The Old State House (completed 1796) in

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

is generally believed to have been designed by noted American architect Charles Bulfinch as his first public building. The State House is currently managed by the Office of Legislative Management of the Connecticut General Assembly. The exterior building and the Senate have been restored to its original

Federal style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the newly founded United States between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was heavily based on the works of Andrea Palladio with several inn ...

; the Representative's chamber is

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

, and the halls and courtroom are Colonial Revival. The Hartford State House is, in appearance, very similar to the

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

of Liverpool, England, built in the mid-18th century and perhaps depicted in one of Bulfinch's architecture books. However, all materials came from the United States. Its first story is 20 feet high and constructed from Portland, Connecticut brownstone. The second and third stories are brick patterned in Flemish bond. The

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

is wooden. The State House has been modified somewhat since it was first built. As originally constructed, the building had neither

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its con ...

or cupola, but the balustrade was added in the early 19th century for the protection of firemen, and the cupola was constructed in 1827 with its bell and John Stanwood's statue of Justice. An original (1796) stone spiral staircase behind the northern arch, designed by Asher Benjamin, led to the second and third floors; it no longer exists. In 1814, the Hartford Convention was held there. In 1839, the start of the ''Amistad'' trial was held there. The building had been in danger of closing in 2008 due to financial constraints. State and Hartford officials have recently signed a 99-year lease placing Connecticut's Old State House under new management. The lease puts the city-owned historic building under the control of the state Office of Legislative Management. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960. Exhibits focus on the history of Hartford and important events in Connecticut history. Visitors can also tour the original legislative rooms.

Joseph Steward Museum of Curiosities

The Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities is located on the third floor of the Old State House. The museum features a recreation of Joseph Steward's original 1798 collection of natural history displays and curiosities.

Haunted reputation

Over the years, several eyewitnesses (mostly staff members) have claimed to experience paranormal activity inside the building. In 2009, the Old State House was investigated by the investigators of TAPS on episode 524 of the Sci Fi Channel program '' Ghost Hunters''. The episode aired on December 9, 2009. Following the investigation, TAPS announced that they captured audio of strange sounds inside the building. Something that sounded like a doorknob being opened was recorded in the Senate Room while no one was in it, and audio of what sounded like a woman sighing was captured in the Steward Museum room when no female team members were present in the building. Before giving a final verdict of "haunted or not", the team plans to head back to the Old State House for a more in depth investigation. So until then, this case remains open.TAPS
Unexplained Phenomena
. ''Ghost Hunters'', Sci Fi Channel. and File:Old State House, Hartford, Connecticut.jpg, The building in 1937 File:Old State House, Hartford CT - rear facade.JPG, The view from the front File:Connecticut Old State House.jpg, The cupola

References

External links

*
Roadside American Report on the Museum of Curiosities

CT Museum Quest Report on the Museum of Curiosities
– with photos
Article in Hartford Courant by Wayne Jebian
{{authority control Government buildings in Connecticut Tourist attractions in Hartford, Connecticut Government buildings completed in 1792 National Historic Landmarks in Connecticut Federal architecture in Connecticut Connecticut Museums in Hartford, Connecticut Reportedly haunted locations in Connecticut History museums in Connecticut Natural history museums in Connecticut Buildings and structures in Hartford, Connecticut Charles Bulfinch buildings National Register of Historic Places in Hartford, Connecticut Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut

Joseph Steward Museum of Curiosities

Haunted reputation

See also

References

External links