News
Governor Rell writes to National Park Service urging historic status for Coltsville
By Governor Rell's office
Jul 21, 2008 - 3:16:38 PM

Governor M. Jodi Rell has written to the National Park Service (NPS) to express strong support of the designation of the Coltsville Historic District as a National Historic Landmark. The NPS Advisory Board plans to vote Tuesday, July 22 on the NPS Landmark Committee’s unanimous recommendation that the District be designated a National Historic Landmark – the highest level of federal landmark designation.

“Coltsville truly represents American values and ingenuity,” Governor Rell said in her July 18 letter to Paul Loether, Chief of the NPS National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Division. “It is a significant symbol of the development of the American economy and American manufacturing. Our state would be honored by this well-deserved recognition and the nation will benefit from the telling of the Coltsville story.”

Samuel Colt founded Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing which developed the revolver design that revolutionized personal firearms. Colt’s original product and production designs, coupled with his exceptional business organization and marketing, led the way for future American manufacturing successes. The Colt Armory complex is being adapted for housing and office space while maintaining its architectural integrity. Federal government standards are being met, making the armory project eligible for the federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits.

“The Coltsville Historic District illustrates how entrepreneurship, ingenuity in invention and a diverse workforce came together to build a state’s and a nation’s economy,” Governor Rell said. “The industrial and associated residential buildings of the proposed Coltsville Historic District stand as a tangible reminder of this legacy. This designation is critical to Hartford’s revitalization – it uses existing buildings and infrastructure, helps to produce jobs and contributes to the city’s tax base as well as our quality of life.”

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