Goodman Green

Goodman Green, also known as Goodman Park, is a narrow triangle of land about 450 feet long at the busy intersection of Farmington Avenue and South Main Street in West Hartford Center. South Main Street divides at the southern tip to provide both the east and west boundaries of the green. Goodman Green at the heart of West Hartford remains a symbol of the town's liberty and political freedom.

History
Goodman Green was given in 1747 by Timothy Goodman to the Congregational Church of West Hartford for use as a "parade ground" or park. Still owned by the West Hartford Parish, the triangular piece was used by Captain Abraham Sedgwick to train troops for the Revolutionary War. By this period, the town green was surrounded by various buildings that sustained the old New England town. These included the meeting house, town hall, parsonage, Academy District School, general store at the corner, and Aaron Goodman's tavern and post office. The park was naturally a great place for Fourth of July celebrations, picnics, and other festive and social purposes. It was even a favorite place for nearby schoolchildren in the summer.

Most importantly, Goodman Green was the spot where the citizens west of Hartford gathered to rejoice in June 1854 at the onset of the separation of West Hartford, the day that the Connecticut General Assembly recognized West Hartford as a separate town. Around 1877, improvements were made to the park, its surrounding buildings, and old cemeteries, such as the installation of a two-rail white fence around the perimeter with four open entrances, curbing along all the sides of the road, and the widening of the road, which reduced the area of the park, though did not diminish its charm.