ICYMI: Larson Secures Federal Funding for Restoration Efforts at Coltsville National Historical Park
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.
In 2014, Rep. Larson’s Coltsville National Historical Park Act was signed into law by President Obama, officially designating Coltsville as a unit of the National Park System. Colt Park officially reopened to the public in 2021 after undergoing renovations funded by a federal grant Rep. Larson helped secure in 2018. Emily DiSalvo discussed the ongoing federal and community efforts to officially realize the vision of Coltsville National Historical Park in CT Insider.
Last year, Larson’s Community Project Funding request for $1 million to restore the Colt Gardener’s Cottage and Carriage House for public use was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. Stephen Underwood highlighted Rep. Larson’s efforts in the Hartford Courant to authorize the Park and fund preservation efforts for the City of Hartford.
Located down the hill from the Colt Family home, the Gardener’s Cottage and Carriage House were identified as contributing buildings to the Coltsville Historic District in 2008. The 260-acre site contained the armories where manufacturing took place, worker housing, the home of Samuel & Elizabeth Colt, and community amenities such as a church, a public park, botanical gardens, a social hall, a beer garden, and a library.