartered.

American Mercury newspaper begins publication.

1788 – Woollen mill in operation.

1790 – Population: 2,683.

1792 – Hartford Bank incorporated.

1796

American Cookery published.

State House built.

1797 – Joseph Steward's museum opens.

19th century

1810 – Hartford Fire Insurance Company incorporated.

1812 – Chauncey Goodrich elected mayor.

1814

Hartford Convention.

Phoenix Bank incorporated.

1818

Bridge over Connecticut River built.

American Asylum for Deaf-mutes incorporated.

1819 – Aetna Insurance Company and Society for Savings incorporated.

1820 – Population: 4,726.

1823

Washington College founded.

Hartford Female Seminary established.

Connecticut River Steamboat Co. incorporated.

1824

Nathaniel Terry becomes mayor.

Connecticut Retreat for the Insane opens.

1825

Connecticut Historical Society established.

Times & Hartford Advertiser newspaper begins publication.

Connecticut River Banking Co. and Protection Insurance Co. incorporated.

1826

The Hartford Times newspaper begins publication.

African Religious Society church built on Talcott Street.

1827 – Christ Church Cathedral built.

1830 – Population: 7,074.

1833

Miss Draper's Seminary for Young Ladies in operation (approximate date).

Hartford Literary and Religious Institution and Colored Methodist Episcopal congregation formed.

Farmers & Mechanics Bank incorporated.

1834 – Exchange Bank incorporated.

1835 – Patriot and Democrat newspaper begins publication.

1836

Firemen's Benevolent Society organized.

Northern Courier newspaper begins publication.

1837 – Daily Courant newspaper begins publication.

1838 – Hartford Young Men's Institute formed.

1840

Hartford Times newspaper begins publication.

Population: 9,468.

1841 – Washington Temperance Society, Martha Washington Temperance Society, and Young Men's Temperance Society organized.

1843 – Hartford Journal newspaper begins publication.

1844

Hartford and New Haven Railroad and Hartford and Springfield Railroad begin operating.

Wadsworth Atheneum opens.

1847 – I. & G. Fox Co. established.

1848 – Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company founded.

1849 – The Republican newspaper begins publication.

1850 – Population: 13,555.

1853 – Aetna Life Insurance Company incorporated.

1854

Henry C. Deming becomes mayor.

West Hartford municipality splits from Hartford.

Connecticut State Library and Hartford Hospital established.

1856

City rechartered.

Charter Oak felled in storm.

Hartford Evening Press newspaper begins publication.

Armsmear built for Samuel Colt.

1858 – Hartford Daily Post newspaper begins publication.

1860

Boys' Club founded.

Population: 26,917.

Police department established.

1864 – Travelers Insurance Company founded.

1865 – Theological Institute of Connecticut relocates to Harford.

1866 – Charles R. Chapman becomes mayor.

1868

Bushnell Park laid out.

Cedar Hill Cemetery consecrated.

1869 – Travelers Journal newspaper begins publication.

1872

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and Ados Israel Synagogue founded.

Windsor Avenue Congregational Church built (approximate date).

1873 – Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church built.

1874 – Mark Twain's house built on Farmington Avenue.

1876 – Cheney Building constructed.

1877 – Hartford Society for Decorative Art formed.

1878

George G. Sumner elected mayor.

State Capitol building constructed.

Pope Manufacturing Company in business, making Columbia Bicycles.

1880 – Morgan Bulkeley becomes mayor.

1881 – Watkinson School founded.

1882 – Post Office and Custom House built.

1883

Hartford Telegram newspaper begins publication.

Hartford Electric Light Co. organized.

1884 – The Wooden Nutmeg begins publication.

1885 – Hartford Camera Club organized.

1886 – Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch dedicated.

1888 – Hartford Morning Record newspaper begins publication.

1889 – Union Station built.

1890 – Population: 53,230.

1892 – Hartford Public Library opens.

1896 – City consolidated.

1897 – Elizabeth Park laid out (approximate date).

1898

Pope Park laid out.

La Salette Missionary college in operation.

Sage-Allen building constructed.

1899 – Corning Fountain in Bushnell Park dedicated.

20th century

1901 – Underwood Typewriter Company factory in operation.

1908

Bridge over Connecticut River rebuilt.

Royal Typewriter Company manufactory in operation.

Morgan art gallery built.

1909 – Flood.

1910

Connecticut State Library and Supreme Court Building constructed.

Population: 98,915.

1919 – Travelers Tower built.

1920 – The Hartt School founded.

1921 – University of Connecticut School of Law established.

1925 – WTIC (AM) radio begins broadcasting.

1930 – Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall opens.

1931 – Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford organized.

1934

February 7: Premiere of Thomson's opera Four Saints in Three Acts.

Symphony Society of Greater Hartford formed.

1935 – Thomas J. Spellacy elected mayor.

1938 – Hurricane.

1941 – Windsor Locks airfield active.

1942 – Connecticut Opera formed.

1944

Interstate 84 constructed.

Circus fire.

1945

Hartford Collection of local history established at the public library.

State governor's residence locates to Prospect Avenue in Hartford.

1947

Edward N. Allen becomes mayor.

Bradley International Airport established.

Hillyer College established.

1950 – Population: 177,397.

1955 – Hartford Graduate School established by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

1957 – University of Hartford chartered.

1962 – Cathedral of St. Joseph rebuilt.

1963

Hartford Stage founded.

Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Building constructed.

1964 – Constitution Plaza built.

1967 – Greater Hartford Community College established.

1968 – Harriet Beecher Stowe House museum opens.

1970

Racial unrest.

Cinestudio founded.

1974

Mark Twain House museum opens.

Hartford Advocate begins publication.

1975

Hartford Civic Center opens.

Real Art Ways established.

Valley Advocate and Hartford Inquirer newspapers begin publication.

1976 – Connecticut Transit Hartford founded.

1979

Hartford Whalers hockey team active.

Charter Oak Cultural Center established.

1980

Population: 136,392.

City Place I built.

1987

Hartford Karma Thegsum Choling established.

Carrie Saxon Perry elected mayor.

Hartford News begins publication.

1992

Capital Community College established.

Connecticut Forum founded.

1998 – City website online (approximate date).

1999 – Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy established.

21st century

2001 – Eddie Perez elected mayor.

2004 – University High School of Science and Engineering established.

2005 – Connecticut Convention Center opens.

2008 – Global Communications Academy opens.

2009 – Connecticut Science Center opens.

2010

Population: 124,775.

Pedro Segarra becomes mayor.

2011 – Hurricane Irene.