A series of entries designed to capture the ongoing adventures of NINA! See how we came to be where we are today, and follow along as we enter the new century of social media!
Page: 6
I attended a ribbon-cutting event for the grand re-opening of the Ropkins Branch of the Hartford Public Library. Ropkins is in Clay Arsenal, but it now includes the annex of the Hartford History Center. It houses old, bound copies of both the Hartford Courant and the Hartford Times, and I anticipate that this will become increasingly important as we delve deeper into the history of Asylum Hill – a history you can read about at our sister website, Asylum Hill Hartford.
In the photo are Bridget Quinn-Carey, president & CEO, Hartford Public Library (holding the large ceremonial scissors): Clyde Mark Billington III, who donated his father’s photographs of mid-20th c. Hartford streetscapes (standing behind Quinn-Carey); Luke Bronin, Hartford mayor; Bea Powell, chair, Clay Arsenal NRZ; and James Sanchez, state representative for House district 6 (Hartford & West Hartford).
The basketball net and backboard are gone, and there’s graffiti on the kids’ spray pad. A shame, but I’ll refer this to the Friends of Sigourney Square Park. They will ensure that it is quickly addressed!
This photo is part of some research that I’m doing on the history of Asylum Hill, and it shows the distance from Firehouse No. 5 to the Asylum Avenue Baptist Church, which is the distance John S. Taylor ran on February 1, 1931 after he discovered a fire in the basement of the church and the distance the firefighters traveled, in approximately one minute, to battle the fire. The firehouse and the church are in the same locations as they were in 1931, but the buildings are different – the church was rebuilt following the fire, and the current firehouse was built in 1939.
You can learn more about the fire at our Asylum Hill website.
The first floor staircase, and the primary bedroom.
As frustrating as the Trident can be, every so often I am impressed. Today, I saw a truck successfully block all three southbound lanes between Farmington and Asylum. Not bad, truck driver!
I'm sure that the Planning Division has big big plans for the Trident, but it would be lovely if they'd start with enforcing the "blocked box" prohibition.
Work on the porch. The kitchen as breakroom. Window and door frames on the second floor.
So cool to see this back in place!
A more complete kitchen. Light fixtures abound. And that’s the fireplace surround and mantle in the parlor, not a futon. Plus the shower in the bathroom in the primary bedroom and a new floor for the front porch.
According to the Planning Division, these were the main comments they received on their proposed road diet for Asylum Avenue. This plan affects both Asylum Hill and the West End – the border between the two in the North Branch of the Park River, visible just left of center in the screen. Note that this road diet does not affect the Trident, which will be “improved” separately.
