Kick off the celebration weekend at our official Reunion Check-In Experience! This is the first stop for reconnecting, collecting your reunion materials, and easing into an unforgettable 40-year celebration.
Hartford’s newest high school opened its doors in 1922 at 25 Ridgefield Street, named in honor of longtime superintendent Thomas Snell Weaver (1845–1922). Two years later, students and teachers unveiled a memorial tablet in his name, designed by Louis A. Goldenrod, cementing Weaver’s place in the city’s educational story.
By the late 1960s, Hartford began reimagining its school system, launching plans for modern campuses across the city. The result: a brand‑new Weaver High School on Granby Street, designed by Caudill Rowlett and Scott. Five floors. 382,000+ square feet. Room for 2,600 students. A true North End landmark.
On September 9, 1974, the new Weaver officially opened, and quickly became more than a school. It became a cultural anchor for the neighborhoods it served: Clay-Arsenal, Blue Hills, and Upper Albany. A place where West Indian, African American, and Puerto Rican heritage shaped the hallways, the classrooms, the pep rallies, and the pride.
Weaver built a reputation for strong academics, powerhouse athletics, and a deep artistic and social heartbeat. Its yearbook, The Portal, captured decades of memories, now preserved thanks to alumni like Robert James Ellis (Class of ’66), who led a major digitization effort.
The Class of 1986: A Moment in Time
The Class of ’86 grew up in an era of big culture and even bigger energy. The Portal tells the story: Two‑tone jeans. Swatches. Rocky IV. “La‑Di‑Da‑De.” Pep rallies. Football returning. Hartford teens living life loud and proud.
The yearbook team (a mix of Classes of 87 and 86): Andrew Allen, Lamont Andrews, Alison Carter, Venton Forbes, Carmen Fuentes, Janie Hall, Renee Hite, Candice Johnson, Yolanda Lee, Charlie Norman, Soncere Whitecloud, Varick Williams captured it all with creativity and heart.
And four decades later, the Class of ’86 is still showing up. Still connected. Still celebrating. From digital archives to reunion weekends, like the upcoming 2026 celebration at The Artist Collective, this class continues to honor the legacy of Weaver and the community that shaped us!<script
