Coltsville
The First Congressional District will soon be home to Connecticut's first national historical park: the Coltsville National Historical Park.
Driving into Connecticut's Capitol City, you will undoubtedly notice the bright blue and white onion-shaped dome on the side of I-91. This well-known local architecture marks an area known as theColtsville Historic District, located in Hartford’s Sheldon and Charter Oak neighborhood, where Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company once thrived. Coltsville includes Colt Park, “Armsmear” - the former home of Samuel and Elizabeth Colt - “worker housing” that was used by factory workers, the east armory complex where firearms and other products were manufactured, and more.
Beginning in 1855, Sam and Elizabeth Colt created a community around manufacturing in Hartford, widely recognized as one of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution. Following the death of her husband, Elizabeth Colt became the first woman to lead a top five manufacturing company, was one of the first industrialists to implement firewalls, and developed an apprenticeship program that spawned the typewriter, the automobile, and ultimately the airplane engine.
In Washington, Rep. Larson is leading the effort to formally establish Coltsville as a National Historical Park, after legislation he authored, the Coltsville National Historical Park Act, was signed into law by President Obama, in2014 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (P.L.113-291). Since then, stakeholders including Rep. Larson, the City of Hartford, the National Park Service and current building and landowners have been working together to complete the transfer of property to the federal government, establishing Coltsville as a National Park.
In December of 2023, Rep. Larson, alongside the National Park Service, announced a new agreement and path toward donating property to Coltsville National Historical Park, the last major milestone before the official establishment of the park. In August of 2023, Rep. Larson celebrated $1 million in funding he secured to restore Colt Gardener’s Cottage and Colt Carriage House at the newly renovated Colt Park.
Rep. Larson is deeply engaged with the property owner and the National Park Service to finalize the property transfer, including a comprehensive environmental review by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
The establishment of Coltsville as a National Historical Park fulfills a long-term goal first envisioned by Hartford Mayor Mike Peters and shared by the Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood, the city, the state and countless community stakeholders. Coltsville not only preserves a crucial piece of Connecticut history, it also benefits the local and regional economy through economic development, tourism and job creation. We’ve already seen a major transformation of the area, including new housing, shops, restaurants, a soccer stadium, and major upgrades to the city park. Studies by the National Park Service point to over $12 billion spent annually with more than 177,000 jobs created in regions surrounding National Parks. The Connecticut Economic Resource Center estimates that development at Coltsville already accounts for more than 1,000 jobs and an economic impact of over $177 million with the potential for 2,500 jobs and an economic impact of over $350 million as a result of tourism and continued development bolstered by park establishment.
More information about Coltsville National Historical Park can be found here.
More on Coltsville
HARTFORD — The expected donation of 19th century factory buildings to the planned Coltsville National Historical Park in Hartford will be a vital step, local and federal leaders said Monday, in making the area under the blue onion dome a destination as well as a window into a cradle of American ingenuity.
Nearly a decade after approval by federal lawmakers, the Coltsville National Historical Park is expected to be officially established in Hartford late next year, now that two of the oldest structures in the neighborhood have been donated for a visitor center.
HARTFORD, Conn. — The final hurdle that will turn the old Colt manufacturing complex in Hartford into a national historic park was completed on Monday.
State and local officials were on hand to announce the donation of the two brownstone sheds – the two oldest structures on the site – that will be turned into a visitor center.
Hartford, CT – Last week, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) announced $1 million in new federal funding with Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin to restore the Colt Gardener’s Cottage and Carriage House and integrate the buildings into the Coltsville National Historical Park.
HARTFORD — President Barack Obama authorized Hartford's Colt Park to become a national historic park in 2014, but the designation hasn't formally been established because of the lengthy, technical deed process involved.
Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01), Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, and Mayor Luke Bronin announced $1 million in new federal funding to restore the Colt Gardener’s Cottage and Carriage House and integrate the buildings into the Coltsville National Historical Park.
In Hartford’s historic 106-acre Colt Park, two long-vacant buildings formally owned by wealthy industrialist Samuel Colt are about to get a major boost from $1 million in federal money.
