History of Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield was established in 1636 as "Agawam Plantation" during the administration of the Connecticut Colony, under the leadership of English Puritan William Pynchon. The settlement was renamed after Wilmington Pynchon's hometown of Springfield, Essex, England, in 1641, in response to events such as trade disputes and Captain John Mason's hostilities against indigenous tribes, which led to the settlement's incorporation into the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Springfield was once a thriving trading post and agricultural settlement, but its fortunes drastically declined during and after King Philip's War in 1675, when native forces besieged and destroyed the city as part of the ongoing campaign. Three-quarters of the original settlement was consumed in flames during that assault; many Springfieldites sought sanctuary in the "Old Fort," a brick structure designed by John Pynchon and the first of its kind to be constructed in the Connecticut River Valley. Miles Morgan and his sons emerged from the siege hailed as heroes; their homestead, which managed to withstand the assault and notify troops in Hadley, was among the few to do so. Additionally, Toto, commonly known as the "Windsor Indian," was able to provide advance notice of the impending attack by running 20 miles from Windsor, Connecticut, to the settlement. Learn more about the geography of Springfield, MA.

Located atop bluffs at the confluence of four rivers, at the crossroads of trade routes to Boston, Albany, New York City, and Montreal, and with some of the most fertile terrain in the northeastern United States, the original settlement—present-day Springfield—was established. George Washington and Henry Knox founded the United States National Armory in Springfield in 1777, in response to the city's strategic location at multiple crossroads. The arsenal was responsible for manufacturing the first American musket in 1794 and, subsequently, the renowned Springfield rifle. Springfield Armory served as the dominant hub for precision manufacturing in the United States from 1777 until its deactivation during the Vietnam War, luring in highly skilled laborers. The imminent conquest of the armory during Shays' Rebellion in 1787 was a direct catalyst for the establishment of the United States Constitutional Convention.

Springfielders produced many innovations during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the first American-English dictionary (1805, Merriam-Webster), the first assembly line in manufacturing (1819, Thomas Blanchard), the first horseless car in America (1825, Thomas Blanchard), the mass production of vulcanized rubber (1844, Charles Goodyear), the first gasoline-powered car in America (1893, Duryea Brothers), and the first successful motorcycle. Springfield emerged as a significant center for machine manufacturing, initially propelled by the arms sector of the Army and private enterprises like Smith & Wesson, which was founded by Daniel B. Wesson and Horace Smith. Thomas and Charles Wason, in a similar fashion, were motivated by the industrial economy to found the Wason Manufacturing Company, an organization that manufactured the first sleeping car. At its height, the greatest railcar manufacturer in New England, Wason, produced one hundred vehicles per day. The business was acquired by Brill in 1907 and ceased operations during the Great Depression in 1937. Springfield manufactured a wide range of products during the first half of the 20th century, including chemicals, apparel and knit goods, paper products, watches, boilers, engines, manufacturing machinery, silverware, jewelry, skates, carriages, buttons, needles, toys, and printed books and magazines, among many others.

Springfield experienced an extended period of economic decline in the latter part of the 20th century. This decline was mainly due to several factors, including the decommissioning of the Springfield Armory in 1969, inadequate city planning choices (e.g., the placement of elevated I-91 along the city's Connecticut River front), and the general decline of industry in the northeastern United States. A national reputation for criminal activity, political patronage, and corruption emerged in Springfield throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Springfield experienced several large and long-term revitalization initiatives and projects in the early twenty-first century, including the redevelopment of Springfield Union Station for $95 million, the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield intercity rail project, which cost $1 billion, and an MGM casino. The National Park Service designated Springfield as an American World War II Heritage City in December 2022, making it the first city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and one of a mere 18 communities across the nation to receive this honor.