Born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1814, Samuel Colt was a millionaire before 40 and dead at 47 in 1862. So much was crowded into his colorful, influential, and worker-oriented life and it doesn't end there.

His wife Elizabeth continued in his footsteps, supervising the re-building of the firearms factory after a devastating fire in 1864, complete with a second onion dome, seen by passing river traffic.

Colt factory seen from the Connecticut River

Elizabeth Colt commissioned large memorials to her husband, such as the 1905 Samuel Colt Memorial, located at the entrance of Colt Park. Our tour passengers have time to leave the bus and view up-close details of young Sam as a sailor, carving his idea of the revolver, based on the ship wheel.

Two large tablets are seen - Colt meeting the Russian Czar and another demonstrating his revolver in the British House of Commons, both in 1854.

Tour passengers leave the bus again to see the outside the 1868 Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, another memorial to her husband and three infant children who died before their father.

To honor her workers when entering church she had gun handles behind the cross and revolvers inside ivy in the shape of a star.

Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd

Cross Detail

Another memorial adjacent to the church is the 1898 Caldwell Colt Parish House. (See the full building by visiting our Mark Twain tour web page on this site).

Caldwell, their last child, died 1896, age 34. His love of the sea, sailing, hunting and horses are seen in rich detail. In one area see his yacht Dauntless surrounded by horses with webbed feet and tails rising from the sea. Coral, seashells, ship ropes and sea fans are also seen as well as buffalo, elk and other details. This is a don't-miss opportunity!

Visit another building to see the Colt horse valued at 2 million which once stood atop the onion dome and see the Colt firearms collection.

Visit the Colt family graves a short distance away in Cedar Hill Cemetery, final resting place of
              Samuel Colt -
          Genius of Hartford.

Colt Family Gravesite

En-route to the cemetery, view Armsmear, the 1856 mansion of the Colt family and learn interesting facts about who lives here today.

Available Monday thru Saturday - About two hours.

Please click-on step-on guide for prices.

Contact Us

Call for Reservations and Information
860 677-8867

Heritage Trails Sightseeing Tours
P. O. Box 138
Farmington, CT 06034-0138

Get additional information , from our book . This tour is also available on cassette tape , or the author can give a slide presentation to your group, school, church, college, retirement home, historical society or organization.

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Contact us by E-mail heritagetrails@charteroaktree.com

Heritage Trails Sightseeing Tours
P. O. Box 138
Farmington, CT 06034-0138
Phone and Fax 860 677-8867

For brochures or information please advise which tours interest you. Free postage within USA. Outside USA send a stamped, self-addressed business-sized envelope for brochures & information.