Elizabeth Park
1561 Asylum Avenue
West Hartford, CT
About four miles northwest of Trinity College’s 100-acre campus lies the similarly sized Elizabeth Park, which features the new Garmany Visitor’s Center, a recently constructed permanent stage for performances, an accredited arboretum, recreational facilities including tennis courts and walking loops, and more. The park’s centerpiece is the oft-photographed Helen S Kaman Rose Garden—with elegant arches in full bloom from mid-June to early July—billed as the oldest municipal rose garden in the United States. Opened to the public in 1897, Elizabeth Park honors Elizabeth A. Pond, wife of Hartford businessman Charles M. Pond, who bequeathed the property to the city under the stipulation that the space be associated with his beloved’s name in perpetuity. While more than 80 percent of the park is physically located in West Hartford, it is owned by the City of Hartford, which has a public-private partnership with the Elizabeth Park Conservancy to ensure its continued maintenance and restoration and to oversee events. While COVID-19 forced the cancellation of most park happenings and the temporary closure of the Pond House, the on-site café and banquet venue, the Conservancy continues to assess the feasibility of future events. All the while, the park continues to provide an important outlet during the pandemic, serving as a popular destination for walkers, joggers, and safe outdoor exercising. For up-to-date information about Elizabeth Park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, please visit www.elizabethparkct.org.