Springfield Armory: Hill Shops Walking Tour
2025-09-13 10:30 - 12:00 UTC | Springfield Armory National Historic Site, 1 Armory St #2, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
Join us for a walking tour of the historic Hill Shops at the Springfield Armory, with Springfield Armory National Historic Site staff member and tour guide Carl Steele. Learn about the unique architecture around the green and what the buildings were used for when the Armory was in operation.
This is your opportunity to visit the Springfield Armory National Historic Site that commemorates the role of the nation’s first armory by preserving and interpreting the world’s largest historic U.S. military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings and landscape. Learn more about the Armory at: https://www.nps.gov/spar
The tour departs from the Springfield Armory. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums members, and is $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite, or in cash or check at the outset of the tour.
The Second Saturday Tours series explores historic Springfield and is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.
About the Springfield Preservation Trust
Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve and protect properties in Springfield that have architectural or historic significance. As the only non-profit, non-government advocacy group for historic preservation in Springfield, the Trust will continue to be the voice of preservation into the future. Learn more at springfieldpreservation.org.

Made in Springfield: Places & People of Springfield's Industrial Legacy
2025-10-11 10:30 - 12:00 | Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Explore downtown Springfield and learn about the places and people who invented and created in Springfield in its industrial heyday.
Springfield is the home of the first gas powered automobile, the monkey wrench, basketball… and so much more. Come see what made Springfield the center of innovation in the late 19th Century, and examined the geographies and buildings where it all began.
The tour departs from the Springfield Museums Welcome Center at 10:30am. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums members, and is $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite, or in cash or check at the outset of the tour.
This tour is part of the Second Saturday Tours series, which explores historic Springfield and is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.
About the Tour Guide
Erica Swallow is president of the Springfield Preservation Trust board of directors. She also serves as a Springfield Museums Advancement Committee member and Forest Park Civic Association board member, and is a local REALTOR®. She holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and other degrees from NYU Stern and Simmons University, with nearly two decades of marketing experience in the fields of technology and education. Raised in Arkansas and educated in New York and Boston, she chose Springfield as home out of love for its deep history, cultural diversity, and progressive energy. She has served on several Springfield City Council committees and is proud and honored to live in the Forest Park Historic District. She is the mother of two cats.
About the Springfield Preservation Trust
Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve and protect properties in Springfield that have architectural or historic significance. As the only non-profit, non-government advocacy group for historic preservation in Springfield, the Trust will continue to be the voice of preservation into the future. Learn more at springfieldpreservation.org.

“Voices from the Grave” Cemetery Tour 2025
2025-10-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Springfield Cemetery, 171 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, United States
Learn about important figures in Springfield history at the annual “Voices from the Grave” historic cemetery tour. Hosted by the Springfield Preservation Trust and developed by SPT Secretary Michael Stevens, the tour is an hour-long experience through Springfield Cemetery. It is led by docents who take visitors on a tour to graves of interesting cemetery residents, where costumed interpreters speak about each person of intrigue.

Hour-long walking tours will depart every fifteen minutes starting at 1:00PM at Springfield Cemetery, 171 Maple Street.

Tickets are $20 for Springfield Preservation Trust members, and $25 for non-members. (Use the “SPTMember” promo code to receive $5 off per ticket.) Please enter through the Maple Street entrance and check in at the registration table 5-10 minutes before your tour. This event is held rain or shine!

Hour-long walking tours will depart every fifteen minutes, on October 20 starting at 1:00PM at Springfield Cemetery, 171 Maple Street.

Mind & Medicine: An Architectural Bus Tour of Historic Health Institutions
2026-04-11 10:30 - 12:00
This Second Saturday Tour explores medical buildings and history, all from the comfort of a Peter Pan charter bus. The tour will take place on Saturday, Apr 11, from 10:30 am to 12 pm.

Hosted in partnership with Springfield Museums—and sponsored by Peter Pan Bus Lines—this guided bus tour offers a fascinating journey through Springfield’s most historically significant medical institutions. Purchase tickets for $20 for members and $25 for non-members through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mind-medicine-an-architectural-bus-tour-of-historic-health-institutions-tickets-1985850457175?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Led by Dr. Kate Benson, the tour explores how architecture, medicine, and social history intersect—highlighting the buildings and institutions that shaped the city’s approach to mental health and disability care. From visionary founders to evolving treatment philosophies, each stop reveals stories that continue to influence Springfield today.

Perfect for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, medical professionals, and curious locals alike, this experience invites you to see the city through a new lens—comfortably aboard a Peter Pan charter bus.
The Second Saturday Tours series explores historic Springfield and is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.

Springfield Armory: Hill Shops Walking Tour
2026-05-09 10:30 - 12:00
Springfield Armory: Hill Shops Walking Tou

Join us for a walking tour of the historic Hill Shops at the Springfield Armory, with Springfield Armory tour guide Carl Steele. This will take place on May 9 from 10:30am-12pm. Register here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/springfield-armory-hill-shops-walking-tour-tickets-1985857520301?aff=erellivmlt

Join us for a walking tour of the historic Hill Shops at the Springfield Armory, with Springfield Armory National Historic Site staff member and tour guide Carl Steele. Learn about the unique architecture around the green and what the buildings were used for when the Armory was in operation.
This is your opportunity to visit the Springfield Armory National Historic Site that commemorates the role of the nation’s first armory by preserving and interpreting the world’s largest historic U.S. military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings and landscape. Learn more about the Armory at: https://www.nps.gov/spar
Second Saturday Tours explore historic Springfield. The series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield Libraries—and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council. This specific tour, offered for free, is made possible through funding provided by the American Alliance of Museums and National Park Service.

Underground Railroad: Springfield’s Contributions to Emancipation (Tour)
2026-06-13 10:30 - 12:00
Underground Railroad: Springfield’s Contributions to Emancipation (Tour)

Visit locations and meet people that salute the perseverance, ingenuity, and resilience of some of Springfield’s unsung early residents. Purchase tickets here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underground-railroad-springfields-contributions-to-emancipation-tour-tickets-1985858726910?aff=erellivmlt. Meet at Tower SquareSpringfield, MA on Saturday, Jun 13 from 10:30 am to 12 pm.

Immerse yourself in the history of Springfield by visiting locations and meeting people who embody the perseverance, ingenuity, and resilience of some of the city’s early residents. The Underground Railroad, a network of many people and places, played a significant role in Springfield’s history, making it a destination for freedom seekers and activists like Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and John Brown.
This walking tour departs from the Tower Square lobby at 10:30am and ends at 12pm. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums & PAHMUSA members, and $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite or at the tour’s outset.
Second Saturday Tours explore historic Springfield. The series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield Libraries—and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.
About PAHMUSA
This event is presented in partnership with the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA), a vital institution dedicated to connecting the African Diaspora to Springfield, MA, and its surrounding communities. Founded in 1995 by Lujuana Hood, PAHMUSA is located in Tower Square (1500 Main Street) in Springfield, MA. To learn more about its mission and exhibits, visit pahmusa.org or follow them on Instagram at @pahmusa1619.
About the Springfield Preservation Trust
Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve and protect properties in Springfield that have architectural or historic significance. As the only non-profit, non-government advocacy group for historic preservation in Springfield, the Trust will continue to be the voice of preservation into the future. Learn more at springfieldpreservation.org.

Springfield College: An Architectural Tour of Spirit, Mind, and Body
2026-07-12 10:30 - 12:00
Explore Springfield College’s unique history in sport and wellness as reflected in the buildings and grounds of this 130 year old campus. This tour will be on July 11 at 10:30 AM – 12 PM.
The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite or at the tour’s outset. Purchase tickets here.
Second Saturday Tours explore historic Springfield. The series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.

Water Shops at the Springfield Armory (A Historical Architecture Tour)
2026-08-09 10:30 - 12:30
Explore the historic Water Shops at the Springfield Armory, with Springfield Armory tour guide Carl Steele.

Join us for a walking tour of the historic Water Shops at the Springfield Armory, with Springfield Armory National Historic Site staff member and tour guide Carl Steele. Learn about the unique architecture around the green and what the buildings were used for when the Armory was in operation. This is a free tour, but please sign up here. Sign up through this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/water-shops-at-the-springfield-armory-a-historical-architecture-tour-tickets-1985865511202?aff=erellivmlt
This is your opportunity to visit the Springfield Armory National Historic Site that commemorates the role of the nation’s first armory by preserving and interpreting the world’s largest historic U.S. military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings and landscape. Learn more about the Armory at: https://www.nps.gov/spar
Second Saturday Tours explore historic Springfield. The series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield Libraries—and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council. This specific tour, offered for free, is made possible through funding provided by the American Alliance of Museums and National Park Service.
About the Water Shops
The U.S. federal government built the Water Shops facility between 1857 and 1940 for heavy manufacturing for the Armory Hill Shops on State Street. The large facility closed in 1968 and was sold to private ownership. The front of the complex was severely damaged by fire in the late 1980s and its upper floors were removed. The complex was also damaged by the 2011 tornado. Marginally in use, the buildings continue to deteriorate.
About the Springfield Preservation Trust
Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve and protect properties in Springfield that have architectural or historic significance. As the only non-profit, non-government advocacy group for historic preservation in Springfield, the Trust will continue to be the voice of preservation into the future. Learn more at springfieldpreservation.org.
