Hartford Female Seminary

{{Short description|Female seminary in Hartford, Connecticut}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox university

|name = Hartford Female Seminary

|image_name=Hartford female seminary.jpg

|caption=Hartford Female Seminary, from an 1896 diploma

|motto =

|established = {{start date and age|1823|5|20}}{{cite web |title=May 20: Catharine Beecher Opens Hartford Female Seminary |url=https://todayincthistory.com/2019/05/20/may-20-hartford-female-seminary-opens/ |website=Today in Connecticut History |accessdate=9 July 2020 |date=20 May 2019}}

|type = Female seminary

|president = Catharine Beecher

|city = Hartford, Connecticut

|state = Connecticut

|country = US

|campus =

|undergrad =

|postgrad =

|faculty =

|mascot =

|website =

}}

Hartford Female Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut was established in 1823, by Catharine Beecher, making it one of the first major educational institutions for women in the United States. By 1826 it had enrolled nearly 100 students. It implemented then-radical programs such as physical education courses for women.[http://150.mansfield.edu/beecher.htm The Beecher House] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120707031917/http://150.mansfield.edu/beecher.htm |date=2012-07-07 }} Mansfield University, 2007. Beecher sought the aid of Mary Lyon in the development of the seminary.[http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/digital/2001/beecher/catherine.htm Catherine Beecher] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031125234259/http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/DIGITAL/2001/beecher/catherine.htm |date=2003-11-25 }} City University of New YorkCarini, P.[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/lits/library/arch/col/msrg/mancol/ms0509s.htm#002 Catharine E. Beecher material , 1822-1878] Mt. Holyoke College, 1998. The Hartford Female Seminary closed towards the later half of the 19th century.

The school was first hosted in a third-floor room in a building at Main and Kinsley Streets in Hartford, then in the basement of the North Church. In 1827 the school moved into a new neoclassical building at 100 Pratt Street ({{coord|41.7677|-72.6751|region:US-CT|display=inline,title}}).{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tl8m84E2iFkC |title=Harriet Beecher Stowe: a life |author=Hedrick, Joan D.|authorlink= Joan D. Hedrick |year=1995 |page=50|isbn=978-0-19-802310-4 }}

Harriet Beecher Stowe taught at the school beginning in November 1827.