Town #30: Hartford

In an age of multiplexes and googleplexes, Real Art Ways is a place to see movies that in much more low-key. They do a good job of being a lot of things to a lot of folks. Some of the other things you can do here: explore the art gallery, hear live music, have a discussion about a film, or attend a cocktail party.

Founded in 1975 it's been through many changes, but it's one of the country's oldest spots for independent film and alternative arts.

If you're ever in Connecticut, definitely stop by here. But since it looks like an old warehouse on the outside, you'll have to know the address.

There is a lot more to do and see in Hartford. It's the state capital after all. You could probably pick any spot and not even realize how many national historic places you had visited there are so many. It can be a confusing and nerve wracking place to drive in though, as probably most state capitals are. We'll be making trips back to this town before we leave though. Some of the places we intend to check out:

Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Wadsworth Atheneum (nation's oldest public art museum)
Mark Twain House
State Capitol Building and the Old State House

Hartford stats:
Population: 124,512
Size: 18 square miles
Villages/Other Communities: n/a
Historic Places: Allen Place-Lincoln Street Historic District, Ann Street Historic District, Apartment at 49-51 Spring Street, Armsmear (also known as Samuel Colt House), Asylum Avenue District, Asylum-Trumbull-Pearl Streets Historic District, Austin House, B.P.O. Elks Lodge, Lucius Barbour House, Boce Barlow Jr. House, Henry Barnard House, Batterson Block, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol Synagogue, Buckingham Square Historic District, Building at 136-138 Collins Street, Building at 142 Collins Street, Building at 83-85 Sigourney Street, Bulkeley Bridge, Amos Bull House, Bushnell Park, Butler-McCook Homestead, Marietta Canty House, Capen-Clark Historic District, Capewell Horse Nail Company, Capitol Building, Cedar Hill Cemetery, Charter Oak Bank Building, Charter Oak Place, Cheney Building, Chevry Lomday Mishnayes Synagogue, Children's Village of the Hartford Orphan Asylum, Christ Church, Church Home, Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House, Clay Hill Historic District , Collins and Townley Streets District, Colt Historic District, James B. Colt House, Congress Street Historic District, Connecticut State Library and Supreme Court Building, Old Hartford Statehouse, Day House, Calvin Day House, Day-Taylor House, Department Store Historic District, Dillon Building, Downtown North Historic District, Elizabeth Park, Elm Street Historic District, Engine Company 1 Fire Station, Engine Company 2 Fire Station, Engine Company 6 Fire Station, Engine Company 9 Fire Station, Engine Company 15 Fire Station, Engine Company 16 Fire Station, First Church of Christ and the Ancient Burying Ground, First National Bank Building, Footguard Hall, Fourth Congregational Church, Frog Hollow Historic District, Goodwin Block, Grandview Terrace Boulevard, Hartford Club, Hartford Electric Light Company Maple Avenue Sub-Station, Hartford Golf Club Historic District, Hartford Seminary Foundation, Hartford Times Building, Hartford Union Station, High Street Historic District, John and Isabella Hooker House, House at 140 and 144 Retreat Avenue, House at 36 Forest Street, Hyde-St. John House, Imlay and Laurel Streets District, Isham-Terry House, James Pratt Funeral Service, Jefferson-Seymour District, Wilfred Johnson House, Judd and Root Building, Keney Tower, Laurel and Marshall Streets District, William Linke House, Little Hollywood Historic District, Lyman House, Main Street Historic District No. 1, Main Street Historic District No. 2, Mather Homestead, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Municipal Building, Myers and Gross Building, Nook Farm and Woodland Street District, Northam Memorial Chapel and Gallup Memorial Gateway, Old North Cemetery, Parkside Historic District, Perkins-Clark House, Antoinette Randolph Phelps House, Phoenix Life Insurance Company Building, Polish National Home, Arthur Pomeroy House, Pratt Street Historic District, Prospect Avenue Historic District, Royal Typewriter Company Building, Saint Anthony Hall, Second Church of Christ, Sigourney Square District, Dr. Frank Simpson House, South Green Historic District, Southern New England Telephone Company Building, Spencer House, St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, Moore and Tryon Stackpole Building, State Arsenal and Armory, Stone Bridge, Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Saints Cyril and Methodius Church, Temple Beth Israel, Mark Twain House, U. S. Post Office and Federal Building, Union Baptist Church, Upper Albany Historic District, Wadsworth Atheneum, Washington Street School, Watkinson Juvenile Asylum and Farm School, Webster Memorial Building, West Boulevard Historic District, West End North Historic District, West End South Historic District, Wethersfield Avenue Car Barn, Widow's Home, Windsor Avenue Congregational Church