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History of Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

Journey back in time to Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

(Indian Orchard)

Visit Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.

     

• 1636 - Springfield is settled and incorporated
  
  Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
  
  
• General Henry Knox and his troops passed through here 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,...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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1836 - October 24 – The earliest United States patent for a phosphorus friction match is granted to Alonzo Dwight Phillips of Springfield, Massachusetts.
  
  www.wikipedia.org
  October 24, 1836
  
  
• 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...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...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...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,...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...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...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'...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Winchester Park Fire Apparatus
  Postcard
  
• 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."
  
  www.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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  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...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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1895 - Physical education instructor William Morgan invented volleyball in Springfield, Massachusetts.
  
  
  
• 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...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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Webster's International Dictionary
  G. &. C. Merriam Co., Publishers
  Springfield, Mass.
  
  The Ladies' Home Journal
  May 1898
  Advertisement
  
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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
  Advertisement
  
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  Highest Award World's Fair Skates
  Barney & Berry, Springfield, Mass.
  
  The Ladies' Home Journal
  December 1898
  Advertisement
  
•  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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Postcard
  
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  View of Court Square from City Hall, Springfield, Mass.
  Postcard
  
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  Main Street Arch
  Postcard
  
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  Crescent Hill Residences, 1905
  Postcard
  
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  School and Hose 4 House, Mittineague
  Postcard
  
• 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...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,...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 ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Court House, 1908
  Postcard
  
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  1908 Court Square
  Postcard
  
•  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 ...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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Chiefs of Fire Departments
  Postcard
  
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  First Church
  Postcard
  
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  Post Office and Custom House
  Postcard
  
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  Winchester Park Fire Station
  Postcard
  
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  Y.M.C.A. Building
  Postcard
  
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  The Cooley Hotel Block, 1911
  Postcard
  
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  Connecticut Valley Historical Society, 1912
  Postcard
  
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  Select Stock at Forest Park
  Postcard
  
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  Main Street, 1915
  Postcard
  
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  Town Hall and Common West
  Postcard
  
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  New Police Department Building, 1917
  Postcard
  
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  West State Street, 1919
  Postcard
  
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  Public Library
  Postcard
  
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  Dancing at Riverside Park
  Postcard
  
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  State Street, West to Mass. Mutual Life Insurance Co.
  Postcard
  
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  Springfield Institution for Savings and Court House
  Postcard
  
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  Central High School, 1929
  Postcard
  
•  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
  Postcard
  
• 1935 - Friendly's Ice Cream is founded in Springfield
  
  www.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,...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Hotel Charles
  Postcard
  
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  St. Michael's Cathedral
  Postcard
  
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  Swett Bros. Heating & Appliance Co.
  Postcard
  
• 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...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1968 - February 17 - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Mass, opens
  
  historyorb.com
  February 17, 1968