What Is That Thing: Armsmear

 

Although I had read about Samuel Colt's former estate, Armsmear, on a number of occasions before moving to Hartford, I think I must have driven past the building several times before I made the connection that this was that. In fact, if the trees are in bloom and you're not paying attention (i.e., if you're driving, with your eyes on the road where they should be) you might not even realize at first that Armsmear is one large building, as opposed to several structures designed to give this block of Wethersfield Avenue a uniform appearance.

The Italianate house was built in 1856, the year Colt married Elizabeth Hart Jarvis. The architect's name is not known, but the house is frequently attributed to Octavius Jordan. Armsmear means "meadow of arms," and the house was once even more impressive than it is today. Lost features include a dome, similar to the iconic one atop the Colt factory, and a glass atrium.

Samuel Colt died just five years after the couple moved into their sprawling villa, and Elizabeth and their son remained in the house for many years. After Elizabeth's death in 1905 the house, according to her wishes, became a residence for widows of Episcopalian ministers.

Armsmear is located just next to the entrance of Colt Park, once the gardens and grounds of the estate. It is still a residential building - and, of course, a valued piece of Hartford history, for those who take the time to slow down and look.