Friday 8 May 2015

peacemaker or colt forty-five

The intrepid explorers at Atlas Obscura present a really thorough and intriguing outline of a place called Coltsville, a utopian compound that really encapsulates the sort of nineteenth century industrialist sense of fatherly beneficence that’s in strong contrast to labour laws and the product, fire-arms, that funded the creation of this ideal factory town.

Nestled in Hartford, Connecticut, Coltsville included dormitories to house workers and their families, a church, company stores and even a masterfully recreated alpine village with an authentic beer hall to attract and retain German craftsmen. Perhaps like Alfred Nobel, whose fortunes were also made off of dynamite and armaments, the household of Samuel and Elizabeth Colt wanted to leave a legacy that did not only involve death and suffering and the estate and its amenities became charitable institutions. Much of the complex is in disrepair after decades of neglect, but the recent and long debated decision to designate Coltsville as a national landmark, controversial as some see it to celebrate gun culture, may help save this historic spot and cause visitors to reflect on our anachronisms—through what seems to be out of place. Be sure to tag along for more adventures with the crew from Atlas Obscura.