USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > King's handbook of Springfield, Massachusetts : a series of monographs, historical and descriptive > Part 20
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Court Square is practically the central common of the city. It is a small plat on Main Street, between Court and Elm Streets, which was made over to the county of Hampden, April 14, 1821, by these well-known citizens : Edward Pynchon, Daniel Bontecou, Eleazer Williams, Justice Willard, and James Wells. "In order," to quote their express phrase, "that there may be an open square or yard for the use of the inhabitants of the county near the court-house, divers persons, inhabitants of the town of Springfield, have, at a great expense, purchased this land of Elizabeth Sheldon, in said Springfield, in order that a court-house may be built thereon, and an open square or com- mon be in front thereof." It was "never to be aliened, leased, or encumbered in any manner," except that it might be fenced, secured, and ornamented with trees. There were already two or three elms on this ground; and under one - that in the south-east corner of the square- was the old tavern, now standing on Court Street, in which Gen. George Washington drank his flip when on his way between New York and Cambridge. It is recalled by "the oldest inhabitant," that there was just room for the old yellow-bodied, thor- ough-braced stage to swing around in fine style between this elm and the tavern door. The old Court House, the much older First Church, the City Hall, and the new Court House, dignify the surroundings of the square.
apeland det.
THE FORMER HOME OF DR. JOSIAH GILBERT HOLLAND AT BRIGHTWOOD.
Now owned by George C. Fisk.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
There are two small drinking-fountains, - one at the north-east, the other at the south-east, corner of Court Square, - which were presented to the city by Charles Merriam; but its pretentious fountain is a thing of the past. In 1841 James Byers gave a very handsome marble fountain, in which the water, descending from its jet, fell into three successive basins ; but it came in after-years to be considered a nuisance, and was taken to pieces, and removed. Soon there is to be, midway on the Main-street side, a fountain described later in this chapter. Here also is the Miles Morgan Statue, and later there will be the Deacon Samuel Chapin Statue.
City-hall Park, a small piece of land on Pynchon Street in the rear of the City Hall, was purchased by the city after the safety of that edifice had been much endangered in the burning of Music Hall and other buildings ; it was then cleared of the wooden dwellings upon it, in order to keep it open, and lay for several years unimproved and in a waste and slovenly condition. It is now a neat, turfed, and shaded square, surrounded by an iron fence, which was built in 1872; and when the city shall have put in a fountain, and the proprietor of the Gilmore Opera-house shall carry out his purpose of covering the blank rear wall of his building with ampelopsis, the place will be a pretty ornament to the city.
Stearns Park, a plat extending from Worthington to Bridge Streets, 260 feet, and fronting 80 feet on each, was given to the public for their use by the late Charles Stearns, 30 years ago. It contains a few trees and a foun- tain, but is not fenced. In the fire of May, 1875, it served well as a barrier against the spread of the flames in one direction.
Winchester Park is a triangle of land at the separation of the Boston and Wilbraham roads, at the head of State Street. It derives its name from the late Charles A. Winchester, in whose mayoralty it was first enclosed and made a park, being already common-land. There was for a time talk of enlarging the area by buying further territory eastward; but as that territory is now occupied for manufacturing purposes, and crossed by a rail- road, doubtless nothing of the sort will ever be done. This park has lately been adorned by a fountain.
Kibbe Park is another small triangle, also adorned by a fountain, at the junction of Federal and Armory Streets, which was given to the city by Horace Kibbe.
Buckingham Park (formerly known as Mcknight Park), bounded by Buckingham Place, Buckingham and Bay Streets, is a pretty little plat, laid out with fountains, by the brothers John D. and W. H. McKnight, and given by them to the public.
Clarendon Fountain is similar to Buckingham Park, and was given by the same persons ; and, although both were designed to make more desirable cer- tain pieces of real estate, they are, nevertheless, useful ornaments to the city.
1
2
3
Copeland del ..
I A Guard.
2 Officers' Quarters.
3 Guard-house and Barracks.
VIEWS IN THE UNITED-STATES ARMORY GROUNDS.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
The last-named four parks are situated on Armory Hill, east of the grounds of the Federal Government, which form the largest open tract in the city, part of which is open to the public under certain restrictions.
There are also a few other squares or small parks, such as the following : - Gladwood Park, at the junction of Armory Road with North Main Street. Hanover-street Park, on the corner of Elmwood and Hanover Streets.
Jefferson-avenue Parks, on Jefferson Avenue, between Sheldon and Montmorenci Streets.
North Main Street Parks, on North Main, from Vine Street to Carew Street.
Sherman Square, at the foot of Farnsworth Street.
Edgewood is a forest tract of about 100 acres, bought by Daniel B. Wes- son, James Kirkham, and Justin D. Sackett, at the time of the purchase of Oak-Grove Cemetery. It borders the Bay Road on the east, directly oppo- site the cemetery ; and the owners are now opening drives through it for the benefit of the public. The forest comprises many comparatively old and large trees, oak, white pine, yellow pine, hemlock, soft maple, chestnut, and the birches among them ; and it is designed to leave the woods as they are, without even cutting the underbrush, the owners justly thinking that un- touched nature will be more interesting in Edgewood than the trimmest of landscape-gardening. A marsh of three or four acres in the midst of this wood is to be closed by a low dam at the south end, so as to transform it into a pond; and the surface of the land is sufficiently broken to allow of much variety and pleasing picturesqueness of view by a judicious laying-out of the roads.
The United-States Armory Grounds have been acquired by purchase at various times since Congress (in 1794) established the national gun-factory in Springfield. The main portion of the grounds on which the Arsenal and the various shops and officers' houses stand was bought in 1801, and Federal Square, northward, in 1812, of the town of Springfield ; both these tracts being then known as the "training-fields " of the militia. The slope of the hill south-westward from the rear of the Arsenal to Byers Street, and north-westward from behind the long sheds to Pearl Street, was added in Col. Ripley's administration, by separate purchases from various citizens. Union or Armory Square, lying like a court-yard between the shops and quar. ters, is laid out with walks, and handsomely set with various forest-trees, and the slopes are likewise planted; the western corner, on Pearl and Byers Streets, being the favorite resort of birds all summer. The tasteful land- scape gardening and skill in forestry displayed in these plantations are due principally to Major Edward Ingersoll, under direction of the several super intendents and commanding officers who have succeeded each other during his almost 42 years' service as paymaster, from which he was retired in
1
THE HAMPDEN PARK ASSOCIATION'S TROTTING-COURSE.
In Hampden Park.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
1882. The square with its various shops, and the Arsenal tower for its un- rivalled general view of the city and surrounding country, are objects of especial interest to every visitor to the city. The public are permitted to enter, under certain restrictions, tobacco and dogs being altogether forbidden; and an air of military surveillance rather oppresses the common citizen as he walks through. Federal Street, on the north, divides these principal grounds from Federal Square, which is now closed to the public, although it was formerly opened to them, for a variety of purposes, by the late Col. Benton, whose liberal and friendly participation in the life of the city will long be remembered. Base-ball games were played therein, and in the winter skat- ing-ponds were formed for the safe pleasure of the children of the vicinity. The first horse-show ever held in this country - and those who managed it think the best one ever held - took place on Federal Square in 1855. The square formerly contained the storehouses, the block-house and magazine of the Armory, and likewise a schoolhouse where the children of those who dwelt on federal territory were taught. The last of these buildings was removed more than 30 years ago, and the only building now on the ground is the experiment gallery for testing the accuracy of the guns. The square is symmetrically laid out, and set with trees, and contains, inclusive of that part of it opened as Benton Park, 16 acres ; the main Armory grounds comprising some 57 acres.
Benton Park, which borders Federal Square on the south-east, and ex- tends from Oak to Federal Streets, is the fortunate result of joint action by the Federal Government and the city; the co-operation of the government having been obtained by Col. J. G. Benton, commandant at the Armory for 15 years, who died, before the work was completed, in the fall of 1881, and whose memory the grateful city preserves by attaching his name to this refreshing spot. The fence around Federal Square was set back on all sides, on Fed- eral, Lincoln, Magazine, and State Streets ; the city, on its part, discontinued a road on the north side of the fine row of elms which then divided State Street ; the whole space was then graded, turfed, and provided with a foun- tain ; and the generosity of a citizen placed seats therein. Benton Park pos- sesses an interesting monument in the "Boston stone," so-called, which stands at the south-west corner, enclosed by a stone curbing. This stone, which is adorned with Masonic emblems, and bears the marks of the bullets of Gen. Lincoln's troops when they dispersed the Shays' rioters in January, 1787, was erected in 1763 by Joseph Wait, a Brookfield merchant, - who had lost his way at this point in a fearful snowstorm, - "for the benefit of travel- 'ers," as the inscription states. To judge by a motto inscribed above, - "Virtus est sua merces," - Mr. Wait was sceptical of human gratitude.
Hampden Park lies north of the Union Depot, between the Connecticut- river Railroad and the river; its boundaries being Plainfield and Fulton
van Siyon & Co Boston
anulB. Wesson
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Streets, Town Brook, and the river. Its area is 63 acres. It was bought in 1857, by the Hampden County Agricultural Society, in direct consequence of the success of the great horse-show on Federal Square before referred to. It was diked at once, and was occupied by the society and used by them for their exhibitions, and leased for horse-races until 1879, when J. H. South- worth bought it, to dispose of it the next year to the Hampden Park Associa- tion, incorporated with a capital of $25,000, who are its present owners. It is known as one of the best trotting-tracks of the country, and many of the fastest trotters and pacers have shown their speed here. It is provided with a grand stand, stables, and all other appurtenances : it also comprises a base- ball ground. It has two trotting-tracks, one being a half-mile and the other a mile in length. The dike, some 20 feet above the river, is set with trees, and affords a pleasant promenade. Circuses and menageries commonly exhibit on this park. It is also a favorite place for bicycle tournaments, and here also exhibitions of fireworks are given; and it has been the scene of militia encampments, and during the war was at times occupied by troops in temporary camp.
Statues are not numerous in Springfield, there being only two publicly displayed, but they are both worthy of praise.
The Soldiers' Monument in the Springfield cemetery is the first of these. in point of time. It crowns a knoll above the receiving-tomb, and faces the entrance from Maple Street. It is the work of Manuel Power of New York, and represents a private soldier standing in the attitude of guard-rest .. The face is excellently American, - intelligent, nervous, resolute, and quiet. The statue stands beneath a great oak, and upon a pedestal of granite, on whose front is wrought a branch of leaves very effective sculpturally, though not exactly like any familiar palm. On the lot around the monument are placed four bronze cannon which were presented by the United-States Gov- ernment, at the request of Hons. H. L. Dawes and C. C. Chaffee. The monument itself was erected from the unexpended balance of the " Soldiers'- Rest Fund," which was established in 1864, for the relief of soldiers going to or coming from the front and needing rest or doctoring; and it was dedi- cated on Memorial Day, 1877.
The Miles Morgan Statue, erected in Court Square by "a descendant of the fifth generation " of an early settler, is the work of J. S. Hartley. It shows the sturdy, bearded Puritan, in his high-crowned hat, with his rude hoe in the right hand and his bell-mouthed musket on his left shoulder, evi- dently on his morning way to the field, with a sharp eye out for Indians. The figure is full of spirit and character, and the details are well worked out. It is, in fine, one of the most admirable works of the kind in the country ; surpassed by only one or two in New York, and far surpassing the greater
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
number of the statues of that city : it would do credit to a European capi- tal, and considerably enhances the fame of the sculptor of "The Whirl- wind." The statue stands on a pedestal of granite, encircled at the top with festoons of oak-leaves - the civic wreath. The donor was the late Henry T. Morgan, a well-known banker of New-York City.
The Deacon Samuel Chapin Statue, it is expected, will shortly keep company with the Miles Morgan statue. Deacon Chapin was one of the early settlers, and was the progenitor of the great family of that name throughout the country. The late Chester W. Chapin, shortly before his decease, gave a commission for this statue to Augustus St. Gaudens, who is now ac- ttively at work upon it.
The Drinking-Fountains in the city are six in number. There are two at the Main- street front of Court Square, one on Bridge Street near Stearns Park, one on the corner of Walnut and State Streets, an- other on Armory Street near Sum- mer Street, and the newest is near Smith & Wesson's manu- factory. The lat- ter is a unique marble pump, erected by the - generosity of D. B. Wesson in 1883 ; and, stand-
MILES.MORGAN AN-EARLY-SETTLER.OFF SPRINGFIELD CIER 1690 ERECTED-IN-1882. BY:ONE OF.HIS-DECENDANTS . O P THE .FIFTH .GENERATION
Garland del.
Miles Morgan Statue in Court Square.
ing at the corner of the street, it furnishes a continual stream of pure water to the thousands of operatives who are engaged in this vicinity. There is also an ample supply of watering-troughs in and around the city.
The Wesson Fountain, to be erected early in 1884, is the generous gift of Daniel B. Wesson. It is the most pretentious drinking-fountain the city has yet had, and when put in its assigned place, midway on the Main-street
ל
THE DANIEL B. WESSON DRINKING-FOUNTAIN.
In Court Square.
244
KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
side of Court Square, will draw the admiration of all passers-by. To make suitable provision for it, the city has voted to remove the present iron gates, and run the iron railing backward in semi-circular form. The characteris- tic quality of the design is an imposing simplicity. Its material is mainly granite, and its chief ornament a bronze lion's head, from the mouth of which will come a constant stream of water. The extreme height will be about 9} feet, and the long diameter of the elliptical-shaped shaft will be about 3} feet. The design is by Gilbert & Thompson1 of New York, and the marble and gran- ite work is by John H. Cook & Co. of this city. The entire cost, by the time the fountain is in running order, will reach $2,- 500.
.
Copeland . 1 del_
Granite Pump, Stockbridge and Willow Streets.
Ponds. - Within the city limits, there are seven ponds, popularly known by the following names: Five- mile Pond, in Ward 8, between Boston Road and the Boston and Albany Rail-
road, 4} miles east of the City Hall. Four-mile Pond, in Ward 8, being 3} miles east of the City Hall. Harmon's Pond, in Ward 7, being 2} miles south-east of City Hall. Long Pond, in Ward 8, being 5 miles north-east of City Hall. Loon Pond, in Ward 8, being 5 miles east of City Hall. Water- shop Pond, in Wards 5 and 7, being 2 miles south-east of City Hall. The Card-factory Pond, in the rear of the Olivet Church, and on the eastern edge of the region once known as " Skunk's Misery," took its name from a wool- card factory, to which, over half a century ago, its water furnished so scant a motive power that it had to be supplemented by the labor of two huge mastiff dogs confined in a treadmill.
- CHARLES GOODRICH WHITING.
I The design has since been modified by John H. Cook & Co., who construct the fountain.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
United States Armory.
THE ARSENALS, WATER-SHOPS, SUPERINTENDENTS, ARMS, STATIS- TICS, AND ANECDOTES.
G ENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON, passing through Springfield in October, 1789, on his way to Boston, - on public business, -saw, and probably approved of, the present site of the United-States Armory. "The
The Arsenal Building and Gateway, from State Street.
establishment of this Armory was by Act of Congress, passed in April, 1794; and in 1795 the work commenced with about forty hands." The first deed of land to the United States, after the passage of the above Act, was recorded 1795. The United-States Government had previously pur-
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
chased land upon the " Hill;" and where the Water-shops are now situated, suitable buildings were constructed, and work upon small-arms fairly com- menced in 1795. Before it was decided by the authorities which of the three places then being considered - Hartford, Springfield, and West Spring- field - was the most desirable site for the manufacture of such ammunition, muskets, appendages, and accoutrements, as might be wanted by the United- States Government, the inhabitants of West Springfield decidedly objected to having the Armory located within their borders ; and for a good reason : the most skilful mechanics in those days were discharged soldiers, deserters from the British regulars, and foreign troops who had been under British authority, - mercenaries, - all of whom were lawless and unprincipled, who defied all control; and the good people of West Springfield, most of them farmers, had visions of robbed hen-roosts, ravaged gardens, depredations committed on Sundays while they were, or would like to be, peacefully at church. Where the Water-shops now stand, there stood, previous to 1809, a powder-mill, which from accident blew up, and, the land being clear, the " upper Water-shops" were constructed; buildings erected both sides of Mill River, in which was to be executed the work requiring water-power. Previous to the completion of the "upper Water-shops," the operations of forging, drilling, boring, grinding, and polishing were done by hand. From time to time, as circumstances demanded, land, buildings, and machinery have been added, till the United-States Armory of 1883 has a world-re- nowned reputation, which has been earned for it by the efficiency of its successive superintendents and commandants, civil and military, their high standing morally, socially, and politically, not only in this immediate com- munity, but over the whole country ; by the skill, genius, hard work mentally and physically, and loyalty of the artificers and artisans employed ; and by the liberality displayed by the government in its fostering, favoring, and sometimes partiality to, this branch of its War Department.
Arsenals. - " Beautiful for situation " indeed, can be said of the city of Springfield ; and, the Main Arsenal having been erected upon almost the highest point of land within the limits of the city, the view from its top, or bell-deck, is in many respects surpassed by few, if any, in New Eng- land. Before the late civil war, there were four arsenals which were used solely for the storage of small-arms and their appendages, - three, the Mid- dle, East, and West Arsenals, facing and but a few feet from State Street ; and the new, or Main Arsenal, upon the brow of the hill which overlooks the city. In 1860, during the superintendency of Capt. George Dwight, the Middle Arsenal was converted into a workshop. This building is situated upon the highest point of land in Springfield; being 159} feet above the aver- age level of the Connecticut River, and 199} feet above tide-water. Later, when Major A. B. Dyer was commandant, the East and West Arsenals were
This is the firstnal. from flor to ceiling , Like a huge organ, rige the bur nished arms;
Longfellow .
1.1
Copeland.
A ROOM IN THE MAIN ARSENAL.
At United-States Armory.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
also used as workshops. The Main Arsenal, which was built during the superintendency of Col. James W. Ripley, and under his personal supervis- ion, was copied to some considerable extent from the East-India House in London, England. It was begun in 1846, and finished a few years later. The building is 200 feet long by 70 wide, three stories high, with a storage capacity of about 300,000 arms, - 100,000 upon each floor. It is impossible to describe the impression which is made upon one's mind at the first view of the interior, where
" From floor to ceiling,
Like a huge organ rise the burnished arms."
As you enter the door, and pass down the "aisle " to the lower or south end of the room, 50,000 stands of arms are brought into view; retrace your steps, and by walking to the upper or north end, another 50,000 are seen; and from their peculiar arrangement in racks, or stanchions, it requires no vivid imagination to see before you one hundred regiments of infantry in brigade or division columns. In 1864 Col. T. T. S. Laidley commandant, an at- tempt was probably made to destroy the Main Arsenal by means of an infernal machine. Two men, just at night, asked permission to ascend the stairs to the top of the tower. The arsenal-keeper, at that time suspicious of every stranger who entered its doors, endeavored to dissuade them from the undertaking: it would be a long, tedious ascent; it was late, and not much could be seen in the then almost twilight; in fact, it would not pay for the trouble. The strangers had a ready answer to all objections : " Not go to the top of the world-renowned Springfield Arsenal when we are once in the building? Pooh ! of course we will take any amount of trouble, so as not to return home and say, 'Yes, in Springfield we visited the Armory, went through its workshops, saw the muskets in the arsenal, but did not think it worth the trouble to climb to the top of the tower.' No, we will go up, then we will be satisfied." And up went the arsenal-keeper and the two strangers. The stay upon the top was short ; and with, " It is late, gentle- men : it is growing dark," the keeper hurried his visitors down the stairs to the ground floor. A watchman, whose duty it was to ascend to the top deck every night before closing, found a bundle near the clock, envel .. oped in a newspaper. The bundle was taken down to the lower floor, and examined enough to know that it was something dangerous, and then handed over to the proper authorities. The next day it was found to be made of iron covered with some substance which made the whole appear like a lump of anthracite coal, had a fuse, was hollow, and filled with some substance unknown. With proper caution it was sawn through (this opera- tion was done with the machine immersed in water), and the filling proved to be powder. What is left of this curiosity is now in the museum, which is in a room near the commandant's office. From a pencil memorandum
11
TVE
THE U.
WATER
SHOPS .
FORGING, ROLLING, BORING, AND ANNEALING DEPARTMENT. Walnut and Hickory Streets.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
found upon a piece of paper with the bundle, deciphered with the aid of a magnifying-glass, a clew was obtained from which it appeared that the strangers had come from Canada to the States.
Varieties and Qualities of Small-Arms. - From 1795, in which year the United-States Government made their first musket, to the present time, there have been fabricated from twelve to fifteen different kinds, or models, of small-arms at the Springfield Armory: such as, the King's Arm, the Queen's Arm, the French Model, the 1822, 1840, and 1842 models, all of which were "flint-lock" guns; the 1847; the 1855, or Maynard Primer Model, which was the first rifled gun made by the Government; the 1862, and the 1865, or Springfield Model, these last two being percussion-lock, and all thus far enumerated models being muzzle-loading; the 1873 breech- loading gun, etc., etc. The King's and the Queen's Arm each had a large bore or calibre : the barrel was long, and the arm completed was heavy and clumsy. The French Model had a small calibre, short barrel, light stock, and for those days, 1795-1809, was a handsome fire-arm. At the com- mencement of this century, the United States were at peace with the world in general; and having no particular or immediate use for the arms they were then making, and finding that if not disposed of, - the accumulation in 1809 would have been about 53,000, - they would have to stop the manu- facture of them, and not being disposed to do this, used to sell from their stores ; and the Indians were the purchasers in most instances. The first model made was the French : a large number of these were in use : in fact, the French furnished most of the small-arms used by the army through the war with England. The King's and the Queen's Arm were much in vogue, had a good reputation, and there were plenty of them scattered through the States, being often sold at auction in large and small quantities. The Indians were first persuaded to trade for the French Model, but soon their demand was " Small gun no good : big gun, big noise, big bullet; no boy's gun for Indian." And thereafter they would buy only those of large calibre : the King's Arm or the Queen's Arm was the gun for them. The 1822 model was the first American gun, and was at the time superior to any foreign arm. The 1840 model was the musket used in the Polk or Mexican war. The 1855, or Maynard Primer Model, was used with good results by the "regular army " on the western and north-western frontier in engagements with the Indians. Of this model, when the late war began, only about 40,000 had been made; and, as many of these had been distributed to the army, what remained in store were in use early in 1861, so that until the 1862 model could be made and put into the field, the regulars and the volunteers were provided with such arms as could be procured for them, either at home or abroad ; accordingly "Enfields," " Austrians," " Bel- gians," flint-locks, rifles, fowling-pieces, any thing in the shape of a gun that
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