HARTFORD, Conn. — The final hurdle that will turn the old Colt manufacturing complex in Hartford into a national historic park was completed on Monday.
State and local officials were on hand to announce the donation of the two brownstone sheds – the two oldest structures on the site – that will be turned into a visitor center.
The two buildings once served as the force and foundry of the old Samuel Colt firearms factory. They survived a massive fire in 1864 that destroyed most of the factory. It was later rebuilt to include the East Armory with its iconic blue onion dome.
“The Forge and Foundry brownstones have been an iconic landmark since Samuel Colt founded his company in 1855, cementing Hartford as one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution,” U.S. Rep. John Larson said in a statement Monday.
He said the donation is “the last major milestone before the official establishment of the park, which will bolster the economic growth at the Colt Complex and ensure visitors can appreciate and learn about the legacy of Coltsville for decades to come.”
The donation was made by the developers of the complex CG Management and the tax-credit investing arm of oil giant Chevron.
“Today, we mark a significant milestone with the signing of a general agreement and identifying the path forward that solidifies our commitment to the establishment of the park and beyond,” Michael Reynolds, National Park Service Deputy Director of External Affairs, said Monday. “We look forward to continuing this journey together and interpreting the Colt legacy and Hartford’s innovative role in the development of the American system of manufacturing.”
It was not immediately clear on Monday the timeline for the official establishment of the national park or the opening of the visitor center. The two buildings require significant renovations.
“Rehabilitating the historic Colt Armories has been an honor for Colt Gateway,” said Larry Dooley of Colt Gateway. “Over the years, our development has delivered much-needed housing, businesses, and schools to our neighborhood. While the adaptive reuse of Colt is now part of its history, Colt’s unique identity has always been grander and more comprehensive than we, as real estate developers, can accurately convey. This is why our agreement with the National Park Service is so important to our community, once our donation is complete, the story of Sam and Elizabeth Colt will be shared and preserved by the experts at the National Park Service. The establishment of the Coltsville National Historical Park means the story of Sam and Elizabeth Colt will never be forgotten, so we want to welcome and thank our future neighbors at the National Park Service.”
Nearly 10 years ago, then-President Barack Obama signed the Coltsville National Historical Park Act, which authorized the site as a unit of the National Park System.
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