HARTFORD -- The Mark Twain House and Museum honors one of the country's greatest scribes, and Friday it played host to a new story in American history for several dozen people.
For the first time, the Twain House in Hartford held a naturalization ceremony. As friends and family snapped pictures and clapped loudly, 30 men and women from across the globe became United States citizens.
"This is the culmination of the hopes of so many people today," said Daniel Renaud the associate director for field operations for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Renaud traveled from Washington to attend the ceremony in Hartford.
Right after the ceremony, Sunita Dahal, originally from Nepal, said, "I feel great, it's great to be a U.S. citizen."
Alejandro Nohpal, a 24-year-old living in New Haven who moved to the United States when he was 2 years old, said Friday represented more than two decades of hope. "It's a giant accomplishment,. I'm very privileged to say this is home now."
Renaud said the fact that the ceremony was held at the Twain House made for a memorable day. "Mark Twain was not only a great writer and historian, he was really an advocate for what is American and to welcome new Americans in this setting is extra special."
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service told FOX 61 that around 10,000 are naturalized by their office in Connecticut each year.
