Wonderful National historic site conveniently located adjacent to Springfield Technical Community…read moreCollege. Free admission and onsite parking. Exhibits of armory and knowledgeable rangers available to discuss and answer any questions.

The Springfield Armory historical museum is a testament to the facility that was primarily…read moreresponsible for producing firearms for the US military beginning right after the Revolutionary War (1794) to the Vietnam War (1968). That's over 170 years and this museum chronicles that history. The Armory facility consisted of many buildings where all of the work and manufacturing was done. Today the land and many of the old buildings form the Springfield Technical Community College campus. So to get the museum you have to drive into the campus and head to the easy to find Armory building with the American flag on top. There is plenty of parking in front. Inside it is a museum that is all located on the ground floor that is run by the National Park Service so there are Rangers there to answer any question. Carl greeted me and was very nice and helpful. The museum shows everything from the beginning to the end of its existence. I found it very interesting to see manufacturing methods used in the 1800's where water power from nearby rivers was used to operate machinery to the transition to steam power and finally electricity. The ingenuity of craftsman back then is amazing in how they made things. Included in the museum is an informative 17 minute video about what took place at the Armory during all of these years. The output of this facility made the American soldier the best equipped in the world and provided for so many victories. Even if you aren't a gun nut, I believe you will enjoy coming here. The history of our nation is on display here and the best part of visiting is that the parking and admission are FREE. Budget about 1 hour to see it and yes they have a gift shop.

I came here one night and not only had awesome service but met the coolest folks performing the…read moreblues. The place had warmth, excellent service, a real local vibe but welcoming to out of towners. It's close to a Mexican spot that's amazing and above is the billiards - I really like the street that it's on too

Good food, Classic Americana Bar-style vibe with friendly fast service, even with large parties…read morelike us. For a "BBQ" place, Theodore's covers all of the usual bases - pulled pork, beef brisket, Baby Back Ribs, Short Ribs, St Louiis style ribs, chicken and sausage too. For those in the mood for something else, they also offer a couple of salads, and a tasty sounding Blackened Chicken Penne, burgers and incongruously, a smoked meatloaf dinner too! I'm a fan of meatloaf, but for this evening, I chose to stick with their staples and thus, the Baby Back Ribs plus my sides of chili and mac n cheese arrived soon upon our table. The Ribs were quite nearly fall-off-the-bone, moist and flavorful - I enjoyed slathering the ribs in the default BBQ sauces in squeeze bottles on our long dining table. PRO TIP: My compatriots who ordered the beef brisket found it dry and not to their liking. Maybe it was just that night.. who knows.. Either way, I wouldn't mind coming back.. Nothing too outstanding, but the ribs were certainly on point for me!

The sculpture garden is situated in a small park area that is surrounded by different museums. It's…read morea nice area to spend a couple hours sightseeing with family. There is limited parking in the area.

This sculpture garden is right in the center of Springfield Museum plaza. There were a handful of…read morecopper/metallic sculptures of many famous Dr. Seuss characters. There's also a giant book sculpture that has some famous verses from Dr Seuss engraved in it. The garden has elegant walking pavement covered by trees. It leads to entrances of four museums around the plaza. There's also an outdoor tent for people to sit in front of the garden. Overall it's a nice garden for families and kids.

"The warden threw a party in the county jail The prison band…read morewas there and they began to wail The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing" (Elvis Presley) What an awesome slice of Connecticut and U.S. history! At various times, the grounds housed the oldest copper mine in the U.S. and one of its oldest state prisons. The prisoners sentenced to the jail were mostly thieves, robbers and British sympathizers. One was a murderess (yes, this was a coed prison), and a few were imprisoned for "laziness"! The walk down into the mine put us on several staircases that were very wet (water is dripping everywhere), slippery and uneven. So if you're a little unsteady on your feet, you might want to think twice about the 75 foot descent into the lowest section of the mine. There will be plenty of handrails to guide you, and beware of a few stone "low bridges" you'll have to duck down to avoid. Otherwise you'll take a solid stone slab to the forehead. Another thing to mention is the temperature down there is pretty chilly. So even if you visit on a 95 degree day and you're wearing a tank top and shorts outside, you might want to pack a sweater or sweatshirt for your visit to the mine. It was very cool learning how the mine was built, and we saw remnants of some of the drilled holes where dynamite was lowered into the rock to blast away solid stone. We also saw traces of golden copper and green patina on the rocky walls. We learned that over the years there had been over 70 escape attempts, including one massive jailbreak where over 20 prisoners made it out. Just about all of them were eventually captured, but a few ran into the woods and were never found. After we came up from the mine floor, we explored the grounds and wandered among the remnants of the old jailhouse, guardhouse and prison yard. They were very creepy, and we saw some of the prisoner shackles and chains on display. Our tour guide was great, as was the friendly young lady at the ticket booth and gift shop. The surrounding grounds and view are quite beautiful, and we learned they are used for wedding and prom photos. So who knows, maybe this will be a wedding venue some day!

Beautiful historic and gruesome caverns. The property is well preserved for its time and very…read moreeerie. Enjoyed the tour underground in the mine shaft and the creepy ins and outs of the past

I grew up in the Bronx on a street named Gates Place. The next street over from Gates was Knox…read morePlace. Both streets were named after Revolutionary War Generals - Horatio Gates and Henry Knox. Henry Knox was a real hero of the Revolutionary War and his exploits have been memorialized in a series of 56 bronze plaques throughout Massachusetts and New York. Knox led an expedition that attacked and defeated the British at Fort Ticonderoga in New York. The real prize of that victory was 59 cannons that Knox commandeered and transported by ox-driven wagons all the way to Boston to drive out the Brits. Many historians consider this chain of events, led by Knox, to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The Henry Knox Cannon Trail traces the path that Knox travelled to transport those cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in the winter of 1775-1776. The Westfield marker is located at the intersection of Main Street (U.S. 20) and U.S. 202, in front of the Tavern Restaurant It's inscription reads: Through this Place Passed General Henry Knox In the Winter of 1775 - 1776 To Deliver To General George Washington At Cambridge The Train of Artillery From Fort Ticonderoga Used To Force the British Army To Evacuate Boston Erected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1927

Springfield's South End has long been a home for Italian Americans, and the streets still have…read moreItalian groceries and specialty shops. In front of the Mom and Rico market is a private monument to one of the greatest Italian American athletes of all time, Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano who bludgeoned his way through 49 fights without a single loss between 1952 and 1956. He defended his championship six times. He retired undefeated! Sadly, he died in a plane crash at the age of 46. The monument is a simple gray granite slab with a drawing of Marciano in the ring throwing a left. The inscription reads: In Memory Of Rocky Marciano Undefeated Heavyweight Champion 1952-1956 49-0 43-KO's Sept. 1, 1923 -- August 31, 1969 Dedicated Aug. 31, 1989

He was the first President born in the 20th century. he was one of the nation's youngest…read morepresidents. And for Americans of a certain generation, his death on November 22, 1963 was a shattering life event. The John F. Kennedy memorial plaza was funded by the parishioners of the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Holyoke and the memorial is located on front of the church. The memorial consists of a granite base and a bust of a youthful Kennedy. There are granite slabs flanking the memorial with quotes from his inaugural address and book "Profiles in Courage". Behind the memorial are granite blocks engraved with the names of recipients of the JFK award and the Grand Marshals of the St. Patrick's Day parade. The front of the base is inscribed: John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35th president of the United States May 29, 1917 Nov. 22, 1963 The back of the base has the presidential seal and the following inscription: John Fitzgerald Kennedy May 29, 1917 Nov. 22, 1963 The various inscriptions read: "And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country" inaugural address 1961 "All this will not be finished in the first hundred days, nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, but let us begin." inaugural address 1961 "A man does what he must -- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and damages and pressures, and that is the basis of all human morality" "Profiles in Courage" 1955 "... let us go forth to lead the land we love asking his blessing and his help, but knowing that here on earth god's work must truly be our own." Inaugural Address 1961

Not the biggest or most interesting memorial park I've been to, but a nice little park non the…read moreless. I drive by often and have stopped here a couple times and I'm actually really impressed with how well kept the memorial area is. I wouldn't say this location is something worth making a special trip, but do stop in if you're in the area.

The monument has been cleaned up quite a lot in the decade since Dan R. was here and it looks…read morepretty spectacular. The soldier stands ready, holding his rifle nearly horizontally with bayonet attached. He is wearing the usual Union cap and cloak, sporting a pretty spectacular moustache. The main plaque also looks recent, reading "Westfield honors the memory of her sons who have fallen in defence of library, union and indepences. 1861 to 1865. Erected 1871." Another plaque has a relief of a Native American and I have no idea what that's all about. [Review 18415 overall - 1135 in Massachusetts - 1937 of 2022.]

This awesome monument honors the sons of Westfield that were killed during the Civil War. It…read moreincludes a beautifully detailed sculpture of a Yankee soldier. He has a mustache and wears a long coat, a cape, and a cap. He is holding his rifle across his body, instead of vertically, like so many other monuments I've seen. Check out that nasty looking bayonet ! There are four plaques or relief sculptures on the sides of the monument. The three smaller plaques have the names of Westfield soldiers killed during the Civil War, one has the U.S. shield with an American eagle and four flags, and one has a very cool crest with an Indian brave and a curious disembodied arm brandishing a saber. The main plaque is engraved with: Westfield honors the memory of her sons who have fallen in defence of Liberty Union and Independence 1861 to 1865. --------------- Erected 1871 The two engraved plaques are tarnished and streaked, making them difficult to read. The marker is at the intersection of Court Street (U.S. 20) and Elm Street (U.S. 202).

This is a small taste of the Holyoke experience. The history of this city has a lot to do with…read morethese canals and the downtown scene. It's best to visit through the summer months as the community spirit comes alive with music and venues. However it's accessible year round and a great spot to walk.

This small urban path system is really coming together. Beautiful old brick buildings provide many…read morephotography opportunities. And now there are even a couple places to stop for coffee or a bite to eat nearby. Enjoy some of the history in the area.