History of Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

Journey back in time to Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

(Indian Orchard)

• 1636 - Springfield is settled and incorporated
  
  Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
  
  
• General Henry Knox and his troops passed through Springfield, Massachusetts in the winter of 1775-76 with a load of 59 cannons pulled by teams of oxen.
  The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts and used by George Washington's army on March 17, 1776 (Evacuation Day) to free Boston from British control during the American Revolutionar...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1786 - August 29 - Shays' Rebellion in Springfield, Mass
  Shays‍'​ Rebellion was an armed uprising in Massachusetts (mostly in and around Springfield) during 1786 and 1787. Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays led four thousand rebels (called Shaysites) in rising up against perceived economic injustices by Massachusetts, and later on attempted to capture...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1836 - October 24 – The earliest United States patent for a phosphorus friction match is granted to Alonzo Dwight Phillips of Springfield, Massachusetts.
  
  wikipedia.org
  October 24, 1836
  
  
• 1839 - Springfield
  Springfield, Massachusetts
  Chief town, Hampden county. This is one of the most beautiful and important inland towns in New England. It is situated on the east bank of Connecticut river, and is supplied with a good hydraulic power by Chickopee and Mill rivers. It is 87 miles W. by S. from Boston, 17...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1845 - SPRINGFIELD. [Pop. 10,985. Inc. 1636.]
  Springfield was called Agawam by the Indians.
  
  The township was originally very extensive, including Longmeadow, Wilbraham, and Ludlow, on the eastern side of Connecticut River; West Springfield, Westfield, and Southwick, on the western side; with Suflield, Enfield, and Somers, which fell ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1852 - Springfield is incorporated as a city
  
  Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
  
  
•  1854 - The Destructive Gale - Its Effects at the East.
  ...The unroofing of the great railroad depot at Springfield is described of wind force. The cars had just left for Hartford, and were just coming in from New-York, when about 300 feet of the roof was lifted off and scattered about in the streets, crushing several adjacent roofs, and demolishing carr...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1854 - Springfield
  Springfield, a city and seat of justice of Hampden county, Massachusetts, is situated on the left bank of the Connecticut river, at the intersection of the Connecticut Valley, and the New Haven Hartford and Spring field railroads with the Western railroad, 98 miles W. by 8. from Boston, 58 miles S. ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1864 - Great Fire in Springfield, Mass. - Loss $106,000.
  SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sunday, July 24. - A fire broke out broke about 12:30 on Saturday night in a wooden building on Main-street in this city, occupied by JAMES MALLY, dry goods dealer, and GEORGE M. LAW, clothing warehouse. The ? destroyed, and the fire spread to the Music Hall block, a brick buildi...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1873 - MASSACHUSETTS. A TERRIBLE FIRE RAGING---THE SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN OFFICE DAMAGED.
  SPRINGFIELD, Feb. 5. - A fire broke out this evening in the block occupied by the Merchants' Union Express and Massachusetts. Mutual Life Insurance Company, and in a short time the flames enveloped the block. The heat became so intense that the compositors in the Springfield Republican office, the b...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1888 - THE SPRINGFIELD FIRE. DONOHUE, THE COMPOSER, IS DEAD, MAKING SEVEN VICTIMS IN ALL.
  SPRINGFIELD, Mass., March 8. - There is little to add to the story of the fire which wrecked the Daily Union office and building yesterday. A great deal of adverse criticism is heard on all sides regarding the bungling work of the hook and ladder men, and also what seems the criminal negligence in t...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• Springfield Massachusetts, 1890
  SPRINGFIELD, the capital of Hampden County, is a beautiful, industrial, and progressive city, in latitude 42° 6' 4'', north and longitude 72° 35' 45'', west, 98 miles southwest of Boston by the Boston and Albany Railroad, having a population of 37,575. It is finely situated on the east bank of the C...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Winchester Park Fire Apparatus
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  J. R. Hewitt Saddle, Harness and Trunk Maker.
  Corner of Main and E. Bridge Streets., Springfield, Mass.
  
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• 1891 - First Basketball Game
  First basketball game played in Springfield
  
  
•  1892 - January 15 – James Naismith's rules for basketball are published for the first time in the Springfield YMCA International Training School's newspaper, in an article titled "A New Game."
  
  wikipedia.org
  January 15, 1892
  
  
• 1892 - March 11 – First basketball game ever played in public, between students and faculty at the Springfield YMCA.
  The final score is 5–1 in favor of the students, with the only goal for the faculty being scored by Amos Alonzo Stagg. A crowd of 200 spectators watches the game.
  wikipedia.org
  March 11, 1892
  
  
•  1893 - Big Fire at Springfield.
  SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 22.- Fire broke out in the Worthington Street Block, owned by I. I. Dexter & Co., about 12:30 this morning, and that, with one adjoining, are burning. The firemen expect to hold the flames in these two buildings, although the result is in doubt.
  
  Henry Dickinson is half ow...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1893 - September 21 - First Gasoline-Powered Automobile
  The first successful gasoline-powered automobile was perfected by Charles and Frank Duryea in Springfield.
  
  September 21 – Brothers Charles and Frank Duryea drive the first gasoline-powered motorcar in America on public roads in Springfield, Massachusetts.
  www.e-referencedesk.com/ resources/state-history-timeline/ massachusetts.html
  September 21, 1893
  
  
• 1895 - Springfield
  Springfield, a city and seat of justice of Hampden co., Mass., is situated on the left bank of the Connecticut River, at the intersection of the New York, New Haven & Hartford, New York & New England, and Connecticut River Railroads with the Boston & Albany Railroad, 98 miles W. by S. of Boston, 58 ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1897 - FIRE IN SPRINGFIELD, MASS. The Opera House Burned and Two Persons Overcome by Smoke.
  SPRINGFIELD, Mass., April 5. - A stubborn fire which broke out in the Gilmore Opera House at 11:30 o'clock to-night gutted the block and caused a loss of between $80,000 and $100,000.
  
  The fire is supposed to have started in the Acme Laundry, and had gained such headway before it was discovered th...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Webster's International Dictionary
  G. &. C. Merriam Co., Publishers
  Springfield, Mass.
  
  The Ladies' Home Journal
  May 1898
  
  G. & C. Merriam Company, established by George and Charles Merriam in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1831, publisher and reviser of Noah Webster's American Dictionary beginning in 1847. snaccoperative.org
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  The New Game
  Conette
  Sold Everywhere
  Two Styles 25 & 50 Cts.
  Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, Mass.
  
  The Ladies' Home Journal
  November 1898
  
  Founded in 1860, Milton Bradley Company is the oldest game manufacturer in the United States. Over the years Milton Bradley has marketed such classics as The Game of Life, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Twister, and Yahtzee. Since 1984 the company has operated as a division of the world’s largest toy company, Hasbro, Inc. encyclopedia.com
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  Highest Award World's Fair Skates
  Barney & Berry, Springfield, Mass.
  
  The Ladies' Home Journal
  December 1898
  
  The Barney & Berry company was founded at the old Warner's pistol plant near Springfield, Massachusetts. It was started by Everett Barney, a former supervisor of a small arms manufacturer during the Civil War who spent many a winter on the frozen ponds of nearby Framingham, and his old friend John Berry in 1865. Barney and Barney manufactured five hundred skates in their first... Read MORE...
  
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•  1900 - PECULIAR RAILWAY ACCIDENT.
  Passengers on 7:16 Train Last Evening Get a Little Shock.
  
  The passengers in the smoking car on the train on the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, due in this city at 7:16 last evening, were surprised and shaken up by the sudden crashing of five windows on one side of the car and the sudd...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Theatre
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  View of Court Square from City Hall, Springfield, Mass.
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  Main Street Arch
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•  1905 - January 6 - BIG FIRE IN SPRINGFIELD - THE CITY HALL DESTROYED; LOSS, $50,000
  Springfield, Mass., Jan. 6 - Springfield's City hall, valued at more than $30,000, was destroyed by fire in less than an hour today. The fire was discovered in the assembly hall at 12.45 by employees of a food fair being held in the hall. There were probably fifty people in the building and the flam...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Crescent Hill Residences, 1905
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  School and Hose 4 House, Mittineague
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• 1906
  Springfield, a city and seat of justice of Hampden co., Mass., is situated on the left bank of the Connecticut River, here crossed by several bridges, on the New York, New Haven and Hartford, the Boston and Albany and other railroads... Springfield is one of the handsomest towns in the state. The si...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1907 - BIG PUBLISHING HOUSE BURNED - Phelps Co., at Springfield, Mass., Sustain Loss Estimated at $1,000,000 - Spontaneous Combustion Started Fire.
  Springfield, Mass., Jan. 28. - The entire plant of the Phelps Publishing Company, comprising four buildings and covering nearly an acre of ground, was destroyed by fire to-day, causing a loss estimated at $1,000,000. No one was injured.
  
  The fire started from spontaneous combustion among some benz...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1907 - HURT BY JUMPING FROM CAR. Brakeman Thought Car Would Overturn and Leaped.
  William H. Whalen, a brakeman employed by the Boston and Albany railroad, was seriously hurt late yesterday afternoon by jumping from a car which was being switched in the local freight yard. The car collided with another one, the forward trucks leaving the rails and the end being crushed like an eg...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Court House, 1908
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  1908 Court Square
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•  1910 - EXPRESS OFF RAILS
  Two Mail Clerks and an Engineer Badly Injured.
  ACCIDENT AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
  
  Springfield, Mass., March 15 - Two mail clerks and an engineer were seriously injured today when the New York express, bound for Springfield from New York on the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad, jumped the rail...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1910 - TEAMS STRUCK BY AUTOMOBILE.
  The heavy automobile truck used by the New England telephone company to carry supplies for the linemen collided with two teams at the corner of Chestnut and Sharon streets Tuesday morning and seriously injured one of the horses. The auto skidded and struck first a team owned by Nicholas Zeo, smashin...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Chiefs of Fire Departments
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  First Church
  
  First Church of Christ, Congregational, or Old First Church, is a historic church at 50 Elm Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. Built in 1819, the present structure is the fourth church building on the site, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. wikipedia
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  Post Office and Custom House
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  Winchester Park Fire Station
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  Y.M.C.A. Building
  
  The Springfield Young Men’s Christian Association was established in 1852, the same year that Springfield became a city. It was only the second YMCA in the country, and the fourth in the world, after London, Montreal, and Boston... lostnewengland.com
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  The Cooley Hotel Block, 1911
  
  The original Cooley Hotel on the site was a four-story brick block erected in 1849 by Justin M. Cooley (exact footprint uncertain). It was expanded with an additional structure in the 1860s (footprint uncertain) for a total of 85 rooms by 1882. historic-structures.com
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  Connecticut Valley Historical Society, 1912
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  Select Stock at Forest Park
  
  Forest Park in Springfield, Massachusetts, is one of the largest urban, municipal parks in the United States, covering 735 acres (297 ha) of land overlooking the Connecticut River. Designed by the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted... It is the site of America's first public, municipal swimming pool... wikipedia
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  Main Street, 1915
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  Town Hall and Common West
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  New Police Department Building, 1917
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  West State Street, 1919
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  Public Library
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  Dancing at Riverside Park
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  State Street, West to Mass. Mutual Life Insurance Co.
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  Springfield Institution for Savings and Court House
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  Central High School, 1929
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•  March 6, 1930: Clarence Birdseye's first frozen food appeared in grocery stores in Springfield, MA
  
  The Old Farmer's Almanac www.almanac.com
  March 6, 1930
  
  
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  Barney Residence, Forest Park
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• 1935 - Friendly's Ice Cream is founded in Springfield
  Friendly's was founded in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, by brothers Prestley and Curtis Blake in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Blake brothers opened a small ice cream shop named "Friendly", selling double-dip cones for 5 cents each. wikipedia
  friendlys.com /about-friendlys/about-us
  
  
• 1938 - "Long Island Express" - HURRICANE, FLOODS SWEEP NEW ENGLAND. 296 WERE KILLED IN STORM ALONG ATLANTIC COAST; PROPERTY DAMAGE ENORMOUS.
  ...At Springfield, the grandstand at the Eastern States exposition ground collapsed, injuring four and when 10,000 spectators stampeded in panic, scores were trampled.
  
  Failure of power and telephone service left doctors to perform emergency operations by search light and cut residents of many tow...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Hotel Charles
  
  The Hotel Charles is the successor to Cooley's Hotel, established in 1849 and grown over the years to a complex of five buildings occupying the key parcel between the railroad station and Main St. in Springfield... historic-structures.com
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  St. Michael's Cathedral
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  Swett Bros. Heating & Appliance Co.
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• 1944 - HURRICANE HITS NEW YORK AND NEW ENGLAND COASTS. HIGH WINDS LASH JERSEY, LONG ISLAND.
  ...About one-fourth of the city of Springfield was without lights.
  Also about 100 families there were evacuated from a housing project as a precautionary measure. They were bedded in a school on cots and blankets furnished by the Red Cross...
  The Troy Record
  Troy, New York
  September 15, 1944
  
  
•  1968 - February 17 - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Mass, opens
  
  historyorb.com
  February 17, 1968