Touring our Spectacular Capitol Building

(And Enjoying a Good Lunch)

By Frank Whitman

Tacos Al Pastor

You’ve probably seen the gleaming gold dome of our state capitol while zipping through Hartford on I-91 or 84.  Do you know that the inside is spectacular?  To see the hidden beauty, history, and artistry is well worth a visit.

Touring the dazzling design of Richard Upjohn’s High Victorian Gothic building is taxing (couldn’t resist).  A good lunch to reflect and refresh is just the ticket. Happily, downtown Hartford is able to satisfy, with lots of nearby restaurants.  

The Capitol, built in 1878, reflects an era of civic pride, when public buildings were statements of dignity, superiority and authority.  No utilitarian architecture here.  Instead leaders built a palace to show their home-state pride.  A ten year restoration to its present glory started in 1979.

The tour, organized by the League of Women Voters, starts in the Legislative Office Building.  Opened in 1988, it too is a beautiful example of pride in architecture with patterned stone floors, inlaid marquetry panels (including our state insect: the praying mantis) on the hearing room doors, and a four-story central atrium lit by a skylight. Be sure to make a reservation. Our late morning time (11:15) avoided the many school groups that take the tour.

A tunnel lined with historic photos and war memorials leads to the Capitol Building.  A ride up the escalator ends with a stunning mosaic of granite, marble and painted decoration.  The public spaces are impressive light-filled atriums, abounding in statutes, historic artifacts and Connecticut lore. 

A larger than life statue of Nathan Hale, Connecticut’s state hero, occupies a four-story skylight-lit hall. The reproduced female bronze statue of Genius of Connecticut holds two wreaths – one floral and the other laurel.  The original stood atop the gold dome, but this one is deemed too heavy to rest there. The figurehead of the USS Connecticut leads the way to the hall of flags – Connecticut regimental standards from the Civil War to the present. 

In the senate chamber, senators sit in a spacious circle around the central podium with its “wishing chair,” beautifully carved in wood from the famous Charter Oak Tree.  Representatives hold forth in a much more crowded, but equally sumptuous room on the opposite side

Genius of Connecticut

of the building. The state seal is found everywhere, even cast into the door hinges and woven into the carpets. 

After our one-hour tour it was a quick drive to the corner of Trumbull and Asylum Streets, where there is a concentration of good eateries. (In warmer weather take a stroll across Bushnell Park.)  We had an insider tip from Senator Bob Duff to lunch at Max’s Trumbull Kitchen. The Max group runs a bunch of excellent restaurants in the Hartford area in addition to the TK.

The corner of the long bar along the right wall was occupied by a cluster of regulars. On the left, light streamed in on the leather banquette seating. Past the bar is another cozy seating area.

Trumbull Kitchen

The eclectic, tempting menu makes choosing hard. Tacos, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and more are all prepared with creativity and flair. After some hemming and hawing we started with crispy rock shrimp fritters ($12.50). Diced sweet potatoes accompanied shrimp in the crunchy, sharp-edged nuggets. A vinegar based nouc cham dipping sauce laced with jalapeño was the perfect foil.  

Marsha’s well-presented shrimp and avocado salad ($20.5) was dressed with a seasonal citrus vinaigrette.  The avocado was perfectly ripe, something you can’t always say.

The delicious combination of smoked pork and grilled pineapple filled my Al Pastor tacos ($17.50). 

Shrimp Fritters

Tasty Mexican-style rice and blistered shishito peppers tossed with arugula rounded out the generous platter. 

We had to order an extra potato lasagne (7.50), a side on the pan-seared salmon, just to give it a try. An Italian take on au gratin spuds, it was a success. 

Between courses we reviewed the pictures from the tour and mulled over what we had seen. There’s a lot to digest. 

There’s much more history in Hartford.  The State Library is across the street from the Capitol, Bushnell park has an historic carousel, the Bushnell Auditorium is a short walk, and the fantastic Wadsworth Atheneum Art Museum is a few blocks away. All this plus lots of interesting restaurants. Hartford is definitely worth a visit!

Our state insect done in wood

The Capitol entrance

The House Chamber