Postcards from Hartford

A long swath of destruction was carved through the middle of Hartford in the early 1960s—not by a natural disaster, but by the construction of Interstate 84. One of the victims was the beautiful and beloved Hartford Public High School on Hopkins and Broad streets. One half of the building, containing one tower, was built in 1883. A little more than a decade later, city officials realized they needed a dramatic expansion. Architect George Keller responded by designing an almost mirror image of his original design, complete with a second tower. It was erected in 1897. This postcard has a 1911 postmark.

A new HPHS was built on Forest Street. While not in the same league as this building, it recently underwent a renovation that significantly improved its looks. HPHS traces its origins to 1638, leading to its claim as the second-oldest secondary school in the United States. The school and its alumni take tremendous pride in this history; learn more about it on the very informative HPHS website.