Hartford was named after Hertford in England in 1637, but the Dutch settled the first colonial village in 1633. The native Americans called the place Suckiaug. The first Western constitution was written here in Hartford in 1639 and served as the sole capital of the Connecticut colony until 1701. The capital alternated between Hartford and New Haven until 1875, when Hartford regained its status as the sole capital.
The Old State House has an exhibit detailing the saga of the Connecticut legislature and how it got involved in the famed Amistad trials, which later got referred up to the Supreme Court. The people in Hartford are more down-to-earth than those in New Haven. They’re eager to engage in conversation and don’t really care where you’re from. The city is quite small and easily walkable with most of the points of interest within a 15-minute walk from city hall.
