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New Britain, Connecticut: The Hardware City

New Britain, Connecticut

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New Britain Museum of American Art Walnut Hill Park Broad Street, Little Poland

New Britain began in 1754 as a new parish called "New Briton" in the Great Swamp area, growing into an industrial village by the early 1800s. Manufacturing dominance earned it the nickname "Hardware City": the American Hardware Corporation and Stanley Works made New Britain Connecticut's largest employer by 1913, with 12,000 workers, and Stanley Black & Decker still keeps its headquarters here since the 2010 merger. Elihu Burritt, "the Learned Blacksmith," was born in New Britain on December 8, 1810; while working at the forge he taught himself nearly 50 languages, became the leading pacifist of his age, and founded the League of Universal Brotherhood in 1846. The city's motto, "Industry Fills the Hive and Enjoys the Honey," reflects that heritage, and New Britain keeps about 1,200 acres of parkland, including Frederick Law Olmsted's Walnut Hill Park. It's also home to Little Poland, one of the nation's most thriving Polish immigrant communities.

  1. The first US museum dedicated to acquiring American art.

  2. The Olmsted-designed flagship of the city's parkland.

  3. Home of the 2026 Futures League champion New Britain Bees.

  4. All-volunteer community theater, staging shows for 50-plus years.

  5. One of the nation's most thriving Polish communities, on Broad Street.

  6. Natural-casing hot dogs with 'Grandpa Art's' meat sauce since 1929.

  7. Family-owned German restaurant and Mug Club since 1934.

  8. Craft brewery and coffee roastery in industrial New Britain.

From New Briton parish to the Hardware City

New Britain began in 1754 as a new parish called 'New Briton' in the Great Swamp area, and grew into an industrial village by the early nineteenth century. Manufacturing dominance earned it the nickname 'Hardware City': the American Hardware Corporation and Stanley Works made it Connecticut's largest employer by 1913, with 12,000 workers, and Stanley Black & Decker still keeps its headquarters here following the 2010 Stanley Works-Black & Decker merger. Elihu Burritt, 'the Learned Blacksmith,' was born in New Britain on December 8, 1810; while working at the forge he taught himself nearly 50 languages, became the leading pacifist of his age, and founded the League of Universal Brotherhood in 1846. The city's motto, 'Industry Fills the Hive and Enjoys the Honey,' reflects that manufacturing heritage, and New Britain also developed one of the nation's most notable Polish immigrant communities — today's Little Poland district along Broad Street.

Getting there

New Britain has no passenger rail station of its own. Drivers use the city's in-town interstate connections between New York and Boston, while transit riders arrive via CTfastrak, Connecticut's first bus rapid transit system, on a dedicated 9.1-mile busway from downtown Hartford with peak service every 7-8 minutes. Rail travelers can also reach Berlin station, one town east, for Amtrak Northeast Regional, Amtrak Valley Flyer, and CTrail Hartford Line trains, then connect into New Britain on CTtransit bus routes 511, 512, or 513.

Museum, ballpark, and Broad Street

The New Britain Museum of American Art calls itself the first museum in the country dedicated to acquiring American art, with more than 9,000 works. Walnut Hill Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, is the flagship of the city's roughly 1,200 acres of parkland. The New Britain Bees play at New Britain Stadium, and the all-volunteer Hole in the Wall Theater has staged community productions for more than 50 years. For food, Capitol Lunch has served its natural-casing hot dogs since 1929, East Side Restaurant has poured German beer since 1934, and Alvarium Beer Co. brews and roasts coffee in a taproom aimed at revitalizing the city's industrial core.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to New Britain?
New Britain has no passenger rail station. Drivers use the city's interstate connections; CTfastrak bus rapid transit runs a dedicated busway from downtown Hartford. Rail travelers can reach Berlin station, one town east, for Amtrak and CTrail Hartford Line service, then take CTtransit bus routes 511, 512, or 513 into the city.
Why is New Britain called the Hardware City?
The American Hardware Corporation and Stanley Works made New Britain Connecticut's largest employer by 1913, with 12,000 workers. Stanley Black & Decker, formed by the 2010 merger, still headquarters in the city.
Who was Elihu Burritt?
'The Learned Blacksmith,' born in New Britain on December 8, 1810. While working at the forge he taught himself nearly 50 languages, became the leading pacifist of his age, and founded the League of Universal Brotherhood in 1846.
What is Little Poland?
New Britain's Broad Street district, called by the city's tourism office 'one of the nation's most popular and thriving Polish communities,' with Polish restaurants, bakeries, and shops.
Where should I eat in New Britain?
Capitol Lunch has served natural-casing hot dogs with its 'Grandpa Art's' meat sauce since 1929; East Side Restaurant is a family-owned German spot since 1934; Alvarium Beer Co. pairs a taproom with an adjoining coffee roastery.

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