The nation's first (and last) armory, the Springfield Armory was closed in 1968 when the government began outsourcing its weaponry needs to the private sector, and has since become one of the nation's 391 national park sites. During WWII, however, the armory employed some 13,500 workers—43 percent of them women—who manufactured the weapons that helped the U.S. (and its allies) defeat Adolf Hitler and the Nazi war machine.
This September, visitors to the armory will have more chances than usual to learn about this historic Springfield landmark as the extremely knowledgeable armory tour guides expand tour hours for both the Armory Buildings and Ground Tour and the Museums Exhibit Tour. Participants can learn about War of 1812 soldiers who are buried on the grounds, see where the inventor of the WWII M-1 Grand rifle worked, and view and learn about inventions like the Blanchard lathe and the Lyle life-saving gun.
Through Sept. 28, Mon.-Fri.: 2 p.m.; Sat.-Sun.: 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Springfield Armory National Historic Site, One Armory Square, Springfield, (413) 734-8551, www.nps.gov/spar.
