Mitchells on the trail

Today we headed into Hartford, Connecticut to see the capitol building. Here you are looking at our first site of the big city.

Info.
Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry. Almost 400 years old, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Following the American Civil War, Hartford was the wealthiest city in the United States for several decades. In 1868, Mark Twain wrote before he died, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief." Today, Hartford is one of the poorest cities in the nation with 3 out of every 10 families living below the poverty lines.

This is the old state house completed 1796. The Hartford State House is, in appearance, very similar to the Town Hall of Liverpool, England, built in the mid-18th century

This is the new state house. Wow!!
The current building is the third capitol building for the State of Connecticut since the American Revolution.

The roads were all torn up and we had to dodge the raised utilities

We also went to the park where they had a wonderful very old carousel. This is Laura atop her wonderful stead.
It’s a sweet surprise to find a vintage 1914 carousel standing in Bushnell Park. There, by the shadow of skyscrapers and a giant Turkey Oak, a 24-sided pavilion houses 48 hand-carved wooden horses and two lovers’ chariots that swirl around a booming Wurlitzer band organ commanding an optimism that contrasts with the city’s often-troubled image.
For just $1.00, you get a 3 1/2 minute ride that can blur your worries, trick you into feeling young and enlarge the eyes of even the widest-eyed youngster.

The Knox Foundation brought the carousel to Hartford from Canton, Ohio, in 1974. Jack Dollard, director of the Foundation at the time, and now an architect in the city, thought the horses would symbolize Hartford’s restoration.
Then Tracey Cameron, a Hartford resident, spent more than a year restoring the horses to reflect the same fury that Russian immigrants Solomon Stein and Harry Goldstein first carved into their faces in 1914. Mass production and changing tastes led to the demise of hand carving and now collectors, buying up single horses, have dismantled hundreds of carousels. As a result, this carousel is only one of three Stein and Goldstein carousels left in existence.

This is the 24-sided pavilion carousel building. It was originally built in 1914 and was in two other cities before Hartford purchased it in 1974. It was great to ride and see. The horses are beautiful.

Beautiful work

Each horse has a real horse hair tail

Every carousel has a lead horse, we were told, and this is the lead horse for this carousel. This is Freedom.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch is a notable memorial to the American Civil War. It was the first permanent triumphal arch in America, and honors the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the war, and the 400 who died for the Union.

The arch's first conception dates from October 21, 1879, when a committee was formed, with a competition sponsored in 1881. Commission was eventually given to architect George Keller. It was dedicated on September 17, 1886. The tower statues (completed 1894) were carved by Swiss-born sculptor Albert Entress (1846-1926). Total cost was about $60,000. When the arch was rehabilitated in 1986–1988, its original terra cotta finial angels were replaced by the current bronze angels.

The south frieze tells the story of peace, with a central female allegorical figure representing the City of Hartford, surrounded by her citizens welcoming soldiers home.

The south frieze tells the story of peace, with a central female allegorical figure representing the City of Hartford, surrounded by her citizens welcoming soldiers home.
The north frieze, tells the story of war, with on the right, a figure of General Ulysses S. Grant surveying his troops and on the left, marines jumping from a boat to rush the Confederates.

The new bronze angles on top.

Today they had a group at the arch giving tours. Laura and I went up to the top and took these pix.

We had a great view of the capitol building from high atop the arch.

Fountain in the gardens below the arch.

Mr. Keller built the arch and upon his death he wished his ashes to be placed in the arch. Eleven years later his wife, Mary, was laid to rest here too.