Community Corner

Hidden Gems Of Hartford And Tolland Counties

The latest Hidden Gem is tucked in a corner of the Capitol property.

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The Richard Hubbard Statue at the state Capitol.
The Richard Hubbard Statue at the state Capitol. (Chris Dehnel/Patch )

HARTFORD, CT — So ... you're taking a stroll along the lawn of the Connecticut State Capitol. You pass by the front (it seems to be the front) lot and suddenly see this guy standing off to the side.

Wait, it's a statue. And there's an inscription.

"Richard D. Hubbard ... Lawyer, Orator, Statesman."

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OK, who is, or was this guy and why is there a monument to him at the Capitol?

According to the National Governor's Association, Richard Dudley Hubbard was Connecticut's 31st governor. He was born in Berlin, on Sept. 7, 1818. He was an orphan and supported himself while attending Yale University.

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After graduating in 1839, Hubbard studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1842.

He was a state representative from 1842 to 1855, and held again in 1858. He also served as state's attorney of Hartford County from 1846 to 1868, and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1867 to 1869.

Hubbard was elected Governor of Connecticut on November 7, 1876, and was sworn into office on January 3, 1877.

During his tenure, a bill was enacted that made a wife equal in property rights to her husband’s.

Also during his tenure the State Board of Health was formed, as was a commission overseeing Connecticut's dams and reservoirs. Regulations were streamlined for the insurance.

Hubbard did not win re-election, and left office, retiring from public service.

While practicing law in Hartford, he became an eloquent orator. Hubbard died on Feb. 28, 1884, and is buried at the Cedar Hill Cemetery, according to the governor's association.

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The Hidden Gems series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path, all located within Hartford and Tolland counties. Do you have a favorite "hidden gem" in the area that you wish to see featured in this column? Email your ideas to Chris.dehnel@patch.com.

Other Hidden Gems in this series:

2023

2022

2021 and earlier

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