Connecticut's Old State House — Attraction in Hartford

This historic structure was built in 1796 and located in Hartford, CT. It was the meeting place of all three branches of the state government from 1796 to 1878. Now, it is managed by the Office of Legislative Management of the Connecticut General Assembly. A new Capitol building was built near Bushnell Park because of the open space; this is why it is deemed the Old State House.

Currently, it is a history museum. There is another museum on the third floor called the Museum of Natural and Other Curiousities. There are historic rooms and exhibits within the building. Tours can be purchased, check the website for details. I look forward to going back for a tour. They also have a number of events. There was a holiday shopping event on the Saturday (12/7/24) we went.

The building is small compared to other states capitols I've seen, but it was magnificent nonetheless. There is a large lawn in front. There were some plaques in front of the building with some historic information. If you like history, I recommend a visit either by walking around the property or doing...

Entering a zone of history was exciting. But first a presentation about Pennington, a African American minister. At one point he was a slave, and he moved North to escape slavery of the South, and to preside over a church in Hartford. His story is amazing and it was educational. The Old State House offers a glance into the past, with some original chairs, and tables from when the actual Senate and House gathered there. It also is important to note, at the beginning of Connecticut's history, the capital was divided between Hartford and New Haven. This factoid I did not know. The staff had a wealth of information share with our class, Capital Community College, Financial Accounting class. They were able to answer any and all questions we had. Then we went into the most bizarre but exciting room. In this tiny corner of the Old State House, there are winged creatures, fish, and two-headed calf. This is just a scratch the surface, for there were many other animals of all types. I strongly recommend this as an educational visit for young...

During a walk through downtown Hartford, I came across the Old State House and noticed that they offered tours. I decided to stop for a tour, especially since they are free for both active duty and retired US Miltary. I was greeted upon arrival by a very friendly staff at the front desk and told that they only offered guided tours, but that I would only need to wait a few minutes for the next one to begin. My tour guide, Nicole, was amazing and extremely knowledgeable about the State House and the land upon which it sits. I was the only one on the tour so it was very much at my own pace and I was able to ask all the questions I could come up with. My two favorite parts of the tour were the Room of Curiosities and learning about Connecticut’s “Little Governor” program for 5th grade aged children. Also, ask about the pocket shutters they have in the windows. My only regret is that I forgot to leave a donation after the tour as I was on a tight schedule for my next appointment. I’ll make it up next...