Ever seen one of those old-timey civil war rifles with “SPRINGFIELD, MASS” engraved on the metal slide? This is where it was made. George Washington himself authorized the construction of an armoury for the US Army in Springfield and it operated until 1968 hiring up to 14,000, or almost the whole town, at one point. Today, only Smith & Wesson and Colt remain in the area, mainly producing small arms.
The armoury is run by the National Parks Service and has free year-round admission. The college campus that surrounds it used to be part of the armoury, and the buildings have remained largely the same since WWII.
One side of the building has exhibits on the impact of the industrial revolution on arms manufacturing, such as interchangeable parts, powered machinery, and specialization. The other side is a weapons gallery. It’s the only weapons museum I’ve visited with a prominent sign at the door prohibiting visitors from bringing weapons inside. Funny.
