Front Street District in Hartford in Hartford County, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Front Street
They brought with them a wide range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, and they added their trades and crafts to the city's commerce. They labored within Hartford's shipping port, offloading boats from distant cities and foreign lands. Working the freight yards, railroads and warehouses, these immigrants played an integral role in making Hartford a shining example among America's thriving metropolises. Their contribution exemplified this nation's melting pot reputation. From tenement buildings that served as dwellings and ethnic shops, the people of Front Street proudly bore their new status as Americans, while still holding dear their cultures and customs.
Also known as Hartford's lower east side, Front Street and its side streets served as an introduction to a city that was proclaimed a jewel in this nation's crown of outstanding cities. Possibly more than any other street, Front Street has undergone numerous changes in appearance and function since the late 1800s when it served as a shipping port and commercial hub, later becoming a heavily-populated immigrant settlement in the early 1900s, and undergoing yet more changes in the early 1960s when it became a corporate center extending from the southeast tip of Constitution Plaza to the vicinity of this bridge. During that last transition, Front Street was renamed Columbus Boulevard in honor of the Italian immigrants who last occupied this avenue when it was primarily residential.
As with the original Front Street Bridge, which stood on this spot in 1941, two ornamental medallions depicting the Charter Oak and the Old State House hang from this new bridge. Today, this bridge serves as an entrance to Hartford's newest crown jewel: Adriaen's Landing.
To those who lived and worked here, this avenue once marked the start of new dreams, hope for a better life, and gratitude for a free land.
To that end, it is widely apparent that their efforts were not in vain.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Places • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1941.
Location. 41° 45.686′ N, 72° 40.23′ W. Marker is in Hartford, Connecticut, in Hartford County. It is in the Front Street District. Marker is at the intersection of Columbus Boulevard and Arch Street, on the right when traveling south on Columbus Boulevard. Located on the Maj. Thomas Y. Seymour Memorial Bridge. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hartford CT 06103, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Maj. Thomas Y. Seymour (here, next to this marker); Lyndon B. Johnson (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); John F. Kennedy (about 700 feet away); Dwight D. Eisenhower (about 700 feet away); Harry S. Truman (about 700 feet away); Sophie Tucker (about 800 feet away); City of Hartford (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hartford Municipal Building (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hartford.
More about this marker. The Maj. Thomas Y. Seymour Memorial Bridge carries Columbus Boulevard (formerly called Front Street) over the Conlin-Whitehead Highway
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2012, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 548 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 12, 2012, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.