Goodwin College and the Connecticut River

I just finished a project over at Goodwin College in East Hartford: installing 4 large historic photographs of the Connecticut River in the school’s new library. Goodwin’s campus is located along the Connecticut River, and the Hoffman Family Library offers impressive views with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking the riverfront.

Goodwin approached us with the idea of filling some of the library’s empty (dry)wall space with historic images that show how the river was used in the late 1800s and early 1900s, providing a link between today’s campus and the area’s past. Searching through our graphics collection, I found about a dozen images and worked with folks at Goodwin to narrow the images down to four.

It’s always gratifying to work with other organizations, helping them make use of the CHS’s collections to connect Connecticut’s history with the work and activities of today. Check out the images below to see the final installation and more info about the photographs.

Ferry crossing at Hartford, 1895

Steamer Hartford on the Connecticut River, 1900-1930

View east across the Connecticut River from South Meadow Station, Hartford Electric Light Company, Hartford, 1930-40s. Oil storage tanks are visible along the east side of the river, now the current site of Goodwin College. Beginning in 2005, Goodwin College purchased this property, removed the contaminated soil through natural bioremediation techniques, and built its 257,500-square-foot campus

View east across the Connecticut River from Brainard Field, Hartford, 1939. Oil storage tanks are visible along the east side of the river, now the current site of Goodwin College. Beginning in 2005, Goodwin College purchased this property, removed the contaminated soil through natural bioremediation techniques, and built its 257,500-square-foot campus

Ben Gammell is the Coordinator of Interpretive Projects at the Connecticut Historical Society

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