Are you a descendant of a former Armory employee? Do you know someone who worked at the Armory? Are you interested in the Armory workforce? Join us for an afternoon as we highlight these “Soldiers of Production” on the home front. Visitors will hear recollections of former workers captured years ago as part of an oral history project. Family members of some of those former workers will join a panel session at 2:15 p.m. with local historian David Glassberg. Learn how to acquire personnel records from our archivist, hear what it was like to work at the Armory and more!
Schedule of events:
1 p.m. Ranger-led program exploring stories of the past while immersed in the atmosphere of the Armory grounds.
1:30 p.m. Archivist Eleanore Kohron will show you how to discover your family history.
2:15 p.m. Panel discussion with family members of Armory workers, and David Glassberg, local historian.
2:45 p.m. Participant discussion and sharing of memorabilia. Includes refreshments.
Free. Open to the public.
Throughout the year, staff at the National Park Service site work to connect people with tales of this remarkable place, which helped kickstart the Industrial Revolution on this side of the Atlantic.
ABOUT THE PARK:
Started during the Revolutionary War, the Springfield Armory was the official armory for the United States until 1968. In 1978, the site opened as the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, which contains the original 1840s arsenal houses and the largest collection of government produced guns in the United States. It also focuses on the innovation and manufacturing processes developed at the site.
Springfield Armory National Historic Site is the location of the nation’s first armory (1794 – 1968) and was established by George Washington. The site includes historic grounds, buildings, and the world’s largest historic American military firearms collection.
There is no entrance fee to visit Springfield Armory National Historic Site. The Museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, 9:30am-4:00pm.
