Hartford, Connecticut began as a fort for the Dutch settlers called the “House of Hope,” established by Reverend Thomas Hooker. Hartford is a town with a love affair of literary figures and the influences of immortalized manuscripts that celebrate the imagination. It was the birthplace of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain’s famous country boys. Twain's restored home is located in the Nook Farm neighborhood. Harriet Beecher Stowe, the influential author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” spent the last years of her life at the Nook Farm home, which contains her personal writing table, paintings, manuscripts and period furniture. Also, here is the home of the internationally known Wadsworth Atheneum, the nation’s first public museum. Additionally, Hartford has long been known widely as an insurance center, which began in 1794. The area was once home to the headquarters of more than 35 major insurance companies.

Hartford has an array of festivals throughout the year such as the Connecticut Home Show, the Connecticut Spring Antiques Show, and Riverfest, which includes concerts, a fireworks show, air show, food and more. It is a great event that captures the spirit of Hartford.