USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Hartford > Geer's Hartford directory, including West Hartford and East Hartford, Connecticut, 1872-73 > Part 33
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > West Hartford > Geer's Hartford directory, including West Hartford and East Hartford, Connecticut, 1872-73 > Part 33
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SOUTH SCHOOL DISTRICT .- Bounded on the north by Park river, east by Connecticut river, south by Wethersfield, and west by the hollow which is a little west of Wethersfield road, crossing Maple avenue north of the first house north of south burying ground to the west end of house No. 39 Retreat avenue thence north- erly and westerly to 80 Washington street, thence westerly to West Hartford line.
SOUTH WEST DISTRICT. north and cast by Washing- ton District, south by Wethersfield and west by West Hartford.
WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT, north and cast by South School District, south by Wethersfield and west by Newington branch of Park river.
WEST MIDDLE DISTRICT, commencing on the Park river at the mouth of the Brick-kiln brook. and run- ning thence northerly and westerly by said brook to the center of Edwards street, then north to the center of Walnut street, and thence through the center of Walnut street to Brick-kiln brook, and thence by said brook to the point where the northern boundary strikes the said brook, and thence westerly, southerly and easterly by the present northern, western and southern boundaries and Park river, to the place of beginning.
THE TAXES on property in this City have been-
1868 | 1869 | 1870 | 1871 | 1872
Mills
Mills.
Mills.
Mills.
Mills,
City Tax,
7
8
S
10
Town Tax,
6
7
8
8
1246 812
Water Tax,
12
Sinking Fund,
13%
16%
16%
1834
22
The SCHOOL DISTRICT TAXES range from }2 to 2 mills.
STATE LIBRARY.
In State House, 2d story, East room.
Committee .- Marshall Jewell, Dwight W. Pardee, Hi- ram Appelman.
Librarian .- Charles J. Hoadly.
POSTI
HISTORICAL SKETCH, Etc.
OF THE
CITY OF HARTFORD.
HARTFORD was first settled in 1635, by emigrants from Newtown. now Cambridge, Mass., and from Dorchester and Watertown; many of whom had come originally from Braintree, in the county of Essex, Eng- land. The locality had been explored in 1634, and some huts had been erected, in what is now Wethers- field, where a few men passed the winter of 1634-5. The main body of emigrants, however, came across the country to Chicopec, in Springfield, and thence down the river, traveling by compass. The journey occupied about a fortnight; the same distance is now traveled in four hours !
The present locality of Hartford was called by the Indians, Suckiang.
The first settlers named it Newtown; but in 1636, it was formally named Hartford, after Hartford, now called Hertford, county town of Hertfordshire, Eng- and. and birth place of Rev. Samuel Stone.
Mr. Stone and William Goodwin received a deed of the land of the new settlement in 1636, from Sunck- quassen or Sequassen, sachem of the Suckiaug tribe. This deed was lost, and the settlers repurchased the land of the Indians in 1670, taking a new deed for cer- tainty's sake.
The Dutch had, in 1633, erected a fort which they named the House of Hope, on " Dutch Point," at thic confluence of the Park and Connecticut rivers, within the present City of Hartford. But the Dutch were legislated out by the General Court of Connecticut, in 1654, and thus the new colony came entirely into the hands of the English.
The first town organization admitted "inhabitants." and even temporary residents, only by vote of town meeting. The officers were "townsmen," who an- swered to the present selectmen, but with more ex- tensive authority; a town court, constable, town clerk, crier, fence viewers, chimney viewers, and highway surveyors; and a little after were added grand jurors and a jailor. There was a public market semi-weekly, and a public fair twice a year.
The first town meeting was in 1635, the year of settlement, and the first General Court of Connecticut was held the next year, 1636.
A BRIEF LIST OF OCCURRENCES IN HARTFORD.
The first church in Hartford came ready organized, from Cambridge, with its pastor, teacher, and ruling elder, Hooker, Stone and Goodwin, and its first house of worship was erected in 1638, Mr. Hooker's barn har- ing served instead, up to that time.
The first war was the Pequot war, 1637; for which Hartford contributed forty-two out of ninety inen, in- chiding commander and chaplain; besides a large share of provisions, &c. The first flouring mill, date uncer- tain, was very early erected near the present jail. In
GEER'S HARTFORD
CITY DIRECTORY.
257
1638, Ludlow, Haynes, Wolcott, Hopkins and Hooker, set about formning a written constitution which was finished in 1639; the first ever formed in America, and which embodies the main points of all our subsequent State constitutions and of the Federal constitution; to that Hartford inay claim to have been the model for our whole republic. A school was in operation here as early as 1638; and in 1643, sixteen pounds a year were voted to the teacher. A house of correction was in operation in 1640. An inn was ordered by the General Court, and established in 1644, nearly opposite the Center church. It was from this inn that Capt. Wadsworth took the Charter, to conceal it from Andros, in 1687. The first colony emigrated from Hartford in 1645, and founded Farmington. Others succeeded; one founded Middletown in 1650: another founded Norwalk in the same year; and a third founded Hadley, in 1659. Hartford has sent out innumerable delega- tions, and single emigrants, ever since, to all parts of the world. Not less than seven hundred and fifty of her sons and daughters are now living in the single city of New York. In 1650, our first mission was organized, by order of the General Conrt; which directed a teach- ing elder and an interpreter to go among the Indians twice a year to endeavor to convert them. In 1650, also, our first code of laws was drawn up, chiefly by Roger Lndlow; which reduced the number of capital offences from the hundred and sixty of England, to about fifteen. In 1857, Gov. Hopkins left about £1,000, part of which endowed the Hartford Grammar School, yet in existence as the classical department of the Hart- ford High School. In 1687, the independent spirit of the colony was shown by the quiet but determined re- sistance made to Andros, in his attempt to take away the Charter of 1662; when the lights being put out by arrangement, in the room where Andros and the authorities had the Charter and were discussing it, Capt. Wadsworth carried it off' in the dark and hid it so effectually in the hollow of the Charter Oak, that it could not be found. The charter was thus hid from October 31, 1687, to May 9, 1689. In October, 1693, Col. Fletcher came to Hartford to assume command over the Connecticut militia, and attempted to read his commission at the head of the train-band, but was foiled by Captain Wadsworth, who commanded the drums to beat, and told Fletcher that if interrupted again, he would make the sun shine through him in a moment. The first printing office was set up here by Thomas Green, in 1764, who established the Connecti- cut Courant in October, 1764. In 1775, a small com- mittee of enterprising men met here and made those arrangements for raising men and money, which re- sulted in the taking of Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen "in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." In 1784 the city was incorporated. In 1792 the Hartford Bank and the Hartford Charitable Society were established. In 1790 a Woolen manufac- tory was started on Park river at foot of Gold street, then called Factory lane, but after trial by different parties was abandoned as a losing business. In 1797-9, the first steam locomotive ever made, was set running in Main street by Dr. Kinsley; also, inventor of the brick-pressing machine. The "Mansion house" on Kinsley street was built by him, with brick made by himself-probably the oldest home-pressed brick house in the United States. A few inches from the ground at its southeast angle, is the inscription " A. KINSLEY. 1796." In 1811 Elihu White removed his Type Foundry from this city to New York city, to whom Farmer, Little & Co. are his last successors. To a Hartford man, John I. Wells, was issued in 1819, the first patent for lever printing presses. Our oldest In- surance Company, the Hartford, was organized in 1810; and the Etna, in 1819. The American Deaf and Dumb Asylum was chartered in 1816. Trinity Col- ege in 1823, the Retreat for the Insane in 1824, the Historical Society in 1825, reorganized 1839, the Orphan Asylum in 1833, the Young Men's Institute, in 1839 succeeding the Hartford Library Company
established before the Revolution and chartered in 1799, the Wadsworth Atheneum in 1842, the Hartford Hospital in 1854, the Watkinson Library 1854, and other charitable or educational and literary organiza- tions, all of which have been liberally or exclusively aided by the citizens.
THE POST-OFFICE in this city has been moved thirce times in fifty years; from the old Law Building, corner Main and Grove sts., where the Putnam building now stands to the old Press building 62 State street, and from there to 9 Central row, where Central Hall now stands ; and from thence to the Times building, 252 Main street.
Hartford contains the following Libraries; Trinity College, 11,000 vohimes; College Society libraries, 5.000; library of Young Men's Institute, 22,000; Watkinson Library, 22,000; and 7,000 in the Theologi- cal Institute.
The street formed by the DYKE around Col. Colt's improvement is 32.50 feet above the base line of the city, which corresponds with low watermark. It is 8,698 feet long, 30 to 50 feet wide at top, having cost $80,745.35. This Dyke encloses 123 acres of land.
THE STATE HOUSE in this city was first passed upon by the Legislature in May, 1792-its erection com- menced in 1794, and was first occupied in 1796, and cost $52,480.
In the Senate Chamber is a celebrated original paint- ing of Washington, taken from life, by Stuart. Also, portraits of Governors of Connecticut, up to 1572, and the Governor's Chair, carved from the wood of the Charter Oak.
The Colt Artesian Well, began in the fall of 1868, and completed May 1, 1869, is 1584 feet in depth, and has cost about $10,000 and discharges 50 gallons of water per minute. Located rear of Mrs. Colt's re- sidence.
Hartford paid to the State in Taxes in 1871 the sumn of $571,991.61 being nearly one-third of the amount raised by taxes in the entire State in 1871, viz. $2,091,035.63.
HARTFORD CITY
Is built on a strong clay soil, but that near the river is of a rich black mold. It is now abont four miles in length, north and south, by two in breadth. (The Town of Hartford is five and one half miles long, by three and one fourth broad.) It is located on the west side of Connecticut river, at the head of steamboat navi- gation, and 50 miles from its mouth, in latitude 41 deg. 45 min. 59 sec., and longitude 4 deg. 15 min. East from Washington. By railroad it is 111 miles north-east , from New York and 124 miles west by south-west from Boston, and 126 miles south east from Albany, 90 miles west of Providence. The Legislature of the State meets here every other or odd year. The city is divided by Park river, spanned by 11 bridges.
The Main Street Bridge is of a single arch, on rock foundation and is 100 feet wide, 7 feet in thickness at the base, and 3 feet 2 inches at the center -the chord or span of it is 104 feet, and it is 30 feet 9 inches from the bed of the river to the top of the arch. Cost $31,500.
The Front Street Bridge cost $10,000, and was built in the year 1853; is 44 feet wide, 148 feet long,-of three free-stone arches-two of 34 feet span, and one of 35 feet-all semi-cirenlar, and divided or supported by two piers, each six feet wide.
The Ford Street Bridge cost about $15,000, and was built in the year 1850; is 35 feet wide, 174 feet long, of five free stone arches,-the north and south of fifteen feet span each-the other three of 18 feet each; width of arches 26 feet ; width of piers 55 feet; height from top of center arch to top of sides, 7 feet.
The Asylum Street Bridge, junction Asylum st. and to west drive on Park; erected of wood, fall 1858; cost $2,500.
The Wells Street Bridge, from 41 Wells street to east drive on the Park; erected of wood, fall of 1858; cost $2,500.
33
258
GEER'S HARTFORD CITY DIRECTORY.
The Trumbull Street Foot Bridge, erected of iron in 1864, cost $4,000, and is 75 feet long, 10 feet wide and 18 feet from bottom of river, of one span, and bears ten tons in the center.
The Commerce Street Bridge, a swing or draw-bridge, costing $14,000, erected fall of 1859.
The Broad Street Iron Bridges, of the Truesdell pat- tern, erected of Iron in 1867, cost $ 52,111.79-Railroad Companies paying $7,550 thereof.
The Great Bridge, across the Connecticut river, is more than 1000 feet in length, and cost about $125,000. The Farmington Avenue Bridge, was built in 1871, of stone, across the North branch of Park river, cost $27,901 54
A Bridge across Park river, connecting College st. with Sigourney st., is now being built, on an appropriation of $26,000.
THE PARK
Is located south of the Railroad station house, bounded north, east and west by Park river, south by Elm st., and College street, and contains forty-six acres, including the fifteen acres recently purchased of the College.
. The total cost of The PARK, including Trinity College ground, for lands, construction and improvements is $346,070.06.
PARK COMMISSIONERS-Alpheus F. Snow, (1 yrs.) Norman Smith, (2 yrs .; ) Frederick S. Brown, Chair- man, (3 yrs .; ) Edward H. Fenn, Secretary, (4 yrs .; ) Leverett Brainard, (5 yrs.) Office 42 Pearl street.
THE HIGHIEST FRESHETS IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. In 1642, a great flood in May and June.
In 1683, flood July and Aug. 20, 26 ft. In 1692, water rose 26 feet 2 inches.
.In 1801, March 1, 27 feet 8 inches.
In 1839, Jan. 29, 24 feet 2 inches.
In 1841, 26 feet 4 inches.
In 1843, 27 feet 2 inches.
In 1850, May, 21 feet 8 inches.
In 1852, April, 23 feet
In 1854, May 4, 29 feet 10 in.
· In 1857, Feb. 22 feet 5 inches.
In 1859, March, 26 feet 5 inches.
In 1861, April, 21 feet 6 inches.
In 1862, April, 28 feet 8 inches.
In 1865, March, 24 feet 9 inches.
In 1867, April 19, 21 feet.
In 1868, Feb. 19, 21 feet 6 in.
Bills receivable. $12,146.00
Cash in treasury. 43,488.83
Cash in treasury, water dep't
account.
958.23 56,593.06
In 1870, Jan. 4, 19 feet 2 inchies.
In 1870, April 21, 25 feet 4 inches.
In the winter of 1710, 1711, the Connecticut river was not frozen over below Hartford, and for several miles above this city.
Jan. 29, 1838, the steamboat Clifton arrived from and left for New York-the Connecticut river being free from ice.
There was navigation for steamboats on Connecticut river from Jan. 8, 1870, to Feb. 4, 1870-the steamer Silver Star made several daily trips between this city and Essex.
THE OAK TREE,
In the trunk of which was concealed the Charter of Connecticut from Oct. 31, 1687, to May 9, 1689, was blown down in a severe storm, Ang. 20, 1856. It stood on lot No. 29 Charter Oak avenue. This Charter was won by Gov. John Winthrop to the colonists from Charles II., King of England, April 23d, 1662, and the unsuccessful attempt to wrest the same from the State was made by Sir Edmond Andros, Oct. 31, 1687. The original Charter is in the office of the Secretary of State, framed in wood from the tree that concealed it from the minions of James II. The mode of govern- ment established by this instrument was superseded on the adoption of our present constitution, in 1818. On the 234 day of April, 1862, this Charter was 200 years old.
SEWERS,
Have been made under nearly every street in the city. In 1866 a second sewer was laid in Main st., a: the depth of 14 feet, from Church st. to stone bridge, a distance of 2300 feet.
CITY TREASURER'S REPORT .- For the year ending April 1, 1872.
The CITY OF HARTFORD in account with F. A. BROWN, Treasurer.
DISBURSEMENTS.
Street department ... $131,210.17
Street departinent, land damages. 39,650.92 $ 173,861.09
Sidewalks 13,532.17
Sewers. 27,349.67
City Court .. 2,224.14
Police Court.
2,270.39
Police Department, Salaries. . $48,361.90
Police Departinent, Expenses 4,645.56 53,007.46
60,097.86
Lamps and Gas
55,024.79
Parks ...
10,471.94
Incidental
42,129.03
Insurance 476.62
Interest on Park Bonds. . 8,160.00
8,160.00
Interest on temporary loans. .18,688.63 26,848.03
$467,323.79 500,000.00
New State House.
Water department half-mill tax on list of 1870 ...
21,475.00
Temporary loans. .. . 734,800.00
Interest on city bonds exchanged with
the H., P. and F. railroad company . . 28,800.00
$1,357,398.79
Water Department-
Paid interest on water bonds to Jan. 1, 1872. . $46,188.00
Paid interest on temporary
loans. 1,591.44
Temporary loans 30,000.00 77,779.44
$1,335,178.23
March 30, 1872 .- To balance ordinary city account :
In 1868, May 23d, 20 feet.
$1,391,771.29
RECEIPTS.
April 1, 1871 :
Balance from ordinary city
account . $8,946.35
Balance from water dep't ac-
count .. 1,118.25
426,955.35
From city taxes.
From city assessments -- For street improvements. .. $63,614.66
For sewers ...
28,805.63
For sidewalks.
633.38
93,053.67
From city conrt. 42.30
From police court ..
8,768.33
From police department.
309.00
From street department ..
60.34
From licenses. .
888.00
From fire department ..
501.40
From City Hall building.
1,076.55
From incidental sources ..
274.67
From sale of Hartford Home
11,920.56 9,089.37
$551,083.55
From sales of 102 capital bonds
102,388.75
From temporary loans.
613,000.00
From sinking fund
18,447.24
10,064.60
In 1869, April 23, 26 feet 8 inches.
In 1869, Oct. 6, 26 feet 3 inches.
Fire Department.
259
GEER'S HARTFORD CITY DIRECTORY.
From the trustees II. P. & F. R. R. . . . 29,232.33
$1,314,151.87
Water Department-
Received from water tax .. .. .. $22,681.92 Received from water rents .... 10,937.50
Received from temporary loans 44,000.00
77,619.42
$1,394,771.29
FINANCES.
Funded debt. .
$1,488,000
Temporary loans .. .. 332,000
Dne sinking fund. . .$81,557
$413,557
Deduct
City taxes dne. .$18,000
City assessments. 55,000
Bills receivable. 12,146
Cash. 43,488 $128,634
$284,923
Total debt.
$1,772,022
BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF HARTFORD, LEGISLATIVE ACT OF 1859.
THE territorial limits of the body politic and corpo- rate heretofore existing under the name of "The Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, and Freemen of the City of Hartford," shall hereafter be the fol- lowing: the north line of said city shall commence at a point on the east bank of the north fork of Park river, seven hundred feet due north of the north line of Albany turnpike road: thence run due east to Connecticut river; the west line of said city shall commence at the first named point, and run thence southward along said bank of said north fork, in- closing a small island formed by a division of said fork, to the westerly line of the Hartford and New Haven railroad ; thence continuing due south, across said Park river, to the east bank of the south fork thereof; thence along said east bank and the east bank of the east branch of said south fork to a point two hundred and fifty feet due south of the south line of the New Britain road (so called): the south line of the said city shall run from the point last described, east to Connec- ticut river; and said river shall be the east boundary of said city.
BOUNDARIES OF HARTFORD CITY WARDS.
FIRST WARD .- VOTING PLACE, 16 CHURCHI ST.
BEGINNING at the intersection of the center lines of Main and Church streets, and running thence northerly and westerly through the center line of Main street to its intersection with Albany avenue; thence westerly through the center line of Albany avenue and Albany road, so called; to the western boundary line of said city; thence southerly on said western boundary line to its intersection with the center line (produced) of Collins street; thence on said line through the center line of said Collins street, to its intersection with Gar- den street; thence through the center line of said Garden street to Myrtle street; thence through the center of Myrtle street to its intersection with Spring street; thence through the centre of Spring street to its intersection with the road and alley leading from Spring street to Church street; thence through the center of said road and alley and Church street to the place of beginning.
SECOND WARD .- VOTING PLACE, 42 PEARL ST.
Beginning at the point of intersection of Main and Church streets, and running thence westerly through the center of Church street to its terinination-thence through the center of a road and alley to Spring street -thence through the center of Spring street to Myrtle street; thence through the center of Myrtle street to Garden street; thence northwesterly through the center of Garden street to the center line of Collins street;
thence westerly through the center line of Collins street and said line produced to the western boundary of said city; thence southerly along the said western boundary to the south fork of Park river, so called; thence easterly through the center of said river to its intersection with "Main street; thence northerly through the center of Main street to the place of be- ginning.
THIRD WARD .- VOTING PLACE, SHELDON ST., NORTH SIDE, NEAR MAIN.
Beginning at the point of intersection of the eastern line of said city and the center line of Park river, and running thence westerly through the center of said river, and the south fork thereof, to its intersection with the center line of a road in continuation of Park street-thence easterly through the center of said road to Washington street-thence northerly on the center line of Washington street to Buckingham street- thence easterly through the center of Buckingham street to its intersection with Main street-tlience southerly through the center of Main street to its in- tersection with Charter Oak avenue-thence on the cen- ter line of Charter Oak avenue, and the same line con- tinued to its intersection with the eastern boundary line of said city-thence on said eastern boundary line to the place of beginning.
FOURTH WARD .- VOTING PLACE, 55 MAIN ST.
Beginning at a point on the eastern line of said city at its intersection with the center line of Charter Oak avenue continued, and running thence westerly, to the center line of Charter Oak avenue, thence through the centre of Charter Oak avenue to its intersection with Main street, thence through the center of Main street to its intersection with Buckingham street- thence through the center of Buckingham street to its intersection with Washington street-thence southerly through the center of Washington street to its inter- section-thence westerly through the center of Park street and the road in continuation of it, to the western boundary line of the city-thence southerly on said boundary line to the southern boundary line of the city -thence easterly on said southern boundary line to the eastern boundary line of the city, and thence northerly on said eastern boundary line to the place of beginning.
FIFTHI WARD .- VOTING PLACE, 124 FRONT ST.
Beginning at the point of intersection of the east line of the city and the center line of Kilbourn street, and running thence westerly on said center line to its intersection with the center line of Front street, thence northerly through the center of Front street to its inter- section with Temple street-thence westerly through the center of Temple street to its intersection with Main street-thence southerly through the center of Main street to its intersection with the center line of Park river-thence easterly on the center line of said river to the eastern boundary line of the city, and thence northerly on said eastern boundary line to the place of beginning.
SIXTHI WARD .- VOTING PLACE, 66 MORGAN, COR. FRONT
Beginning at the point of intersection of the cen- ter line of Kilbourn street and the eastern boundary line of the city, and running thence northerly on said boundary line to its intersection with the northern boundary line of the city-thence westerly on said northern boundary line to its intersection with the center line of the railroad of the II. & N. H. Railroad Company-thence south-westerly on the center line of' said railroad to its intersection with the center of Windsor street-thence sontherly through the center of Windsor street to its intersection with Main street- thence southerly through the center of Main street to Temple street-thenee casterly through the center of Temple street to Front street - thence sontherly through the center of Front street to Kilbourn street -thence easterly through the center of Kilbourn street to the place of beginning.
SEVENTH WARD .- VOTING PLACE, 5 PLEASANT ST. Beginning at the point of intersection of Main and Windsor streets, and running thence northwesterly
260
GEER'S HARTFORD CITY DIRECTORY.
through the center of Main street to Albany avenue; thence westerly through the center of Albany avenue and Albany road, so called, to the western boundary line of said city; thence northerly on said western boundary line to the northern boundary line of said city; thence easterly on said northern boundary line to the center line of the railroad of the Hartford and New Haven railroad company; thence southerly on the center line of said railroad to the center line of Windsor street; thence southerly on the center line of Windsor street to the place of beginning.
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