Colt Facts
| 1814 1836 1842 1847 |
Samuel Colt was born on July 19 to Christopher and Sarah Caldwell Colt.
Sam Colt issued U.S. Patent #138 on February 25; Patent Arms Manufacturing Company established, Paterson, New Jersey. Patent Arms Manufacturing Company closed. Colt resumed manufacture of firearms and the .44 caliber, 6-shot Walker is introduced. Colt started his own factory on Pearl Street. |
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| 1851 | Colt exhibition at London’s Crystal Palace Exposition | ||
| 1853 | Colt’s London factory established. | ||
| 1855 | New Hartford factory completed. | ||
| 1856 | Col. Colt married Elizabeth Hart Jarvis on June 5. | ||
| 1858 | Colt’s only surviving heir, Caldwell Hart Colt, Born November 24. | ||
| 1862 | Samuel Colt died January 10; Elisha Root elected President to succeed Colt. | ||
| 1864 | Major part of the Armory destroyed by fire February 4. | ||
| 1865 | R.W.H. Jarvis (Colt’s brother-in-law) elected President after Root’s death. | ||
| 1866 | Publication by Mrs. Colt of “Armsmear.” | ||
| 1873 | Introduction of the Single-Action revolver. | ||
| 1876 | Colt firearms displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. | ||
| 1889 | Colt entered the modern era with it’s first double-action with a swing-out cylinder, the Model 1889. | ||
| 1894 | Caldwell Hart Colt died on Jauary 21. | ||
| 1897 | John M. Browning issued Patent #580924 - the basis for most of Colt’s automatic pistols. | ||
| 1901 | Mrs. Colt sold the Armory. | ||
| 1905 | Elizabeth Colt died on August 21. | ||
| 1936 | The Great Flood - Robert Courtney and other employees saved the shipping ledgers, dating back to the 1860’s, by moving them to an upper floor. | ||
| 1947 | Name changed to Colt’s Manufacturing Company; 1861 Colt building torn down. | ||
| 1955 | Penn-Texas Corporation takes over and the name is changed to Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company. | ||
| 1961 1964 1976 1981 |
Commemorative firearms series introduced.
Corporation name changed to Colt Industries. The Rampant Colt logo is dropped and a circular device representing a machine tool gear was adopted for the corporation. Custom Gun Shop established. East Armory vacated and offices moved to West Hartford. |
