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Today is the 17th anniversary of historicbuildingsct.com! That’s 4,450 posts covering 140 out of the state’s 169 municipalities!

I’ve created a History with Dan Sterner page on Facebook to share all my content, from my YouTube channel “History with Dan Sterner,” my websites “Historic Buildings of Connecticut” and “Historic Buildings of Massachusetts,” and more. So please hit like so you don’t miss anything!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551162213194

Get ready to kick off the summer with an engaging walking tour around the historic State House Square in downtown Hartford! Featuring local historian, Dan Sterner. State House Square lies in the very heart of the city of Hartford. Bordered by Main Street, Central Row, Market Street, and the pedestrian walkway that used to be part of State Street, hundreds of people walk by this site every day. They might look up and see the high-rise buildings, marvel at the beautiful Old State House at the center, or hurry to work in one of the office complexes that line the blocks. But how many know the history of those streets they walk, and the buildings they frequent? How has the neighborhood changed in both appearance and purpose? What kinds of businesses and people used to occupy the lots that surround them? Local historian, Dan Sterner has done vast amounts of research on the history of Hartford. He will lead an hour-long walking tour around State House Square. The tour will include a look at Connecticut’s Old State House’s newest exhibit: State House Square 360°. The exhibit features a number of historical images of State House Square dating back to the 1800s. Dan will highlight some of the most interesting stories of the sites. Open to the public!
Registration: https://bit.ly/OSH2023SHS360Tour 

Historic Buildings of Connecticut began back on April 30, 2007 with a post about the Joseph Webb House in Wethersfield. After 16 years there are now 4,406 building posts here. I want to thank everyone who has visited this website and my YouTube channel (remember to subscribe to the channel!).

Hosted by the Webb Deane Stevens Museum. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023 AT 12:30 PM.

When Hartford Was a Retail Hub: the Growth of the City’s Great Department Stores (1890s – 1960s)

Hartford was once a thriving center for retail, with several large department stores, including the legendary G. Fox & Co. Daniel will talk about the development of the city’s major department stores, comparing the different ways they grew from small dry goods outlets into multi-department retail complexes. Stores to be discussed include Brown-Thomson, Sage-Allen, Wise-Smith and, of course, G. Fox – which became the nation’s largest privately-owned department store. The discussion is free on Zoom. Registration is required.