James B. Colt House facts for kids
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James B. Colt House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 154 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Part of | Coltsville Historic District (ID66000802) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001926 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 14, 1975 |
| Designated NHLDCP | July 22, 2008 |
The James B. Colt House is a really old and important house located at 154 Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut. It was built in 1855 and is a great example of a building style called Italianate architecture. This house was built for James B. Colt, who was the brother of a famous businessman named Samuel Colt. Samuel Colt's own big house, called Armsmear, is just north of this one. The James B. Colt House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, which means it's officially recognized as a special historic place.
About the James B. Colt House
The James B. Colt House is in a part of southern Hartford called the Sheridan-Charter Oak neighborhood. It sits on the east side of Wethersfield Avenue. The house faces Colt Park, which is a public park that used to be part of the Colt family's huge property. It is also south of Samuel Colt's even bigger home, Armsmear.
What the House Looks Like
This house has three stories and is made of brick covered in stucco. It shows off many features of the Italian villa style. For example, it has a roof that isn't very steep, with wide eaves supported by decorative brackets. The windows are rounded at the top and have fancy caps with brackets too.
The front of the house, which faces the street, looks simple and elegant. It has a porch on the left side that wraps around to the north. From the front, you can see Colt Park through the tall windows on all three floors.
Who Lived Here?
The James B. Colt House was built between 1855 and 1857. James B. Colt himself lived in the house until 1859. He was the treasurer for the Colt's Manufacturing Company at that time.
After James B. Colt moved out, several other important people lived in the house. One of them was General William B. Franklin, who was the general manager of Colt's company until 1888. Another famous resident was George H. Day, a leading businessman in Hartford around the year 1900. In the 1900s, the building was divided into separate apartments. In 1973, there was a fire inside the house.
