Lost Hartford CT: Before Bushnell Plaza (Loew's-Poli, Mulberry Street, Heublein Hotel & more!)

Before Bushnell Plaza, Bushnell Tower, and the MDC building were built in the 1960s-70s, this area of Hartford, CT (across Main Street from the Municipal Building and the Wadsworth Atheneum) was filled with interesting old buildings that at one time included two Poli theaters, hotels, restaurants, shops, the original home of the American School for the Deaf, and the German neighborhood along Mulberry Street. In this video I talk about this lost neighborhood.
Please visit my website:
historicbuildingsct.com/
Follow me on Facebook:
/ historic-buildings-of-...
Follow me on Instagram:
/ ctbuildings
Follow me on Twitter:
/ historicbldct
Buy me a coffee:
ko-fi.com/danielsterner

[@tjroicub6079]

Devastating. This abomination is just as terrible as Constitution Plaza. I grew up in East Hartford and can remember taking the bus to Hartford to go to the Loews Poli theater. Thanks for another remarkable video and enabling me to take a trip down Memory Lane.

[@joane.landers9151]

Thank you, Dan, for this video. I remember going to the movie theaters in the early 1960's, and some of the stores on Main, north of the area of this video. Didn't grow up in Hartford, but lived there from late-August of '60 to 1968, so occasionally saw changes if I was in downtown. It's too bad that Hartford, like other towns in the mid-1960's, lost their architectural heritage. The 'city & town father's' had 'gems' that should have been re-purposed, in my opinion, and saved, now lost to history. Excelle video. Keep up the good work. J. E. Landers

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks!

[@peterdwyer6689]

Love your videos! I always was interested in Hartford architecture since my great uncleJJ Dwyer and my grandfather JJ McMahon designed many Hartford buildings. I know my great uncle designed the Heublien hotel and never knew that until after it was torn down. I look forward to your future videos

[@historywithdansterner263]

I'm sorry so many of your relatives' buildings don't survive today. Thanks for watching!

[@edwardj3988]

I have a copy of an elevation drawing by McMahon for the Pope Park Bath House.

[@chrisdabek7200]

Amazing video, I worked on large restoration projects at the Wadsworth and Travelers Tower for nearly a decade and had no idea about the history of the blocks right across the street. Keep up the good work !

[@richjakowski1056]

...and oh what a "complete devastation" it was! Thanks for another interesting video on Hartford's catastrophic architectural losses. The Loew's Poli theater was Hartford's flagship movie theater. I went there many times as a child in the 1950's. The main lobby was palatial with at least one marble stairway leading to the balcony. Hopefully there are interior photos of the Loew's Poli, but I haven't been able to find any on the web. Oddly, even with the name Loew - Poli Palace this theater was nowhere near as architecturally magnificent as it's next door sister.

[@junkandthangs]

I think we can blame "White Flight" as well... these businesses followed the money to "Showcase Cinemas 1-20" and to "the Mall" with all that free parking. The govt with their GI Bill, Civil Rights, Desegregation etc cause all the great memories to disappear so we need to blame some of these grandparents and great grandparents for the destruction of your childhood memories of Hartford

[@mikegruber172]

You should have 100k Subs and 25000 views. Your work is amazing

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thank you very much!

[@robertlaviana4547]

Nice job! Many buildings still remain today and can be clearly identified.

[@Hadd13]

great video Dan Thanks I would love to see a video on the Hartford Times /Uconn building I work there, and would love to see more about it

[@patriciabruhn5672]

Wow amazing all the beautiful buildings lost to time.. Thank you great video!

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks for watching!

[@neilnewman3673]

Love your videos. Just one thing. The name of the man who owned the Lowe's theaters was Po-li (long i).

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks!

[@ELLIS1737]

Thank You for your work.

[@junkandthangs]

Amazing, Dan you’re the Man

[@RileyAerialMedia]

Fantastic videos, hope to see many more in the future!

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks!

[@edwardj3988]

My brother and I saw A Hard Days Night at Lowe's Poli theater. We always pronounced it Low's Pol-eye. Also used to see movies at the Strand theater, where the stilts building is.

[@historywithdansterner263]

Thanks! I've heard it pronounced both ways.

[@owensclock]

Apparently just because something is newer doesn't necessarily mean it;s better than what came before.

[@SmokeWithMeInCT]

Sadly it just sits unused now

[@junkandthangs]

Do you have anything about Lewis Street? I just posted a video of that side of Main Street as well, check it out. Of course yours is more professional than mine 😂

[@historywithdansterner263]

I don't have a lot of historic photos of it, but it's a very interesting street. I'll keep it in mind, thanks!

[@junkandthangs]

@@historywithdansterner263 ok thanks, also anything about the Colt mansion, park and firearms complex?

[@historywithdansterner263]

@@junkandthangs That's a possibility too!