Mayor Shari Cantor
About Us
West Hartford is located in central Connecticut adjacent to and west of the City of Hartford, the state capital. Immediate neighboring towns are Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, Farmington, and Avon.
The Town encompasses 22.2 square miles (14,080 acres) and has a population of 64,083 (2020 Decennial Census). West Hartford is a residential suburb of the Hartford metropolitan area. There are 205 miles of accepted streets and 245 miles of sidewalks. The highest point is 778 feet above sea level on Talcott (Avon) Mountain. The 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 town 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 and the 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. Westmoor Park is an educational environmental demonstration farm. There are two active senior centers, Elmwood Senior Center and Bishops Corner Senior Center.
There are three public libraries. The Noah Webster Library (Main Library), Julia Faxon Branch, and Bishop's Corner Branch.
The town offers weekly refuse and bi-weekly recycling collection. Seasonal collections are offered throughout the year.
West Hartford has a professional, full-time fire department and police department. Five strategically placed firehouses in town are staffed with EMTs and Paramedics.
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.)
West Hartford has dynamic shopping and dining districts: West Hartford Center/Blue Back Square, Bishops Corner, Park Road, Elmwood Center, Home Design District, and Westfarms Mall.
While there are no hospitals in West Hartford, there are three medical centers in the bordering towns. Saint Francis Hospital (Trinity Health of New England) and Hartford Hospital (Hartford HealthCare) are located in Hartford, CT and the University of Connecticut Health Center (UConn Health) is located in Farmington.
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, visitors 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.
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. Visit West Hartford historical society at the Noah Webster House or the Town of West Hartford history web page.
Shari G. Cantor
Mayor, Town of West Hartford
