Hartford Old State House  

History of the Old State House

Architecture - Preservation - Timeline - Photo History

Timeline

The 1600's
1635 Sixteen men, their wives, children, and horses, cows and swine arrived in Hartford in October seeking a new home.
1636 On the high ground just west of the Connecticut River, the new settlement at Hartford built its first meeting house. The building, 36 by 23 feet, was used for the court, religious services, and community meetings.
1637 The meeting house, just two years old, on the square in Hartford was already too small for the religious services and court business of the growing colony. The assembly gave the old building to the Reverend Thomas Hooker. The new building, fifty feet square, was made of wood and faced the river.
1643 The General Court ordered on July 5, 1643, that a market be held at Hartford weekly, every Wednesday on Meeting House Square. All manner of goods and merchandise were sold here, including cattle. Meeting House Square became a lively place where townspeople gathered to learn the news, and exchange goods and services.
The 1700's
1720 Once again, the colony of Connecticut had outgrown its meeting house. The General Assembly ordered that a new State House be constructed on Meeting House Square for the growing colonial Assembly. The Assembly ordered that the building be seventy feet in length and thirty feet in width.
1783 The Independence celebrations at the State House lighted more than high spirits. No one knows how or when the State House caught fire, but the fireworks or candle illumination, along with the feasting and frivolity that marked the day probably contributed to the fire that badly damaged the building.
1792 The General Assembly appointed John Chester and others to a committee to superintend the erection of a new state house in Hartford..
1793 The construction of the new Hartford State House began. Because of the irregular financing of the project, the General Assembly authorized a lottery. The attempt to raise $4000 failed.
1794 Construction stopped due to lack of funds. The building walls were up and funds were requested for the roof.
1793 Jeremiah Halsey agreed to complete the building in return for a grant to the "Gore Tract."
1794 Asher Benjamin "made the drawings and superintended the building of a circular staircase in the State House at Hartford, Connecticut, the first circular rail that was ever made in New England."
1796 Furniture was purchased from Jeremiah Halsey.
1796 The first session was held in the new building on May 11.
1796 A Committee of the General Assembly inquired into the expense of building the State House.
1796 Mr. Joseph Steward, a noted painter of Connecticut's social and political leaders, established a museum in the attic of the State House. Mr. Steward displayed his paintings and natural and artificial curiosities.
1797 Outside window shutters were purchased.
1799 A case and chests for public papers were purchased.
The 1800's
1800 The General Assembly directed the Comptroller to finish the windows.
1801 Leonard Kennedy was paid for finishing and hanging windows in the chambers and for work in the Treasurer's office "for its security."
1800 Gilbert Stuart was commissioned by the General Assembly in may to paint a portrait of George Washington.
1801 The immense portrait of George Washington was placed in the Senate Chamber of the State House. The painting, costing $840, was commissioned by the General Assembly to honor the late great president. The Assembly also authorized the printing of the Farewell Address given by President Washington for permanent display in the State House.
1804 The first stoves were purchased for the State House.
1804 William Boardman was paid for repairing the pillars in the portico and laying step stones.
1805 The roof was repaired.
1805 Flagstone to complete the stone walk through the State House Yard were purchased.
1808 Joseph Steward's Hartford Museum moved out of State House.
1809 Chairs and benches were purchased for accommodating the public and for the committee rooms.
1810 The portico was repaired again.
1813 A "Russian stove" was bought for Treasurer's office.
1814 Hartford Convention convened. Stoves, stove pipes and wood were purchased for heating the convention sessions.
1815 The wooden balustrade was installed, not to improve the look of the building, but was added to render it safe for firemen. Fire buckets, cisterns, and iron cellar doors were added as fire-safety measures. Wells were dug on the northwest and southwest corners of the square to store water for fire emergencies.
1816 The portico was enclosed.
1818 The Constitution of Connecticut required changes in the State House. The new duties of the governor required that he and his cabinet keep offices in the building. The Senate would no longer vote its own members or meet in secret. The public was now able to observe the Senate's sessions from behind a railing.
1818 The Congregational Church was disestablished. The Governor's Council was renamed the Senate.
1819 A room was fitted up for the School Fund Commissioner.
1820 A room was fitted up for the governor.
1821 The roof was repaired and re-shingled.
1825 Final settlement was made with Jeremiah Halsey.
1826 A cupola was erected on the roof of the building that would house a bell. The statue of Blind Justice was placed on top of the cupola. The building was painted white at this time.
1827 A bell was cast for cupola.
1831 The Senate chamber was renovated. The raised platform was extended and new furniture was purchased for the enlarged Senate.
1832 Rooms were built in the basement.
1833 An elaborate iron fence was installed around State House Square. The State House yard was re-landscaped.
1835 The Secretary of State office was enlarged to the north wall. The stairway was removed and a new stair was built at the east end of the second floor hall.
1837 The exterior was repainted.
1837 The House chamber was renovated. The floor was raised and other features (door, fireplace jambs) were correspondingly shortened. The old bench seats were replaced by curving rows of seats.
1837 The Hartford Natural History Society was given use of the third floor.
1841 The wood shingles on the roof were replaced with tin.
1842 The Secretary of State's office was expanded to include a library on the third floor.
1845 The roof was painted.
1845 A flagpole and flag were installed on the cupola.
1845 A furnace was installed for the courtroom.
1849 The first clock was purchased for the cupola.
1850 The exterior was repainted and the roof was repaired.
1852 Safes and locks were purchased for the Treasurer's and Comptroller's offices.
1854 The first fountain was built in the east yard.
1855 The State Library was built within the east portico.
1855 A balcony on the west side of the building was added between 1855 and c.1865. The second floor windows of the west projection were lowered accordingly.
1856 Gas lights were installed in the State House.
1857 Picture frames for the portraits of Connecticut governors were purchased.
1858 The Senate and the House were redecorated. Moveable slat blinds were added.
1860 The roof was repaired.
1862 An iron safe for the executive office was purchased.
1866 The roof and the exterior were repainted.
1868 A second clock was installed. The arched windows in the cupola were replaced by single rectangular openings. The cupola was repainted.
1868-1871 Extensive work was undertaken, including piers added under the first floor support beams, major plumbing, and interior painting.
1872 Hartford was selected as the sole capital. The General Assembly approved plans for a new Capitol building to be built near Bushnell Park.
1873 Workmen digging the foundation for the Post Office discovered two old cisterns for the State House.
1876 New steam pipes for heating House chamber were purchased.
1877 The exterior was repainted.
1878 The last session of the legislature was held in the building in March. The building was then turned over to the city of Hartford for use as City Hall.
1878 Seneca W. Lincoln was hired as the architect for the renovations.
1879 The work to change the building from state to city government was completed. The stairway was turned, the halls were plastered, the first floor was enclosed, windows were added to the third floor of the east portico, the third story west projection windows were enlarged, Victorian woodwork and furniture were added, new floors and new carpets were installed, and the School Fund mezzanine was removed. The building was painted gray. The "entire dome' was painted.
1879 The flagstaff, found to be in bad condition and causing the dome to sway, was removed during the renovations. The statue of Justice atop the cupola was turned to face west.
1879 Trees were removed, the yard was filled on the north, south, and east sides.
1879 Double thickness "French glass" two-over-two sash were ordered for some of the windows.
1880 The Main Street approach was concreted. Two gas lamps were purchased.
1880 Hartford Steam Heating Co. began supplying steam for heat. The boiler was no longer used.
1882 The fence installed in 1834 was removed for the construction of the post office that was built only feet away from the east side of the Old State House.
1885 The courtroom was converted to offices for the Water Commission, Police Chief, Board of Health, by the addition of brick partitions. The old ceiling was completely taken down and a new one was installed.
1888 The city contracted with H.E.L. Co. for electric lights.
1892 The city coat of arms was painted in the west tympanum.
1892 A new floor was laid in the House chamber.
1894 The Senate ceiling was repaired again and repainted with "frescoes."
1898 The building was painted yellow.
The 1900's
1905 The city shield was added to the balcony.
1906 The Municipal Art Society called for a restoration of the building. Architect William C. Brocklesby outlined a restoration program.
1907 Exterior repairs were authorized, including the resurfacing of the brownstone to remove the paint, roof trusses, a new tin roof, and cornice and balustrade replacements. Extensive rebuilding of the stone and brick walls, including 224 square feet on the east elevation and 180 square feet on the west elevation was done.
1908 The south entrance was converted to a window during the stonework restoration.
1908 The building was completely rewired.
1913 Two comfort stations were built in the basement.
1915 The Old State House was abandoned. For almost 150 years, the Old State House of Connecticut adjusted to political winds and fashion whims. No longer housing state or city government, the building faced a bleak future. It was used randomly as a community center and public comfort station.
1916 The paint was removed from the brick exterior using sandblasting.
1916 The first floor small-pane sash was restored by the Municipal Art Society.
1917 The firm of Smith and Bassette presented a report on restoring the building.
1918 Restoration work began with H. Hilliard Smith as the architect with Robert D. Andrews of Boston consulting.
1919 A new Seth Thomas clock movement was installed.
1920 The restoration was completed. The changes included a new slate roof, structural steel for the roof and the floors, new hardwood floors over concrete, Colonial Revival woodwork for the halls and courtroom, new Main Street and second floor spiral stairways, and a Colonial revival courtroom.
1921 The building opened on New Years Day.
1921 Private citizens came to the rescue of the historic State House in Hartford. Former Governor Morgan Gardner Bulkeley formed a group known as the Bulfinch Ten to raise funds to preserve the Old State House. The building remained without a clear purpose and its future uncertain.
1934 The post office was taken down. Plans were begun to restore the east yard. The statue of Blind Justice was re-gilded, repaired, and turned east again.
1936 W.P.A. projects repainted the State House, built a new iron fence on the 1834 coping, and produced photographs and measured drawings of the structure.
1960 The Newton Brainard Senate was reconstructed.
1961 The Old State House of Connecticut was named a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior. The building stood lonely and bleak until the Connecticut Historical Society opened it to the public. The landmark status and new occupants protected the building against future threats.
1975 The City Council terminated the maintenance of the Old State House and the Connecticut Historical Society could not maintain it alone. The city wanted to tear down the National Historic Landmark for more parking. A citizen group formed to save the building.
1977 The Old State House Association began work on the restoration, including new utilities, structural steel, and removal of the Senate column capitals. A glassed-in first floor and a reproduction statue of Blind Justice were among the renovations added to the building. Museum facilities were installed.
1989 The Old State House Association launched a visionary future plan for the building that would not surrender to the wrecking ball. Made structurally sound and historically accurate, the building would be accessible and welcoming to all. Lively and varied programs would engage the public in celebrating the heritage of Connecticut and designing its future.
1996 The portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart returned to its home in the magnificently restored Senate Chamber of the Old State House just in time for its 200th Anniversary on May 11, 1996. The event was celebrated with a parade with nearly all of the 169 Connecticut towns represented.
The 2000's
   
2008 August 1. The Connecticut General Assembly's Office of Legislative Management acquires a 99 year lease with the City of Hartford for the Old State House.