It’s 1.6 miles from St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church to the Ukrainian National Home of Hartford, and then another tenth of a mile on Wethersfield Avenue to the Ukrainian Selfreliance New England Federal Credit Union, just outside of Hartford. Who knew that Wethersfield Avenue and Wethersfield Avenue Extension (fine, the Silas Deane Highway) is this alive with Ukrainian culture? Literally anyone who has paid attention to their surroundings.
The Ukrainian National Home has a bar for members, and when not paused for a pandemic, has St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, which struck me as odd until I remembered the Great Famine, and how, hmmm, doesn’t this sound a lot like what happened in Ireland? A quick refresher: Joseph Stalin’s government engineered a famine, essentially to prevent the Ukraine from seeking independence from the Soviet Union. The number killed through intentional food deprivation is estimated as upwards of 3.9 million.
The Ukrainian famine was in 1932-1933. The UNHH was established in 1935. (And Ukraine regained its independence in 1991)
The humble building adjacent to a small park is home to a choir, vocal ensemble, and dance ensemble. It’s also the headquarters for a scouting troop. There are concerts and Christmas Eve dinners in here. Pasta dinners. Barbecues.
Unable to rent their hall during the pandemic, they missed out on most of their expected revenue over the last year.
If you’re looking for another reason to lower the speed limit on Wethersfield Ave, this is it: get people to slow down and recognize what gems they are zooming by.
Oh, and if you know architecture, then you must be thinking that this epitome of 1960s design could not have been UNHH’s first location. Correct. Before this spot became the Home’s home, it’s previous home was in a wood-frame house at 51-53 Whitmore Street. Don’t go looking for it. That was replaced by a brick apartment building in the 60s.
Below: Oops! You went too far and are now in Wethersfield, but look, another Ukrainian establishment!
The Ukrainian National Home of Hartford (AKA Ukrainian Social Club, AKA Ukie) is located at 961 Wethersfield Avenue.