Hartford has been the capital of Connecticut since 1875. From 1664-1875, Hartford alternated with New Haven as dual capitals of Connecticut. Founded in 1635, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Mark Twain, who lived in Hartford from 1874-1891 wrote – Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief.
We visited all the places on this page in July of 2021.
- Connecticut state Capitol Building
- Mark Twain House
- Kent Falls State Park
- Enders Falls
- Saville Dam and Barkhamsted Reservoir
- Wadsworth Falls
Connecticut State Capitol Building – Overlooking Hartford’s 41 acre Bushnell Memorial Park, the Connecticut State Capitol first opened for the General Assembly in January, 1879. Constructed of New England marble and granite and crowned by a gold leaf dome, the Capitol was built at a cost of over 2.5 million dollars. The Connecticut State Capitol was declared a National Historical Landmark by the United States Department of Interior in 1972.
In addition to housing the State Senate Chamber, Hall of the State House of Representatives and offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of the State, the statehouse and surrounding grounds abound with memories and mementos of Connecticut’s early years. Guided and self-guided tours are available.
Mark Twain House & Museum – is the home where the author lived with his family for 17 years from 1874 to 1891 and wrote his most treasured works – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Prince and the Pauper, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
The Victorian Gothic mansion is a National Historic Landmark. Touring the restored home reveals some of its innovative modern conveniences, as well as many of the writer’s eccentric habits (such as keeping kittens in the pockets of the billiard table). Louis C. Tiffany was one of the designers of the home’s interior, which shows many of the exotic decorative influences of the era.
Kent Falls State Park – This beautiful park is 50 miles west of Hartford. Wander across the covered bridge, hike the falls, and feel the mist on your face as water cascades 250 feet down on its way to the Housatonic River. One of the crown jewels of the Connecticut State Park system, Kent Falls attracts visitors from across the region. Fed by Falls Brook, a mountain stream, the cascade’s flows are heaviest in the spring when the winter snow is melting, but a summer rainstorm can deliver the same staggering effect. Evidence shows Native Americans fished and camped by the falls, an area they called Scatacook.
Kent Falls State Park, Covered Bridge – The park has a replica of a covered bridge that allows visitors to cross the brook and access the falls. The covered bridge was built in 1974 by a park employee, Edmund Palmer.
Kent Falls State Park, Kent Falls – From its headwaters in Warren, the water flows west to the big fall where it plunges approximately 70 feet in a dramatic cascade before tumbling down in a series of falls to the Housatonic River.
The hike from the bottom to the top of the falls starts near the covered bridge. The 0.8 mile paved trail is steep and features stairs and may be considered strenuous. You will be ascending alongside the series of falls, and will be able to get a great view of multiple drops.
Enders Falls – The falls are in Enders State Forest which is 25 miles north west of Hartford. You can combine visiting this falls with Kent Falls (see above section). Enders Falls, an exceptional collection of five distinct waterfalls, form the core of the state forest and several of these form pools that are popular with swimmers in the summer.
The state warns against swimming in the pools, as there have been a number of injuries and deaths reported.
Saville Dam and Barkhamsted Reservoir – The Saville Dam in Barkhamsted was built between 1933 and 1940 to create the Barkhamsted reservoir which supplies water to Hartford. Named after its chief engineer, Caleb Mills Saville, the dam is known for its unique, castle-like masonry structure and offers scenic views of the reservoir and surrounding forests, making it a popular spot for hiking and picnics.
You will be actually on top of the dam. There are not many words that can describe how beautiful this dam is. We spent an hour here enjoying the glorious scenery, peaceful atmosphere and taking pictures and videos.
This dam is less than a 10 min drive from Enders State Forest (see previous section).
Wadsworth Falls – Is located in Wadsworth Falls State Park and is about 20 miles south of Hartford. The larger of the two, Wadsworth Big Falls, drops the 52-foot breadth of the Coginchaug River some 30 feet over a shelf of Hampden basalt. Wadsworth Little Falls is found along Wadsworth Brook and descends approximately 40 feet. Wadsworth Falls Loop is considered an easy hike that covers 3.6 mi, with an elevation gain of 360 ft and will take less than 2 hours to complete.
