Last updated: April 9, 2021
Place
James B. Colt House
NPS Digital Photo
Quick Facts
Location:
Hartford, Connecticut
Significance:
Industrialist, Samuel Colt, and his successors pioneered the development of the revolver which had cultural, historical, and geographic impacts on the City of Hartford. The house has been the residence of various influential Hartford families including James B. Colt and William Buel. The house remains one of the best examples of the Italian Villa style of architecture in Hartford.
Designation:
The James B. Colt House is a contributing building to the Coltsville Historic District which is registered as a National Historic Landmark District.
OPEN TO PUBLIC:
No
Amenities
2 listed
Cellular Signal, Scenic View/Photo Spot
The James B. Colt House was built in 1855 for Samuel's brother, James Benjamin Colt.
The James B. Colt house was built in the same Italianate style as the Colt family home, Armsmear, and is located just down the street. The house sits on what used to be a part of the Colt Estate and it had a view of Colt Park and the Connecticut River Valley.
James Colt worked closely with Samuel during the early years of his firearms business and helped supervise the construction of Colt's Firearm Manufacturing Company and was the treasurer for a few years. When Samuel open his firearm factory in London, in 1851, James oversaw those operations.
Samuel and James worked together until they had a falling out in 1856, which was noted in various newspapers of the time. It appears that the only contact between the two brothers after this point was in court cases filed by James. James continued to file lawsuits against the Colt's even after Samuel's death regarding an inheritance left to him and his children in Samuel's Will.
From 1855-1859, James would reside in the house but many distinguished individuals would live there, including William Buel Franklin, a retired Union Army General and the General Manager of Colt's Firearm Manufacturing Company and George H. Day, Hartford's Parks Commissioner and leading industrial manager.
In 1975, the James B. Colt house was added to the National Register of Historic Places and in 2008 it became a contributing building to the Coltsville Historic District which is registered as a National Historic Landmark.
Today the property is an apartment complex and not open to the public. Please be respectful of the current residents.
The James B. Colt house was built in the same Italianate style as the Colt family home, Armsmear, and is located just down the street. The house sits on what used to be a part of the Colt Estate and it had a view of Colt Park and the Connecticut River Valley.
James Colt worked closely with Samuel during the early years of his firearms business and helped supervise the construction of Colt's Firearm Manufacturing Company and was the treasurer for a few years. When Samuel open his firearm factory in London, in 1851, James oversaw those operations.
Samuel and James worked together until they had a falling out in 1856, which was noted in various newspapers of the time. It appears that the only contact between the two brothers after this point was in court cases filed by James. James continued to file lawsuits against the Colt's even after Samuel's death regarding an inheritance left to him and his children in Samuel's Will.
From 1855-1859, James would reside in the house but many distinguished individuals would live there, including William Buel Franklin, a retired Union Army General and the General Manager of Colt's Firearm Manufacturing Company and George H. Day, Hartford's Parks Commissioner and leading industrial manager.
In 1975, the James B. Colt house was added to the National Register of Historic Places and in 2008 it became a contributing building to the Coltsville Historic District which is registered as a National Historic Landmark.
Today the property is an apartment complex and not open to the public. Please be respectful of the current residents.