I’ll be giving a presentation on Lost Hartford for the 1892 Club at the Hartford Golf Club on the evening of Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

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 

This is my presentation recorded live earlier today for the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum: “When Hartford Was a Retail Hub: the Growth of the City’s Great Department Stores (1890s – 1960s).”

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.

For those who missed it, my recent Zoom lecture for the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum is available on YouTube. Also, don’t forget to visit (and subscribe!) to my YouTube channel!

For those who haven’t seen it yet, I have started a YouTube Channel. This is my latest video (my 16th so far!):