The city of Hartford, Connecticut is the capital city of the state, and was the county seat of Hartford County, until the state disbanded the county government in 1960. According to the Census of the year 2010, Hartford's population was 124,775, making it the 7th biggest city within New England. It is the 2nd most populous city located on the Connecticut River, that is the biggest river within New England. Hartford ranks Connecticut's 3rd largest city, coming in after the coastal cities of Bridgeport and New Haven. With a population of around 1,212,400, Greater Hartford was the largest metropolitan area in Connecticut, based on the census of 2010.
In the year 1614, a Dutch explorer named Adriaen Block visited the area. Shortly after, fur traders from the New Netherland colony set up trade at Good Hope, called at the time as Fort Goede Hoop. This particular fort was situated at the confluence of the Connecticut and Park Rivers. It was established during the year 1623 but the fur traders ended up leaving their post by the year 1654. Nowadays, the area near the location is still called Dutch Point.
In 1635, the original English settlers began to come to the area. At first, their settlement was referred to as Newtown. During 1637, it was renamed Hartford. This name was selected to honor Samuel Stone's home, one of the first settlers, who came from Hertford, an English township.
Hartford has the reputation of being the "Insurance capital of the world." It is the home and headquarters base for numerous key insurance companies, even if some of the insurance companies have relocated or moved a portion of their operations to cities found close-by within the Hartford region, together with other places. Another key part of the local economy is made up by the Finance sector. Because of the Supreme Court, the state capital building and the legislature being situated within the city, the government provides another significant economic factor.
The city of Hartford is also home to a lot of high-tech manufacturing businesses and Fortune 500 multi-national organizations. Through these Hartford based organizations, they make goods such as electrical equipment, precision instruments, computers and biomedical devices. The city of Hartford is a well-known telecommunications and data processing center. Additionally, information technology and Aerospace technology are other notable elements in the economy.
The major employment sectors within Hartford include: Transportation and Utilities, Financial, Professional and Business Services, Health Services and Education, Hospitality and Leisure, Manufacturing and Government.
The city has many active parks tended to by the recreation department in addition to the surrounding beautiful forests and state parks. There are a lot of ski areas in the vicinity, that offer numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation. The surrounding countryside has a lot to provide in terms of history, shoreline and numerous rivers. These surroundings provide enough opportunities for individuals who would like to enjoy nature. There is an organization within Hartford referred to as Riverfront Recapture. They work to increase public access to the Connecticut River and have added a network of public recreational facilities along with a vast network of parks.