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Symbolic Stick Work

By Steve Goode

November 17, 2010

Earlier today City Clerk John Bazzano handed over the symbolic Mayor's Walking Stick to HPL Board President Greg Davis. The gesture, which took place in the Hartford History Center on the third floor of the main branch, signifed city hall's turning over of hundreds of years of public documents to the center to make them available to the public.

In his typical light-hearted fashion, Bazzano expressed relief at getting his five story vault cleared out so that he could begin filling it again.

As for the walking stick, which dates back to the city's first mayor, Thomas Seymour in 1884, Bazzano joked with Davis that "i'm not going to beat you with this" before handing it over and quickly adding "Dont get any big ideas....we need to get this back right away."

The stick makes an appearance at every Hartford mayor's inauguration.

Current Mayor Pedro Segarra also spoke at the event, saying that Hartford needs to be recognized for its role in developing the country's Democratic ideals and that the documents will help the rest of the world see that.

Library COO Matt Poland and others thanked the city for its generosity and willingness to participate in the transfering of the documents.

"We will do our best to share, protect and present these documents," Poland said, adding that access to them will be free to the public.