the historic arsenal at springfield, 1968-2008

430 Pages·2010·28.81 MB·English

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
History Program
Northeast Region
C G N P
ONFLICTING OALS FOR A ATIONAL ARK
T H A S , 1968-2008
HE ISTORIC RSENAL AT PRINGFIELD
S A N H S
PRINGFIELD RMORY ATIONAL ISTORIC ITE
A H
DMINISTRATIVE ISTORY

Conflicting Goals for a National Park:
The Historic Arsenal at Springfield, 1968-2008
Ned Kaufman
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Northeast Region History Program
July 2010

Recommended:

Louis P. Hutchins Date
Acting History Program Manager
Northeast Region

Approved:

Michael Quijano-West Date
Superintendent
Springfield Armory National Historic Site

C G N P
ONFLICTING OALS FOR A ATIONAL ARK

THE HISTORIC ARSENAL AT SPRINGFIELD
1968-2008

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

NED KAUFMAN

PREPARED UNDER COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN HISTORIANS

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
2010
Frontispiece. Site plan of Armory Square prepared by the National Park Service in 1967 shows Armory Square
and (at top) Federal Square at the height of their development, just before the Armory’s closure. The future
national park would be defined by the roughly rectangular dark outline below the arrows that traces the line of
the nineteenth century cast iron fence (NPS Evaluation Report, 1967).

Cover Illustration: The Main Arsenal at Springfield Armory, constructed in 1850. The
Arsenal building now holds the park’s administrative offices, visitor center, and museum
collections. Photograph ©James Langone, 2006

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations v

Preface vii

Chapter One: The End of the Armory 1
Springfield Armory in the History of America, and of Springfield
Springfield Responds to the Crisis
Springfield Plans for a Future without the Armory
A Technical Institute is Born, and the Question of Preservation Is Introduced
A Museum is Created, and the Problem of Preservation Reconsidered
Disposing of Federal Property, Exercising Federal Oversight
Postscript to the Prologue

Chapter Two: The Creation of the Park 51
Legislation is Introduced: 1970
An Unusual Kind of Park: The Plan is Elaborated, 1971-72
Negotiations with the Army and the State: 1971-72
Progress Towards Legislation: 1971-73
Controversy Over the Campus: 1971-73
Further Progress Towards Legislation: 1973
Difficulties Reaching Agreement with the State: 1973-74
Congress Authorizes the Park: 1974
Campus Plans, the Cooperative Agreement, and Section 106: 1974-75
Shifting Positions in the Battle over the Campus: 1975
Agreement is Reached and the Park Established: 1975-78
The Army Agreement: 1978
Postscript: The Campus and the Question of Federal Authority

Chapter Three: Planning the Armory, 1978-1993 115
The National Historic Site is Launched
Planning at the Armory: Process and Challenges
Planning at the Armory: Concepts
Renegotiating the Cooperative Agreement

Chapter Four: Rehabilitating the Armory 141
The Federal Zone
The Campus
Another Look at the Question of Federal Authority

Chapter Five: The Collections 201
Gaining Control Over the Collections
The Library and Archive
Archeology at the Armory
Defining the Collection
Conservation at the Armory
Curatorial Responsibility, Custody, and Ownership
The 2005 Collection Management Plan and the Question of Uniqueness

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Chapter Six: Interpreting the Armory and Serving its Publics 255
Defining the Goals and Limits of Interpretation
Interpretive Programming Up to 1989
Serving Other Parks
Visitor Services after 1989: Reorganization, Growth, and the Problem of Resources
New Programs, the Bicentenni al, and Civic Cooperation
The Problem of Visitation

Epilogue: Futures for Springfield Armory 291

Appendices 299

A. Authorizing Legislation 301
1. H.R. 19574 (October 5, 1970): the First Bill
2. S. 979 (December 5, 1973): the Bill Passed by the House and Senate
3. P.L. 93-486: the Legislation Enacted on October 26, 1974

B. Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding 311
1. Agreement with Massachusetts: 1978
2. Memorandum of Understanding with Massachusetts: 1993
3. Memorandum of Understanding with Massachusetts: 1999
4. Cooperative Agreement with Army: 1978
5. Interagency Agreement with Army: 2000
6. Firearms Disposition Center Agreement: 1997
7. Memorandum of Understanding with Seaboard Foundry: 1997
8. Memorandum of Understanding with Olmsted NHS: 1999

C. Documents Related to the Disposition of Federal Property 349
1. Deed of Transfer for Campus: 1968
2. Amendment to Application for Armory Square Property: 1968
3. Deed to the City of Springfield for Museum: 1968
4: Deed to the City of Springfield for School Board: 1968

D. Chronology of NPS Involvement with Springfield Armory (1975) 379

E. Inventories, Evaluations, and Nominations of Historic Structures 385
1. NPS Evaluation Report: 1967
2. National Register Nomination: 1968
3. List of Classified Structure: 2006

F. Superintendents of Springfield Armory NHS 399

G. Annual Visitation Statistics, 1979-2004 401

H. Organization Charts 403
1. As existing in 1991
2. Target of 1992 reorganization plan
3. As existing in 1993

Annotated List of Sources and Repositories and Note on Sources 407
A. Source Repositories
B. List of Sources

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece. Site plan of Armory Square in 1967. ...................................................................... ii
1.1. Armory Square, ca. 1830. ....................................................................................................... 3
1.2. Armory Square in 1875. ......................................................................................................... 3
1.3. Building 11 (West Arsenal) in 1967. ..................................................................................... 5
1.4. The Green in 2005. ................................................................................................................. 5
1.5. Buildings 15-16 in 2005. ......................................................................................................... 6
1.6. Building 13 (Main Arsenal) in 1967. ..................................................................................... 6
1.7. Building 1 (Commanding Officer’s Quarters) in 1967. ...................................................... 7
1.8. Cast Iron Fence: measured drawing. ................................................................................... 8
1.9. Building 7, 8, and 9, in 2005. .................................................................................................. 9
1.10. Building 19 (Long Storehouse or Caserne) in 1967. .......................................................... 9
1.11. Armory Square: aerial view in 1967. ................................................................................... 10
1.12. Federal Square: aerial view in 1967. ................................................................................... 10
1.13. Watershops area: aerial view in 1967. ................................................................................ 11
1.14. Railhead area: aerial view in 1967. ...................................................................................... 11
1.15. Dedication of the National Historic Landmark plaque, 1963. ....................................... 13
1.16. Dedication of the National Historic Landmark plaque, 1963. ....................................... 13
1.17. The Benton Collection in 1967. .......................................................................................... 23
1.18. The Benton Collection in 1967. .......................................................................................... 23
1.19. Springfield Trade High School about 1967. ...................................................................... 24
1.20. Students at Springfield Trade High School about 1967. ................................................. 26
1.21. Federal Square in 2005. ........................................................................................................ 32
1.22. Consultants’ proposed plan for S.T.C.C, 1967. ................................................................ 35
1.23. Main Arsenal: spiral stair in 2005. ...................................................................................... 39
1.24. Main Arsenal: rear facade in 2005. ..................................................................................... 40
1.25. Consultants’ proposal for Armory Museum with new portico, 1967. .......................... 41
1.26. Elevations of museum with proposed new portico and stair towers, 1967. ................. 42
1.27. Plan of proposed museum complex, 1967. ....................................................................... 42
2.1. Boundary Map prepared by NPS staff, 1973. ................................................................... 58
2.2. Land Ownership Map prepared by NPS staff, 1973. ....................................................... 58
2.3. General Development Plan prepared by NPS staff, 1972. .............................................. 63
2.4. Building 10 in 1967. .............................................................................................................. 65
2.5. Building 17 in 1967. .............................................................................................................. 65
2.6. S.T.C.C. master plan made public in 1971-72. .................................................................. 69
2.7. Perspective view of S.T.C.C. master plan. ......................................................................... 70
2.8 Land Acquisition Plan prepared by NPS staff, 1973. ....................................................... 71
2.9. Early version of S.T.C.C. master plan. ............................................................................... 72
2.10. Perspective of early version of S.T.C.C. master plan. ...................................................... 75
2.11. Perspective of S.T.C.C. master plan, possibly showing brick facing. ............................ 75
2.12. Presentation drawing of S.T.C.C. master plan. ................................................................ 78
2.13. Putnam Hall (new Building 17). ......................................................................................... 79
2.14. Deliso and Putnam Halls (new Buildings 13 and 17). ...................................................... 79
2.15. Putnam Hall (new Building 17). ......................................................................................... 81
2.16. Putnam Hall (new Building 17). ......................................................................................... 82
2.17. Site plan of S.T.C.C. campus, 1974. .................................................................................... 93
2.18. Scibelli Hall (new Building 15). ........................................................................................... 98
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3.1. Management zoning proposed in 1986. .......................................................................... 124
3.2. Development Concept Plan, 1986. ................................................................................... 127
3.3 Building 13: main entrance with concrete loading dock and wooden stairs. ............. 130
3.4 Site plan showing three levels of preservation controls. ............................................... 130
3.5. Museum as center of visitor experience: park historian holds firearm. ..................... 139
4.1. Gateway at State Street and Byers Street in 1967. .......................................................... 143
4.2. Organ of Muskets. .............................................................................................................. 148
4.3. Blanchard Lathe. ................................................................................................................. 149
4.4. Plan of exhibits in Main Arsenal. ...................................................................................... 150
4.5. View of permanent exhibits in Main Arsenal. ................................................................ 152
4.6. Sidewalk at Byers Street in 2002. ...................................................................................... 156
4.7. Sidewalk at State Street in 2002. ....................................................................................... 156
4.8. Early studies of reuse alternatives for Building 1. .......................................................... 159
4.9. Landscape behind Main Arsenal and Building 1, ca. 1950. .......................................... 161
4.10. College president Scibelli inspects the decaying porch of Buildings 5/6. ................... 178
4.11. College president Scibelli announces a new student parking lot. ................................ 178
4.12. Building 19: elevation drawing. ........................................................................................ 181
4.13. Building 19: study of reuse as technology center. .......................................................... 182
4.14. Building 19: study of reuse as student center. ................................................................. 183
4.15. Building 11 in 2005. ............................................................................................................ 185
4.16. Buildings 5-6 in 2005. ......................................................................................................... 186
4.17. Buildings 5-6 in 2005. ......................................................................................................... 188
4.18. Building 19 in 2005. ............................................................................................................ 190
4.19. Building 19 in 2005. ............................................................................................................ 192
4.20. Building 19 in 2005. ............................................................................................................ 192
4.21. Building 19 in 2005. ............................................................................................................ 193
4.22. Building 19 in 2005. ............................................................................................................ 193
4.23 Building 19 in 2009 ............................................................................................................. 198
5.1 View of permanent exhibits in Main Arsenal. ................................................................ 221
5.2. Table of size of selected park collections in 2008. ......................................................... 248
5.3. Ranks of firearms in the second floor storeroom of the Main Arsenal. ..................... 252
6.1. Signpost at street entrance to Springfield Armory NHS. .............................................. 258
6.2. Building 16, seen from the park’s entrance drive. .......................................................... 259
6.3. Same view, from a college publication. ............................................................................ 259
6.4. Park entrance route: a long series of parking lots. ......................................................... 261
6.5. Plan of wayside exhibits, 1986. ......................................................................................... 262
6.6. Wayside exhibit in front of the Main Arsenal. ............................................................... 264
6.7. Temporary exhibit in the Main Arsenal. ......................................................................... 277
6.8. Information kiosk at Main Arsenal in 2008. ................................................................... 289

Endpiece. Manikin holding gun, Main Arsenal. .......................................................................... 297

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