Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House, Hartford

The Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House in Hartford stands as both a place of worship and a deeply personal memorial commissioned by Elizabeth Jarvis Colt, widow of famed arms manufacturer Samuel Colt. Located on Wyllys Street in the Coltsville area, just south of downtown Hartford, the complex was designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter in the Gothic Revival style. The church was completed in 1867 and the parish house followed in 1895, both constructed to honor the Colt family.

The church’s brownstone and sandstone structure is richly detailed, featuring a steep polychrome slate roof, parapeted gables topped with stone crosses, and a square tower with buttresses and a spired belfry. Its interior showcases intricate stonework on the floors and columns and heavy chestnut timbers on the roof. One poignant architectural feature is the southwest entrance arch, carved with images of tools used by Colt factory workers-a tribute to the industrial legacy of Samuel Colt.

The parish house added nearly three decades later, was also designed by Potter, who emerged from retirement for the project. It maintains the Gothic styling of the church but with more symmetrical proportions. A highlight of the second floor is a memorial alcove to Caldwell Hart Colt, Elizabeth, and Samuel Colt’s son. This space includes two brass cannons, the ship's bell, and a painting of Caldwell aboard his yacht, the Dauntless.

Recognized for their architectural and historical significance, the church and parish house were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and in 2008 were designated contributing properties to the Coltsville Historic District, a site celebrating the lasting impact of the Colt family on Hartford’s cultural and industrial heritage.