Hartford Whalers
List of Hartford Whalers seasons
Hartford Whalers
Founded	1972
History	New England Whalers 1972–1979 Hartford Whalers 1979–1997 Carolina Hurricanes 1997–present
Home arena	Boston Arena Boston Garden The Big E Coliseum Springfield Civic Center Hartford Civic Center
City	Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Colors	Green, black, white (1972–1975)                Green, gold, white (1975–1979)                Green, blue, white (1979–1992)                Navy, green, silver (1992–1997)
Stanley Cups	0
Avco World Trophy	1 1972–73
Conference championships	2 1972–73, 1977–78
Presidents' Trophies	0
Division championships	4 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1986–87

The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979–97. In 1997, the Whalers franchise moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where they became the Carolina Hurricanes. They later moved to Raleigh, North Carolina when they completed the RBC complex.

The team joined the WHA in its inaugural season in 1972. Originally based in Boston, Massachusetts, they were known as the New England Whalers throughout their time in the league. They moved to Hartford in 1974, and joined the NHL in the NHL–WHA merger of 1979.

WHA era[link]

Early seasons in Boston (1971)[link]

The Whalers franchise was born in November 1971 when the World Hockey Association awarded a franchise to New England businessmen Howard Baldwin, John Coburn, W. Godfrey Wood and William Edwin Barnes, to begin play in Boston. The team began auspiciously, signing former Detroit Red Wing star Tom Webster, hard rock Boston Bruins' defenseman Ted Green (the team's inaugural captain), Toronto Maple Leafs' defensemen Rick Ley, Jim Dorey and Brad Selwood, and former Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Al Smith.

New England also signed an unusually large number of American players including Massachusetts natives and former US Olympic hockey team members Larry Pleau (who had been a regular with the Montreal Canadiens the previous season), Kevin Ahearn, John Cunniff and Paul Hurley. Two other ex-US Olympians on the Whalers roster (Minnesotans Timothy Sheehy and Tommy Williams) had spent a significant part of their careers in Boston with Boston College and the Bruins, respectively.

The Whalers would have the WHA's best regular-season record in the 1972–73 WHA season, with Webster leading the team in scoring and rampaging through the playoffs, and behind legendary ex-Boston University coach Jack Kelley, would win the inaugural Avco World Trophy, the WHA championship.

Relocation to Hartford (1974)[link]

While in Boston, the club played their home games at the Boston Arena and Boston Garden. However game scheduling at Boston Garden (owned by the rival NHL Bruins) became increasingly difficult, and the owners decided to relocate the team to Hartford, Connecticut beginning with the 1974-75 season. The area, aside from various minor league teams in New Haven, had been largely bereft of pro hockey until the team's arrival. While waiting for their new arena in Hartford, the Whalers played the first part of the 1974-75 season at The Big E Coliseum in West Springfield, MA.

On January 11, 1975, the team played its first game in front of a sellout crowd at the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum. The franchise remained in Hartford until it relocated to North Carolina for the 1997-98 season, save for a temporary relocation to the nearby Springfield Civic Center in the late 1970s while their Hartford arena was being rebuilt after heavy snow followed by heavy rain caused the roof to collapse, which suffered from several engineering and construction shortcomings (See Hartford Civic Center Arena Roof Collapse).

Though they never again won the league championship, the New England Whalers were a successful team, never missing the playoffs in the WHA's history, and finishing first in its division three times. They had a more stable roster than most WHA teams—Ley, Webster, Selwood, Pleau, and Tommy Earl would all play over 350 games with the club—and scored a major coup when they signed legend Gordie Howe and his sons Mark and Marty from the Houston Aeros in 1977.

While the first two full seasons in Hartford were not glittering (the Whalers recorded losing records both years), the final two WHA seasons saw more success. They went to the finals again in 1978, with a veteran team spearheaded by the Howes—50-year-old Gordie led the team in scoring—future NHL stars Gordie Roberts and Mike Rogers, All-Star defenseman Ron Plumb, and forwards John McKenzie, Dave Keon and Mike Antonovich, and possessed of the league's best defense. The next season was not so fine, but while age finally caught up with Gordie Howe, the slack was picked up by Andre Lacroix, the WHA's all time leading scorer, acquired from the Aeros.

Admission to the NHL[link]

As the New England Whalers were one of the most stable WHA teams, it was one of the four franchises admitted to the National Hockey League when the rival leagues merged in 1979. Following lobbying from the Boston Bruins, one of the conditions of the merger stipulated that the Whalers were to drop "New England" from their name. The Howes, Rogers, Ley, Keon, Smith, Roberts and Lacroix would go on to wear the uniform of the Hartford Whalers. The team also changed its colors to blue and green, a combination which was unused in the NHL at the time.

Unlike the other former WHA teams, the Whalers were not stripped of most of their players. Only Selwood, George Lyle and Warren Miller were reclaimed by their former NHL teams.

Career leaders (WHA, 1972–1979)[link]

• Games: Rick Ley, 478
• Goals: Tom Webster, 220
• Assists: Larry Pleau, 215
• Points: Webster, 425
• Penalty Minutes: Ley, 716
• Goaltending Wins: Al Smith, 141

The NHL days[link]

The Whalers were never as successful in the NHL as they had been in the WHA, yet they attracted a passionate fan base over the years. They recorded three winning seasons in their eighteen years in the NHL, made the playoffs eight times, and won one playoff series, earning the nickname "Forever .500s". Whenever they did make the playoffs, they faced the near-certainty of having to get past the Boston Bruins or Montreal Canadiens to make it to the conference finals. The team developed heated rivalries with the Bruins and New York Rangers, both based two hours northeast and southwest of Hartford respectively along Interstate 95. These games usually attracted the Whalers' biggest crowds, as many Bruins and Rangers fans followed their teams to Hartford. The Whalers achieved all-time records of 37–69–12 and 23–26–6 respectively against those clubs.

The Whalers were hampered by off-the-ice factors. Hartford was the smallest American market in the league, and was located on the traditional dividing line between the home territories for Boston and New York teams. This limited the team's marketability. Additionally, for most of the Whalers' tenure as an NHL team, the Hartford Civic Center was one of the smallest arenas in the league, seating just over 15,000 fans for hockey.

Inaugural NHL season[link]

The Whalers' first NHL season in 1979–80 looked somewhat promising. They were led by Mike Rogers, Blaine Stoughton, Dave Keon, Mark Howe, Rick Ley, NHL legend Gordie Howe, and the all time WHA leading scorer Andre Lacroix along with the franchise's first starting goaltender Al Smith. The Whalers also acquired another NHL legend, Bobby Hull, near the trade deadline in 1980. They finished the season with 73 points and a playoff berth and had the best record of the four former WHA franchises that entered the NHL in 1979-80. Along with the Edmonton Oilers, the Whalers are the most recent first year expansion franchise to make the playoffs in their inaugural season in the NHL. In the first round of the playoffs, the Whalers were swept by the Montreal Canadiens three games to none. Following this season, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and Andre Lacroix announced their retirements.

The early 1980s[link]

Following the 79-80 season, the Whalers had many aging veterans left over from their WHA days. To make matters worse, the Whalers reputation of making disastrous trades began to unfold, as the team began to trade away stars for mediocre players in an attempt to gain depth. For instance, they traded star defenseman Mark Howe and their first NHL scoring leader, Mike Rogers, in separate deals for players and draft picks which never panned out, and also swapped hardrock defenseman Gordie Roberts (who would play 15 remaining pro seasons) for the remaining half-season of Mike Fidler's NHL career. The Whalers bottomed out in the 1982-83 season with a record of 19-54-7 and only 45 points and ranked 20th out of 21 teams in the NHL standings. On May 2, 1983, The Whalers hired Emile Francis as their new General Manager to rebuild the team. About two months later, on July 7, 1983, Francis hired Jack Evans to be the Whalers' new head coach. By the end of the 1986-87 season, Francis had cut or traded away every player from the 82-83 Whalers roster with the exceptions of Ron Francis and Paul MacDermid.

Success in the mid-1980s[link]

The team had a brief moment in the sun in the 1985–86 and 1986–87 seasons. The Whalers began the 85-86 season looking like a playoff contender. By the end of January, they had a record of 26-20-1 with 53 points after 47 games. At this time, the Whalers began to struggle when they lost their franchise player Ron Francis and star goal scorer Kevin Dineen to injuries. As a result, the Whalers struggled through February winning only two games that month and they were soon in danger of missing the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. In March, Francis and Dineen returned from their injuries and the Whalers put up a record of 12-4-2 in the months of March and April. The Whalers finished fourth in the Adams Division in the 1985–86 regular season and earned a playoff berth for the first time since 1980. The Whalers went on to eliminate the first-place Quebec Nordiques in three straight games in the first round, winning their sole playoff series in Hartford. The Whalers then pushed the division finals to seven games, losing the final game 2–1 in overtime to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens disposed of both the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames in five games in the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals respectively.

The following season, the Whalers won their lone division championship, led by centers Ron Francis and Ray Ferraro, emerging winger Kevin Dineen, defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, superstar goalie Mike Liut, and troubled scorer Sylvain Turgeon. The 93 points earned that season were the most they would earn as an NHL team in Hartford, however, they were quickly eliminated in the first round by the Nordiques. The Whalers got off to a good start in this playoff series by winning the first two games at home but, beginning in Game 3, the Nordiques were able to successfully get the Whalers off of their game by playing a very tough, dirty, and chippy style of hockey. As a result, both teams broke NHL records in penalty minutes for an individual playoff game and a whole playoff series. The Nordiques won the next four straight games and the series four games to two. While the team would make the playoffs for the next five seasons in a row, they never came close to duplicating their previous success, with one exception in the 1989–90 season.

The 1989–90 season[link]

In the 1989-90 season, the Whalers finished seventh overall in the NHL standings and fourth overall in the Wales Conference with 85 points. This was the franchises second highest point total in the NHL while in Hartford. The regular season was highlighted by captain and franchise player Ron Francis putting up career highs in goals with 32, assisits with 69, and points with 101. Later in his career, Francis was only able to exceed 101 points once (in 1995-96) and he never again exceeded 32 goals in a single season. At the trade deadline, the Whalers first year General Manager Eddie Johnston made the first in a series of destructive trades by sending franchise goaltender Mike Liut to the Washington Capitals for center Yvon Corriveau. Liut was having a career year during the 89-90 season and this trade left the Whalers with second year goalie Peter Sidorkiewicz as their starter and rookie Kay Whitmore as the backup.

The Whalers went on to face the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. In Game 4, the Whalers were in front of their home crowd with a two games to one series lead and a 5-2 lead in the game going into the third period. The Bruins starting goaltender Reggie Lemelin was struggling throughout the series and was replaced by backup Andy Moog in the third period. At the same time Sidorkiewicz, began struggling in goal for the Whalers and the Bruins scored four unanswered goals in the third period and won the game 6-5. Sidorkiewicz struggled for the rest of the series and Moog was spectacular for the Bruins. Without Liut, the Whalers had to either stick with Sidorkiewicz, which they did, or use the unproven rookie, Kay Whitmore, in goal. Goaltending turned out to be one of the big differences in this series and the Bruins won it in seven games. The Bruins went on to dispose the Canadiens in five games, then sweep the Capitals in the Wales Conference finals before losing in the Stanley Cup finals to the Oilers.

The Ron Francis trade[link]

The most psychologically damaging moment for the club was the March 4, 1991 trade of Francis to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings for John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, and Jeff Parker. Francis was one of the most popular players on the team, and held nearly every significant offensive record in the franchise's history (both WHA and NHL). The trade was savagely condemned by Whalers fans, most of whom weren't willing to believe The Hockey News assessment that the Whalers had actually gotten the better end of the bargain. Less than two weeks after the trade, Parker suffered a career ending knee injury. The Francis trade was made all the more painful when Francis and Samuelsson promptly helped lead the Penguins to two consecutive Stanley Cups. Coincidentally, Eddie Johnston, the Hartford general manager who had orchestrated the Francis trade, would follow him to Pittsburgh as the Penguins' head coach two years later.

The trades that Johnston made, especially the Ron Francis trade, proved to be disastrous for the Whalers since the players acquired did not pan out to expectations, leaving the Whalers depleted of talent and costing them substantial goodwill in Hartford. The links below show all of the trades and transactions Ed Johnston made as the General Manager of the Whalers.

• 1989-90 Hartford Whalers Transactions 1989–90 Hartford Whalers season#Transactions
• 1990-91 Hartford Whalers Transactions 1990–91 Hartford Whalers season#Transactions
• 1991-92 Hartford Whalers Transactions 1991–92 Hartford Whalers season#Transactions

The 1992 playoffs[link]

The Whalers went to the playoffs for the final time in 1992 behind Jimmy Roberts' coaching, but faced the very heavily favored Montreal Canadiens in the Adams Division Semifinals. The Whalers lost Game 1 by a score of 2-0 and Game 2 by a score of 5-2 so it looked like the Canadiens would sweep the Whalers out of the first round, as they did in the 1989 playoffs. However, the Whalers came back home to win Games 3 and 4 by scores of 5-2 and 3-1 respectively. The main turning point in the series came in the second period of Game Five. The Whalers had a 3-1 lead midway through the second period. At this time, the Canadiens began rushing the crease and getting in the face of Whalers goaltender Frank Pietrangelo to distract him. This strategy worked as the Canadiens scored four unanswered goals in the final five minutes of the second period. These goals were not called back since this was before the time when the NHL began strictly enforcing crease infractions on goals. The Whalers lost Game 5 by a score of 7-4. The Whalers came back to win Game 6 by a score of 2-1 just 24 seconds into overtime on a goal by Yvon Corriveau. The series went back to Montreal for Game 7 and the Whalers lost a dramatic double overtime game by a score of 3-2, as Russ Courtnall scored on a turn-around shot against Pietrangelo. Corriveau had an excellent chance for a second consecutive overtime winner in the first overtime period on a breakaway but his shot missed the net.

Roberts was fired thereafter, along with General Manager Eddie Johnston. At the end of the three year Johnston era, only seven players remained from the Whalers active roster prior to Johnston taking over as General Manager. Those players were forwards Ed Kastelic and Terry Yake, defensemen Randy Ladouceur, Brad Shaw, and Adam Burt, and goaltenders Peter Sidorkiewicz and Kay Whitmore. During the summer of 1992 following Johnston's departure, Shaw and Whitmore got traded away; Kastelic was let go via free agency; and Sidorkiewicz was lost to Ottawa in the expansion draft.

The Brian Burke and Paul Holmgren years[link]

In the summer of 1992, the Whalers hired Brian Burke to replace Eddie Johnston as General Manager to rebuild the Whalers. Burke previously worked for the Vancouver Canucks and he helped them build the team that eventually went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994. Burke hired Paul Holmgren to be the Whalers new head coach. Holmgren previously was the head coach of the Flyers. Holmgren immediately named Pat Verbeek the new captain and he ended up playing on a line with young stars Andrew Cassels and Geoff Sanderson. The Whalers also acquired a goaltender Sean Burke in exchange for former first round draft pick Bobby Holik. Cassels, Sanderson, and Burke remained star players for the Whalers through their final season in Hartford. In addition, future NHL star Michael Nylander began his NHL career with the Whalers during the 1992-93 season. Since the 92-93 season was a rebuilding year for the Whalers, they finished the season with only 58 points, the second worst point total in franchise history.

The Whalers entered the 1993-94 season with high hopes from a core of young talented players. The Whalers were also able to draft defenseman Chris Pronger who began his career with the Whalers and later became an NHL star. However, problems began at the management level when General Manager Brian Burke announced he would resign when the season began to take an executive position with the NHL. In addition, Burke had some disagreements with team owner Richard Gordon. After Burke left, Holmgren took over as Head Coach and General Manager. The Whalers started off the season poorly. Holmgren felt he was unable to handle the job of GM and Head Coach so he made Pierre McGuire the new Head Coach so Holmgren could focus on his duties as GM. The coaching change did not help the Whalers since McGuire was not popular with the players and the Whalers continued to struggle. The Whalers reached a low point in the season when six players and two assistant coaches were arrested in Buffalo after being involved in a bar room brawl. Pronger was one of the players arrested even though he was 19 years old at the time, two years below than the legal drinking age in New York state. Around this same time Paul Holmgren checked himself into rehab for alcohol addiction. The Whalers finished the season with 63 points, only a 5 point improvement from the previous season. One bright spot for the Whalers was the emergence of Sean Burke as their franchise and star goaltender. Another highlight of the 93-94 season was when Brian Propp scored his 1000th career NHL point with the Whalers. Propp announced his retirement after the season.

New ownership[link]

In the summer of 1994, the Whalers were purchased, in a deal brokered by the Connecticut Development Authority, by Compuware CEO Peter Karmanos, along with partners Thomas Thewes, and Jim Rutherford. Rutherford became the team’s new General Manager and Holmgren came back as the Head Coach. The new ownership wanted to turn the team into a winner for the 1994-95 season so Rutherford went out to the free agent market and signed Jimmy Carson and Steven Rice. On draft day, the Whalers selected highly rated Jeff O’Neill in the first round and he debuted with the Whalers at the beginning of the 94-95 season. Rutherford also acquired defenseman Glen Wesley from the Bruins in exchange for three first round draft picks (Kyle McLaren, Johnathan Aitken, and Sergei Samsonov). Despite these acquisitions, the Whalers struggled at the beginning of the season, starting off with a record of 2-7-2. In mid February, the Whalers began improving led by their top line of Sanderson, Cassels, and Verbeek along with franchise goalie Sean Burke. For the next 30 games, the Whalers put up a record of 16-11-3 and it appeared as if the Whalers were on their way to their first playoff berth since 1992. Unfortunately, the Whalers played poorly down the stretch, winning only one game in the last seven and missed the playoffs by four points.

Before the beginning of the 1995-96 season, the Whalers management was frustrated with the slow development of highly rated prospect Chris Pronger. As a result, Pronger was sent to St. Louis for Brendan Shanahan. Shanahan was not happy with the trade even before playing a single game in Hartford. However, he was immediately made the team's new captain so he kept his frustrations about playing in Hartford silent for the 95-96 season. The Whalers won their first four games but then they struggled for the rest of the calendar year of 1995. As a result, Paul Maurice replaced Holmgren as Head Coach in November. On December 28, 1995, the Whalers got a huge morale boost when they reacquired one of their most popular players from the 1980s, Kevin Dineen. His skills and leadership had an immediate impact as the Whalers began playing much better in January. Despite the strong finish in the second half of the season, the Whalers were unable to recover from their poor start and they missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

Before the beginning of the 1996-97 season, Brendan Shanahan ended his silence about his displeasure about playing in Hartford. Shanahan demanded a trade out of Hartford because he claimed he did not want to play in a small market for a team with an uncertain future about its location. Whalers fans and local media condemned Shanahan for his comments and he was immediately stripped of his captaincy; Kevin Dineen took over this role. Shanahan was traded away after the second game of the season. Despite these problems, the Whalers got off to a very good start with a 14-7-6 record after the first 27 games and they were in first place of their division. They were led by a strong first line of Sanderson, Cassels, and Dineen along with a solid second line of Keith Primeau, Jeff O'Neill, and Sami Kapanen. During the calendar year of 1996, the Whalers achieved a record of 41-30-10 in 81 games. In 1997 following the good start, the Whalers' season began to slip away. This included a 9-game losing streak in January and a 6-game losing streak in March. Despite the poor performance down the stretch, the Whalers still had an opportunity to make the playoffs in the final week of the season. However, the Whalers lost two games on the road to Ottawa and the NY Islanders, which eliminated them from the playoffs before their final regular season game against Tampa Bay.

Departure from Hartford[link]

In 1994, Compuware founder Peter Karmanos purchased the Whalers and pledged to keep them in Hartford for four years. However, two years later, frustrated with lackluster attendance and little corporate support, he announced that if the Whalers were unable to sell at least 11,000 season tickets for the 1996–97 season, he would likely move the team.^[1] Furthermore, ownership only made season tickets available in full-season (41-game) packages, eliminating the popular six-, ten-, and twenty-game mini plans in a strategy largely designed to spur purchases from corporations and wealthier individuals. Sales were underwhelming at the beginning of the campaign and at the end of the 1995–96 season it was still unknown whether the Whalers would stay in Connecticut past 1998 or move. However, thanks to an aggressive civic campaign, and the efforts of many fans (who pooled together resources to purchase some of the full-season packages collectively^{[citation needed]}) the Whalers announced that they would stay in Connecticut through at least 1997. The 'Save The Whale' campaign netted season ticket sales totaling 8,563 in less than a 45 day span despite the Whalers raising ticket prices by an average of 20%, eliminating partial ticket plans and increasing the deposit amount for season tickets by 750%. This represented an expansion of over 3,500 tickets from the existing base.^[2]

In early 1997 Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland stated that he did not want to spend Connecticut tax payer dollars to fund a new arena in Hartford. Despite this, negotiations between the Whalers and Rowland to build a new $147.5 million arena seemed to be going well. Despite a nearly completed agreement, talks fell apart at the last minute when Karmanos wanted an additional $45 million dollars to cover losses during the three years the new arena was to be built. The Whalers ultimately announced that they would be leaving Hartford after the 96-97 season. This marks one of the few times that a team announced it would leave its current city without having already announced an agreement with a new one. Karmanos stated that Rowland had no intention making a serious offer to keep the Whalers in Connecticut since Rowland harbored hopes to bring an NFL franchise to Connecticut. Rowland went on to negotiate a tentative deal to move the NFL New England Patriots to Connecticut, but those talks also fell apart after the state and the Patriots ownership failed to reach an agreement on a new stadium.^[3][4][5]

Post-departure[link]

On April 13, 1997, the Whalers played their last game in Hartford, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2–1. Team captain Kevin Dineen, who had returned to Hartford midway through the 1995-1996 season after a brief stint in Philadelphia, scored the final goal in Whalers history. In July, Karmanos announced the team would move to Raleigh, North Carolina as the Carolina Hurricanes, playing its first two seasons in North Carolina at the Greensboro Coliseum while awaiting arena construction in Raleigh, a year earlier than planned. The following summer in 1997, the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers) relocated to the Hartford market to take the place of the Whalers.^[6] In honor of the defunct NHL Whalers, the Wolf Pack announced that they were changing their name to the Connecticut Whale in the middle of the 2010-11 season.^[7]

As of the 2011-12 season season, only two former Whalers were still active NHL players: Chris Pronger of the Philadelphia Flyers and Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Colorado Avalanche. Glen Wesley was the last Whaler still active with the Hartford/Carolina franchise until he retired on June 5, 2008, though his stint was not continuous, playing seven games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2003 after a deadline deal before re-signing in Carolina in the 2003 offseason.^[8] Ron Francis returned to the renamed Hurricanes in 1998 and stayed through 2004, captaining the team's run to the 2002 Finals. Francis now serves as the associate coach and director of player personnel for the Hurricanes, and Wesley as the club's director of defenseman development. Craig Adams has the distinction of being the last player drafted in Whalers' history and remains active in the National Hockey League as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, Adams did not become a member of the team until 2000, when the team had already moved to Carolina.^[9]

Theme song[link]

The Hartford Whalers' official theme song was "Brass Bonanza," a tune composed by an aspiring composer/musician Jack Say.^[10] The song became a big hit after it was introduced in the mid-1970s. However, Brian Burke cancelled the use of the song in 1992 because he said "there were players who were embarrassed by it." After he left it was quickly reintroduced.^[11] The song is still very popular with Hartford crowds, and continues to occasionally be played at XL Center events, including games of the Connecticut Whale, the current AHL hockey team in Hartford that is named in honor of the NHL team and at the University of Connecticut's XL Center basketball games by the UConn Varsity Pep Band.

Brass Bonanza was also the team's goal song whenever they had scored a goal. After 1992 Brian Burke replaced the song with a Goal Horn and the song Rock and Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter.

Season-by-season record[link]

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals scored for, GA = Goals scored against, PIM = Penalty minutes

WHA - New England Whalers[link]

NHL - Hartford Whalers[link]

¹Season was shortened due to the 1994–95 NHL lockout.

Notable players[link]

Whaler banners hanging from the Hartford Civic Center rafters in 2007. The numbers 2, 9, and 19 were retired while the team was still in Hartford and honor Rick Ley, Gordie Howe, and John McKenzie. In 2006 the numbers 5, 10, and 11 were added in honor of Ulf Samuelsson, Ron Francis, and Kevin Dineen.

Hall of Famers[link]

• Paul Coffey, D, 1996, inducted 2004
• Dave Keon, C, 1976–1982, inducted 1986
• Gordie Howe, RW, 1977–1980, inducted 1972
• Mark Howe, D, 1979–1982, inducted 2011
• Bobby Hull, LW, 1980, inducted 1983
• Ron Francis, C, 1981–1991, inducted 2007
• Emile Francis, General Manager, 1983–1989, inducted 1982 (Builder)

Team captains[link]

Note: includes both WHA Whalers and NHL Whalers

Retired numbers[link]

• 2 Rick Ley, D, 1972–81
• 9 Gordie Howe, RW, 1977–80
• 19 John McKenzie, RW, 1977–79

After the move to North Carolina, the successor Carolina Hurricanes returned #2 and #19 to circulation; however, only one player would wear #2 in Carolina before that number was re-retired in the late 2000s. Howe's #9 remained officially retired by Carolina, and has never been issued since the relocation to North Carolina, but there is no banner to acknowledge it.^[12]

First round draft picks[link]

Note: This list does not include selections from the WHA.

• 1979: Ray Allison (18th overall)
• 1980: Fred Arthur (eighth overall)
• 1981: Ron Francis (fourth overall)
• 1982: Paul Lawless (14th overall)
• 1983: Sylvain Turgeon (second overall)
• 1984: Sylvain Cote (11th overall)
• 1985: Dana Murzyn (fifth overall)
• 1986: Scott Young (11th overall)
• 1987: Jody Hull (18th overall)
• 1988: Chris Govedaris (11th overall)
• 1989: Bobby Holik (10th overall)
• 1990: Mark Greig (15th overall)
• 1991: Patrick Poulin (ninth overall)
• 1992: Robert Petrovicky (ninth overall)
• 1993: Chris Pronger (second overall)
• 1994: Jeff O'Neill (fifth overall)
• 1995: Jean-Sebastien Giguere (13th overall)
• 1996: none

Hartford Whalers individual records (NHL)[link]

• Most goals in a season: Blaine Stoughton, 56 (1979–80)
• Most assists in a season: Ron Francis, 69 (1989–90)
• Most points in a season: Mike Rogers, 105 (1979–80/1980–81)
• Most penalty minutes in a season: Torrie Robertson, 358 (1985–86)
• Most points in a season, defenceman: Mark Howe, 80 (1979–80)
• Most points in a season, rookie: Sylvain Turgeon, 72 (1983–84)
• Most wins in a season: Mike Liut, 31 (1986–87)

Franchise scoring leaders in Hartford[link]

These are the top-ten point-scorers in Hartford Whalers' history, combining NHL and WHA totals.

Legend: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Career leaders (NHL, 1979–1997)[link]

• Games: Ron Francis, 714
• Goals: Francis, 264
• Assists: Francis, 557
• Points: Francis, 821
• Penalty minutes: Torrie Robertson, 1368
• Goaltender games: Sean Burke, 256
• Goaltender wins: Mike Liut, 115
• Shutouts: Liut, 13

See also[link]

• Carolina Hurricanes
• List of defunct and relocated National Hockey League teams
• List of Hartford Whalers players
• List of Hartford Whalers draft picks
• Professional hockey in Connecticut

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Official Hartford Whalers Booster Club - Still Active!
• The Blowhole, Uniform history
• WHAhockey.com - New England Whalers
• WhalersHockey.com
• BrassBonanza.com - Theme song audio and game highlights
• Photo gallery from The Hartford Courant

City of Hartford
—  City  —
Skyline of Hartford viewed from the Connecticut River
Flag of City of Hartford Flag Official seal of City of Hartford Seal
Nickname(s): The Insurance Capital of the World, The Heartbeat, New England's Rising Star
Location in Hartford County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°45′45.85″N 72°40′27.43″W / 41.7627361°N 72.6742861°W / 41.7627361; -72.6742861
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
NECTA	Hartford
Region	Capitol Region
Named	1637
Incorporated (city)	1784
Consolidated	1896
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	Pedro Segarra (D)
Area
• City	18.0 sq mi (46.5 km2)
• Land	17.3 sq mi (44.8 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
• Urban	469 sq mi (1,216 km2)
Elevation	59 ft (18 m)
Population (2010)
• City	124,775
• Density	7,025.5/sq mi (2,776/km2)
• Metro	1,212,381
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
ZIP code	061xx
Area code(s)	860
FIPS code	09-37000
GNIS feature ID	0213160
Airport	Bradley International Airport (Windsor Locks, CT) – BDL (International/Major)
Website	www.hartford.gov

Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775,^[1] making it Connecticut's third-largest city after the coastal cities of Bridgeport and New Haven. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford was the seventh largest city in New England (after, in order: Boston, Worcester, Providence, Springfield, Bridgeport, and New Haven.^[2]) As of the 2010 census, Greater Hartford was the largest metropolitan area in Connecticut with a population of 1,212,381.^[2]

Greater Hartford's close proximity – and economic and cultural interconnectedness with – Metropolitan Springfield combine to make the Hartford-Springfield Metropolitan Area the second most populous region in New England, with a population of approximately 1.9 million. Collectively, the Hartford-Springfield Metropolitan Region is nicknamed the Knowledge Corridor because it contains 32 universities and colleges, with approximately 160,000 university students.^[3] Bradley International Airport is Hartford's airport.

Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry.^[4] Almost 400 years old, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Following the American Civil War, Hartford was the wealthiest city in the United States for several decades.^[5] In 1868, Mark Twain wrote, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."^[6]

In 2004, the Hartford metropolitan area ranked second nationally in per capita economic activity, behind only San Francisco. Hartford is ranked 32nd of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic production.^[7] Hartford is home to the nation's oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum; the oldest public park, Bushnell Park; the oldest continuously published newspaper, The Hartford Courant; the second-oldest secondary school, Hartford Public, and the Mark Twain House, among other historically significant attractions.

History[link]

This is a summary. For more information, see: History of Hartford, Connecticut

After Dutch explorer Adriaen Block visited the area in 1614, fur traders from the New Netherland colony set up trade at Fort Goede Hoop (Good Hope) at the confluence of the Connecticut and Park Rivers^[8] as early as 1623, but abandoned their post by 1654. Today, the neighborhood near the site is still known as Dutch Point. The first English settlers arrived in 1635 and their settlement was originally called Newtown, but was renamed Hartford in 1637. The name "Hartford" was chosen to honor the English town of Hertford, home of Samuel Stone, one of the settlers.

1877 Map of Hartford

The leader of Hartford's original settlers from what is now Cambridge, Massachusetts, Pastor Thomas Hooker, delivered a sermon which inspired the writing of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, a document (ratified January 14, 1639) investing the people with the authority to govern, rather than ceding such authority to a higher power. Hooker's conception of self-rule embodied in the Fundamental Orders went on to inspire the Connecticut Constitution, and ultimately the U.S. Constitution. Today, one of the Connecticut's nicknames is the 'Constitution State'.^[9][10]

On December 15, 1814, delegations from throughout New England gathered at the Hartford Convention to discuss possible secession from the United States. Later in the century, Hartford was a center of abolitionist activity. Harriet Beecher Stowe, daughter of Lyman Beecher and author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, lived in Nook Farm, part of the Asylum Hill section of the city.

Old Post Office and Custom House next to the Old State House (left) in 1903. Completed in 1882, the building was demolished in 1934.

On the week of 12 April 1909 the Connecticut River reached a then-record flood stage of 24½ feet above the low water mark flooding the city and doing great damage.^[11]

On July 6, 1944, the Hartford Circus Fire destroyed the big top at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the deadliest circus fire in the history of the United States. In 1987, Carrie Saxon Perry was elected mayor of Hartford, the first female African-American mayor of a major American city.^[12] Starting in the late 1950s the suburbs of Hartford grew while the capital city began a long decline. This decline may have been accelerated by construction of highways (including I-84 & I-91 which intersect in downtown Hartford). Many residents moved out of the city and into the suburbs, and this trend continues. During the 1980s, Hartford experienced an economic boom of sorts and by the late 1980s, almost a dozen new skyscrapers were proposed to be built in the city's downtown. For various reasons, including the economic recession that followed in the early 1990s, many of these buildings were never built. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, many workers in Hartford lived more than twenty-minutes drive from the city—though according to the Census Bureau, the city's average commute time of 22 minutes is a full three minutes less than the US average.^[13]

Geography[link]

Downtown Hartford from the air

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.0 square miles (47 km²), of which 17.3 square miles (45 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (3.67%) is water.

Hartford is bordered by the towns of West Hartford, Newington, Wethersfield, East Hartford, Bloomfield, South Windsor, and Windsor.

The Connecticut River forms the boundary between Hartford and East Hartford.

The Park River originally divided Hartford into northern and southern sections and was a major part of Bushnell Park, but the river was nearly completely enclosed and buried by flood control projects in the 1940s.^[8] The former course of the river can still be seen in some of the roadways that were built in the river's place, such as Jewell Street and the Conlin-Whitehead Highway.^[14]

	Bloomfield, Connecticut	Windsor, Connecticut	South Windsor, Connecticut
	West Hartford, Connecticut		East Hartford, Connecticut
		Hartford, Connecticut    East
	Newington, Connecticut	Wethersfield, Connecticut

Climate[link]

State House Square in Downtown Hartford

Hartford lies in the Humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfa). Summers are typically hot and muggy by New England standards, while winters are typically cold with frequent snowfall. The average annual precipitation is approximately 46.2 inches (117 cm),^[15] which is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Hartford typically receives about 45 inches (114 cm) of snow in an average winter;^[15] the record seasonal snowfall was 115.2 inches (293 cm) during the winter of 1995–1996.^[16] The first snowfall typically occurs in mid to late November and the last snow of the season usually occurs in late March, although accumulating snow has occurred as early as mid-October and as late as mid-May in extreme events. During the summer, temperatures often exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and do so on an average of 18 days per year.^[15] The record for 90 degree days is 38 which occurred in 1983. Conversely, winter temperatures dip to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on an average of 5 nights per year.^[15] Thunderstorms are common during the summer months since the frontal boundary that separates the tropical air mass from colder air to the north moves back and forth over the city. While these thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds and hail, tornadoes are rare. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also struck Hartford, although the occurrence of such systems is rare and is usually confined to the remnants of such storms. Hartford saw extensive damage from the 1938 New England Hurricane; as well as with Hurricane Irene in 2011. The highest temperature recorded in Hartford is 103 °F (39 °C) on July 22, 2011 and the lowest is −26 °F (−32 °C) on January 22, 1961.

Demographics[link]

Founded in 1872, the Ados Israel Synagogue closed in the mid-1980s, as the Jewish community migrated to suburbs such as West Hartford.

As of the census^[19] of 2010, there were 124,775 people, 44,986 households, and 27,171 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,025.5 people per square mile (2,711.8/km²). There were 50,644 housing units at an average density of 2,926.5 per square mile (1,129.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 18.72% white, 40.05% African American or black, 0.54% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 28.51% from other races, and 5.44% from two or more races. 45.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, chiefly of Puerto Rican origin. Non-Hispanic Whites were 15.8% of the population in 2010,^[20] down from 63.9% in 1970.^[21]

There were 44,986 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.2% were married couples living together, 29.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the city, the population distribution skews young: 30.1% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.

With 30 percent of the population living below the poverty line, Hartford's rate of poverty is second in the United States only to Brownsville, Texas.^[22] About 40.2% of families were below the poverty line, including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 23.2% of those age 65 or over.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,820, and the median income for a family was $22,051. Males had a median income of $28,444 versus $26,131 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,428. After World War II, and continuing through the latter half of the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the city. As of 2010, 40.56% of Hartford residents claimed Puerto Rican heritage. This was the second-largest concentration of Puerto Ricans on the US mainland, behind only Holyoke, Massachusetts.^[23]

Neighborhoods[link]

Pratt Street in Downtown Hartford

Hartford's neighborhoods are diverse and historic. The central business district, as well as the State Capitol, Old State House and a number of museums and shops are located Downtown. Parkville, home to Real Art Ways, is named for the confluence of the north and the south branches of the Park River. Frog Hollow, in close proximity to Downtown, is home to Pope Park and Trinity College which is one of the nation's oldest institutions of higher learning. Asylum Hill, a mixed residential and commercial area, houses the headquarters of several insurance companies as well as the historic homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. The West End, home to the Governor's residence, Elizabeth Park, and the University of Connecticut School of Law, abuts the Hartford Golf Club. Sheldon Charter Oak is renowned as the location of the Charter Oak and its successor monument as well as the former Colt headquarters including Samuel Colt's family estate – Armsmear. The North East neighborhood is home to Keney Park and a number of the city's oldest and ornate homes. The South End features "Little Italy" and was the home of Hartford's sizeable Italian community. South Green hosts Hartford Hospital. The South Meadows is the site of Hartford-Brainard Airport and Hartford's industrial community. The North Meadows has retail strips, car dealerships, and Comcast Theatre. Blue Hills is home of the University of Hartford and also houses the largest per capita of residents claiming Jamaican-American heritage in the United States. Other neighborhoods in Hartford include Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, Clay Arsenal, South West, and Upper Albany- which is dotted by many Caribbean restaurants and specialty stores.

In 2010, Hartford ranked 19th in the United States' annual national crime rankings, (below the 200.00 rating.)^[25] It had the second highest crime rate in Connecticut, behind New Haven. Statistically Hartford's Northern districts (North East, Asylum Hill, Upper Albany) had the highest murder rate, while the South districts (Downtown, Sheldon, South Green) had a slightly lower murder rate, but had the most crime overall. Overall, the South Meadows neighborhood had the lowest crime rate, respectively.^[26]

Economy[link]

Travelers Tower in Downtown Hartford.

Hartford is the historic international center of the insurance industry, with companies such as Travelers, Aetna, The Hartford, The Phoenix Companies, Uniprise and Hartford Steam Boiler based in the city. The area is also home to U.S. Fire Arms and United Technologies.

From the 19th century until the mid-20th century, Hartford was a major manufacturing city. During the Industrial Revolution into the mid-20th century, the Connecticut River Valley cities produced many major precision manufacturing innovations. Among these was Hartford's pioneer bicycle (and later) automobile maker Pope.^[27] As in nearly all former Northern manufacturing cities, many factories have been closed, relocated, or reduced operations.

Despite the city's lengthy history with the insurance industry, various insurers have recently left Hartford and moved their operations to other locations, including to some of Hartford's suburbs. Citing the tax structure in the city and parking shortages, MetLife recently vacated several floors in CityPlace, Connecticut's largest office building, and joined CIGNA in a large suburban campus in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Lincoln Financial has recently cut its Hartford workforce, while Travelers elected to construct a sprawling training complex in Windsor, Connecticut, just north of the city. Originating from the acquisition of the travel protection division of Travelers, Travel Insured International operates out of East Hartford, Connecticut. Additionally, the Fortune 100 MassMutual Company recently relocated its Hartford operations 16 miles north to Enfield, Connecticut. The Hartford's life insurance division is primarily located in nearby Simsbury, Connecticut.

At the same time, many companies have moved to or expanded in the central business district and surrounding neighborhoods. Aetna announced mid-decade that by 2010 it would move nearly 3,500 employees from its Middletown, Connecticut offices to its corporate headquarters in the Asylum Hill section of the city. Travelers recently expanded its operations at several downtown locations. In 2008, Sovereign Bank consolidated two bank branches as well as its regional headquarters in a nineteenth century palazzo on Asylum Street. In 2009, Northeast Utilities, a Fortune 500 company and New England's largest energy utility, announced it would establish its corporate headquarters downtown. In the same year, work began at the southeastern corner of Constitution Plaza on the AI Technology Center, the future headquarters of the eponymous engineering firm. AI's chief executive helped finance the building, the first commercially leasable structure in Connecticut to be certified at the platinum level under the US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. Other recent entrants into the downtown market include GlobeOp Financial Services and specialty insurance broker S.H. Smith.

Hartford is a center for medical care, research, and education. Within Hartford itself the city includes Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, and Saint Francis Hospital (which merged in 1990 with Mount Sinai Hospital).

Following the housing market decline, Hartford renters are finding cheap and declining rent averages in relation to national trends. “Declining rents are affecting not only Hartford but also other markets in Connecticut and across the country as employers remain restrained about hiring. Connecticut's unemployment now stands at 9.1 percent, below the nation's 9.7 percent.”^[28]

According to a 2011 study from Brookings Institute Global Metro Monitor, Hartford has the highest GDP per capita in the world with $75,086.

Education[link]

Colleges and universities[link]

Trinity College Chapel

Hartford houses several world-class institutions such as Trinity College. Other notable institutions include Capital Community College (located Downtown in the old G. Fox Department Store building on Main Street), the University of Connecticut School of Business (also Downtown), the Hartford Seminary (in the West End), the University of Connecticut School of Law (also in the West End) and Rensselaer at Hartford (a Downtown branch campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). Saint Joseph College opened its school of pharmacy in the downtown area in 2011.^[29] The University of Hartford features several cultural institutions: the Joseloff Gallery, the Renee Samuels Center, and the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts center. The "U of H" campus is co-located in the city's Blue Hills neighborhood and in neighboring towns West Hartford and Bloomfield.

Primary and secondary education[link]

Hartford is served by the Hartford Public Schools [2]. Hartford Public High School, the nation's second oldest high school, is located in the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford. The city is also home to Bulkeley High School on Wethersfield Avenue, Global Communications Academy on Greenfield Avenue, Weaver High School on Granby Street, and Sport Medical and Sciences Academy on Huyshope Avenue. In addition, Hartford contains The Learning Corridor, which is home to the Montessori Magnet School, Hartford Magnet Middle School, Greater Harford Academy of Math and Science, and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. One of the technical high schools in the Connecticut Technical High School System, A.I. Prince Technical High School, also calls the city home.The Classical Magnet School is one of the many Hartford Magnet Schools. Hartford is also home to Watkinson School, a private, coeducational day school.

Emergency services[link]

Fire department[link]

The city of Hartford is protected 24/7, 365 by 395 professional firefighters of the city of Hartford Fire Department – Class 1(HFD). The Hartford Fire Department operates out of 12 Fire Stations, strategically located throughout the city, under the command of 2 Deputy Chiefs in 2 Districts. The HFD maintains a fire apparatus fleet of 11 Engines, 5 Ladders, 1 Tac. Unit(Rescue), and numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The Hartford Fire Department is one of 3 ISO Class 1 fire departments in New England, which includes Milford, Connecticut and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The HFD responds to 22,619 emergency calls in 2010. [3] The proposed 2010–2011 budget for the fire department is $32,462,602 which includes 399 sworn positions and 8 civilian posts.^[30] The current Chief of Department and Emergency Management Director is Edward Casares, Jr.^[31]

Response Guidelines[link]

• Still Alarm Assignment: 1 Engine or 1 Ladder
• Activated Fire Alarm(AFA) Assignment: 2 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 District Chief
• 1st/Box Alarm Assignment: 3 Engines, 2 Ladders, Tac. Unit, 1 District Chief
• 1st/Box Alarm(Confirmed Structure Fire) Assignment: 4 Engines(1 for R.I.T.), 2 Ladders, Tac. Unit, 1 District Chief
• 10-3(Working Fire) Assignment: 1 Engine(Rehab.), 1 District Chief, Rehab. Unit, Fire Marshal's Office notified, Buildings Office notified
• 1-1-2(2nd Alarm) Assignment: 3 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Assistant Chief(Operations), Mutual Aid requested to cover city
• 3-3(3rd/General Alarm) Assignment: 3 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Assistant Chief(Administration), Chief of Department, Mutual Aid requested to cover city
• Motor Vehicle Accident(MVA): 1 Engine, Tac. Unit, 1 District Chief
• Motor Vehicle Accident(MVA) w/Confirmed Entrapment: 1 Engine, 1 Ladder, Tac. Unit, 1 District Chief
• Motor Vehicle Accident(MVA) on Highway: 2 Engines, 1 Ladder, Tac. Unit, 1 District Chief
• Lockout/Water Leak: 1 Ladder
• Emergency Medical Services(EMS) Response: 1 Engine or 1 Ladder

Police department[link]

The HPD was founded in 1860, though the history of law enforcement in Hartford begins in 1636.^[32] The current Hartford Police Chief is James Rovella.^[33] The department is located at 50 Jennings Road and includes divisions such as Animal Control, Bomb Squad, Detective Bureau, K-9 Unit, Marine Division, Negotiator, Records, S.W.A.T and Vice & Narcotics. To date seven officers have died in the line of duty.^[34] The proposed 2010–2011 budget for the police department is $76,110,089 which includes 424 sworn officers.^[30]

Culture[link]

Points of interest[link]

Aetna Headquarters in the Asylum Hill neighborhood.

• Aetna Headquarters – The world's largest colonial revival building, the Aetna headquarters is crowned by a tall Georgian tower inspired by the Old State House downtown.
• Armsmear – The Colt family estate.

Armsmear

• Bulkeley Bridge – Spanning the Connecticut River and connecting the city of Hartford with East Hartford, the nine-span structure is a stone-arch bridge.
• Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts – Constructed in the 1930s by the same architects who designed New York City's Radio City Music Hall, the theater features a Georgian Revival exterior and an exquisite Art Deco interior, with a large hand-painted mural suspended from the ceiling that is the largest of its kind in the United States.
• Bushnell Park – Located below the State Capitol and legislative office complex, this park consists of rolling lawn, sculpture, fountains, and a historic carousel. It is the first park in the country purchased by a municipality for public use, and it was designed by Jacob Weidenmann. The Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, a Civil War Memorial which frames the northern entrance to the park, is the first triumphal arch in the United States.

Cheney Building

• Cathedral of St. Joseph – Located west of downtown along Farmington Avenue in the Asylum Hill neighborhood, this 281-foot (86 m) limestone Roman Catholic cathedral (built in 1961 to replace its predecessor lost to fire) has large Parisian stained glass windows, an 8,000 pipe organ, and the largest ceramic tile mural of Christ in Glory in the world.

Cathedral of Saint Joseph

• Charter Oak Cultural Center^[35] – Located at 21 Charter Oak Avenue, near the Charter Oak monument, COCC is housed in Connecticut's first synagogue, built in 1876. Today it is a secular non-profit institution bringing together art, drama, music, and other cultural excursions.
• Cheney Building – Constructed in the late 19th-century, this notable building by famed architect H. H. Richardson is located Downtown on Main Street. It housed the Brown, Thomson & Co. department store.
• City Place I- The tallest building in Hartford at 38 stories and the tallest building in Connecticut. It is located at 185 Asylum St.
• Colt Armory – Topped with a blue and gold dome, the complex was once the main factory building of Colt's Manufacturing Company. It is currently being redeveloped and renovated and will feature apartments, retail and office space.
• Comcast Theater (formerly the Meadows Music Theater) – Located in the North Meadows, it is an indoor/outdoor amphitheater-style performance venue.

Connecticut State Capitol building

Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, CT on the Riverfront

• Connecticut Science Center – 154,000 square foot (14,000 m²), nine-story, $165 million museum. Designed by César Pelli, it opened on June 12, 2009.
• Connecticut State Library & Supreme Court – Located in the hill district near the State Capitol atop Bushnell Park, the building also contains the Museum of Connecticut History and a number of galleries devoted to Samuel Colt memorabilia.
• Connecticut Convention Center – The 540,000 square foot (42,000 m²) convention center is now open, and overlooks the Connecticut River and the central business district. Attached to the center is a new 409 room, 22-story Marriott Hotel (opened late August 2005).
• Connecticut Governor's Mansion – An imposing Georgian revival mansion situated near the highest point in the City of Hartford on upper Prospect Avenue. Four landscaped acres surround the residence continuing the garden setting of Elizabeth Park, just opposite Asylum Avenue.
• Connecticut Opera – Founded in 1942, is the six-oldest opera company in the United States, performing three fully staged operas per season, primarily at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford.
• Connecticut State Capitol – Located atop Bushnell Park, this large Gothic-inspired building features many statues and engravings on its exterior. It is topped with a gold leafed dome.