West Hartford Town Historian

04/06/2026

A big thanks to Tracey Weiss for this thoughtful interview! I am thrilled and honored to serve as the town historian.

"Wherever you live, local history gives you inspiration.” So said Mary Donohue, the town’s historian. A year into her appointment, she is deep into her role, publishing pamphlets for public use, giving talks, and finding treasures in town she aims to share. She is technically retired but calls t...

03/06/2026

A big thank you to everyone who came out to our program on the life and business of A.C. Petersen! We sold over 190 tickets-all of the proceeds go to town treasure Playhouse on Park Theatre.We have to thank A.C. Petersen Farms and Catherine Denton for providing the ice creams sundaes. A dozen Petersen family members attended-we want to thank Ray Petersen and Allen Petersen for sharing their family archives with us. We also thank the Playhouse staff for helping two historians present a lecture! Also thanks to Renee McCue at Town of West Hartford, CT for promoting the lecture; Jeff Mainville Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society for co-sponsoring; and Patrick O'Sullivan High Wattage Media, LLC for videotaping. I am also gratefull for my co-presenter Chuck Coursey. host of Trout Brook Tales podcast for his hard work and research!

02/06/2026

A remarkable story from a little over the town line in Hartford. Stream free!

New Episode!

John Ho**er was a Hartford lawyer, judge, and abolitionist as well as a reformer for women’s rights. Ho**er was the president of the anti-slavery committee in Hartford, published the Charter Oak anti-slavery newspaper with the Connecticut Anti-Slavery Society of Hartford, and co-authored with his wife Isabella Beecher Ho**er, the state bill in 1877 that gave married women more control of their property. So why isn’t he better known?

Our guest for this episode is Erika Slocumb, Director of Interpretation & Visitor Experience at the Stowe Center for Literary Activism.

Listen: https://www.ctexplored.org/jnhkerhtfdpod/

31/05/2026

Elizabeth Park history tours coming up!

🌿 Join us this June for tours and special events in Elizabeth Park!

All tours are free (with the exception of the Exploring History in Hartford tours) and begin at the flagpole in front of the Cottage, the small green building.

🌸 Visit elizabethparkct.org/all-park-events for details or to purchase tickets.

29/05/2026

They added a 7pm show! Get your tickets to a fun program and Petersen’s ice cream!

Step into West Hartford history with an unforgettable afternoon at Playhouse on Park! Join local historians Chuck Coursey and Mary Donohue as they uncover the fascinating story of Danish immigrant Andrew C. Petersen’s dairy empire — all inside the former milk truck garage turned Playhouse on Park theater. Plus, enjoy complimentary ice cream courtesy of A.C. Petersen Farms Restaurant! 🍦✨

🕓 4:00 PM
🎟️ $15 + service fees
(includes ice cream!)
💙 100% of proceeds benefit Playhouse on Park!

Tickets: playhouseonpark.org/web2/Season17/specialevents_ACPetersenDiscussion.html

27/05/2026

Interesting tour coming up right over the town line!

The Architectural History & Resources Committee of WECA, in cooperation with the Hartford Preservation Alliance, presents a Walking Tour of the Little Hollywood Historic District.

Step into one of Hartford’s most distinctive historic neighborhoods.

The Little Hollywood Historic District—known today as Clemens Place—is a remarkable collection of architecturally diverse apartment buildings developed before World War I and largely completed between World War I and World War II. The district showcases a rich mix of styles, including Queen Anne, Shingle Style, and Georgian Revival architecture.

Originally designed to attract single residents seeking smaller apartments, the neighborhood reflects an important shift in early 20th-century living patterns—and offers a fascinating glimpse into Hartford’s evolving workforce, particularly the lives of working women during this period.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the district remains a unique and cohesive example of this moment in the city’s development.

Sunday, May 31 at 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Northeast corner of Lorraine Street & Farmington Avenue
Tour Leader: Jack Whitney
Free and open to the public, no registration required. Held rain or shine.

20/05/2026

Kudos to Ethan Zimmer for this new research!

A Hall High School student researched the history and people behind West Hartford school names as part of local America 250 celebrations.

20/05/2026

Love old photos of West Hartford? Get your tickets today!

19/05/2026

Thank you Ethan Zimmer for taking a deep dive into WH's school names! Ethan attends Hall High School and is a member of the West Hartford 250th History Committee. Take a look-do you know who your neighborhood school is name after? And thanks to Patrick O'Sullivan High Wattage Media, LLC for the cover design.

History of West Hartford’s Public School Names

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, Ethan Zimmer, a student at Hall High School and the student chair and lead researcher for the America 250 West Hartford School Names Project, set out to uncover the stories behind the names of the sixteen schools in the West Hartford Public Schools system.

Education has long been a staple of community life, but the names of those honored in our schools' names are often overlooked.

With this document, we wish to shine a light on these people, their accomplishments, and their significance in West Hartford.

When reading, you will find that the names of the schools were not random; many honor former educators, local leaders, and active community members, while others reflect important places and themes in Connecticut’s history.

Some were enterprising businesspeople and figures from New England’s history, and others were geographical landmarks and items from Connecticut’s history.

We hope you will enjoy discovering the people and places behind each school’s namesake. Enjoy!

Visit West Hartford’s America 250 webpage: https://www.westhartfordct.gov/visit-us/america250