Seibert identifies several different lines of the underground railroad through essex county. The local history and genealogy archive is open tuesday through friday, 11am4pm. This website will attempt to deal with the history of springfield ma, using catagorized photos, historical. Railroad historical museum springfield 2020 all you. The city grew, and such industries as printing, machine manufacture, insurance, and finance took hold and prospered. Nevertheless, it would be almost 10 years before springfield would have any railroad connection to replace the steamships. Our society has published several books about the boston and maine railroad. Abolitionists and the underground railroad in essex county national park service. Abolitionists and the underground railroad in essex county.
History and directory of springfield and north springfield. Railroad extra history of the railways of massachusetts. In the nineteenth century, springfield became a major railroad center and experienced another industrial boom. Springfield, massachusetts, was a big abolitionist hub during the days of the underground railroad not that many people know this. It was an ancient indian crossroad for two major trade routes. In spring of 1848, the town began to exhume and remove the remains and monuments to the new springfield cemetery also known as the peabody cemetery, begun in 1841. Springfield union station closed in the 1970s, a witness to the postwar ascendancy of the suburbs and the decline in intercity rail. On 1 october 1839, the western railroad opened its line from springfield eastward to boston. Fortunately, the town was on the east bank of the river.
One of the central issues surrounding the creation of a native american history in the connecticut river valley stems from the paucity of records left by these subjects, as opposed to the multitude of documents. The springfield rail improvements project srip along with the springfieldsangamon county transportation center project ssctc are hosting a public open house on thursday, march 12 from 4. It was a native american crossroad for two major trade routes. Springfield is a city in the state of massachusetts, united states, and the seat of hampden county. During the american civil war the armory built 1794 and now a national historic site produced the wellknown springfield muskets. Springfield factory, still under construction, on track to.
This is a great place to learn about railroad history and the volunteers are informative and very kind. West springfield, across the connecticut river, became an industrial and rail transport hub, beginning with the coming of the western railroad in 1841. Rail repair shops were also built in west springfield in 1896. Page 1 wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. Service operated until the late 1960s when the boston and maine railroad discontinued its passenger rail service north of springfield. Springfield, its railroad and the people who keep the. Kids and grownups can come take a ride around the quadrangle on this trackless train. Posted feb 12, 2017 company and city officials tour the crrc plant in springfield. The history of springfield, massachusetts springs in large part from its favorable geography, situated on a steep bluff overlooking the connecticut rivers confluence with three tributaries. Union station served the many rail lines that passed through this industrial city including the hartford and springfield railroad. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the connecticut river near its confluence with three rivers.
Springfield, massachusetts historic book collection. Louissan francisco line constructed its railroad through an area north of springfield instead of through springfield itself, establishing a new city, north springfield, with commercial street as its downtown in 1871. Passenger rail service in the connecticut river valley region of western massachusetts started in 1845 when the connecticut river railroad completed a rail road between springfield and northampton. From 1926 until after world war ii, rail travel thrived and springfield union station was the heart of a bustling district that included the north blocks of downtown and the adjacent north end. History of the area springfield, mo official website. Located throughout the stations public areas, they tell the history of springfield and union station. This high quality book contains 230 photos of steam locomotoves, brand new diesels, stations, towers and yards that are richly captioned with details about the railroads operation and history. Springfields bridges across the connecticut springfield. The new railroad tracks also had been laid across the grounds. Railroad historical museum springfieldgreene county. The railroad historical museum is dedicated to the preservation of the frisco and other railroad history. The underground railroad was a series of safe houses that stretch from the south all the way to canada these safe houses provided shelter and protection for runaway slaves trying to find freedom in the north. Springfield, massachusetts historic book collection 19 books exploring springfield, its history, culture and its genealogy important. Additional records are listed on the county and state pages.
National park service in his 1936 book, the underground railroad in massachusetts, wilber h. Traveling the underground railroad in massachusetts. Springfield, massachusetts boston and albany railroad co. Railroads, the pioneers building americas transportation backbone, and more. Springfield, massachusetts historic book collection 19 books exploring springfield, its history, culture and its genealogy important citizens in the 19th and early 20th centuries tha new media llc on. But a history of the town would not be complete without a sketch of the incidents relating to the construction of the atlantic and pacific railroad. Amherst railway society railroad hobby show, west springfield, ma january new england train show, dover, nh april. Springfields transformation from a farming to a manufacturing community was hastened by the building of an arsenal in 1777, which supplied arms during the american revolution and was a target of attack during shayss rebellion in 1786. Our plural history bibliography doc springfield technical community colleges library resource s. The nonprofit museum is staffed and operated entirely by volunteers. Springfield factory, still under construction, on track to supply nations rail cars updated jan 07, 2019.
Local history and genealogy springfield city library. As north springfield was not apparently thought of much before the year 1870, its history is necessarily brief, and may soon be told. William pynchon and a company of six men from roxbury, a town near boston, established springfield in 1636 at the junction of the agawam and connecticut rivers. From the above it will be seen that there are now four bridges across the connecticut within the space of two miles and a half.
As affluence increased, it became a gracious city with a noted educational system. This book is also a nice read for anyone who may simply be interested in learning something about the region. History of the railways of massachusetts history of the railways of massachusetts. Engineer dan decosmo will entertain riders with comedy, train songs and inspirational routines like the little train that could. This page primarily lists records kept at the city level.
The original inhabitants of todays springfield, ma found their lives and cultures altered with the onset of european colonization. Springfield massachusetts, united states britannica. The library offers inlibrary access to the genealogical database, and remote access for springfield city library cardholders to heritagequest. Springfields passenger depot, presumably soon after its construction in 1926. When talking about massachusetts history, western mass isnt well represented in historical texts theyre more focused on boston. We will present stories about springfields history, advocate for historical preservation, and provide a place for users to contribute their own knowledge of springfields past. Brief history of springfield, ma springfield, massachusetts has a history which dates back to early colonial america. Those benches and i think i recall a brass baggage stand just in front of the ticket counter. Open horizons and closed vistas, the railroad comes to. The museum is located at grant beach park, inside four antique train cars, including a 1943era frisco locomotive no.
Murry street south entrance 66 lyman street the south entrance provides easy access to the station concourse which runs under the tracks and the stairway and elevator that leads to. History of springfield, massachusetts facts for kids. Springfield rail improvements project springfield rail. There are many handson things for children to do such as ring the bell and explore the cab of the frisco 4524 locomotive, the burlington baggage car, the chicago northwestern commuter car and the burlington northern caboose. The boston and albany railroad was formed by a series of mergers beginning in 1867 that subsumed both the first commercial line in new england, the boston and worcester railroad chartered 1831 and the western railroad 1833, the most important line in western massachusetts. Of the four bridges mentioned, the only one still standing is the railroad bridge. Springfield also sits on some of the northeastern united states most fertile soil.
Springfield genealogy in hampden county, ma usa 1,060,369 massachusetts 47,432 hampden county 2,799 springfield 629. The first part in a series exploring the history of springfields main street railroad arch and the movement to separate the grades. Then said i, lo, i come in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, o god. According to a history of the wabash railroad on the university of missouri at st.
Boston and maine railroad central new england railway new york, new haven and hartford railroad co. Although slavery was illegal in northern states, the fugitive slave act passed in 1793 and 1850 make it legal for slave hunters to travel to free states and capture runaway slaves. Census, which makes it the states sixth mostpopulous city, the second largest outside of the chicago metropolitan area after rockford, and the largest in central illinois. I grew up in the springfield area and remember well springfield union station traveling on the new haven railroad to new york and back around christmas time. Louis web site, this was the first railroad built in the mississippi valley. Manchesters railroads 1965 1990 by rick kfoury 2019. As of the 2010 census, the citys population was 153,060. Massachusetts railroads date all of the way back to 1826 when the granite railway was chartered on march 4th of that year. By the 1940s, springfield had become a city of institutions and nationally known manufacturers. History and culture find out about things to do in springfield springfield preservation trust. Springfield, ma city library the africanamerican experience. The springfield, ma histories book collection is a group of 19 books that detail the history of springfield primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Here you will find a list of websites related to the underground railroad in massachusetts and across the united states.
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