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1.) The Most Recognizable Firearm Brand in Connecticut: Colt Manufacturing Company in Hartford

Colt Building.jpg

Pictured above is the Colt Manufacturing Company's armory as it would have appeared during the Great War era. The Colt building has developed a great deal of historical significance in Connecticut culture, being easily recognizable for it's giant blue onion dome atop the east armory which can be seen today from major highway Interstate 91.

During World War I the United States army issued government contracts with Colt for a variety of firearms, from the Colt Vickers machine gun to the Colt M1911 .45 caliber handgun, the standard issued handgun of the United States military. 

As a result of the government contracts, Colt had to expand it's armory to mee the increased demand. Colt built a new warehouse which was used almost entirely for weapon assembly, most often referred to as the "garage." Since stock had risen over four-hundred percent in the 1910's, and the percentage of industrial workforce increased at a similar rate, thousands of Connecticut citizens would have begun employment in this building during the war. 

While the Colt Company ceased manufacturing in this building in 1994, the state is pushing to have the building named a national landmark for it's influence in firearm manufacturing in World War I, among other wars.

Hartford Courant Colt Government Order.pdf

Newspaper headline reporting government order for Colt Weapons


Due to the increased demand for the Colt Vickers machine gun, Colt expanded it's factory, hired more employees, and even opened up branches in other parts of Connecticut.

The production of a Vicker Machine gun was an extensive undertaking, though. Despite large government orders, Colt fell behind in manufacturing, and struggled to meet the demand. "According to Dolf Goldsmith, each US division in WWI had a total of 192 guns but because the US entered WWI with such a hideously inadequate number of machine guns, the US Army was forced to depend on the British and French for weapons" (VickersMG.Com). 

Soldiers trained with "dummy" versions of the Vickers machine gun, as working versions of the weapon were reserved for war.

This was not the first government order that was requested for Colt products. Their reliable Colt M1911 .45 caliber handguns were mass produced for the United States and English military.

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Advertisement for the Colt M1911 automatic pistol

The adoption of the Colt M1911 as the standard military issue firearm propelled Colt's reputation above that of it's competitors, including Smith and Wesson. Colt also boasted that their new semi-automatic handgun could sustain six-thousand shots without jamming.

Demand became so high following the adoption of Colt pistol by the United States government that Colt had to expand it's manufacturing to the Springfield armory. 

While this advertisement dates back to the Great War era, the Colt M1911 remained in service through the Vietnam War. Changes were made to the pistol in 1924, but remained the handgun of choice for the United States Army in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In fact, according to Militaryhistory, "The US Army obtained so many M1911s (during World War II) that it did not purchase new pistols for several years after the war" (MilitaryHistory).

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Advertisement describing Colt as the "National Standard."

While the Colt Manufacturing Company grew tremendously during the Great War Era, the industry did not rely solely on government orders for business. Stock in the Colt Company grew by over four-hundred percent in the 1910s, with equally astonishing growth in employment and sales.

When the war ended, however, Colt struggled to maintain it's growth. This resulted in lower salaries, cut hours, and advertisements, like this one, to increase sales to the general public.

In 1929 the Great Depression hit the Colt Company hard, leading to eventual worker strikes in the 1930s, and a steep decline in stock value considering the enormous growth during the war.

Advertisements such as these show the reputation Colt had for supplying firearms during wars, the rigorous quality of their product, and their almost desperate pitch to the public to increase general sales during times of military peace.

1.) The Most Recognizable Firearm Brand in Connecticut: Colt Manufacturing Company in Hartford