History of Connecticut industry facts for kids
The history of industry in Connecticut is a really important part of the state's story. For a long time, from 1790 to 1930, Connecticut was a leader in new inventions. It had more patents (official documents for new inventions) per person than any other state! In the 1800s, for every 3,000 people in the U.S., there was one patent. But in Connecticut, there was one patent for every 700 to 1,000 people. Connecticut's first known invention was a machine for cutting and polishing stones, made by Abel Buell in 1765.
Early Days: Before Big Factories
Connecticut started out mostly as a farming state, like most places back then. But soon, people began to trade and make things. Farmers, and later merchants and factory owners, became wealthy enough to buy more goods.
Making things was easy because Connecticut had lots of natural resources. There was plenty of water for power, wood for building and fires, and iron ore. Getting goods around was also easy thanks to great natural harbors and rivers that went far inland. People in New England believed that working hard and being inventive made them stronger and helped them be independent. Learning was also important, and many schools were started, including Yale University.
A big change happened in the late 1700s when Eli Whitney developed a new way of making things. He created a system of interchangeable parts and the assembly line. This meant that parts for a product were made so precisely that they could be swapped out easily. This idea made Connecticut a major center for manufacturing. It also changed how people viewed products "made in the United States." Before, it meant low quality, but after Whitney's system, it meant high quality. This new way of making things became known as the American system of manufacturing.
In the late 1700s, the Connecticut government even offered money to help build and run textile (fabric) factories.
The Connecticut Valley was a hub for making cabinets and furniture in the late 1700s. Famous furniture makers like Eliphalet Chapin created unique styles.
The 1800s: A Time of Invention
Between 1800 and 1860, Connecticut factories used the new manufacturing system to make high-quality firearms at good prices. This led to Connecticut being called "the arsenal of democracy."
It all began in 1797 when Eli Whitney started making weapons. Later, the Connecticut Valley Arms company continued this. Middletown, Connecticut was a main supplier of pistols to the U.S. government during the War of 1812. In 1810, Oliver Bidwell built the first pistol factory in the U.S. in Middletown. He won a contract to make pistols for the government. Also in 1810, Colonel Simeon North built a pistol factory in Middletown. He also won a government contract and expanded his factory. He made about 10,000 pistols a year and designed America's first milling machine (a machine that cuts metal).
Even more successful was Colonel Nathan Starr Jr. His factory made swords at first, including special ones for heroes of the War of 1812. Later, his factory made muskets and rifles until 1845. After that, the U.S. government started its own armories (places where weapons are made or stored) in other states, partly based on Starr's factory.
In 1836, Samuel Colt invented the revolver design that is still used today. Colt's Manufacturing Company hired Elisha K. Root to make their production even better. This made Colt weapons the first in the world with truly interchangeable parts. Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson designed the first repeating rifle (a rifle that can fire multiple shots without reloading) in Norwich, Connecticut in the early 1850s. This rifle was made by the New Haven Arms Company, which later became the famous Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
Connecticut also became known for making clocks, watches, and other timepieces. Famous clockmakers like Eli Terry and his apprentice Seth Thomas started many companies. While many of these companies are gone today, Timex Group USA is the only one left in Connecticut. You can learn more about this history at the American Clock & Watch Museum in Bristol, Connecticut.
Connecticut also excelled in other related industries. Stanley Corporation in New Britain, Connecticut still makes hardware and tools. The state was also a major center for developing and making machine tools (machines that make other machines). In 1818, Simeon North designed America's first milling machine. Elisha Root designed machinery for the Collins Company, which made world-famous axes. Later, Root worked for Colt and designed precision drop hammers (machines that shape metal), boring machines (for making holes), and gauges (for measuring).
Many other inventors and engineers in Connecticut created important machine tools. Christopher Spencer invented the automatic turret lathe for making screws. Francis A. Pratt and Amos Whitney invented a thread milling machine in 1865. Simon Fairman invented the lathe chuck (a device that holds a workpiece in a lathe) in 1830. Edward P. Bullard designed the vertical boring mill in 1883. Charles E. Billings improved the drop hammer for metal forging. Edwin R. Fellows designed a new type of gear shaper (a machine for making gears) in 1896, which was very important for the early automotive industry. Even the name Bridgeport on machine tools is known worldwide for high quality.
The world of toys was also influenced by Connecticut. The A. C. Gilbert Company made Erector Sets and other educational toys like chemistry sets and toy trains.
Connecticut also led the way in making bicycles and, later, early automobiles. Albert Pope of Hartford saw a bicycle in 1876 and loved the idea. He started the first bicycle manufacturing in America, Columbia Bicycles. He worked hard to sell them, setting up stores, hiring doctors to say cycling was healthy, and starting cycling magazines. When the safer safety bicycle was invented in the 1880s, he was ready for the huge popularity that followed.
Connecticut also became a leader in the shipbuilding industry. The first recorded steam powered boat in America was built by John Fitch in 1786. The first military submarine, the Turtle, was built in Connecticut in 1775 by David Bushnell. Since then, Connecticut has remained a world leader in making these special ships. Simon Lake made submarines for the U.S. Navy in Bridgeport starting in 1913. The work of John P. Holland led to submarine production by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut starting in 1924, which continues to this day.
