Testimony of Senator Chris Dodd before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks
Chairman Akaka, Senator Thomas, and members of the Subcommittee, Iappreciate the opportunity to testify today in support of S. 2519, theColtsville Study Act. I would especially like to thank my colleaguesfrom Connecticut who have joined me in support of this legislation -Senator Lieberman, who is a cosponsor of the Senate bill, CongressmanLarson, who introduced the House version, and Congressman Shays, who isa cosponsor.
The bill direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct astudy of Coltsville in Connecticut for potential inclusion in theNational Parks System. I recognize that when most of us think ofNational Parks, we picture the vast, sprawling landscapes ofYellowstone and Yosemite. Clearly, Connecticut's smaller size precludesit from having a national park on the scale of these sites. In fact,Connecticut itself is only about twice the size of Yellowstone NationalPark and currently has only one national park, the Weir Farm NationalHistoric Site, which spans 60 acres in Ridgefield and Wilton. But,while Connecticut may not possess the physical grandeur of our nation'slargest parks, it is home to a rich national heritage that must be madeaccessible to every American. For this reason, my colleagues and I areproposing to designate a new national park for Connecticut in the areaknown as Coltsville.
Located in the Sheldon-Charter Oak neighborhood in Hartford,Coltsville grew around Samuel Colt's firearms factory, a landmark redbrick building with a blue onion dome, during the Industrial Revolutionof the 19th century. Colt made Hartford the center of precisionmanufacturing. While Americans may associate the name Sam Colt withfirearms, the Colt legacy goes far beyond. Colt was a key figure of theIndustrial Revolution, contributing to the development of waterproofammunition, underwater mines, and the telegraph. He was also the firstAmerican manufacturer to open a plant overseas. Colt set the standardfor a nation that fast became known for its technological innovationsand industrial productivity. It is also a little-known fact that afterColt's death in 1862, his widow, Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Colt,successfully managed Colt Industries for 42 years and presided over thecompany during its most prosperous years in a period when men dominatedthe industrial world.
Today, the Colt armory remains a beacon in the Hartfordskyline, and Coltsville still boasts grand Victorian homes, includingArmsmear, the home of Sam and Elizabeth Colt, which has been designateda National Historic Landmark. Other nearby attractions include old millhousing, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and the Colt Memorial. Anational park at Coltsville would be the main venue on a tour ofHartford that could include sites such as the houses of Mark Twain andHarriet Beecher Stowe, the Museum of American Political Life, and theriverfront. It would also be a prime destination for anyone taking anextended tour of historic and scenic New England.
A national park at Coltsville would include about 260 acres andbe comprised of both public and private space. The centerpiece would bea museum within the armory celebrating Sam Colt and the growth ofAmerican industry. The museum could hold the vast collection of Coltfirearms that currently rests in the Museum of Connecticut History aswell as other machinery and memorabilia from the industrial revolution.Private property which is currently located within the proposedboundaries of the park, such as artists' studios and condominiums,could remain private. In fact, a museum and visitors' center in theColt armory itself would take up only part of the building, the rest ofwhich could be left open for private development. The armory alreadyhouses a business that manufactures replica Colt firearms, which wouldonly enhance the proposed museum.
The tourist interest sparked by the site would work in tandemwith endeavors stimulating business growth, such as the Adriaen'sLanding project, to contribute to the continuing economic revival ofConnecticut's capital city. One need only look as far as Lowell,Massachusetts, to see what a national park can do for a city. Thedesignation of Lowell National Historic Park has done wonders for acity that is about the same size as Hartford. The textile mills andcanals at Lowell have been described as must-see attractions in touristguidebooks, and I am certain that if Coltsville is designated anational park, the same will be said about the Colt armory and itssurroundings.
Mr. Chairman, I am aware that the budgetary hurdles that mustbe overcome are significant, and that the Administration is reluctantto designate new parks while we are still working to reduce themaintenance backlog at our existing parks. However, I do not believethat we should let these obstacles stand in the way of a project thatenjoys bipartisan support from public officials such as our governor,John Rowland, and the Mayor of Hartford, Eddie Perez, as well asimportant civic groups like the Connecticut Historical Society, theTrust for Historic Preservation, and the Connecticut Women's Hall ofFame. Finally, the owner of the site is fully supportive of this study.
Finally, I want to convey my support for S. 1609, legislationto authorize a feasibility study of the Metacomet Trail (Connecticut),Mattabesett (Connecticut) and the Monadnock Trail(Massachusetts) forinclusion as a national historic trail. Development threatens manyparts of the Northeast and the trails in Connecticut are important andunique ecological resources. There is broad public and private supportfor this legislation.
I am grateful to the committee for holding a hearing on theseimportant proposals, and I urge my colleagues to report these billsfrom committee at the earliest convenience.