Topics

Topics

A repository for things that catch my eye as I research the neighborhood's history. Mostly they are questions that sparked my curiosity, and I plan to record items that I think are relevant to the topic.

Topics

Hartford and X-rays

Believe it or not, there seem to have been close to a dozen people researching x-rays and inventing devices to utilize them here in Hartford. With any luck, I'll be able to declare Hartford the "x-ray capital of the world" before I'm through!

The Problems Inherent in Building on Clay

Turns out Asylum Hill is largely clay, and that makes it tough on buildings up here. There were swamps, ponds, and even underground streams, and some of them led to the growth of local myths (like the cathedral being haunted).

To Move, Or Not to Move

It goes without saying that everyone considers moving at some point -- and that applies to businesses and churches as well as people. What has caught my eye as I've looked into Asylum Hill's history is how often people debated whether or not to move in public. As I encounter these debates, I'll list them here.

Westward ho! Hartford Expands Up the Hill

Asylum Hill was once called Hartford's West End -- the frontier into which Hartford began to expand starting in the 1850s or so. At least one wave of expansion was labeled as such, and that made me curious: how did Hartford view the Hill as different waves of development headed up it?

What's in a Name: Watch Hill, Lord's Hill, Asylum Hill -- or Gallaudet Hill?

We all know when the neighborhood became Asylum Hill: after the "Asylum," now the American School for the Deaf, moved its school here in 1821. But when precisely was the name first applied? And when did it become the sole name for the neighborhood? Not only did Lord's Hill persist into the 20th century, the school actively lobbied to change the name. Here I'll record the history of the name, as best as I can find it.

When did reporters start getting bylines?

Well into the 20th century, Courant articles had no bylines. I first noticed bylines appearing in the 1940s, and so naturally, I'd love to pin this change in policy down.

When did the Courant name women in their own right?

In the 19th century, the Courant typically referred to women by their married names, even after their husbands died. Gradually, the Courant changed their practice, but it persisted well into the 20th century. Here I will track the dates, to see if I can pin down the Courant's transition on this issue.