State of National Park Service in support of Coltsville Study Act before the House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation & Public Lands
April 8, 2003
STATEMENT OF JEFFREY TAYLOR, ASSISTANTDIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE,DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS,RECREATION, AND PUBLIC LANDS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES,CONCERNING H.R. 437, TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCTA STUDY OF COLTSVILLE IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT FOR POTENTIALINCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.
April 8, 2003
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before yourcommittee to present the views of the Department of the Interior onH.R. 437. This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior toundertake a study of Coltsville, a site in Hartford, Connecticut, forpotential inclusion in the National Park System.
The Department supports H.R. 437. The Coltsville study area includesnationally-significant buildings including Armsmear, a NationalHistoric Landmark, and structures that are part of the Colt IndustrialNational Register District. The history of this site complements thatof the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, a unit of theNational Park Service. Together they could show how innovations in thefirearms industry laid the foundation for the American system ofmanufacturing. Only through further investigation will it be possibleto determine if some part of the study area is feasible and suitablefor inclusion in the National Park System, and what role, if any, theNational Park Service should play at this site. The study should costapproximately $300,000 to complete.
The National Park Service is in various stages of progress with 40studies previously authorized by Congress. At least 17 of those studiesare scheduled to be completed in Fiscal Year 2003. Seven additionalstudies are expected to be completed early in Fiscal Year 2004. Ourhighest priority is to complete the studies previously authorized byCongress, but we expect to begin work on newly authorized studies assoon as funds are available.
The bill directs the National Park Service to study the site commonlyknown as "Coltsville," and its surrounding area within the City ofHartford, to evaluate its national significance, suitability, andfeasibility for designation as a unit of the National Park System. Thebill also directs NPS to evaluate the importance of the site to thehistory of precision manufacturing.
At the core of the Coltsville area, which is estimated at some260-acres, is the 17-acre Coltsville Heritage Park. Recently acquiredby a private developer from a non-profit subsidiary of the GoodrichCorporation, this site contains ten historic buildings, some of whichare occupied by commercial, residential, and office tenants; a numberof artists also live and work in the complex. Also within the studyarea, but in separate ownership, are examples of former Colt workerhousing and other buildings associated with Colt history. The potentialstudy area borders Interstate 91, which parallels the ConnecticutRiver, and is close to the central business district where the StateCapitol and Museum of Connecticut State History are located. The StateMuseum is a major repository of Colt-related artifacts and archives, asis the Wadsworth Atheneum, a renowned museum also in the city center.
Samuel Colt was born in Hartford in 1814 and died there in 1862. Heobtained his first patent in 1836 and went on to found a company thatis still in operation today, although it moved from the historic armoryto West Hartford, Connecticut and is no longer owned by the Coltfamily. The Colt name is known throughout the world. Colt firearms andother products have been used in every major conflict from theU.S.-Mexican War to the present.
The Colt revolver was a revolutionary weapon that changed militarytactics and eventually made the sword obsolete in combat. Firstproduced in 1847, it maintained its reputation through the Civil Wardespite competition from other manufacturers. Colt's salesmanship waslegendary, and the company grew due to his marketing, advertising, andpublic relations skills. He began construction of his first factory inHartford in 1847. At the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, Coltrevolvers were displayed and their interchangeability demonstrated as ahighlight of the "American System of Manufacturing." Colt was soimpressed with his reception in England that he would build a factorythere, becoming the first American to set up a manufacturing plantoverseas.
The Hartford facility expanded in the mid-19th century. The armory'sdistinctive blue onion dome, a Hartford landmark visible from I-91, wasbuilt in 1855. In order to attract laborers, Colt built aself-contained community surrounding the factory at Coltsville thatincluded housing, gardens, beer halls, and a band. A library and schoolwere established for the children of the workers, as well as a churchand social hall. Many of these structures are still extant and are partof the Colt Industrial National Register District that was listed in1976. The Colt family home, Armsmear, a National Historic Landmark, andits surrounding grounds are situated in Colt Park, abutting the armorysite. The original factory burned in 1864, but was rebuilt soon after.
Colt would continue to supply sidearms to the United States militaryuntil 1985. Colt weapons were carried not only by the American soldieron the frontier, but were the personal weapon of choice of cowboys,both famous and infamous.
Colt history complements that of Springfield Armory National HistoricSite, which is managed by the National Park Service in Springfield,Massachusetts, 25-miles north of Hartford along the Connecticut River.Originally Springfield Armory produced shoulder arms while Colt madehandguns. Later they worked together to bring the rapid-fire gun andlater the machine-gun into the inventories of the U.S. military. But in1961 Colt challenged Springfield Armory's M14 rifle while promoting itscompeting AR-15, now known as the M16 rifle. This ultimately resultedin the demise of Springfield Armory in 1968.
The Colt story is also the story of Elizabeth Colt, who took over thefactory after her husband's death in 1862, and ran it successfully foranother 39 years. The history of this remarkable woman is notwell-known and should be included as part of the study.
In our 1998 Connecticut River Valley Special Resource ReconnaissanceStudy, we said, "innovations stimulated by firearms manufacture,notably mass production and the concept of interchangeable parts, hadfar-reaching consequences throughout American industry." As the skillsdeveloped in firearms manufacture were given broader application, thecorridor between New Haven, Connecticut and Windsor, Vermont becameknown as the "Precision Valley." Developments in arms making translatedto other metal working industries, such as sewing machines,typewriters, bicycles, railway equipment, and clocks.
The study would be undertaken with the full involvement ofrepresentatives of the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford,property owners in the study area, and other interested organizationsand individuals in the region.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. This concludes my preparedremarks. I would be glad to answer any questions that you or themembers of the committee may have.
April 8, 2003
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before yourcommittee to present the views of the Department of the Interior onH.R. 437. This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior toundertake a study of Coltsville, a site in Hartford, Connecticut, forpotential inclusion in the National Park System.
The Department supports H.R. 437. The Coltsville study area includesnationally-significant buildings including Armsmear, a NationalHistoric Landmark, and structures that are part of the Colt IndustrialNational Register District. The history of this site complements thatof the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, a unit of theNational Park Service. Together they could show how innovations in thefirearms industry laid the foundation for the American system ofmanufacturing. Only through further investigation will it be possibleto determine if some part of the study area is feasible and suitablefor inclusion in the National Park System, and what role, if any, theNational Park Service should play at this site. The study should costapproximately $300,000 to complete.
The National Park Service is in various stages of progress with 40studies previously authorized by Congress. At least 17 of those studiesare scheduled to be completed in Fiscal Year 2003. Seven additionalstudies are expected to be completed early in Fiscal Year 2004. Ourhighest priority is to complete the studies previously authorized byCongress, but we expect to begin work on newly authorized studies assoon as funds are available.
The bill directs the National Park Service to study the site commonlyknown as "Coltsville," and its surrounding area within the City ofHartford, to evaluate its national significance, suitability, andfeasibility for designation as a unit of the National Park System. Thebill also directs NPS to evaluate the importance of the site to thehistory of precision manufacturing.
At the core of the Coltsville area, which is estimated at some260-acres, is the 17-acre Coltsville Heritage Park. Recently acquiredby a private developer from a non-profit subsidiary of the GoodrichCorporation, this site contains ten historic buildings, some of whichare occupied by commercial, residential, and office tenants; a numberof artists also live and work in the complex. Also within the studyarea, but in separate ownership, are examples of former Colt workerhousing and other buildings associated with Colt history. The potentialstudy area borders Interstate 91, which parallels the ConnecticutRiver, and is close to the central business district where the StateCapitol and Museum of Connecticut State History are located. The StateMuseum is a major repository of Colt-related artifacts and archives, asis the Wadsworth Atheneum, a renowned museum also in the city center.
Samuel Colt was born in Hartford in 1814 and died there in 1862. Heobtained his first patent in 1836 and went on to found a company thatis still in operation today, although it moved from the historic armoryto West Hartford, Connecticut and is no longer owned by the Coltfamily. The Colt name is known throughout the world. Colt firearms andother products have been used in every major conflict from theU.S.-Mexican War to the present.
The Colt revolver was a revolutionary weapon that changed militarytactics and eventually made the sword obsolete in combat. Firstproduced in 1847, it maintained its reputation through the Civil Wardespite competition from other manufacturers. Colt's salesmanship waslegendary, and the company grew due to his marketing, advertising, andpublic relations skills. He began construction of his first factory inHartford in 1847. At the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, Coltrevolvers were displayed and their interchangeability demonstrated as ahighlight of the "American System of Manufacturing." Colt was soimpressed with his reception in England that he would build a factorythere, becoming the first American to set up a manufacturing plantoverseas.
The Hartford facility expanded in the mid-19th century. The armory'sdistinctive blue onion dome, a Hartford landmark visible from I-91, wasbuilt in 1855. In order to attract laborers, Colt built aself-contained community surrounding the factory at Coltsville thatincluded housing, gardens, beer halls, and a band. A library and schoolwere established for the children of the workers, as well as a churchand social hall. Many of these structures are still extant and are partof the Colt Industrial National Register District that was listed in1976. The Colt family home, Armsmear, a National Historic Landmark, andits surrounding grounds are situated in Colt Park, abutting the armorysite. The original factory burned in 1864, but was rebuilt soon after.
Colt would continue to supply sidearms to the United States militaryuntil 1985. Colt weapons were carried not only by the American soldieron the frontier, but were the personal weapon of choice of cowboys,both famous and infamous.
Colt history complements that of Springfield Armory National HistoricSite, which is managed by the National Park Service in Springfield,Massachusetts, 25-miles north of Hartford along the Connecticut River.Originally Springfield Armory produced shoulder arms while Colt madehandguns. Later they worked together to bring the rapid-fire gun andlater the machine-gun into the inventories of the U.S. military. But in1961 Colt challenged Springfield Armory's M14 rifle while promoting itscompeting AR-15, now known as the M16 rifle. This ultimately resultedin the demise of Springfield Armory in 1968.
The Colt story is also the story of Elizabeth Colt, who took over thefactory after her husband's death in 1862, and ran it successfully foranother 39 years. The history of this remarkable woman is notwell-known and should be included as part of the study.
In our 1998 Connecticut River Valley Special Resource ReconnaissanceStudy, we said, "innovations stimulated by firearms manufacture,notably mass production and the concept of interchangeable parts, hadfar-reaching consequences throughout American industry." As the skillsdeveloped in firearms manufacture were given broader application, thecorridor between New Haven, Connecticut and Windsor, Vermont becameknown as the "Precision Valley." Developments in arms making translatedto other metal working industries, such as sewing machines,typewriters, bicycles, railway equipment, and clocks.
The study would be undertaken with the full involvement ofrepresentatives of the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford,property owners in the study area, and other interested organizationsand individuals in the region.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. This concludes my preparedremarks. I would be glad to answer any questions that you or themembers of the committee may have.