Introduction

Connecticut, once called the Provision State by George Washington, was a leader in manufacturing throughout the 19th and early 20th century. From guns, auto parts, clocks, buttons, textiles, and silverware, the diversity of Connecticut's manufacturing is equal to the diversity of its many towns. With the start of the Great War across the sea in Europe 1914, production began to double in many plants to meet demand from overseas buyers, especially in the arms industry. Colt Firearms in Hartford, one of the most well-known gun manufacturing plants and the site of a new Historic National Park, along with Marlin Firearms Company, Winchester Repeating Arms, Remington's Arms & Ammunition, and Union Metallic companies all turned out thousands of weapons and ammunitions for the war effort. Silk used for parachutes was manufacturing by the Cheney Brothers factory in South Manchester while Rubber boots and tires were produced by Goodyear in Naugatuck. All over the state factories brought in new workers as the wheels of industry turned to produce the provisions needed to fight the war to end all wars.