Old State House, Hartford, CT

     Saturday, July 17, 2010: I spent the weekend revisiting Hartford, Connecticut, and I entered the Old State House, 800 Main St. (860-522-6766) for the first time. This late 18th-century building served as the state capitol until 1873. Then from 1873 to 1915, the building functioned as Hartford City Hall. When the city threatened to demolish the building in 1917, the Colonial Dames lobbied to save this building. In time, workers restored the building, and later, it became a museum opened to the public. When I was there, I saw the Representatives Chamber restored to its 1790s appearance. Next, the Senate Chamber looked the way it did in the late 1800s when it served as the City Council Chamber for Hartford. Other rooms in this building included the Courtroom, Comptroller's Office (that showed a video about the building's history), and the Governor's Office. One of the most interesting rooms was a very early (late 1700s) Museum of Curiosities with its usual and unusual exhibits in artworks, science, and natural history. (At that time, seeing those exhibits gave the public a chance to view objects and animals from different corners of the world that they wouldn't have a chance to see otherwise.) Finally, a room in the lower level presented texts, pictures, and exhibit items explaining USA, CT, and Hartford history. After lunch, I walked a few blocks away and revisited the Wadsworth Atheneum art museum. (I visited the Wadsworth during my 1995 visit.) This has been one of the oldest art museums in the USA, and its collection included art in paintings, sculptures, and decorative items dating back to the 1400s into the 21st century from Europe. Its USA collection of art went back from the 17th century to the present.