Old State House, HYPE, Debut New After-Hours Program "from Barstools to Ballots" July 17th, 5:30 at Connecticut’s Old State House

Hartford, CT – Connecticut’s Old State House invites Harford’s professionals – commuters and city-dwellers alike – to the debut of an exciting new program, From Barstools to Ballots on Tuesday July 17th.  Sponsored in collaboration with Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE), this informal evening program and networking opportunity encourages attendees to explore the importance of informal gathering spaces in informing public debate, both historically and in current times. 

Taverns were once hubs of connection and activity in early America: a place where locals got the latest news from travelers and out-of-town newspapers. But what is their equivalent today: Bars?  Coffee shops? Online?  Historian and author Dr. Bruce Clouette will explore the pivotal role played by colonial taverns in the debates that formed our nation, and jump-start the discussion of where citizens gather today.  Social media maven and marketing executive Suzi Craig and Connecticut State Representative Sean Williams will then join moderator Adam von Gootkin from Onyx Spirits for this lively group conversation.

The Old State House doors will open at 5:30 PM for networking and appetizers provided by Salute Restaurant.  The program starts at 6 PM.  A Cash bar will be available including beer, wine and a special “Onyx Cocktail”. 

For anyone who cannot make it to Hartford, The Old Sate House will be tweeting live from the event. To be part of the conversation, follow @CTOldStateHouse or search #CTBar2Ballot on Twitter.
Pre-registration is $8 for HYPE members and $10 for others. All walk-ins are $12 at the door. Go to www.HYPEHartford.com to register for the program. Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.  The ticket will be stamped at the Welcome Desk.  The validation is good all day.

This series is made possible with a grant from the Greater Hartford Arts Council. The Greater Hartford Arts Council is a leader and catalyst for the promotion, fundraising and coordination of arts and heritage programs that help celebrate our diverse cultures, enliven the spirit, and enrich the economy of Connecticut’s Capital Region.

HYPE’s mission is to help young professionals become better engaged in community life, expand professional and social opportunities and become ambassadors for the Hartford Region. In the process, they endeavor to position the Hartford Region as an attractive area for diverse young professionals and entrepreneurs to live, work and play. HYPE caters to young professionals and entrepreneurs in their 20s and 30s from the Hartford Region, though they invite professionals of all ages to participate.
Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

America’s Most Unpopular War: Dissension, Debate and the War of 1812

Hartford, CT –Mark the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812 by exploring this largely unknown and divisive conflict on Tuesday, July 10. Trinity College political scholar and civil rights activist Dr. Jack Chatfield will present his fascinating exploration of bitter sectional differences that threatened American unity decades before the Civil War. Sharp-tongued, anti-war New England Federalists — including Noah Webster — opposed the president and possibly toyed with secession during a time of national peril. Their opposition culminated in the controversial Hartford Convention of 1814, a secretive meeting held in the Old State House that risked branding participants as traitors - or worse! 

Following the short talk, the Connecticut Network’s Diane Smith will moderate a lively panel conversation with Dr. Chatfield as well as Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Susan Campbell, and Connecticut history professor and award-winning author Dr. Nancy Steenberg Panelists will discuss citizen opposition to American wars throughout history, including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bring your lunch and enjoy this one-hour program. Registrations are encouraged but not required. To register, call 860-522-6766 or visit http://tinyurl.com/OSH2012Lecture.

This program is co-sponsored with Connecticut Explored, the magazine of Connecticut history.  Program attendees will receive a free issue of the magazine featuring the War of 1812.  This program is made possible through funding by the Connecticut Humanities Council.

 

Parking is easy. Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.  The ticket will be stamped at the Welcome Desk.  The validation is good all day. The Old State House farmers market featuring a wide variety of fresh Connecticut-grown foods will be open before and after the lecture, from 11 am to 2 pm.

Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on http://www.ctoldstatehouse.org/ for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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Old State House Farmers’ Market Is Back for the Summer - Grand Opening on Tuesday, June 26

Hartford, CT –One unmistakable sign of summer in Hartford returns in force next Tuesday, June 26, as the 2012 Farmers’ Market at Connecticut’s Old State House observes its official Grand Opening.  With as many as eight vendors filling the building’s Main Street plaza three days a week, the market promises not only fresh produce and a hint of seasonal color downtown, but the continuation of a tradition that dates back more than 350 years.

Frequenters of the downtown area  have been able to enjoy a “market preview” since early June, but the 26^th will mark the official start of the the Old State House Farmers’ Market (OSHFM) season which will run through October 26^th.  The market will operate Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., but will be closed on Wednesday, July 4^th. 

Grand opening ceremonies will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks by state Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky.  The rain date is Wednesday, June 27. Festivities will include balloons, characters in costume, and the start of OSHFM’s monthly drawing in which entrants can win an assortment of free farmers’ market products (no purchase necessary to enter, first drawing will occur at the end of June).

The Old State House Farmers’ Market is considered the oldest such market in Connecticut.  As the epicenter of the original Connecticut Colony, Hartford was required to create a “weekly market” in 1643. The modern farmers’ market has been in continuous operation at Connecticut’s Old State House since 1978. Today, citizens of Connecticut and local farmers can come together to enjoy the “best” of what Connecticut has to offer while helping the state’s agricultural industry and economy.

Up Next at the Old State House:  America's "Most Unpopular War: What Really Happened at the Hartford Convention of 1815, and Why." On July 10, Noon to 1 p.m. Jack Chatfield presents, Wesley Horton will be a panelist and The Connecticut Network, Diane Smith moderates.

 Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.  The ticket will be stamped once admission is paid at the museum.  The validation is good all day.

 Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

 Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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Three Hundred and Fifty Years Later, Still the Most Important Document in Connecticut. Join us May 23rd at Noon

 

Three Hundred and Fifty Years Later,
Still the Most Important Document in Connecticut

May 23^rd, Noon at Connecticut’s Old State House

We've all heard the story of the Charter Oak but why exactly was the Royal Charter of 1662 so important? To commemorate its 350^th anniversary, join a spirited discussion about the document that is called by some “the most important in Connecticut’s history.” Learn about its origin, impact, and continuing significance on the Constitution State and nation on Wednesday, May 23^rd at noon at Connecticut's Old State House. 

During the early years of our colonies, Connecticut possessed a great deal of autonomy from the British crown, perhaps more so than any other American colony, due to the Royal Charter of 1662.  Even after the American Revolution, Connecticut continued to use the Charter, although with references to the king removed, as the state’s governing document until 1818. The program begins with State Historian and University of Connecticut Professor Dr. Walter Woodward as he discusses the Charter’s creation, its significance in state history, and the reasons for its continuing resonance in the present.

Following Dr. Woodward's brief talk, the Connecticut Network’s Diane Smith will moderate a lively discussion about the Charter's continuing influence on our state’s legal and political affairs. The discussion will touch on the Charter’s influence on the State Constitutions of 1818 and 1965, along with current constitutional issues, such as the move to remove absentee ballot restrictions from the current state constitution.

Along with Dr. Woodward, the panel includes: attorney Wesley Horton, the lawyer who successfully argued the Sheff vs. O'Neill before the Connecticut Supreme Court; and former Congressman and University of New Haven President Emeritus, Larry DeNardis, the youngest delegate at the 1965 Constitutional Convention. 

Bring your lunch and enjoy this FREE, one hour program!

 

Up Next at the Old State House: On June 12 at Noon, join Diane Smith for an intimate, one-on-one conversation with former Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker.

Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.  The ticket will be stamped once admission is paid at the museum.  The validation is good all day.

Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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Transportation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: April 17th, Noon at Connecticut’s Old State House

For Immediate Release

March 22, 2012

Contact: Meaghan MacDonald

(860) 246-1553, ext. 116

meaghan.macdonald@cga.ct.gov

Where Are We Going?

Transportation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

April 17^th, Noon at Connecticut’s Old State House

Hartford, CT – Is traffic strangling Connecticut’s economy? Transportation experts warn that the state economy can’t grow without better highways and bridges, major investments in mass transit, reinvigorating our ports and making improvements to Bradley International Airport.  Earlier generations knew this, as transportation technology transformed the Constitution State from a network of colonial towns into an industrial powerhouse.

Come to the Old State House on Tuesday, April 17 at noon as historian and transportation engineer Richard DeLuca talks about the fascinating history of turnpikes, steamboats, canals, railroads and trolleys in Connecticut. His book, Post Roads and Iron Horses, is the first to look in detail at the development of a transportation network that helped define Connecticut and shape New England.

Afterwards, join the conversation as the Connecticut Network’s Diane Smith moderates a panel discussing Connecticut’s transportation needs today and in the future. Richard DeLuca will be joined by Commissioner James P. Redeker, who is reinventing the Department of Transportation as it sheds its image as mainly a highway department, and Jim Cameron, Chairman of the Connecticut Metro-North Rail Commuter Council and long time advocate for rail commuters.

Registrations are not required but encouraged. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/OSH2012Lecture or call 860-522-6766 to make your reservation today!

Ahead at the Old State House: On June 12^th at Noon, join Diane Smith as she sits down for an intimate one-on-one conversation with former Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker.

Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5. The validation is good all day.

Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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Empowering Future Leaders and Inspiring Change: Celebrate Women’s History with a Discussion of Women and Power March 13th at Noon

For Immediate Release

February 28. 2012

Contact: Meaghan MacDonald

(860) 246-1553, ext. 116

meaghan.macdonald@cga.ct.gov 

Empowering Future Leaders and Inspiring Change

Celebrate Women’s History with a Discussion of  Women and Power

March 13^th, Noon at Connecticut’s Old State House

From Ella Grasso, the first woman in the US  elected Governor in her own right, to Denise Nappier, the first African American woman in the nation elected State Treasurer, Connecticut has a proud tradition of women serving in government. But while women make up more than half the population of the state, fewer than one third of the representatives in the CT house are women, and only one quarter of the CT Senate is female. At the federal level the numbers are even more dismal.  What’s holding women back from holding office? How can we get more women to run? Join the discussion with one of Connecticut’s most successful politicians Lt Gov Nancy Wyman, Patti Russo the director the Women’s Campaign School at Yale, and Katherine Wiltshire, director of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.  Bring your lunch and enjoy this free program on Tuesday March 13^th at noon at Connecticut’s Old State House.

 Add your opinions as media personality Diane Smith  hosts a panel discussion with these women leaders, and  two of the campaign school’s graduates, who are now making an impact in politics in their hometowns, Gayle Weinstein, First Selectman of Weston, and Kelly Luxenberg, Manchester Board of Education member.

 Wondering what it takes to run for office? Get hands-on advice from the experts and celebrate Women’s History Month by finding out about the women who have shaped history in our state.

 Enjoy  “We Fight for Roses, Too” an inspiring exhibit from  the Connecticut  Women’s Hall of Fame  that highlights the stories, struggles and achievements of inductees from all walks of life.  The exhibit opens on  March 13^th and runs through March 23^rd at the Old State House.

 Up Next at the Old State House: On April 17^th at Noon, join Richard DeLuca as he presents research from his newly-released book Post Roads & Iron Horses. Explore the history of Connecticut’s transportation from colonial times through the age of steam. Then delve into the transporation issues facing  Connecticut today and how they affect the state’s economy and quality of life.  

 Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage).   The validation is good all day.

 Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

 Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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Bob Steele’s Century Exhibition Now Through March 9, 2012

For Immediate Release

February 6, 2012

Contact: Meaghan MacDonald

(860) 246-1553, ext. 116

meaghan.macdonald@cga.ct.gov

His Life Through Photographs, Letters and Cartoons

Bob Steele’s Century Exhibition

Now Through March 9, 2012 at Connecticut’s Old State House

Hartford, CT – New Englanders woke up to the voice of radio man Bob Steele for more than 48 years. Today the story of his life, told through some of his own photographs, cartoons, letters and personal belongings, is on display at Connecticut’s Old State House. Bob Steele’s Century Exhibition, on loan from the Hartford Public Library and the Hartford History Center, is available for viewing until March 9^th as part of the Old State House’s traveling exhibits program. 

The exhibit is the result of collaboration with the Hartford Public Library, Hartford History Center and Steele family. The Connecticut Vintage Radio and Communications Museum contributed two radios and a microphone to the exhibit. The oldest dates to 1936, the year Steele started his broadcasting career.

“Mr. Steele played a significant role in Connecticut’s civic story”, said Sally Whipple, Director of the Old State House. “The common experience of listening to his show and sharing his puns, corny jokes and “word for the day” at water coolers and dinner tables drew people together and sparked great conversations. We’re so pleased to host this exhibit and look forward to seeing people enjoy this glimpse into a very colorful and important Connecticut life.”

Bob Steele, a radio icon, started his career at WTIC on “G. Fox Morning Watch.” By the time of his retirement from daily radio in 1991, Bob Steele had created one of the longest running radio shows in the country.

On February 21, join the Old State House for a lunchtime lecture on the history of radio in Connecticut. John Ramsey will briefly discuss his new book, Hartford Radio, and then join other panelists for a conversation about radio’s impact on our lives and how it has changed over time.

Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Hartford History Center at Hartford Public Library, collects, preserves, and makes available materials and information relating to the history, literature, and culture of Hartford. The holdings include, but are not limited to books; scrapbooks; pamphlets; the City of Hartford archives; the Hartford City Parks collection; image collections; maps; fine and graphic arts, including paintings, posters, prints and drawings; and memorabilia – those materials that preserve and share the story of Hartford, Connecticut ‐ its place, its people, and its past. Located on the third floor of the Downtown Library, 500 Main Street, the Hartford History Center is open 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, please call the Center at 860‐695‐6297 or visit online at www.hplct.org/hhc .

The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut, located in Windsor, celebrates the history of electronic communications and traces its development from the mid 1800s with Morse Code until the 1980s with the advent of home computers. The museum is located at 115 Pierson Lane, Windsor and is open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information and admission rates visit, http://vrcmct.org.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

 

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