1. A Magnificent Production

Poster advertising the production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This production played many times in Hartford in the mid-to-late 1880s. The Hartford History Center holds a number of posters in its collection.

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2. Aetna Insurance

Aetna calendar, 1887.

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3. Election Results

Presidential Electoral Vote 1876 to 1928 (red indicates the Democratic Party; blue the Republican Party); J.R. Garland & Co., Printers

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4. Mark Twain

Image of Mark Twain writing in bed, signed "Dictating Autobiography to Miss Hobby. Mark Twain"; in the Josephine Hobby Collection at Hartford History Center

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5. Main Street Parade

Image from the Stoeckel Collection, c. 1895, parade on Main Street

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6. Harriet Beecher Stowe



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7. Prohibition Ticket

Candidates listed on the November 5, 1878 "Prohibition Ticket."

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8. The Hartford Courant

Thursday, January 19, 1978

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9. Northend Agent

November 23, 1977

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10. The Travelers

The Travelers at the New York World’s Fair, 1964

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11. Nineteenth Century at the Library

Hartford Public Librarians Magnus K. Kristoffersen (head librarian) and Elizabeth Angelo, "Nineteenth Century at the Library," October 28, 1951.

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12. Nineteenth Century at the Library

Hartford Public Librarians Magnus K. Kristoffersen (head librarian) and Elizabeth Angelo, "Nineteenth Century at the Library," October 28, 1951.

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13. Poster Collection

"An Afternoon of Chamber Music by harry Clark, cello, & Sandra Schuldmann, piano," South Congregational Church, Oct. 28, 1973

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14. Musicians' Association Card

Musicians’ Protective Association, Local No. 400 card, 1931

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15. Inaugural Social

Inaugural Social given by the Hartford Typographical Union, No. 127, April 23, 1884

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16. Sweet Singer of Hartford

Lydia Huntley Sigourney née Lydia Howard Huntley (September 1, 1791 - June 10, 1865) was an extremely popular American poet during the early and mid 19th century. She was commonly known as the "Sweet Singer of Hartford."

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17. Stockholder’s Ticket

Charter Oak Park, June 1885

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18. Stockholder’s Ticket

Charter Oak Park, August 1874

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19. Hartford train accident

Image in the Stoeckel Collection, c. 1905

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20. The Hartford Times

Wednesday, October 20, 1976

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21. Hartford Advocate and Southside Neighborhood News

Hartford Advocate, Feb. 20, 1980 and Southside Neighborhood News, Sept. 21-Oct. 5, 1977

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22. The Hartford Inquirer

Wednesday, August 11, 1993

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23. Sociable Given by Court Ericsson

7707, A.O.F. of A. at Germania Hall, February 3, 1892

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23. Hartford Chat

August 29, 1891

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25. El Observador

August 29, 1981

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26. The West .Indian American

March 1992

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27. The Hartford News

Sept. 23-Oct. 7, 1987

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28. The Westender

September 1973

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29. Hartford Public Library scrapbooks, news clippings

Compiled by librarians throughout the first half of the 20th century; rich resource on Hartford-specific topics such as biography, the arts, health and medicine, transportation and business.

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30. James Owens’ correspondence scrapbook 1949-1952

Representative of the many scrapbooks the Hartford History Center holds.

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31. Hartford Public Library scrapbooks, news clippings

Compiled by librarians throughout the first half of the 20th century; rich resource on Hartford-specific topics such as biography, the arts, health and medicine, transportation and business.

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32. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection.

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33. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection, Armand Marseille, Model #390, pre-WWI, Swiss/Austria, regional costume.

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34. Bob Steele

Bob Steele, popular Hartford radio broadcaster (WTIC), created one of the longest running radio shows in the country.

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35. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection, pincushion doll, 10", n.d.

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36. Souvenir of Hartford

9" English porcelain plate with renderings of First Church of Christ, St. Peter’s Church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Immaculate Conception Church, and The Cathedral (St. Joseph); on back - "England;" n.d.

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37. Souvenir of Hartford

10" English porcelain plate with renderings of the State Capitol (in center), The Cathedral (St. Joseph), Colt Memorial, Corning Fountain, Soldiers Memorial Arch, Charter Oak and Center Church; on back – "The Rowland & Marsellus Co., Staffordshire England, Made for Brown Thompson & Co., Hartford, Conn 1905."

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38. Box of lantern slides

Gift of the Greater Hartford Flood Commission, 1967.

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39. Katherine Hepburn

Hartford native actress Katherine Hepburn (b. 1907 – d. 2003.)

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40. Caroline Maria Hewins

Caroline Maria Hewins receives honorary degree from Trinity College in Hartford (1911), first woman to do so, Hartford Public Library’s head librarian from 1875-1926.

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41. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection, cornhusk doll with bonnet and braid, n.d.

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42. Wadsworth Atheneum

Wadsworth Atheneum box, 1988; model of the oldest public art museum in the country.

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43. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection, Cuban dancers, n.d.

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44. Here and There

Film reel, "Here and There," film footage shot by Hartford resident, inventor and founder of the American Radio Relay League Hiram Percy Maxim, (b. 1869- d. 1936.)

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45. Royal typewriter

From the Tony DeBonee Collection, Tony DeBonee’s early 20th century Royal typewriter.

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46. Parson's Theatre Program

Program, Parson’s Theatre, "Secret Service, A Romance of the Confederacy" March 1899.

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47. Pamphlet

"Dr. Wells The Discoverer of Anaesthesia," Hartford: Case, Lockwood & Brainard printers, 1870.

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48. The Golden Staircase

Hewins Collection, The Golden Staircase by Louey Chisholm, New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, n.d.

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49. A Knight Errant and his Doughty Deeds

Hewins Collection, A Knight Errant and his Doughty Deeds, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1911.

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50. Letter to Caroline Hewins from Laura E. Richards

Dated September 22, no year given. Laura Richards earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1917 for Biography with Life of Julia Ward Howe, which she co-wrote with her sister Maud Howe Elliott.

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51. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection, "Josette," cakeseller of Barbados, gift of Edith Beach

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52. Columbia and Hartford Bicycles sign

Pope Manufacturing Company, Hartford

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54. Hartford Collection

Saturday Morning Club of Hartford 1876-1911, Hartford: The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1912.

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55. Postcard

Post card of the Charter Oak Chair, made from the Charter Oak tree that allegedly hid Connecticut’s 1662 Colonial Charter in October 1687 in Hartford. Hartford History Center holds over 2,000 Hartford-specific postcards in its collection.

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56. R. Caldecott’s…. Picture Book No. 1

Hewins Collection, R. Caldecott’s…. Picture Book No. 1, London: Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., n.d.

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57. "The Pride of Hartford," embossed post card

Hartford History Center holds over 2,000 Hartford-specific postcards in its collection.

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58. Caroline Maria Hewins' honorary degree

Caroline Maria Hewins receives honorary degree from Trinity College in Hartford (1911), first woman to do so, Hartford Public Library’s head librarian from 1875-1926.

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59. Doll Collection Item

Caroline Maria Hewins Doll Collection, Frozen Charlotte Doll, 4", all-china, Germany 1880-1890.

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60. Post card

"Trolley Trips, Hartford to Suburbs" n.d.

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61. The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1906. "This is the authorized Uniform Edition of all my books. Mark Twain."

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62. Post Card

One of the many Hartford-specific postcards in Hartford History Center’s collection.

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63. Post Card

Park River, Hartford; Hartford History Center holds over 2,000 Hartford-specific postcards in its collection.

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64. Swift’s Gold in Rolls

Manufactured by M. Swift & Sons, Inc., 10 Love Lane, Hartford.

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65. Souvenir Stein

Made in Germany for Wm. F. Schmidt’s Café, Hartford.

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66. A piece of the Charter Oak, the tree that hid Connecticut’s Royal Charter

Items made from the wood of the fallen Charter Oak became highly desirable as tokens of the tree’s role in the history of political freedom.

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67. Souvenir Paperweight

"COL. ALBERT A. POPE, FOUNDER OF THE MANUFACTURE OF BICYCLES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE PIONEER OF THE GREAT MOVEMENT FOR BETTER AMERICAN ROADS."

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69. Two Bound Volumes of Pamphlets

From the Noah Webster Pamphlet Collection. Over 90 volumes of pamphlets published between 1750 -1837 and collected by Noah Webster are held in the Hartford History Center; Webster gifted his pamphlet collection to the Hartford Library Company, Hartford Public Library’s antecedent, prior to his death in 1843.

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70. Post Card

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, embossed post card; Hartford History Center holds over 2,000 Hartford-specific postcards in its collection.

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71. 1797 Constitution and Catalogue of the Hartford Library Company

Hartford Public Library’s antecedent.

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72. Pin of General Griffin A. Stedman

Colonel 11th Connecticut Volunteers, killed Aug. 6, 1864.

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75. Ribbon

Farragut Day, October 19, 1897.

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76. Purple Heart

Military Order of the Purple Heart to Hartford resident William Meister, 1944.

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77. Medallion

H.B. Haas & Co., Gold Tobacco Leaf; H.B. Haas owned a cigar store in 1835 – No. 15 Central Row.

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79. Medallion

"The Travelers, Tenth Anniversary Testimonial to President Louis F. Butler, November 1925."

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