History of the NW corner of Main & Pearl Streets in Hartford, Connecticut

Discover the history of a historic corner of Hartford, Connecticut through historic images and maps.
Currently dominated by the large building at 777 Main, the northwest corner of Main & Pearl Streets in Hartford has had an interesting series of buildings. The 1600s house of early settler Thomas Olcott was replaced in the 1820s by Union Hall (where Dr. Horace Wells was inspired by a demonstration of laughing gas), followed by the building of c. 1870 of the grand headquarters of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, which was greatly expanded by the Hartford National Bank & Trust Company in the 1920s before being torn down in the 1960s.
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A Guide to Historic Hartford, Connecticut
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Vanished Downtown Hartford
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[@edwardj3988]

As a boy in 1964, I remember there was a problem demolishing the building in order to build the Hartford National Bank. The wrecking ball kept bouncing off the building.

[@MarianaGarcia-hx9wq]

Wonderful work! Who in their right mind would demolish that beautiful building?

[@raymonddubois9242]

I am a lifelong resident of hartford connecticut. Unfortunately, in those days, people weren't in their right mind And that's why they destroyed such beautiful buildings.😔

[@1212pinto]

great history, many thanks for sharing

[@boathousejoed9005]

Outstanding! Pretty sure I remember that clock at it's original location

[@christinemob]

Very interesting!!

[@janpeake800]

Great presentation today about that amazing fashionn block in Hartford. Jan Peake

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks Jan!

[@lulumoonshine6703]

I'm loving these videos so much!

[@marthabando66]

This was an awesome presentation Dan! I'm really enjoying learning about the history of downtown Hartford!

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks for watching!

[@jeniphersage-robison4909]

Wow! That was fantastic! So well done. I especially loved the information about the statuary. I wonder what happened to it all after it was removed? Excellent use of photographs and the Hartford Courant. Thank you so much for your work. ( Also, I immediately thought that clock looked familiar. :-) )

[@andrewdunn49ers]

Great research and very well put together videos. Awesome reminder of the history of Hartford but also sad how the city ultimately ended up after over done urban zoning, demolition, and the highway which of course largely blocks the river.

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks!

[@Chicken-Feet-88]

Excellent video! I work in Hartford. New sub. Looking forward to more.

[@bedfordave2757]

I hope you keep these coming. There's alot of History is the north end as well. I grew up in Stowe village an history is my favorite subject. New subscriber an again I hope you continue this. Peace!

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thank you!

[@Ricardo-ls5uf]

I love you work

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thank you!

[@CTeale1]

The two lions in front of the Phoenix building are now resting at the south entrance of City Hall on Arch Street.

[@historywithdansterner263]

Check out my video about them: th-cam.com/video/siGINYqtu5Q/w-d-xo.html

[@d.r.h8602]

Worked in the building in the late 70s. The bank lobby was beautiful, all marble, with pillars inside. I’m sure that’s all gone today.
Bank lane, behind the building was always a very busy place as well.
Somehow, apartments don’t seem a good fit for the building or area, but old Down Town is gone, no longer the place to go, shame!

[@brianc3080]

Well done! Fantastic local history, put together in a very technically adept fashion. Please give us more.

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thank you!

[@jeffdevine6903]

Spent many an afternoon at the close of the work day on Bank Lane behind the bank next to the clock waiting for our van pool to be filled for the ride home. 1986-1995.

[@SuperKillgill]

Great work 👏 please do the area where the mdc is located

[@historywithdansterner263]

I would love to do that in the future. I could go into that area in great detail and there and many photos that depict the area over time. The problem is that in making these videos I have to stick to images that are in the public domain. A lot of the images I'd want to use are in the collections of institutions like the CT Historical Society and the Hartford History Center, and they ask for a lot of money for permission to use them.

[@markrichards6863]

Leave It to Hartford to turn a historical location to a nondescript high rise. Then the uninteresting high rise gets preserved. It's cool that there are so many records and photographs are preserved.

[@williammacdonnell6965]

Dan great presentation especially about the the Discovery of Anesthesia by Horace Wells in 1844!! The information about Union Hall. (1926) Do you have any photos of the building that Horace Wells office was in? What about any info on the corner of main and Asylum where Wells office wa? Thanks very much!

[@historywithdansterner263]

I can do that in an upcoming video. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@marilynkeat2232]

What happened to the sculptures? Are they preserved somewhere?

[@historywithdansterner263]

I don't know what became of them :(

[@SegaNibiruBro]

Tartaria?

[@davecavender8227]

Why build mud flood basement windows ???

[@historywithdansterner263]

Well.. There were commercial businesses in the basement that needed windows.

[@lallyoisin]

Vanilla skies