Federal Square Historic District (Springfield, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Federal Square Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 Federal St., Springfield, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 17 acres (6.9 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 100003546 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2019 |
The Federal Square Historic District is a special area in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's known for its history. This district was once part of the famous Springfield Armory.
The Armory was a place where weapons were made. Federal Square is located across Federal Street from the main Armory grounds. It was home to some of the Armory's first buildings. This included a storage building for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Federal Square was also the site of a short fight during Shays' Rebellion. Four rebels were killed there. This historic area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. Today, Springfield Technical Community College is turning it into a center for technology businesses.
What is Federal Square?
Federal Square is right next to the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. It's a city block surrounded by Federal, State, Magazine, and Lincoln Streets. A fancy wrought iron fence goes around the block. The main entrance for cars is on Federal Street.
Buildings and Architecture
There are nine important buildings in Federal Square. Four of these were built between 1880 and 1900. They show off the Classical Revival style. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
Two other buildings were built in the 1940s. They have an Art Deco look. This style is known for its sleek, modern designs. Near the corner of State and Federal Streets, you can see a copy of an old milestone. Milestones were markers used to show distances on roads.
A Place of Innovation and Production
The Federal Square area has been part of the Springfield Armory since 1782. But it wasn't used much for making weapons until the late 1800s. This is where weapons were made for the Spanish–American War and World War I.
The famous M1 carbine rifle was also developed here. During World War II, Federal Square was likely the biggest weapon factory in the world. It produced 3.5 million M1 rifles! After the war, Federal Square became a place for new ideas and research. The entire Armory closed down in 1968.
