Springfield is called "the city of the first" because of the large number of innovations that the world saw here ."New", appeared in Springfield, is the first dictionary of American English (Webster, 1806 g .), the first car on a gasoline engine (Duryea, 1893 g .), the first American motorcycle (Indian, 1901 g .), the first modern fire engine and fire department (1905 and 1907 yy .), the first commercial American radio station .Finally, it is Springfield that is considered the birthplace of basketball as a sport .Even Springfield, which sounds a bit strange, is called the "city of houses" for the beautiful Victorian architecture .And in 2010 .This city in Massachusetts won the fourth place in the top ten "greenest" in the United States .
How to get to Springfield (Massachusetts)
Springfield is located in the heart of New England, between the main tourist destinations: New York, Boston, Vermont and Canada. Bradley International Airport is located 20 km south of the city. In the city there are 2 regional railway terminals "Amtrak", and the latter connects Springfield with Virginia via Connecticut and with Washington on a branch to North Vermont. In addition, the city can be reached from Chicago, Albany, New York, Boston (from the latter - including frequent buses).
Search flights to Boston (the nearest airport to Springfield, Massachusetts)
"World of Cinema and Casino", 7n. - from 85 900 rubles per person + flight
Combinations in cities + holidays in the Hawaiian Islands!
Nat. US parks and casino tours to Las Vegas!
A bit of history
The city was founded in 1636 .and is named after the founder's hometown in England .In 1675 g .The Indians burned it to the ground, but the city was reborn, and in 1777 g .George Washington and Henry Knox founded here the US Arsenal, which operated until the Vietnam War .Arsenal attracted qualified workers to the city, and Springfield grew and developed in all senses for several centuries, becoming a national example of a city that "made itself" .In particular, Springfield in Illinois was renamed in honor of Massachusetts Springfield in the hope of becoming as advanced and advanced .
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Springfield
The Springfield Arsenal National Park is in a location that George Washington chose for himself for the first US arsenal. Here was created the first American musket, and here for centuries the famous rifle "Springfield" was created. Now half of the territory is given to the national park and the museum with one of the largest collections of weapons in the world. Behind is an attractive campus of a technical college, which occupies several old buildings of the arsenal. Entrance to the national park is free.
- Admire the "painted ladies" - Victorian houses, which in the Forest Park area there are about 600 and about 900 - in the McKnight area.
- Drive to Holyoke, which is 15 km upstream to see hundreds of dinosaur tracks on sandstone cliffs. Dinosaurs were not very big, but they ran on two legs.
- From Holiok get to Amherst (about 40 km from Springfield), where the Emily Dickinson House-Museum is located.
The main cultural attraction of Springfield is the so-called Quadrangle, which is on State Street .This is a group of museums, including world class .Among them are the Dr. Seuss Sculpture Garden and the Springfield City Library .The Art Museum houses a large collection of European impressionists and post-Impressionists, including masterpieces of Monet, Degas and Gauguin, as well as a large collection of American artists, including Whistler and Harding, both natives of the city .The Museum of Science still operates the first planetarium in the country (built in 1937 .), and there is a large exhibition devoted to dinosaurs, with replicas of exotic ecosystems .
And the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum is world-famous for the largest collection of Chinese cloisonné cloisonne outside of China. Also here you can see a selection of ancient Asian weapons. The Museum of the History of the Connecticut Valley is dedicated to the natural history of the river ecosystem, in which are located two great cities - Springfield and Hartford. Finally, the latest addition to the company Kvardangla - Museum of the History of Springfield, where you can learn more about Springfield as a city of novelties and inventions.
Another famous tourist attraction of the city is the Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Naismith near the Connecticut River on West Columbus Avenue. This is a remarkable steel construction, the sanctuary of the second most popular sport in the world.
The Motorcycle Museum "Indian" on Handy Street can not be missed if you are at least somewhat interested in two-wheeled vehicles. For many years, "Indian" remained the leader in the United States, and an extensive collection of the museum is proof of this.
The house of Josiah Day is the oldest stone house in the USA in the style of "saltcellar". It can be found in West Springfield, on Park Street. The house was built in 1754 and was passed on from generation to generation until the death of the last mistress in 1902. After that, the house was bought by a historical society, and today it is visited by special days and holidays. All the interior of the house is original.
Quarter "Club" unites more than 60 night clubs, bars, including for minorities, and restaurants. "Club" surrounds the area of Sterns and Worthington Street, which is near the river. Worthington west of Chestnut Street, too, refers to the "Club", but most of the entertainment here - category "X".
Connecticut Riverwalk is a beautiful park near the Basketball Hall of Fame, by the river .And Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country: its territory is about 735 acres .The park was created on the donations of a local tycoon, whose family mausoleum is located inside, and under the project of Frederic Olmsted, famous for the creation of the Central Park in New York .In the Forest Park there is a zoo, the first public swimming pool in the United States, picturesque gardens, hiking and cycling routes, garden sculptures and all the possibilities for camping .
Book popular Springfield (Massachusetts) hotels at the best prices
| Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel from 6 525 rubles Springfield 1 Monarch Place | La Quinta Inn & Suites Springfield from 5 479 rubles Springfield 100 Congress Street | Red Roof PLUS + West Springfield from 3,694 rubles Springfield 1254 Riverdale Street |
| Super 8 West Springfield Route 5 from 4 001 rubles Springfield 1500 Riverdale Street |
Events in Springfield, Massachusetts
The city's Grand Prix takes place in July and is organized by the American Club of Vintage Sports Cars. In 2011, the Grand Prix changed the venue (previously they were Pittsburgh). And in July the city meets the Hoop-City Jazz Festival, also young, but quite interesting.
The exposition of the Eastern States - the Great "E" - takes place in late September - early October. This is an agricultural fair that unites the achievements of six states of New England. It is held in West Springfield, 1, 5 km from the Memorial Bridge. Guests of the fair are waiting for carnivals, concerts, food and parade "Avenue of the States."
And in winter in the Forest Park there is a big festival "Bright Nights", a show of light, known throughout the country. This is a creative and innovative event with various thematic installations. Cars pass more than 3 km in the middle of a glowing installation, which every year becomes more interactive. "Bright nights" last from November to January.
Near the date of the founding of the city, on May 14, the world's largest breakfast with pancakes takes place in Springfield. On this day, Springfield tries to get into the Guinness Book of Records for the largest number of pancakes served at the same time. In 2011, for example, on Main Street, 60,000 pancakes were served at once.