About Us
- ADA
- Awards
- Census & Profile Data
- Code of Ethics
- Historic Sites
- Organization Chart
- Organizational Values
- Terms of Use
- Title VI
- Town Code
ADA
TOWN OF WEST HARTFORD
NOTICE UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), this notice states to the public that the Town of West Hartford does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs and activities. The ADA requires the Town of West Hartford to ensure that individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in all meetings, services, programs and activities, provided such action does not fundamentally alter the nature of its meetings, services, programs or activities, or impose undue financial or administrative burden.
Employment: The Town of West Hartford does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under title I of the ADA.
Modifications to Policies and Programs: The Town of West Hartford will, upon request, make reasonable modifications to its policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in all meetings, services, programs and activities. The ADA does not require the Town of West Hartford to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its meetings, services, programs or activities, or impose undue financial or administrative burden.
Effective Communication: The Town of West Hartford will generally, upon request, provide auxiliary aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in Town of West Hartford meetings, services, programs and activities.
The Town of West Hartford will not place a surcharge on individuals or on any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids and services or reasonable modifications of policy.
Anyone requiring an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a meeting, service, program or activity of the Town of West Hartford, should contact the ADA Coordinator as soon as possible but no later than 7 days beforehand:
Suzanne Oslander, Community Partnerships Manager and ADA Coordinator
Town of West Hartford Social Services
50 South Main Street, Room 130
West Hartford, CT 06107
860-561-7580
Email: SuzanneO@WestHartfordCT.gov
Complaints that a Town of West Hartford meeting, service, program or activity is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to the ADA Coordinator listed above for information about the Town of West Hartford’s Grievance Procedure under the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as the Complaint Form.
ADA Forms
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Awards
The Town of West Hartford prides itself on its overall attractiveness, customer service, citizen involvement, public safety and education, all characteristics that make our town a desirable place to live. West Hartford has become a destination for businesses and families because it is a full-service community in every sense, from its quality municipal services to its top-rated schools. West Hartford is bursting with pride and here are some of the reasons why!
- Best Places to Live
- Best Public Schools
- Best Lifestyle
- Highly Educated
- Best Places to Retire
- Fiscally Sound
- Sustainable CT Community
Best Places to Live
MONEY magazine announced West Hartford was ranked in the Top 50 Best Places to Live in the United States for towns and cities with populations of 50,000 or greater. West Hartford was the only Connecticut town/city to make the Top 50 list and was one of three in New England.
To compile the ranking, MONEY magazine starts with a list of all U.S. towns and cities with populations of 50,000 or greater. The pool is then drilled down to 583 cities by using 135,000 different data points in the following categories: economic health, cost of living, diversity, public education, income, crime, ease of living, and amenities. The greatest weight is placed on economic health, public school performance, and local amenities; housing, cost of living, and diversity were also critical components.
Zippia.com named West Hartford the best city for remote workers to call home in Connecticut. Zippia .com set out to uncover the most affordable cities with speedy fast internet. West Hartford has everything remote workers need to thrive:
https://www.zippia.com/advice/best-city-for-remote-workers-state/
Livability.com has released its annual Top 100 Best Places to Live list and West Hartford made the list, the only city in Connecticut to do so. More than 2,300 cities with populations between 20,000 and 350,000 were ranked on 40 data points measuring economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care. West Hartford earns high marks in education, healthcare and technology, and the city is becoming a summertime tourism destination with excellent restaurants and high-end shopping choices.
RENTCafe.com conducted a study of the best and worst U.S. metros to live in, according to each profession. RENTCafe.com calculated the average amount of money left each year for 21 major professional occupations in the top 100 most populous U.S. metros, by subtracting the average cost of living per metro from the average net income per professional field. The Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford metro ranks in the top 10 best metros to live in for 12 different professional fields. Here are our key findings:
#1 Best Metro to live in for Office & Administrative Support workers. People in this professional field are left with $12,200 each year after covering the basic living expenses
#3 Best Metro for Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance (+$3,400/year)
#4 Best Metro for Community & Social Service (+$19,800/year)
#4 Best Metro for Education, Training, & Library (+$24,900/year)
#5 Best Metro for Protective Service (+$19,500/year)
#5 Best Metro for Life, Physical, & Social Science (+$38,200/year)
#5 Best Metro for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media (+$22,300/year)
#6 Best Metro for Business & Financial Operations (+$36,600/year)
#6 Best Metro for Installation, Maintenance, & Repair (+$18,400/year)
#9 Best Metro for Production (+$11,200/year)
#10 Best Metro for Computer & Mathematical (+$47,900/year)
Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census, Tax Foundation and MIT Living Wage Calculator was used for the study. The full study and methodology is found here: https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/apartment-search-2/best-metros-for-your-profession/.
Niche’s ranking of Best Places to Live in Connecticut placed West Hartford in first place. Niche rigorously analyzes dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews to produce comprehensive rankings, report cards, and profiles for every K-12 school, college, and neighborhood in the U.S.
The Crazy Tourist featured West Hartford among the 15 Best Places to Live in Connecticut in its article.
West Hartford is a charming and affordable suburb of the state capital. The median home value here is around $313,500. Residents and neighboring towns say that there is a lot to love about this area and that it is an ideal location to situate yourself to raise a family. The town is safe and secure and there are plenty of activities to offer for people of all ages.
SafeWise ranked West Hartford on its Top 20 Safest Cities in Connecticut based on FBI crime report statistics and population data. SafeWise also ranked West Hartford #13 in the nation for Safest College Towns in America.
moveBuddha, an online information and resource website that helps people who are moving to a new location, ranked West Hartford #6 in the nation among the 50 most popular mid-size cities to relocate to.
Kiplinger's Finance Magazine ranking of Best Cities in the Nation for the Next Decade focused on places that specialized in out-of-the-box thinking. It became clear that West Hartford had three elements of the innovation factor: smart people, great ideas and collaboration. Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine also selected West Hartford for its Top 10 Great Cities for Raising Families. West Hartford was selected because of its low crime, top-ranked schools (public and private), proximity to major cities, range of parks and historic sites, and vibrant downtown.
Family Circle magazine named West Hartford one of America's 10 Best Towns for Families.
Hartford Magazine ranked towns in the Greater Hartford region and West Hartford came out #1 Overall, #1 in the large town category, #1 Best for Families, #1 Best for Seniors, #1 Most Affluent, and #1 Most Educated.
Best Public Schools
Niche's Best Public School Districts survey ranked 8,738 school districts based on dozens of key statistics and 4.6 million opinions from 280,000 students and parents. A high ranking indicates that the district contains great schools with exceptional teachers, sufficient resources, and a diverse set of high-achieving students.
Washington Post's Top Challenging High Schools in the Nation: Conard & Hall High School; two of only three in all of Connecticut.
In the 2019 U.S. News & World Report for Best High Schools in the nation, both Conard and Hall high schools received GOLD medals (500 awarded out of over 29,000 schools measured), and, fittingly, were ranked right next to each other, almost as twins, even in the national rankings. The ranking in the nation was Hall #443, Conard #444 and In Connecticut, Hall #11 and Conard #12.
Conard and Hall High Schools ranked tops in Newsweek's America's Best High Schools.
Best Lifestyle
TravelandLeisure.com on-line magazine said West Hartford is “One of the Coolest Suburbs Worth a Visit.” The West Hartford Reservoir was called “West Hartford’s version of Central Park! The magazine also noted the town’s vacation-worthy hot spots with cutting-edge restaurants, great shopping, and plenty of parking.
West Hartford was named a “Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community” by The League of American Bicyclists (2017-2020). The Bronze award recognizes West Hartford’s commitment to improving conditions for bicycling through promotion, education, infrastructure and pro-bicycling policies.
Hartford Magazine’s “Best of Hartford” edition readers rated the West Hartford Public Library as #1 library in the Greater Hartford area.
Movoto, an online real estate brokerage firm that is known for its unique approach to city-based research by major news organizations such as Forbes and U.S. News, published a ranking of the 10 best places to live in Connecticut with a population of over 10,000. West Hartford was noted for its lower than average commute times and for its overall excellent quality of life score. The Top 10 towns were ranked on total amenities, quality of life, crime, and weather.
Highly Educated
Online PhD Programs created a list of the Top 101 cities with the most people having Doctorate degrees in American urban centers with populations of 50,000 or more. West Hartford ranked #46 in the nation!
The agency stated “the appeal of West Hartford for doctorate holders perhaps lies as much in the town’s location and sense of community as it does in the area’s academic opportunities.”
Best Places to Retire
Retirement can present a chance for Americans to meet new people and enjoy new experiences. According to a recent study by SmartAsset, West Hartford is among the best places in Connecticut for retirement. The study factors in the number of recreation centers and retirement centers available to seniors as well as the percentage of the city’s population they represent.
Connecticut Magazine rated West Hartford among the 20 Great Places to Retire in Connecticut. The article states, “This exemplary inner-ring suburb has reinvented itself with a colorful array of shops, restaurants, amusements and even a new 20-acre multipurpose commercial/residential development called Blue Back Square.”
Fiscally Sound
Since 1974, Moody's Investor Services and Standard & Poors, the nation’s largest bond rating agencies, assigned their highest ratings, Aaa and AAA, to the Town of West Hartford’s general obligation bonds. The triple A rating is the highest rating given by the agencies and is based on the town's strength of management and conservative financial practices. West Hartford is one of only a few towns in the United States to hold the coveted Aaa/AAA ratings from both agencies. Even fewer have maintained such ratings since 1974.
Sustainable CT Community
West Hartford is a Bronze-certified Sustainable CT community.
Sustainable CT is a voluntary certification program to recognize thriving and resilient Connecticut municipalities. An independently funded, grassroots, municipal effort, Sustainable CT provides a wide-ranging menu of best practices. Municipalities choose Sustainable CT actions, implement them, and earn points toward certification.
In order to achieve certification, municipalities must register and complete actions from each of the 9 action categories:
1. Thriving local economies
2. Well-stewarded land and natural resources
3. Vibrant and creative cultural ecosystems
4. Dynamic and resilient planning
5. Clean and diverse transportation systems and choices
6. Efficient physical infrastructure and operations
7. Strategic and inclusive public services
8. Healthy housing options
9. Inclusive and equitable community impacts
Sustainable CT also provides opportunities for grant funding to help communities promote economic well-being and enhance equity, all while respecting the finite capacity of the natural environment. The program is designed to support all Connecticut municipalities, regardless of size, geography or resources. Sustainable CT empowers municipalities to create high collective impact for current and future residents.
Since 2018, when the program began, 112 of 169 Connecticut municipalities have registered to join Sustainable CT. 61 of those communities have been certified at either the Bronze (42 communities) or the Silver (19 communities) levels. Certification is good for 3 years.
West Hartford is very proud to be a certified Sustainable CT community. We look forward to learning from and working with partners in our community, and throughout Connecticut, as we continuously strive to make our town a better, more sustainable place to live, work, and visit for everyone!
Census & Profile Data
Code of Ethics
- Chapter 16. Ethics, Code of
- § 16-1. Establishment; purpose.
- § 16-2. Definitions.
- § 16-3. Standard of service.
- § 16-4. Use of public property by Town personnel restricted.
- § 16-5. Special consideration prohibited.
- § 16-6. Conflict of interest prohibited.
- § 16-7. Financial interest restricted.
- § 16-8. Confidential information.
- § 16-9. Acceptance of gifts, gratuities and favors restricted.
- § 16-10. Appearance on behalf of private interests.
- § 16-11. Disclosure of interests required.
- § 16-12. Political activities by Town personnel restricted.
- § 16-13. Commission on Ethics.
- § 16-14. Powers and duties of Commission.
- § 16-15. Violations and penalties.
Chapter 16. Ethics, Code of
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of West Hartford 9-12-1972 (Secs. 2-75 through 2-89 of the 1972 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
Political activity of employees — See Charter Ch. VIII, Sec. 4.
Personal interest in contracts with Town — See Charter, Ch. XIV, Sec. 1.
Boards and commissions — See Ch. 5. Departments — See Ch. 12.
§ 16-1. Establishment; purpose.
The proper operation of the Town government requires that public officers, officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible to the people, that governmental decisions and policies be made in the proper channels of the governmental structure, that public office and employment not be used for personal gain and that the public has confidence in the integrity of its government. The purpose of this code is to set forth standards of ethical conduct; to assist public officers, officials and employees in establishing guidelines for their conduct; and to develop and maintain a tradition of responsible and effective public service. In recognition of these goals, there is hereby established for the Town the following Code of Ethics.
§ 16-2. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words or phrases, unless a different meaning is required by the context or is specifically prescribed, shall have the meanings indicated:
- AGENCY
- Includes all departments, boards, commissions, committees and the Town Council of the Town.
- OFFICER, OFFICIAL OR EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN
- Members of the Town Council, boards, commissions, committees, departments or other agencies, whether the officers, officials and members are elected or appointed, and all employees of the Town Board of Education, whether paid or unpaid, but shall not mean Justices of the Peace.
- PERSONAL INTEREST
- As distinguished from private financial interest, includes an interest arising from a blood or marriage relationship or close business association.
- PRIVATE FINANCIAL INTEREST
- Includes the private financial interest of a spouse or minor child of an officer, official or employee of the Town.
§ 16-3. Standard of service.
All officers, officials and employees of the Town should be loyal to the objectives and purposes of the Town as expressed by the electorate, the Charter and the ordinances and the programs developed to attain those objectives. All should adhere to the rules and regulations of performance and work established as the standards for their positions by the appropriate authority. They should not exceed their authority nor seek to have others do so, and they shall work in full cooperation with other public officers, officials and employees unless prevented from so doing by law, by good conscience or by the officially recognized confidential nature of their work.
§ 16-4. Use of public property by Town personnel restricted.
No officer, official or employee shall request or permit himself or herself or others the use of Town-owned or -leased vehicles, equipment, materials or property for personal convenience or profit, except when such services are available to the public generally or are provided in conformance with established Town policies for the use of such officers, officials or employees in the conduct of Town business.
§ 16-5. Special consideration prohibited.
§ 16-6. Conflict of interest prohibited.
No officer, official or employee of the Town shall engage in any business or transaction or shall have a private financial interest or personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible or in conflict with the proper discharge of his or her official duties in the public interest or would tend to impair the independence of judgment or action in the performance of the official duties of the officer, official or employee of the Town.
[1]
Editor's Note: See C.G.S. § 7-479.
Editor's Note: See C.G.S. § 7-479.
§ 16-7. Financial interest restricted.
No member of the Council or any other officer or employee of the Town shall be financially interested, directly or indirectly, either as principal, surety, officer, partner or otherwise, except as a minority stockholder or except as a director in a corporation, in any contract with sales to, purchases from or compensable services made with or rendered to the Town. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any contract awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after public advertisement.
§ 16-8. Confidential information.
Except as may be required by law, no officer, official or employee of the Town shall disclose any confidential information concerning the property, government business or affairs of the Town, and neither shall such officer, official or employee use such information to advance the private financial interest of himself or herself or others.
§ 16-9. Acceptance of gifts, gratuities and favors restricted.
No officer, official or employee shall accept or solicit any valuable gift, whether in the form of service, loan, thing, promise or any other form, from any person who, to his or her knowledge, is interested, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever, in business dealings with the Town, or which gift may tend to influence such officer, official or employee in the discharge of his or her official duties, in granting any improper favor, service or thing of value.
§ 16-10. Appearance on behalf of private interests.
No officer, official or employee shall appear in behalf of private interests before any agency of the Town, nor shall such officer, official or employee represent private interests in any action or proceeding against the Town in any litigation when said appearance or representation would be in conflict with or would tend to impair his or her independence of judgment and action in the performance of official duties as such officer, official or employee. An elected officer or official shall not appear before a Town agency except on behalf of constituents in the course of performing his or her duties as a representative of the electorate. An officer, official or employee may appear before a Town agency in the performance of official, public or civic obligations.
§ 16-11. Disclosure of interests required.
[Amended 5-24-1977]
A. Any officer, official or employee who has a private financial interest in any action, legislative or otherwise, by any Town agency and who is a member of, participates in discussion with or gives an official opinion to such Town agency shall disclose on the written records of such agency the true nature and extent of such interest. This section shall not apply to:
(1) Contracts awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after public advertisement.
(2) Unpaid appointed officials during a declared state of emergency.
(3) Matters requiring disclosure to or approval by a court.
(4) Interests by virtue of ownership of stock in a publicly held corporation in an amount less than 10% of all issued and outstanding stock.
B. Every elected official, excluding Justices of the Peace and Selectmen, shall, on or before January 1 each year, file with the Town Clerk, on a form to be prepared by the Corporation Counsel, a statement, under oath, containing the following information:
(1) All real estate located within the Town of West Hartford owned by such elected official or held under a lease for a term exceeding five years, excluding, however, his or her principal residence. The foregoing shall also apply to real estate owned or leased, as aforesaid, by a corporation, trust or partnership in which any such elected official is the legal or equitable holder of at least 5% of the legal or equitable interests in said corporation, trust or partnership.
(2) The names of any firm, proprietorship, partnership or corporation of which said elected official is an employee or in which such elected official holds at least a five-percent interest and which firm, proprietorship, partnership or corporation has sold or supplied goods or services in excess of $10,000 per annum to the Town of West Hartford during the two years immediately preceding such official's election to office.
(3) Any income, fees, salary or wages directly or indirectly received by such elected official from the Town of West Hartford or its political subdivisions during the two years immediately preceding such official's election to public office.
C. Every member of the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Town Plan and Zoning Commission shall file a statement containing the information required in Subsection B (1) above on or before January 1 each year.
§ 16-12. Political activities by Town personnel restricted.
A. No paid officer, official or employee appointed by the Town Manager or by the Board of Education shall use the prestige of his or her position in behalf of any political party.
B. No officer, official or employee shall promise an appointment to any paid position under the Town Manager or the Board of Education as a reward for any political activity.
§ 16-13. Commission on Ethics.
[Amended 5-11-1982]
A. There is hereby established a Commission on Ethics consisting of five members, to be appointed by the Town Council for a term of two years, such term to start 60 days after each new Town Council takes office. Two members of the Commission shall be resident electors of the Town of West Hartford not members of the same political party, neither of whom shall be a Town officer, official or employee and one of whom shall be an attorney at law. Three members of the Commission shall be Councilors, not more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party. The Town Manager shall be a nonvoting member of the Commission for employee matters only.
B. If a vacancy occurs before the end of a term, a member shall be appointed by the Town Council for the unexpired portion of the term.
C. When an officer, official or employee has doubt as to the applicability of a provision of this chapter to any specific situation, he or she may apply to the Commission on Ethics for an advisory opinion and shall be guided thereby. Such officer, official or employee shall have an opportunity to present his or her interpretation of the facts at issue and the applicable provision or provisions of this chapter, as requested by him or her, before such advisory opinion is made.
§ 16-14. Powers and duties of Commission.
The Commission on Ethics established by this chapter shall have the power and duty of enforcing §§ 16-1 through 16-12. The Commission shall adopt and promulgate reasonable rules and regulations for the administration of this chapter, which shall be available to any elector of the Town upon request to the Commission. The Commission shall render advisory opinions to any agency of the Town and to officers, officials and employees pursuant to written request or upon its own initiative. All requests for opinions and opinions rendered therein shall be confidential and shall not be open to public inspection or disclosure. The Commission may, in its discretion, make public opinions which it believes will be in the public interest, but no such opinion shall be made public until deletions as may be necessary have been made to prevent disclosure of the identity of the officer, official or employee involved.
§ 16-15. Violations and penalties.
A. If any elected official, except a member of the Board of Education, shall be found by the Town Council to have knowingly violated the provisions of this chapter, the fact of such violation shall be noted upon the official records of the Town Council.
B. All other persons who shall be subject to this chapter and who shall knowingly violate its provisions shall be subject to removal from office in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XIV, Section 6, of the Charter of the Town.
Historic Sites
Historic Cemeteries
Stones, Bones, and Lives Unknown, is a visitor’s guide to the Old Center Cemetery located in West Hartford, CT. The guide is provided by;
Noah Webster House
Historical Society of West Hartford
227 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107
860-521-5362.
Noah Webster House
Historical Society of West Hartford
227 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107
860-521-5362.
Stones, Bones, and Lives Unknown
Welcome to the Old Center Cemetery! Old cemeteries are some of the best places to encounter the past. Gravestones yield important examples of historical art and language, in addition to providing biographies of local residents. The Old Center Cemetery was established in 1719 when John Janes of the West Division of Hartford (today's West Hartford), deeded a plot of land to Samuel Sedgwick for the exclusive purpose of establishing a "burying yard." Stones located here date from as early as 1725 to as late as 1869, although the majority are from the eighteenth century. Later stones can be found in the Old North Cemetery on North Main Street, founded in 1790.
If you are in town, we suggest you take this information along with you as you tour the Old Center Cemetery. It highlights the important, the unique, and the not so well-known residents of the town from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, offering a glimpse into lives long forgotten. Few women are included on the tour because, unlike men, little information is available about them. Essentially, women lost their identities upon marriage. Thus, those included on the tour are either unique or important to the town's history. As you look at their markers, observe how women are almost always noted in reference to their husbands. The cemetery houses a wide variety and style of stones on which misspellings were not uncommon: American English did not become standardized until the publication of Noah Webster's Dictionary in 1828. Those buried here range from a stillborn infant to a 100-year-old man. Generally, adults in colonial New England could expect to live as long as we do today once they survived the perils of childhood. Of close to 200 people buried here, 22 were aged 80 or older at death, while 23 were 16 or younger. As you tour, see what differences and/or similarities to modern cemeteries you can observe on your own. This text describes 19 individuals and one monument. To the right of each person's name is the date of death that appears on his or her stone.
If you are in town, we suggest you take this information along with you as you tour the Old Center Cemetery. It highlights the important, the unique, and the not so well-known residents of the town from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, offering a glimpse into lives long forgotten. Few women are included on the tour because, unlike men, little information is available about them. Essentially, women lost their identities upon marriage. Thus, those included on the tour are either unique or important to the town's history. As you look at their markers, observe how women are almost always noted in reference to their husbands. The cemetery houses a wide variety and style of stones on which misspellings were not uncommon: American English did not become standardized until the publication of Noah Webster's Dictionary in 1828. Those buried here range from a stillborn infant to a 100-year-old man. Generally, adults in colonial New England could expect to live as long as we do today once they survived the perils of childhood. Of close to 200 people buried here, 22 were aged 80 or older at death, while 23 were 16 or younger. As you tour, see what differences and/or similarities to modern cemeteries you can observe on your own. This text describes 19 individuals and one monument. To the right of each person's name is the date of death that appears on his or her stone.
Historic District Commission
Historic Sites
For most people, history in West Hartford means its development in the 20th century as a suburb of Hartford. But modern West Hartford's roots date back more than 300 years to the time it was first settled in the late 17th century.
As a way of recapturing West Hartford's ties to its past and providing a focus for the future, signs and plaques have been installed to mark the 39 most historic sites in town. Today, residents can view the site where early American soldiers camped during the Revolutionary War and learn about the past by reading the inscription on any one of the 16 historic signs.
A large 4-square-foot sign of cast aluminum on Goodman Green in West Hartford Center lists all 39 historic sites and identifies their numbered locations on a town map. The signs at each site have a message about the background and historical significance of each site. The map is part of a touring guide detailing the sites prepared by the Architectural Heritage Committee and the Hall High School graphics department.
The historic spots range from homes of noted individuals like Timothy Goodwin, Sarah Whitman Hooker and Noah Webster to schools, businesses, churches and recreational areas like the Charter Oak Park Race Track and Fair Grounds at the intersection of Oakwood and Flatbush Avenues, a nationally famous horse racing track in 1874.
One of the oldest historic sites is that of the Burgoyne Elms in Elmwood. A sign notes that residents in the 18th century planted elm saplings there to celebrate the American capture of General John Burgoyne's British army at Saratoga, New York, in October 1777.
Other signs trace a fascinating history at locations across West Hartford. Bishop's Corner, the intersection of North Main Street and Albany Avenue, was established after the Talcott Mountain Turnpike was developed in 1797 and 1798. The area flourished as a business center with a blacksmith shop and taverns, including Goodman's, which also was the town's first post office in 1820.
A short distance eastward was Joseph Bishop's tobacco warehouse and factory. South of Bishop's Corner was the Trout Brook Ice and Feed Company, located on the north side of Farmington Avenue. The company was an important ice cutting and shipping industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Talcott Woolen Yarn Mill and Vine Hill Farm, on Quaker Lane South near Trout Brook, and the Old Grist Mill, located west of North Main Street, were the local yarn and corn mills that were operated for many years in the 1700s and 1800s by the Morgan and Goodwin families.
Thomas O'Hara Goodwin operated his pottery shop at the intersection of New Britain and New Park Avenues.
The Old West School, now the West Hartford Art League at the corner of Mountain and Buena Vista Roads, was built in 1878 and is one of the first brick school houses as part of Henry Barnard's campaign for safer school buildings. Nearby is the Buena Vista Historic District.
Residents of West Hartford met at the First Three Meeting Houses of the First Church of Christ, Congregational, which were built in 1712, 1744 and 1834 on the northwest corner of Farmington Avenue and North Main Street. Some residents of this time came from affluent families. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt built a huge mansion for his son on West Hill Drive, formerly known as Vanderbilt Hill. Today West Hill is a community of architecturally distinguished, 20th-century homes.
West Hartford's first modern subdivision (1896) is detailed in a sign noting the Boulevard-Raymond Road Historic District between South Main Street and Trout Brook. The Metropolitan District Reservoir No. 1, on the north side of Farmington Avenue west of Sunset Farm Road, was opened in 1867 to supply pure water to homes in Hartford and West Hartford. Reservoir No. 1 is the oldest component of the present regional water system.
The historic signs were made possible through a joint venture with Town of West Hartford, the Architectural Heritage Committee and former Town Historian Nelson Burr.
WH Historical Society
Organization Chart
Organizational Values
The Town of West Hartford is dedicated to providing quality services, as established by Town policy makers, in a responsive and cost effective manner. This commitment to quality depends on a dedicated partnership between residents, elected officials and the employees of the Town.
Certain expectations and values are shared by all to ensure organizational excellence and service quality. They are:
GETTING CLOSE TO OUR CUSTOMERS
We encourage and promote communication between Town residents and all municipal employees by ensuring friendly, courteous, and responsive services. We further encourage and promote resident participation in the development and review of all Town services.
ENHANCING OUR PUBLIC IMAGE
We are committed to upholding the highest ideals of professionalism and integrity in performing our responsibilities. We will strive to promote and awareness and understanding of Town programs and services to Town residents, our peers, and other communities.
IMPROVING RELATIONS AMONG ALL EMPLOYEES
We are committed to promoting the well-being of employees through professional development, skill building programs, open lines of communication and encouraging organizational participation and teamwork.
BEING ON THE LEADING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY
We recognize that in order to remain competent and to be leaders in our areas of specialty, we must be committed to incorporating appropriate technological advancements into our delivery of services.
COMMITTED TO LONG RANGE FISCAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PLANNING
We are committed to a pro active approach to the issues and challenges confronting the community. We will utilize a wide range of forecasting models and tools to help ensure that the town will anticipate events and make informed decisions that will help shape the future.
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By visiting the Official Site of West Hartford, Connecticut, users agree that they will not use the Site for any unlawful activity or use it in any way that would violate the following terms and conditions.
Use of Communication Forums
The Official Site of West Hartford, Connecticut, has, will, or may contain threaded discussions, chat rooms, ListServs and other communication forums. By participating in any of these, users agree to send and receive messages that are both proper and related to the forum topic. The following actions are unacceptable practices:
- Defaming, harassing, threatening, or otherwise violating the legal rights of others, including their privacy (see below);
- Misrepresenting one’s person, background, or character;
- Posting any defamatory, infringing, obscene, false or unlawful material;
- Selling, advertising, or exchanging any goods or services unless expressly allowed;
- Posting any copyrighted material owned by a third party.
Also, you agree to use any Official Site of West Hartford, Connecticut forum at your own risk. While championing proper use of such forums, The Town of West Hartford cannot guarantee that violations of the above code will not occur.
Privacy Policy
It is the policy of the State of Connecticut that all government records are open for public inspection as provided in the Connecticut General Statutes as may be amended from time to time. When you use our Site, you are acknowledging that personal information you provide is subject to Connecticut’s Public Records laws as stated in the Connecticut General Statutes. We may be required to disclose that information under certain circumstances.
You do not have to give us personal information to visit our Web Site, download our publications, use our e-mail communications, and many other features. We collect no personal information about you when you visit West Hartford’s Web Site unless you choose to provide this information to us. We will use the information that you voluntarily provide to us to notify you of selected content changes or new publications. We may also use it to conduct statistical analyses of user activities in order to measure user interest in the information we provide and how we provide it. However, we do collect and store some non-personal information automatically.
The following is an example of some of the information we may collect:
- Name of the domain from which you access the Internet (for example, xcompany.com, if you use a private Internet access account, or yourschool.edu if you connect from an educational institution’s domain);
- The page from which you came and the pages that you access;
- Date and time you access our Site;
- Internet address of the website from which you linked directly to our Site;
- Your system’s IP (Internet Protocol) address, and;
- The type of browser and operating system you used to access our Site.
We use the information we collect in aggregate to count the number of and types of visitors to the different pages on our Site, and to help us make our Site more useful to visitors like you.
How We use Cookies
In order to process some transactions (or in the future to customize content specific to your geographic area or interests), we use cookie technology. A cookie is data that is stored on your computer’s hard drive or is stored temporarily by our system. This data allows your browser to communicate with our Web servers. We use the cookie to track your progress during a transactional process-like paying your real estate taxes online. When your transaction is completed, the cookie is saved on your PC. The only time we create a cookie is when you conduct a multi-part transaction.
You may choose to reject all cookies by modifying your browser preferences. However, if you do not accept cookies, you will not be able to use some of our functions that require their use.
Disclaimer Regarding Accuracy of Information
Visitors to, and users of the Official Site of West Hartford, Connecticut, are advised that information contained within the pages of the Site is believed to be accurate. However, errors can occur-even with computer-generated information. The Town makes no representation regarding the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of such information and data or that such information and data will be error-free. In the event that the information on the Town’s official printed documents differs from the information contained on this Web Site, the information on the Town’s official printed documents will control and take precedence. Please be aware that in the event an error or omission occurs, West Hartford will use all of its resources to recover fees and taxes due to it.
Visitors are encouraged to review the official version of all documents upon which they plan to rely. Any special notices related to the accuracy or the currency of specific elements of data presented in our Site will be defined on those specific pages.
Site Security
When you use your credit card, debit card, or on-line checks to do business on the Official Site of West Hartford, Connecticut, we do our best to protect the integrity and privacy of your account information with advanced technologies. Our systems use Internet data encryption technology, known as the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, and Secure Electronic Transactions (SET).
However, even with advanced technologies, it is not always possible to prevent unauthorized access or unauthorized disclosure. The Town makes no representation and assumes no responsibility or liability concerning the accuracy of the information or for any loss which might result to the user by the use of this Web Site. Please be aware that in the event unauthorized access, unauthorized disclosure, third party intervention, or any loss occurs due to error, omission, or inaccurate information being displayed on this Web Site, West Hartford reserves the right to recover any unpaid fees and taxes.
Intrusion Detection
For security purposes and to help ensure this service remains available to you, we use special software programs for monitoring network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise to cause damage to this government computer system. These programs collect no information that would directly identify individuals, but they do collect information that could help us identify someone attempting to tamper with this Web Site.
If you use this system, you should understand that all activities may be monitored and recorded. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. WARNING – If such monitoring reveals possible evidence or information of criminal or suspicious activity, monitoring records may be provided to law enforcement officials.
Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, we make no other attempts to identify individual users or their usage habits. We only use raw monitoring data logs for determining trends in usage patterns and in diagnosing system problems.
If you have any questions or comments about the Terms of Use and Legal Information presented here, please forward them to us by email.
Title VI
The Town of West Hartford is committed to compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and all related regulations and statutes. As a recipient of federal assistance, and in accordance with requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and all related regulations and statutes, the Town of West Hartford assures that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any Town of West Hartford program, activity or services. The Town of West Hartford further assures every effort will be made to ensure non-discrimination in all of its programs, activities and services, whether those programs, activities or services are federally assisted or not.
Any person who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination based on their race, color, or national origin, may file a Title VI complaint. Complaints may be filed by the affected party or a representative and must be in writing. A signed, written complaint should be filed within 180 days of the date of the alleged discrimination. Complaints may be filed directly with the Town of West Hartford to:
Peter Privitera
Title VI Coordinator
Town of West Hartford
50 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06107
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Title VI complaints may also be filed directly to:
| FTA Title VI Program Coordinator East Building, 5th Floor TCR 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 |
| CT Department of Transportation Title VI Coordinator 2800 Berlin Turnpike Newington, CT 06131 |
Town Code
West Hartford is located in central Connecticut adjacent to and west of the City of Hartford, the state capital. Immediate neighboring towns are Bloomfield, Newington, Farmington and Avon.
The Town encompasses 22.2 square miles (14,080 acres) and has a population of 63,268 (2010 Census). West Hartford is a residential suburb of the Hartford metropolitan area. There are 205 miles of accepted streets and 245 miles of sidewalks in town. The highest point in town is 778 feet above sea level on Talcott (Avon) Mountain. Altitude at Town Hall is 120 feet.
The town has operated under a Council-Manager form of government since 1919. West Hartford was the first towns in the state and one of the first in the country to adopt this form of government where the council acts as the elected policy board and the town manager serves as the chief executive officer responsible for carrying out the policies of the council. All town council members are volunteers and do not get paid for this service to their community.
The West Hartford Public School district has 11 elementary, three middle, and two high schools. In addition there are ten private and parochial schools, including elementary through high schools. Our higher learning centers include the University of Hartford andThe University of Saint Joseph.
West Hartford has wonderful public recreation (Leisure Services) areas including two municipal golf courses, Rockledge Golf Club (18 holes) and Buena Vista Golf Course (9 holes); indoor Veterans Memorial Skating Rink; two indoor pools at Cornerstone Aquatics Center, and four outdoor pools at Fernridge, Beachland, Eisenhower and Kennedy parks; six public parks, the three mentioned and Wolcott Park. As well as Westmoor Park, an educational environmental demonstration farm. There are two active senior centers, Elmwood Senior Center and West Hartford Senior Center.
There are 3 public libraries. The Noah Webster Library (Main Library), Julia Faxon Branch, and Bishop's Corner Branch.
The town offers weekly refuse and recycling collection services and special collections throughout the year.
West Hartford has 32 places to worship: 7 Catholic, 9 Jewish, and 16 Protestant.
There are five ZIP codes: 06107 (generally, Center area and west of Trout Brook Drive); 06110 (generally, Elmwood area, southeast and southwest quadrants of town); 06117 (generally, Bishops Corner area, northeast and northwest quadrants of town); 06119 (generally, easterly and central area from Trout Brook east to Prospect Avenue.)
While there are no hospitals in West Hartford there are three medical centers in the adjoining towns. St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center and Hartford Hospital are located in Hartford, CT and the University of Connecticut Health Center is located in Farmington.