Statement of National Park Service in support of Coltsville Study Act before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks

STATEMENTOF BRENDA BARRETT, NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR HERITAGE AREAS, NATIONALPARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEEON NATIONAL PARKS OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURALRESOURCES, CONCERNING S. 2519, TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIORTO CONDUCT A STUDY OF COLTSVILLE IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT FORPOTENTIAL INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

June20, 2002
Mr.Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before your committeeto present the views of the Department of the Interior on S. 2519. This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to undertakea study of Coltsville, a site in Hartford, Connecticut, for potentialinclusion in the National Park System.

TheDepartment supports this study. However,we did not request additional funding for this study in fiscal year2003. We believe that anyfunding requested should be directed towards completing previouslyauthorized studies. Thereare 37 studies pending currently, of which we hope to transmit at leastseven to Congress by the end of 2002. To meet the President's Initiative to eliminate the deferredmaintenance backlog, we must continue to focus our resources on caringfor existing areas in the National Park System. We caution that our support of this legislation authorizing astudy does not necessarily mean that the Department will supportdesignations of this area as a unit of the National Park System. 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.

Thebill directs the National Park Service to study the site commonly knownas "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. The bill also directs NPS to evaluate the importance of the siteto the history of precision manufacturing.

Atthe core of the Coltsville area, which is estimated at some 260-acres,is the 17-acre Coltsville Heritage Park. Owned by a non-profit subsidiary of the Goodrich Corporation,this site contains ten historic buildings, some of which are occupied bycommercial, residential, and office tenants; a number of artists alsolive and work in the complex. Alsowithin the study area, but in separate ownership, are examples of formerColt worker housing and other buildings associated with Colt history. The potential study area borders Interstate 91, which parallelsthe Connecticut River, and is close to the central business districtwhere the State Capitol and Museum of Connecticut State History arelocated. The State Museumis a major repository of Colt-related artifacts and archives, as is theWadsworth Atheneum, a renowned museum also in the city center.

SamuelColt was born in Hartford in 1814 and died there in 1862. He obtained his first patent in 1836 and went on to found acompany that is still in operation today, although it moved from thehistoric armory to West Hartford, Connecticut and is no longer owned bythe Colt family. The Coltname is known throughout the world. Colt firearms and other products have been used in every majorconflict from the U.S.-Mexican War to the present.

TheColt revolver was a revolutionary weapon that changed military tacticsand eventually made the sword obsolete in combat. First produced in 1847, it maintained its reputation through theCivil War despite competition from other manufacturers. Colt's salesmanship was legendary, and the company grew due tohis marketing, advertising, and public relations skills. He began construction of his first factory in Hartford in 1847. At the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, Colt revolverswere displayed and their interchangeability demonstrated as a highlightof the "American System of Manufacturing." Colt was so impressed with his reception in England that he wouldbuild a factory there, becoming the first American to set up amanufacturing plant overseas.

TheHartford facility expanded in the mid-19th century. The armory's distinctive blue onion dome, a Hartford landmarkvisible from I-91, was built in 1855. In order to attract laborers, Colt built a self-containedcommunity surrounding the factory at Coltsville that included housing,gardens, beer halls, and a band. Alibrary and school were established for the children of the workers, aswell as a church and social hall. Manyof these structures are still extant and are part of the Colt IndustrialNational Register District that was listed in 1976. The Colt family home, Armsmear, a National Historic Landmark, andits surrounding grounds are situated in Colt Park, abutting the armorysite. The original factoryburned in 1864, but was rebuilt soon after.

Coltwould continue to supply sidearms to the United States military until1985. Colt weapons werecarried not only by the American soldier on the frontier, but were thepersonal weapon of choice of cowboys, both famous and infamous.

Colthistory complements that of Springfield Armory National Historic Site,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 Coltmade handguns. Later theyworked together to bring the rapid-fire gun and later the machine-guninto the inventories of the U.S. military. But in 1961 Colt challenged Springfield Armory's M14 riflewhile promoting its competing AR-15, now known as the M16 rifle. This ultimately resulted in the demise of Springfield Armory in1968.

TheColt 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. Thehistory of this remarkable woman is not well-known and should beincluded as part of the study.

Inour 1998 Connecticut River Valley Special Resource Reconnaissance Study,we said, "innovations stimulated by firearms manufacture, notably massproduction and the concept of interchangeable parts, had far-reachingconsequences throughout American industry." As the skills developed in firearms manufacture were givenbroader application, the corridor between New Haven, Connecticut andWindsor, Vermont became known as the "Precision Valley." Developments in arms making translated to other metal-workingindustries, such as sewing machines, typewriters, bicycles, railwayequipment, and clocks.

Itis appropriate for the National Park Service to explore further thistheme of American history. Onlythrough further investigation will it be possible to determine if it isfeasible and suitable for inclusion in the National Park System.

Thankyou for the opportunity to comment. This concludes my prepared remarks.I would be glad to answer any questions that you or the members of thecommittee may have.