I just read the article about the preservation of the Colt tower in Hartford. It would be interesting to know what goes into preserving such landmarks. Do they do some kind of maintenance inside the dome of the tower? How is the design on the outside maintained? There are domes from the P. T. Barnum era in Bridgeport as well.
I enjoy reading Connecticut Explored.
Jane Platt
Milford, CT
Julie Carmelich, co-author with Catherine Labadia of our fall 2023 Site Lines feature, “The Evolution of Historic Preservation Policy,” reached out to Larry Dooley of Colt Gateway LLC for an answer to Ms. Platt’s question. Dooley responded:
The most recent renovation of the dome was done in 1999 (even before my time at Colt). An engineer who worked on the project told me that the internal steel structure of the dome and the sheet metal that covers it were fully repaired and even replaced in some areas. The iconic Rampant Colt was replaced with a gilded replica (the original is on display at the state library). The original gold stars were removed, regilded, and replaced. The sheet metal panels were painted with an industrial finish made to last for decades. The white columns below the dome were replaced with steel surrounded by durable polyurethane replicas of the original wood columns.
Maintenance over the last two decades has been fairly minimal. Last year, we repainted the white columns below the dome and closely inspected the dome finish, as well as the gilding on the Rampant Colt and stars. The finishes appear to be holding up very well so far, but we will continue to inspect the dome regularly to identify and repair any signs of deterioration or water penetration.
An article from The Hartford Courant, August 6, 1999, provides some additional details about the renovation.
Mike Swift, “Onion Dome atop Colt Armory to Undergo Repairs,” The Hartford Courant, August 6, 1999
Mike Swift, “Onion Dome atop Colt Armory to Undergo Repairs,” The Hartford Courant, August 6, 1999