Hartford is the Capital city of Connecticut. The population of Hartford is over 125,000, ranking as the state’s third largest city. Hartford is often referred to as the “Insurance Capital of the world” because a large percentage of the world’s insurance companies call Hartford their home city, where their headquarters are found. The city is one of the nation’s oldest, approximately 400 years old, and is also the country’s wealthiest.
The oldest art museum is found in Hartford, the Wadsworth Atheneum, as well as the oldest public park, Bushnell Park. Hartford is home to the country’s oldest continuously published newspaper, The Harford Courant, the second oldest public school, Harford Public, and the sixth oldest opera company until its closure in 2009.
In addition to being the world’s insurance headquarters, Hartford also the home to such giant companies as CIGNA, Colt Firearms, U.S. Fire Arms and United Technologies. Some sites worth seeing on any visit to Hartford are the Bulkeley Bridge, which crosses the Connecticut River and connects the city of East Hartford with Hartford proper. Be sure to stop by the Bushnell Center for the performing arts and Bushnell Park. The Connecticut Science Center opened its doors in June 2009, and is a 154,000 square foot, nine-story, $165 million museum designed by the renowned architect César Pelli.