Springfield Preservation Trust

Festive in Flannel—2026 Winter Fundraiser for Historic Preservation
2026-02-01 01:00 - 16:00 UTC
Festive in Flannel—2026 Winter Fundraiser for Historic Preservation

Celebrate this winter season at the stately Tudor Revival Edward Coats House in historic McKnight. Festive flannel attire encouraged!

The Springfield Preservation Trust’s 2025 Winter Fundraiser—with the theme “Fireside in Flannel”—will be held at the circa 1899 Edward Coats House, the stately Tudor Revival mansion at 1090 Worthington Street, courtesy of homeowners and hosts Jesse and Emila Lederman.
The event, taking place on February 1, 2025, at 1:00pm, will feature music, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beverages, a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, and a historic home tour of the mansion. Purchase tickets here.
Step inside the Edward Coats House and settle into a scene straight out of the late Victorian era—where the glow of winter lights dances across dark wood paneling and leaded glass. Guests are invited to dress festive in flannel—layered with woolen scarves, soft knitwear, tweed, or velvet, blending modern comfort with turn-of-the-century charm. Imagine the gentle hum of conversation filling the rooms, much as it might have in 1899 when the home first welcomed winter callers. Whether wrapped in plaid, fleece, or tweed, attendees can bask in the home’s historic warmth and enjoy ambient respite befitting a grand Tudor Revival winter gathering.
Support the Springfield Preservation Trust in its mission to preserve and protect properties in Springfield, Massachusetts which have architectural, historic, educational, or general cultural significance—including properties such as this one!—by attending our Annual Winter Fundraiser this year!

Home History
This house with Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival details was designed by architect G. Wood Taylor, son-in-law of William McKnight, who developed much of the neighborhood with his brother John. Taylor designed houses also in Forest Park Heights and Ridgewood. The first owner of this home was E. M. Coats, a liquor distributor.
About the Architect
The Edward Coats House was designed by G. Wood Taylor, a prominent Springfield architect around the turn of the 20th century. Taylor was active in designing many upscale residences in Springfield—especially in the Forest Park and McKnight neighborhoods—often blending popular revival styles like Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival that were fashionable among well-to-do clients of the era.
Taylor’s work was recognized regionally, with some of his designs appearing in period architectural publications, reflecting the craftsmanship and stylistic trends of the late Victorian into early Edwardian periods.
About the Neighborhood

The house sits within the McKnight National Historic District, one of America’s first planned residential neighborhoods, developed beginning in the 1870s. McKnight, and the adjacent Forest Park Heights area, became a showcase for high-style homes in a variety of architectural languages—Colonial, Tudor, Queen Anne, Shingle, and more—constructed for influential local professionals during Springfield’s economic growth around the turn of the century.
Architectural Significance
As a residence with both Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival details, the Edward Coats House exemplifies the eclectic approach of the period, when architects combined historic European influences (steep gables, half-timbering of Tudor style) with refined classical elements (symmetry, columns, and classical ornament from Colonial Revival sources). These stylistic choices were meant to convey both historic pedigree and modern fashionable taste at the time the home was built.
Original Owner
The first owner, E. M. Coats, was a successful liquor distributor—a profession that, at the time, would have placed him well among Springfield’s thriving commercial class who commissioned distinguished homes as social and economic symbols in growing neighborhoods like McKnight. While specific details of Coats’s life and activities are less documented online than larger public figures of the era, his ability to commission such a residence underscores the prosperity of certain trades in late 19th-century Springfield.
Join Us at the Winter Fundraiser!
The Trust looks forward to hosting its annual winter fundraiser at this home and is grateful for Jesse & Emila Lederman for opening it up to us in support of our mission to protect, preserve, and promote historic properties of Springfield. Purchase tickets here.

Storybook Architecture: A Review of Fairytale-Inspired American Homes
2026-02-19 19:00 - 20:30
Storybook Architecture: A Review of Fairytale-Inspired American Homes
Storybook architecture–a whimsical, fairytale-inspired style characterized by playful, exaggerated elements–emerged in Southern California in the 1920s. The lecture will look at examples there and across the country. This lecture will take place on February 19, 2026, at 7:00pm. Please register here.
About The Lecture Series and Presenter:
This virtual lecture is part of the Donald Courtemanche Winter Lecture Series, co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield City Library, and generously underwritten by Bob McCarroll. The lecture will be streamed on the Springfield Preservation Trust Facebook Page. Please register here.
This lecture will be presented by Bob McCarroll. He has been a significant force for the preservation of Springfield’s historic properties since the mid-1970s, when he was part of the reactivation of the Springfield Preservation Trust into an advocacy organization. Between 1972 and 2002, he worked in the Springfield Planning Department, where he helped create five of the early local historic districts. Now retired, Bob served for 11 years on the Springfield Historical Commission and has served on the Springfield Community Preservation Committee since its formation in 2017. Bob has served for more than 45 years on the board of the Springfield Preservation Trust, where he has organized house tours, worked on self-guided walking tour brochures, and applied for and coordinated grant work at 77 Maple Street. Bob is a long-time resident of the Mattoon Street Historic District and coordinates the annual Mattoon Street Arts Festival, the region’s oldest arts and crafts show. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary and a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Rutgers University.Bob is a recipient of the 2016 Massachusetts Historical Commission Preservation Awards Local Preservationist Award, the 2018 Preservation Massachusetts K. Julie McCarthy Community Spirit Award, the 2018 Order of William Pynchon Award, and the 2024 Mass History Alliance Bay State Legacy Award.

SPT Annual Meeting
2026-03-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Christ Church Cathedral, 35 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, United States
Join the Springfield Preservation Trust, on March 1st at 1:00pm, for the SPT Annual Meeting, at Christ Church Cathedral, at 35 Chestnut Street.

The 2026 Annual Meeting will feature an overview of the past year, the election of the board of directors, the release of the 2025 Annual Report, a look at the year to come, a Community Preservation Act update, and announcement of the 2026 Most Endangered Historic Resources List.

The meeting will conclude with a brief development update by guest keynote speaker Steve Jablonski, Principal Architect of Jablonski DeVriese Architects, architect for 7-9 Stockbridge Street. The meeting will be open to SPT members and the public.

Programming will include: – Election of the 2026 Board of Directors– Introduction of the 2026 Most Endangered Historic Resources List– The Year in Review– The Year Ahead– A brief development update by Steve Jablonski, Principal Architect of Jablonski DeVriese Architects, architect for 7-9 Stockbridge Street.

Programming is expected to last about 75 minutes.

Please email info@springfieldpreservation.org to reserve your spot(s) by February 26th.

Parking
Parking will be available at Christ Church Cathedral, Springfield Museums, and street parking on Chestnut Street.

Trailblazers in Care: Women in Medicine and Public Health in Springfield
2026-03-19 19:00 - 20:30
Trailblazers in Care: Women in Medicine and Public Health in Springfield

Join us for a fascinating program exploring the stories of pioneering women who reshaped medicine and public health in Western MA.

This Women’s History Month, join us for a fascinating program exploring the stories of pioneering women who reshaped medicine and public health in Springfield and Western Massachusetts.
Learn about Dr. Seraph Frissell, one of the first women admitted to the Massachusetts Medical Society and a Springfield physician whose medical writings challenged convention, and Dr. Mary Phylinda Dole, a trailblazing “country doctor” who became the first female physician at Franklin County Public Hospital and devoted her career to opening doors for women in medicine. We’ll also place their achievements in the broader context of women’s medical leadership across Massachusetts, from early public health advocacy to groundbreaking nursing education.
Through their lives, we’ll discover how women challenged barriers, advanced healthcare, and left a legacy that continues to shape our communities today. This event will be on March 19 at pm. Please register here.
About The Lecture Series and Presenter
This virtual lecture is part of the Donald Courtemanche Winter Lecture Series, co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield City Library, and generously underwritten by Bob McCarroll. The lecture will be streamed on the Springfield Preservation Trust Facebook Page.
The lecture will be presented by Dr. Kate Benson. Dr. Benson is the award-winning author of Hospital Hill and its companion novel, Shadows in the Ward. She is also the author of Behind the Walls, a volume on the history of insane asylums in institutions in New England. She is a special education teacher and architectural photographer who leads a lecture series on the history of mental illness and its treatment. She is currently hard at work on a number of asylum projects. She is also the owner of Otherwords Press, an independent publishing imprint representing authors from all over the world. Kate is a former Springfield Preservation Trust board member and lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband, her beagle, and a very feisty cat.
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. To learn more, visit our website at springfieldpreservation.org.
Please register here.

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.
