Traverse the streets and sites of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Hartford to commemorate this illustrious native son. Highlights include the Butler-McCook House & Garden, Olmsted’s birth site, Bushnell Park, the Capitol Grounds, High Street, Ann Street, and Keney Clock Tower, with optional visit (by car) to Olmsted’s gravesite in Old North Cemetery at the conclusion.
Located at the juncture of the Little River and the Connecticut River, Hartford’s downtown includes numerous historic bridges and walkways. Explore the unique histories of these landmarks and engineering marvels, including the Little River Bridge, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, the Bulkeley Bridge, and the G. Fox walkway, among others.
Join an easy 1.5-mile walking tour on the sidewalks of Hartford’s historic Main Street from the Butler-McCook House & Garden to the G. Fox Building to learn how the city has evolved through its significant structures: City Hall, the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Travelers Tower, the Old State House, Center Church and the Ancient Burying Ground.
Walking tour of one of New England’s earliest graveyards, with a special focus on those of African descent who are buried there.
Expand your knowledge of Hartford’s architectural treasures by venturing east and west of Main Street. Understand the historical and cultural significance of buildings along South Prospect Street, from the 1788 Amos Bull House to the BPO Elks Lodge, to the Hartford Times Building. To the west, explore more of the city’s South Downtown neighborhood on Elm and Gold Streets.
Public art and monuments create a shared understanding of the events, people, and ideas that a city values. Set out from the Butler-McCook House to explore the artistic treasures and monuments of Hartford along Main Street, in Bushnell Park, and at the State Capitol Building.
Hartford Whalers! Hartford Dark Blues! Willie Pep! Pro Football in Hartford? Where was the Velodrome? Take to the streets of Hartford to uncover the fascinating history of sports in the city from ballooning to bicycles, boxing to baseball, and so much more, beginning in the Butler-McCook Garden on this new walk for the 2024 season.
This slow-paced walk will explore an 18th-century kitchen garden to show how plants that are considered invasive in a modern garden, and can usually be found growing as wildflowers, were once grown with care for their useful properties. Continue down the Old Road to Norwich into the Nathan Hale State Forest to comb the landscape for edible plant life.
