Great River Park, East Hartford

Great River Park, East Hartford – Jerry Dougherty

The Hartford County town of East Hartford is located on the Connecticut River’s eastern bank across from the capital city and was part of Hartford until its incorporation in 1783. During the Revolutionary War, French troops under Lieutenant General Comte de Rochambeau twice camped in town: before and after they aided General George Washington’s forces in the 1781 defeat of the British at Yorktown, VA. East Hartford served the nation again in World War II, as its Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company supplied products vital to the effort. Today, the site of the company’s former airfield is home to the popular sports and entertainment stadium, Rentschler Field, one of East Hartford’s chief attractions.

More on East Hartford from the CT Digital Archive

Browse more interactive content on the CT Digital Archive website.

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The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company in East Hartford

The Early Years of the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company

Wasp and Hornet engines secure the reputation and success of this 1920s start-up venture.  …[more]

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Places

“Historical Society of East Hartford,” 2012. Link.

Documents

Connecticut State Library Digital Collections. “East Hartford - WPA Architectural Survey,” 2013. Link.
“East Hartford Collection.” Connecticut Digital Archive, n.d. Link.
“The World War Veterans of East Hartford: Reception and Celebration Held in Their Honor.” East Hartford, CT, October 10, 1919. Link.

Books

Rotary Club, and Raymond Johnson. East Hartford. Charleston,  SC: Arcadia, 2009.
Goodwin, Joseph. East Hartford: Its History and Traditions. Hartford, CT: Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1879. Link.
The Story of the Twenty-First Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, During the Civil War. 1861-1865. Middletown, CT: Stewart Printing Co., 1900. Link.