Statement of Robert Kohn, Chief Operating Officer of Colt Gateway LLC, before the House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation & Public Lands

STATEMENTOF ROBERT KOHN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF COLT GATEWAY LLC BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION,AND PUBLIC LANDS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES

April8, 2003

Thankyou for the opportunity to appear before your committee to present theviews of Colt Gateway LLC and Homes For America Holdings, Inc. on H.R.437. This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct astudy of the site commonly known as "Coltsville" in the State ofConnecticut for potential inclusion in the National Park System.

An Introduction

As the Chief Operating Officer of Colt Gateway LLC, a subsidiary ofHomes For America Holdings, Inc., I strongly support a study to includeColtsville in the National Park System. Coltsville's nationalsignificance, suitability and feasibility for designation as well asthe importance of the site to the historic preservation of an Americanlegacy make this site an ideal candidate for inclusion in the NationalPark System. In my opinion, there are few more deserving locations forthe National Park designation than Coltsville. Coltville's fascinatinghistory, its impact on innovation and American history, its positioningas the home of Elizabeth Colt as one of the first femaleindustrialists, the site's compatibility with other nearby NationalParks and the momentum, planning and financing currently in place tomake this Park a reality... all are persuasive grounds for supportingthis study.

The Coltsville Study Area

Coltsville is a 17-acre community in Hartford, Connecticut built aroundSamuel and Elizabeth Colt's firearms factory during the IndustrialRevolution of the 19th century. Currently owned and operated by ColtGateway LLC, the site itself contains ten historic buildings, portionsof which are occupied by both commercial and residential tenants,including a large number of artists who live and work in the complex.Colt Gateway LLC is currently conducting a substantial $102 millionhistoric rehabilitation and preservation of the site, in fullaccordance with national historic standards. The East Armory buildingwithin the site, with its landmark red brick building and distinctiveblue onion dome, would serve as the ideal center for the Park

Easily accessible from Interstates 91 and 84, Coltsville runs parallelto the nearby Connecticut River and is within walking distance of theHartford central business district. Within the immediate area areformer buildings that housed Colt workers as well as splendid Victorianhomes such as Armsmear, which served as the home of Samuel andElizabeth Colt and is now a National Historic Landmark. Otherattractions in the immediate area help to make Coltsville even more ofa destination, including the houses of Mark Twain and Harriet BeecherStowe, the Museum of American Political Life, the Colt Memorial and ofcourse the riverfront. Other significant nearby attractions include theState Capitol, the Museum of Connecticut State History and theWadsworth Atheneum museum, which stores vast collections ofColt-related artifacts and archives.

A Brief History of Coltsville

Samuel Colt, born in Hartford in 1814, lived the life of a legend. Withhis first patent in 1836, he founded a company that played a leadingrole in the Industrial Revolution. Construction of the Coltsvillefactory began in 1847 and expanded throughout the mid-19th century,including the construction in 1855 of the armory's distinctive blueonion dome, a Hartford landmark visible from I-91. In order to attractlaborers, Colt built a self-contained community surrounding the factorythat included housing, gardens, and entertainment halls as well as alibrary, school, church and social hall. Many of the structures stillexist today and are part of the Colt Industrial National RegisterDistrict that was listed in 1976.

Samuel Colt died in 1862, and two years later the factory burned to theground. In a fascinating example of one of this country's first femaleindustrialists, Elizabeth Colt took over the factory and ran itsuccessfully for another 40 years. In fact, Samuel Colt's mostrecognized accomplishment, the Colt 45 Peacemaker, was not actuallydeveloped or manufactured until ten years after his death. Elizabethpresided over the company during its most prosperous years, in a periodwhen men dominated the industrial world. Her significant contributionsto American industrialism make Coltsville distinct from otherhistorical sites and establish a broader base than the history ofmunitions manufacture. This is a place where a dynamic woman seized thehelm of her husband's company, steering it to ongoing success throughthe manufacture of innovations that changed the face of Americanhistory. Elizabeth Colt gives the site a central story, broad utility,a greater audience and a compelling reason to visit.

Coltsville Innovation & Impact on American History

Coltsville is most known as the birthplace of a concept thattransformed the firearm from a single shot device into a multiple shotdevice and changed the course of American economic and militaryhistory. The Colt revolver was a revolutionary weapon that changedmilitary tactics and eventually made all weapons that came before itobsolete in combat.

Coltsville's unique and considerable impact on Connecticut and NewEngland is clear. The skills developed in firearms manufacture weregiven broader application here. Developments in arms-making influencedother metalworking industries, such as sewing machines, typewriters,bicycles, automobiles, railway equipment, jet engines and clocks. Earlyindustrial leaders like Henry Ford came to Coltsville to learn theinnovative manufacturing techniques and equipment being developed inthe area. The corridor between New Haven, Connecticut and Windsor,Vermont became known as "Precision Valley."

In addition to the impact on Connecticut and New England, Coltsville'simpact in America and abroad cannot be understated. As the firstAmerican to set up a foreign manufacturing plant, Samuel Colt'sinfluence was extended overseas. Ambitious entrepreneurs with bigideas, Elizabeth and Samuel were willing to take risks and work hard toshape the future and to reap the rewards. In doing so they have poweredAmerican capitalism. The Colt legacy is not just about firearms, butalso about industrial innovation and the development of technology anda system of manufacturing that would change the way of life in theUnited States. That same spirit of innovation today powers all ofAmerican industry and can be seen in such sectors as informationtechnology, medical research, biotechnology, defense technology, publicrelations and many others.

Today, 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. As such they have been an integralfactor in the security, confidence and self-reliance of this country.The impact on Coltsville in this arena confirms our conviction thatColtsville should be designated a National Park.

The National Park: A Preliminary Plan

A national park at Coltsville would ideally encompass all seventeenacres of the Coltsville site and would include both public and privatespace. The centerpiece would be a visitor center within the armory,including original steam-driven pistons and the accessible blue oniondome that provides 360° views of Hartford, the Connecticut River andsurrounding areas. Coincidentally, this armory already houses abusiness that manufactures replica Colt firearms, which would onlyenhance the proposed museum. The interactive museum could be housed inBuilding 8 and/or 10, which are two of the oldest buildings on the siteand originally served as the factory's foundry and polishing rooms. Themuseum and visitors' center would be dedicated as public space for thePark. The remaining commercial and residential space would be leftprivate.

It is important to note that because Colt Gateway LLC is already in theprocess of privately restoring this national treasure, the cost ofdesignating Coltsville would be minimal. A comprehensive $102 millionhistoric preservation in accordance national historic standards iscurrently underway. As the developer, Colt Gateway LLC would preparevirtually all the space required, giving the National Park Service therare opportunity to add a spectacular park to the system with aninvestment and operating costs at a fraction (less than 10%) of thevalue of the site. It is our opinion that, please forgive the pun,Coltsville gives the National Parks System a real bang for the buck.

The tourist interest sparked by the Coltsville Park would work intandem with other endeavors stimulating business growth, such as theadjacent Adriaen's Landing project, to contribute to the continuingeconomic revival of Connecticut's capital city. Lowell, Massachusettsis a good example of what a national park can do for a city. Thetextile mills and canals at Lowell have been described as must-seeattractions in tourist guidebooks. I believe that if Coltsville isdesignated a national park, the same will be said about the Colt armoryand its surroundings. Moreover, the history of Colt complements that ofthe Springfield Armory National Historic Site just 25 miles north inMassachusetts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is my opinion that it is not only feasible andsuitable to include Coltsville in the National Park System, but thatColtsville is the ideal candidate for that inclusion. We are committedto preserving Coltsville's immeasurable historical value, and wecertainly appreciate the Committee's consideration of this proposal. Weare eager to work with the National Park Service in any way we can tocontinue this process.

While we acknowledge the budgetary and scheduling obstacles of ourrequest, we believe that the overwhelming bipartisan support fordesignation is a sign that we are well on our way to preservingColtsville's legacy. Support from public officials such as ConnecticutGovernor John Rowland and Mayor of Hartford Eddie Perez as well as fromimportant civic groups in Connecticut and elsewhere has beenconsiderable. I would also like to commend Representatives Larson,DeLauro, Shays and Simmons as well as Senators Dodd and Lieberman fortheir leadership and integral role in supporting Coltsville.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to comment. We will do all we canto assist you, Mr. Chairman, and all the members of the Committee, tomake this a reality. This concludes my prepared remarks. I would beglad to answer any questions that you or the members of the committeemay have.