High Street Historic District

The High Street Historic District is a downtown Hartford area formed by three commercial structures situated between Allyn Street and Asylum Street. The district covers about 47,000 square feet (1.1 acres) and showcases a mix of building styles erected between the 1860s and mid-1920s.

The transformation began in the 1860s when homes gave way to commercial construction, starting with the Batterson Block. Over the following decades two additional business structures joined the streetscape, shaping downtown Hartford's commercial core.

The buildings display different styles, from Gothic arches to classical columns, visible as you walk through the area. Today the facades stand as examples of how business architecture evolved in nineteenth-century American downtowns.

You can reach the area on foot from central Hartford, with buildings clustered along Asylum Street. Exterior views are available anytime, though the buildings themselves serve commercial purposes.

The Judd and Root Building carries elaborate brickwork and terra cotta panels visible in its upper floors. The Batterson Block, meanwhile, connects to James G. Batterson, who later founded the Travelers Insurance Company.