History
In 1974, the United States Congress established the Springfield Armory National Historic Site (SPAR) to commemorate the critical role that Springfield Armory played in the nation's military and industrial history. First created as a military storage depot by the fledgling U.S. Army in 1777, Springfield Armory was authorized by Congress and President Washington to manufacture small arms for the nation's defense in 1794. The Armory was the federal center for the development and manufacture of U.S. military small arms from 1794 until its deactivation in 1968. Today, the National Park Service (NPS) manages a twenty-acre portion of the National Historic Site, which is home to the Benton Small Arms Collection, one of the world's largest historic firearm collections. This collection, along with historic structures and landscapes, form the core of the cultural and natural resources preserved and interpreted for public benefit.
Specialties
Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates the critical role of the nation's first armory by preserving and interpreting the world's largest historic US military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings, and landscapes.