Hartford, city in Connecticut and capital of the state. It is located in Hartford County, situated at the head of navigation on the west bank of the Connecticut River in the north central part of the state. Hartford is a financial, commercial, and service-oriented city, noted since the 1790s as one of the chief centers of the insurance business in the United States. Manufactures include aerospace equipment, industrial machinery, and firearms. Air transportation is through Bradley International Airport.
Among the landmarks of Hartford are the Old State House (1796), a fine example of the Federal style of architecture designed by Charles Bulfinch; the State Capitol (1879), which has in its historic collections the tombstone of Israel Putnam, a general in the American Revolution (1775-1783); and the homes of the writers Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Other points of interest are the Wadsworth Atheneum, opened in 1844 and considered the nation's oldest public art museum; Real Art Ways, an art gallery which also emphasizes performing arts; and Elizabeth Park, noted for its many varieties of roses.
