Connecticut's Old State House

Hartford Live Concert - featuring Real Estate
2024-09-19 17:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
City of Hartford and GoodWorks Entertainment are pleased to present:
2024 Hartford Live
Real EstateThursday, September 19
This concert is free. No tickets required.
Parking options here: https://hartford.com/parking/Visit https://hartfordlivect.com/ for more information
ABOUT THE BAND:
Real Estate is an American indie rock band from Ridgewood,New Jersey, United States, formed in 2008. Founding members Martin Courtney(vocals, guitar), Alex Bleeker (bass, vocals), Matt Kallman (keyboards) werechildhood friends who were influenced by indie bands like Weezer, Pavement, ThePixies and The Feelies. The band iscurrently based in Brooklyn and recently released their 6th studio album entitledDaniel. The album was produced by DanielTashian. For more about the band, visit https://www.realestatetheband.com/
ABOUT HARTFORD LIVE:
Hartford Live is returning for 2024! The free concert series, representing a multi-year partnership between the City of Hartford and GoodWorks Entertainment, will bring a mix of nationally touring and local acts to Connecticut’s Old State House in Downtown Hartford. Hartford Live events will take place on six Thursday evenings from 5-9 pm throughout August and September. The shows are all free with no ticket required for entry. Concert-goers can expect a variety food trucks and the Hartford Live Beer Garden will offer samples and sales of local craft beer, wine, canned and other ready-to-drink cocktails! Be sure to follow @hartfordlive and @goodworkslive on social media for updates.

Summer Music Series Concert at CT's Old State House
2024-09-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Join us for our annual FREE Summer Concert Series! Stop by every Friday at lunchtime to hear a different band play each week on the west side patio of Connecticut’s Old State House. Bring your lunch and enjoy the music!
Concerts begin at noon and will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Thank you to our friends from the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous funding of the Summer Concert Series.
UPCOMING CONCERTS:

September 20: Los Super GS
September 27: Sean O’Reily
Oct 4: Gift Horse
October 11: Projeto Batucada boa Eua

Finding Common Ground: A Nonpartisan Conversation with Former Members of Congress
2024-09-26 16:00 - 18:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
With special guests:

Former Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D) California’s 46th Congressional District
Former Rep. Fred Upton (R) Michigan’s 6th Congressional District
Join us at Connecticut’s Old State House for an insightful conversation with former U.S. Representatives Loretta Sanchez (D) from California’s 46th Congressional District, and Fred Upton (R) from Michigan’s 6th Congressional District, as they explore how to find common ground across party lines in this contentious election year. With their extensive experience in policy making, Sanchez and Upton will share their perspectives on overcoming political polarization, fostering constructive dialogue, and working together for the common good.
This conversation will provide valuable insights into how lawmakers and voters can bridge divides and collaborate effectively amidst a highly charged political climate. The panel will be followed by timed round table discussions with the audience where all can participate and share their experience in finding common ground. Light refreshments will be served. This program is done in partnership with The Dodd Center for Human Rights at UConn, the Hartford Votes/Vota Coalition, and the CT League of Women Voters, .
RSVP: https://forms.gle/ZXGXzs5udupYh49CA
Discounted Parking:
On street parking is available. Garage parking for $5 is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street, just steps away from Connecticut’s Old State House. Please present your parking ticket to the museum’s Visitor Services desk for validation.
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms on the ground floor are also accessible and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Summer Music Series Concert at CT's Old State House
2024-09-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Join us for our annual FREE Summer Concert Series! Stop by every Friday at lunchtime to hear a different band play each week on the west side patio of Connecticut’s Old State House. Bring your lunch and enjoy the music!
Concerts begin at noon and will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Thank you to our friends from the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous funding of the Summer Concert Series.
UPCOMING CONCERTS:

September 27: Sean O’Reily
Oct 4: Gift Horse
October 11: Projeto Batucada boa Eua

Fires, Floods, and Acts of God: A Downtown Hartford Walking Tour
2024-09-28 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-12 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
What a Disaster! Take to the streets for a unique walking tour centered on man-made and natural disasters that made history in Hartford. Join us on a 1.2-mile loop to hear compelling stories of ingenuity, resilience, and innovation and see how Downtown Hartford has grown.
The tour was start from inside Connecticut’s Old State House by the Visitor Desk at 6 pm on Thursdays and at 10 am on Saturdays. The tour will take place rain or shine, so please come prepared for the weather! The tour will last approximately one hour and is about 1 mile long with the potential for some stairs – weather and river flooding depending.
For more information, please call us at 860.240.5340 or email Nicole Sousa, Events and Outreach Manager, at nicole.sousa@cga.ct.gov.
To register, click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VzJRfD7EJtgKYG-HtEWXB5U50WxK7ZmIQ3yC5gpXoWU/edit

Hartford History Lecture Series "William Saunders & His World: The History of a Black Merchant Tailor in Hartford"
2024-10-03 17:45 - 19:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
FEATURING:
Dr. Fiona Vernal, UConn History Department
For three generations, the Saunders family operated a successful and innovative tailor business in the city of Hartford, eventually establishing a reputation as Black merchant tailors with deep ties in Hartford’s Black and white communities. Their network stretched from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York to Barbados and France. This talk will explore William Saunders and the significance of his lineage and legacy for understanding Black entrepreneurship, social justice, civic engagement, and political activism in 19th and 20th century Hartford.
This event is FREE and open to the public
For more information or to inquire about special accommodations please call(860) 522-6766.
To reserve your seat, click here: https://bit.ly/HartfordHistory2024
ABOUT THE HARTFORD HISTORY LECTURE SERIES
Connecticut State Community College Capital and Connecticut’s Old State House are pleased to present the 2024 Hartford History Lecture Series beginning in October. Building upon Connecticut State Community College Capital’s signature Hartford Heritage Project, the first place-based curriculum at a Connecticut college or university, underscores the importance of Hartford’s history and rich cultural resources. The series includes four lectures on Thursday evenings at Connecticut’s Old State House and a walking tour on Saturday, October 12.
The 2024 Hartford History Lecture series is supported by funding through CT Humanities in alignment with the America 250 | CT Commission. Special thanks to our partners at the Hartford Heritage Project and UCONN Department of History.

Summer Music Series Concert at CT's Old State House
2024-10-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Join us for our annual FREE Summer Concert Series! Stop by every Friday at lunchtime to hear a different band play each week on the west side patio of Connecticut’s Old State House. Bring your lunch and enjoy the music!
Concerts begin at noon and will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Thank you to our friends from the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous funding of the Summer Concert Series.
UPCOMING CONCERTS:

Oct 4: Gift Horse
October 11: Projeto Batucada boa Eua

Historic Firsts: The 2024 Presidential Election
2024-10-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
With guest speakers:
Evelyn M. Simien, Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Africana Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut
Manisha Sinha, James L. and Shirley A. Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut.
Chris Vials, Professor of English at the University of Connecticut
What is the significance of the Nov. 6, 2024 election in US history and politics? What should voters pay attention to as they vote? Three distinguished professors from the University of Connecticut will discuss these issues and answer questions about the upcoming election.
Sponsored by the UConn American Studies Program, the Department of Critical and Social Inquiry
RSVP: https://forms.gle/nB1tDSDQEP4d89db8
Discounted Parking:On street parking is available. Garage parking for $5 is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street, just steps away from Connecticut’s Old State House. Please present your parking ticket to the museum’s Visitor Services desk for validation.
Our Doors Are Open:Connecticut’s Old State House is committed to ensuring all visitors have access to this historic site. Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms on the ground floor are also accessible and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Hartford History Lecture Series "Hot Summers in the City: Hartford’s Urban Unrest, 1967-1969"
2024-10-10 17:45 - 19:45 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
FEATURING

Elena Rosario, PhD Candidate, University of Michigan
In the 1960s, protests, demonstrations, and rebellions were widespread across the United States, including in many Connecticut cities. This lecture will focus on a series of late-sixties civil disorders organized by Hartford residents of color from 1967 to 1969. It will also highlight the causes, aftermath, and impact of the unrest on the city and its residents. Moreover, it will examine the unrest by highlighting Puerto Rican participation and coalition building between Hartford’s Black and Puerto Rican residents during the unrest.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
For more information or to inquire about special accommodations please call(860) 522-6766.
To register, click here: https://bit.ly/HartfordHistory2024
The 2024 Hartford History Lecture series is supported by funding through CT Humanities in alignment with the America 250 | CT Commission. Special thanks to our partners at the Hartford Heritage Project and UCONN Department of History.

Summer Music Series Concert at CT's Old State House
2024-10-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Join us for our annual FREE Summer Concert Series! Stop by every Friday at lunchtime to hear a different band play each week on the west side patio of Connecticut’s Old State House. Bring your lunch and enjoy the music!
Concerts begin at noon and will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Thank you to our friends from the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous funding of the Summer Concert Series.
UPCOMING CONCERTS:

October 11: Projeto Batucada boa Eua

Hartford History Lecture Series: Tracing the Footsteps of Hartford's First Black Church Walking Tour
2024-10-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Center Church, 675 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
*Tour will start at Center Church (675 Main St.)
Tracing the Footsteps of Hartford’s First Black Church will begin at Center Church at 10 am with a presentation inside the church by members of the church’s history team. This will allow participants to learn about the genesis of the Talcott Street Church congregation in the place where it was founded as the African Religious Society in 1819, as told from the church’s perspective.
We will then walk to CT’s Old State House to learn from an interpreter there about the engagement of the Reverend James Pennington and the Talcott Church congregation in the Amistad Trial. Next we will visit the site where the Talcott Church stood from 1826 to 1954 before it was torn down and the congregation moved to Faith Congregational Church; members of Faith will present the story of their church in the now empty space where the church once stood on the corner of Talcott and Market Streets. The tour will end at CT State Capital’s Nutmeg Pulpit Exhibit, created by Dr. Frank Mitchell to bring the voices of the people of Talcott Street church out of the shadows of history to be heard and read once again.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
For more information or to inquire about special accommodations please call(860) 522-6766.
To reserve your spot, click here: https://bit.ly/HartfordHistory2024

Voices of Freedom at Connecticut's Old State House
2024-10-12 14:00 - 15:30 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Featuring poets Bessy Reyna and Kate Rushin
The Mount Holyoke Club of Hartford and Connecticut’s Old State House are pleased to present a dramatic reading of Bessy Reyna’s poem Freedom Journeys in Four Voices. Bessy’s poem tells the story of Nancy Jackson, the young slave woman granted her freedom in 1837 by the Supreme Court of Errors at Connecticut’s Old State House. Kate Rushin will also read her poetry celebrating the life of Marian Anderson, an opera singer and civil rights pioneer who lived in Danbury for more than 50 years.
This event is free and open to the public.
Parking:
On-street parking is available. Please follow posted parking instructions.
Garage parking is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Hartford History Lecture Series "A Black Ecological Return to Charter Oak Terrace"
2024-10-17 17:45 - 19:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
FEATURING
Channon Miller, Assistant Professor of American Studies and History, Trinity College
As much as water protects, nourishes, and sustains Black children’s lives, it also restrains, suffocates, and degrades them. The residents of Hartford’s Charter Oak Terrace confronted a water-based ecological catastrophe in the 1960s. A flooding river—channeled by municipal neglect, class inequality, and racial segregation—drowned several children. The neighborhood’s mothers forged the Association of Concerned Parents of Charter Oak (ACP) and demanded that the city halt the nearby highway construction that propelled the river’s overflow. Dr. Miller will excavate the unwritten history of the Black women-led ACP and chronicle an early rendering of a local environmental justice movement.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
For more information or to inquire about special accommodations please call(860) 522-6766.
To reserve your seat, click here: https://bit.ly/HartfordHistory2024
The 2024 Hartford History Lecture series is supported by funding through CT Humanities in alignment with the America 250 | CT Commission. Special thanks to our partners at the Hartford Heritage Project and UCONN Department of History.

Hartford History Lecture Series "A Commitment to Caribbean History & Cultural Heritage in Hartford: Digitizing the Lloyd Best Archive in Trinidad and Tobago"
2024-10-24 17:45 - 19:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
FEATURING
Dr. Christina Bleyer, Watkinson Library, Trinity College
The Watkinson Library at Trinity College has partnered with the Lloyd Best Institute of the Caribbean to digitize the Lloyd Best Archive. Using our project as an example, this presentation explores post-custodial archiving as a transformative approach to collecting, preserving, and providing access to archival materials, contrasting it with traditional archival practices rooted in colonial attitudes. It emphasizes digital technology’s role in preserving archives while respecting creators’ agency and community narratives.
Unlike traditional methods focused on physical possession and so-called “expert” interpretation, post-custodial archiving fosters collaborative, equitable partnerships. This model empowers communities to maintain intellectual and physical custody of their histories, ensuring accurate representation in the historical record. Post-custodial archiving promotes epistemic sovereignty, allowing marginalized voices to shape their own narratives within global archival frameworks making a deep commitment to the preservation and dissemination of Caribbean history and cultural heritage here in Hartford.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
For more information or to inquire about special accommodations please call(860) 522-6766.
To reserve your seat, click here: https://bit.ly/HartfordHistory2024
The 2024 Hartford History Lecture series is supported by funding through CT Humanities in alignment with the America 250 | CT Commission. Special thanks to our partners at the Hartford Heritage Project and UCONN Department of History.

Merchandising the Dead in 19th Century New England & Washington, D.C.
2024-10-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Learn about the history of “body snatching” in the 19th century. Physicians teaching anatomy in New England medical schools expected students to have hands-on experience with cadavers. Yet the only legal access allowed were the bodies of convicted murders. This restriction led to a spike in demand. Doctors and their students turned to the illegal and illicit removal of the dead from graveyards and cemeteries. Find out more about this practice with author and historian Richard Ross III, whose extensive research reveals the religious, moral, and social objections during the time.
Parking:
Garage parking is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street, just steps away
Free on-street parking is available after 6 pm and on weekends. Please follow posted parking instructions.
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Connecticut's Old State House Third Annual Election Cake Bake Off
2024-11-02 12:00 - 15:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
It’s time for a celebration and some sweet competition! Join Connecticut’s Old State House on November 2 for the third annual Election Cake Bake Off. Historically, Election Day in Connecticut combined voting with parties, libations, parades, and cake! Stores sold special Election Cake ingredients to women who transformed them into spice cakes for crowds gathered to celebrate voting at the Old State House and other sites. Help us revive this long-lost Connecticut tradition!
For the third year in a row, Connecticut pastry chefs and bakers will go to have their confection crowned the official Connecticut Election Cake of 2024. Cakes will be evaluated by a panel of judges and the winner will be bestowed the honor of baking the cake for the annual birthday celebration of Connecticut’s Old State House in 2025.
Guests attending this family friendly event can enjoy live music and take part in the judging, cake tasting, games and other fun activities in preparation for election day on Tuesday, November 5th.
How the contest works:
Connecticut’s Old State House Election Cake Contest invites professional pastry chefs and bakers to create the official Connecticut Election Cake for 2024.
Each competitor is challenged to create a delectable, non-partisan, election-themed cake that inspires voters and celebrates American democracy.
Cakes will be judged by a slate of judges based on presentation, creativity, and taste.
If you’re interested in competing, the Bake Off is open to all professional and cottage food bakers with current ServSafe licensing.
The application to apply is on our website at ctoldstatehouse.org or can be found here: https://bit.ly/2024ElectionCake.
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Holiday Shopping Fair at Connecticut’s Old State House
2024-12-05 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-06 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-07 11:00 - 16:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Connecticut’s Old State House is ringing in the holiday season with the annual Holiday Shopping Fair!
Enjoy a festive shopping experience in the historic spaces at Connecticut’s Old State House and shop from local crafters and artists from across the state. The Holiday Shopping Fair will run 11 am – 4 pm on Thursday, December 5th through Saturday, December 7th and will feature a wide variety of gifts for all family and friends on your holiday gift list.
Vendors can accommodate a range of payment options including credit/debit cards, Venmo, ApplePay, and CashApp. Shoppers working in and visiting Downtown Hartford will find unique gifts for family, teachers, colleagues and friends, and can venture to explore local restaurants and independently owned shops just steps away – it’s the perfect season to explore Hartford for the Holidays.
Discounted Parking:
On street parking is available. Garage parking for $5 is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street, just steps away from Connecticut’s Old State House. Please present your parking ticket to the museum’s Visitor Services desk for validation.
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Connecticut Freedom Trail: 2024 Year in Review!
2024-12-10 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
The Connecticut Freedom Trail is home to over 170 heritage sites that recognize people and events that made impactful strides toward equity and social justice in Connecticut. As we wrap 2024 join Outreach Director Tammy Denease as we celebrate a benchmark year, highlighting:
1. The addition of more sites including the Colchester Cemetery and Green Monument
2. Constance Baker Motley received a forever stamp
3. Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American History Museum receives significant financial backing from the State of CT
and
4. the Connecticut Freedom Trail’s presentation on slavery in New England at the 8th annual Slave Dwelling Conference in Philadelphia
Join us online in declaring 2024 a success here at the CT Freedom Trail and what’s coming in the next year.
This online event is FREE and open to the public
RSVP: https://forms.gle/vLrzwYwg4Q5FLxYaA

First Night Hartford 2025
2024-12-31 14:00 - 18:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Ring in the new year with the family during First Night Hartford at Connecticut’s Old State House! Spend the afternoon getting ready for the 6 pm fireworks in Bushnell Park by creating a craft for the parade to the park ahead of the early fireworks, play trivia and bingo, and explore the museum spaces with a scavenger hunt. Admission is available with a First Night button which can be purchased ahead of time online from First Night Hartford or in person at select locations. Check https://firstnighthartford.org/ for more information.
From First Night Hartford:

First Night Hartford is back to ring in 2025 for its 36th annual New Year’s Eve tradition! This year’s celebration is sure to impress. We have a full line up of music, art, activities, eats, drinks, local businesses, vendors, and so much more!!!
With your button purchase, First Night Hartford invites you to enjoy Downtown Hartford’s rich ecosystem of arts & culture, small businesses, and nightlife. Take a stroll and visit our partner venues to enjoy themed activities, special performances, and unique food and drinks. The celebration takes place Tuesday, December 31, 2024, from 2 PM to midnight. There will be two traditional fireworks shows, the first one at 6 PM for the little ones and early risers, and another at midnight, accompanied with a jam with our headlining musicians.
This is not an event you want to miss, so get your buttons, mark your calendars, and come join the fun!
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Book Talk on the Connecticut Freedom Trail: A Free Woman on God's Earth
2025-01-28 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
For 2025’s first Conversation at Noon on the Connecticut Freedom Trail, author and educator Jana Laiz, M.Ed. will discuss the life and times of Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman and her co-authored children’s biography, “A Free Woman On God’s Earth” The True Story of Elizabeth Mumbet Freeman, acknowledged by the Trustees of Reservations as the most historically accurate telling of this story.
The story of “Mumbet” lay hidden for years until its rediscovery in the late 1990s by Laiz’s co-author, Ann-Elizabeth Barnes, an historic site interpreter at the Ashley House. Jana will discuss how the discovery happened, how the two got together to write the book and the fascinating journey that would follow. Though two white women, these writers understood the importance of Black narratives, a crucial part of the American story and critically important to the true history of this nation.
Laiz and Barnes told the story with all the respect, research and love they had. Jana would later come to meet historian Tammy Denease, Outreach Director for the Connecticut Freedom Trail, and recognizing the historical significance of this true herstory embarked on a journey to share the story of Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman with the world.
This online event is FREE and open to the public.
RSVP: https://forms.gle/tS1SqwvRrs2u1Lvs6

2025 Connecticut Civics Bee Essay Deadline
2025-02-04 | CT
For more details visit: https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/national-civics-bee/

Encounters: 100% Democracy - The Case for Universal Voting
2025-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Join us for an engaging discussion on universal voting and its potential impact on democracy in the United States
When it comes to voting, the United States lags behind other democracies, with barely over half of all eligible voters participating in most major elections. The 2024 presidential election saw around 64% of voter turnout, and smaller local elections saw even lower numbers. Meanwhile, twenty-six countries around the world require all eligible voters to participate in elections by law. Australia, for instance, has required citizens to cast a ballot since 1924 and had over 90% voter turnout in their last major election. Some advocates around the United States are calling for ’100% Democracy’, or universal voting.
This is an election process where every eligible citizen has the right to vote and full opportunities to do so—but also the duty to vote, a requirement to participate in our national choices. If Americans must pay taxes and serve on juries, why not require every eligible American to vote as well? Could this be the next step in our great democratic experiment? How would universal voting work in our country? And what would be the results? Join us for an informed and collaborative exploration of these critical and fascinating questions!
Encounters programs dive deep into subjects through facilitated, small-group dialogues followed by a question-and-answer style conversation with University faculty and community partners. Resources are provided beforehand to encourage informed and informal dialogue. The aim is to develop a forum for respectful and challenging dialogue. Coffee and lunch will be provided.
This event is sponsored by Connecticut’s Old State House and UConn’s Democracy and Dialogues Initiative
This event is FREE and open the general public.
Discounted Parking:
On street parking is available. Garage parking for $5 is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street, just steps away from Connecticut’s Old State House. Please present your parking ticket to the museum’s Visitor Services desk for validation.
To RSVP, click here: https://bit.ly/EncounctersFEB2025
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Two Lights for Tomorrow
2025-04-19 12:00 - 16:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Bring non-perishable food items to our food drive and admission is HALF-PRICE!
Connecticut’s Old State House and the Ruth Wyllys Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will participate in Two Lights for Tomorrow, a national initiative celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America on April 18-19, 1775. To commemorate the anniversary, Connecticut’s Old State House will host a food drive to benefit Connecticut Foodshare on Saturday, April 19th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission will be half-price for anyone donating non-perishable food items.
Visit Connecticut’s Old State House
Come for a guided or self-guided tour of the historic site that served at the state capitol from 1796 to 1878 and Hartford City Hall from 1878-1915. Tours are designed to engage adults and children alike and include Rev. Joseph Steward’s Collection of Curiosities next to the historic Senate Chambers and House of Representatives.
Connecticut’s Contribution to the Revolutionary War
Connecticut played a significant role in the American Revolution by providing Washington’s army with food, clothing, and equipment, earning the colony its moniker the “Provision State“. Two Lights for Tomorrow pays homage to Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride and serves as a modern-day call to celebrate working together for a better tomorrow. Two lights refer to the two lanterns placed in the steeple of Old North Church in Boston to alert Paul Revere and the Sons of Liberty about which route the British troops were taking. One lit lantern signaled the British would march in by land. Two lit lanterns warned the troops were crossing via the Charles River. Hence, the famous line “one if by land, two if by sea” from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem Paul Revere’s Ride.
Plan Your Visit
Connecticut’s Old State House is at 800 Main Street, steps away from shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Metered street parking is available. Garage parking is available for $5 at State House Square Garage, located at 55 Market Street. Please present your parking ticket to the museum’s Visitor Services desk for validation.
Connecticut’s Old State House is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766. For more information, visit www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

Commemoration of the Fort Ticonderoga Expedition
2025-04-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Please join us to Commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Expedition to Capture Fort Ticonderoga
MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025
12:00 – 1 :00 PM
Connecticut’s Old State House
800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103

As the seeds of Revolution were sown between the American colonies and the British Crown, a group of Connecticut rebels took action. On April 28, 1775, a meeting was held and 300 pounds were committed to the expedition from Hartford, gathering forces along the way, and executing a surprise attack on Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775. This victory secured much-needed artillery for the Continental Army and helped pave the way for American independence.
This spring, the progress of the expedition will be commemorated as it passes through Salisbury, the Berkshires, and Vermont, concluding with a re-creation of the assault on Fort Ticonderoga on May 10. A powder horn will be inscribed and passed on like a baton along the route.

In 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the country. Governor Ned Lamont established Connecticut’s Semiquincentennial Commission by Executive Order 22-2 on July 2, 2022. Guided by its four themes—Tell Inclusive Stories, Power of Place, For the Common Good, and Doing History—the commission is paving the way for a commemoration that provides space for all of the residents of Connecticut to consider their relationship with this country.

Happy Birthday Connecticut's Old State House!
2025-05-17 12:00 - 16:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
That’s the funny thing about birthdays, they’re kind of an annual thing! Join us in celebrating Connecticut’s Old State House’s 229th birthday on Saturday, May 17th from 12-4 pm, rain or shine.
Connecticut’s Old State House will be open from 12-4 pm with FREE admission. Enjoy a guided or self-guided tour, a Spring Market featuring Connecticut-made vendors and crafters and birthday cake made by our Election Cake Bake-Off 2024 winner Brown Butter Bakery in Glastonbury. Enjoy live music on our front lawn and more.
On May 13, 1796, Connecticut’s Legislature held their first session in their newly-constructed Hartford State House, and it has become the day that we celebrate this important building. Connecticut’s Old State House is iconic in the City of Hartford and one of the first buildings to be named a National Historic Landmark in December, 1960.
Throughout the years, this building has been threatened with destruction, but we’re celebrating its 229-year survival and important connections to history during our birthday celebration.
Bring a friend, a date, or the entire family!
To RSVP, click here.
Parking:
On street parking is available. Garage parking for $5 is available at State House Square Parking Garage, located at 55 Market Street, just steps away from Connecticut’s Old State House. Please present your parking ticket to the museum’s Visitor Services desk for validation.
Our Doors Are Open:
Our building is mobility friendly with a ramp on the West side entrance and elevator access to all floors. Our bathrooms are on the ground floor and have changing tables. If you wish to inquire about special accommodations for a tour or special event, please call (860) 522-6766.

Farmers Market Opening Day
2025-06-06 10:00 - 14:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Connecticut’s Old State House Farmers Market Season is every Tuesday and Friday from 10am to 2pm from June 6th to October 10th!
