Historian Jeff Murray takes a look into West Hartford’s past to uncover some surprising information, stir up some memories, or reflect on how much life has changed – or hasn’t changed at all. Enjoy this week’s ‘From West Hartford’s Archives’ …

By Jeff Murray

The featured photograph was apparently taken in 1856, according to William Hall’s “West Hartford,” showing the southwest corner of South Main Street and Farmington Avenue. In reality, this probably was taken in the 1870s. Leonard Buckland’s store was built previously, but this kind of architecture pictured would be very uncommon in the 1850s.

Nonetheless, we can travel back in time to 1856, a tumultuous year both in U.S. history and local history. It was a year that was deeply connected to pre-Civil War politics, the rise of agricul

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