Colt Armory, Connecticut

The Colt firearms company built its main manufacturing plant on the river at Hartford in 1855. Known as the Colt Armory, the multi-building complex was one of the principal industrial villages of New England, manufacturing famous firearms over the span of American History, from capturing the West, to the Civil War, to the Gulf War, as well as providing guns for police, security, and the public. The company moved its operations to other places over the years, including to a plant in West Hartford, which it still operates, and moved entirely out of this complex in 1994. State and local developers are hoping to preserve and redevelop the historic site, including the original central building with its distinctive blue and gold onion dome. Connecticut historically has been a center for the manufacture of guns, and though some have left (Winchester, Marlin, PTR), some are still based or manufacturing in the state (Colt, Ruger, Mossburg, Stag Arms).