November 8, 2023
After geeking out at Dinosaur State Park (previous post), I headed north into East Hartford to visit Coltsville National Historical Park. This is not yet an official National Park site, but it will eventually be as it was approved nearly ten years ago. There is a walking tour guide online at the NPS website, though one cannot go into any of the buildings at this time.
I parked close to the East Armory, easily identifiable by its Blue Onion Dome and Rampant Colt. This is where Samuel Colt made his firearms in the mid-1800s. The dome reflects Colt’s admiration of Russian architecture.
Across the street are Worker Houses, in use today as private residences.
Church of the Good Shepherd and the Caldwell Hart Colt Memorial Parish House stand a five-minute walk away. These grand buildings were commissioned by Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Colt in honor of her husband and four children. Close to the church lies a 1996 memorial in remembrance of Hartford youth who died of gang violence, AIDS, drug abuse, or guns. The quotes on the stones are sobering. It’s a touching and thoughtful addition to the landscape.
Colt Park is a few blocks over, and I walked through it to get back to my car.
My last stop was to the Samuel Colt Monument near the entrance to the other end of the park. I drove to it and parked right in front…this was an area with a lot of police presence, and there were a few tents and homeless people right next to the monument. The entire Historical Park feels run-down, so I hope the National Park status eventually brings in more money to the community to help the neighborhood.
