Springfield Preservation Trust

Flora & Fauna: Historic Carriage House Tour & Garden Party Fundraiser
2025-08-24 13:00 - 15:00 UTC | Carriage House at the Barney Estate, Route 5, Springfield, MA, United States
Flora & Fauna: Historic Carriage House Tour & Garden Party Fundraiser

Join us for the Springfield Preservation Trust’s Annual Garden Party Fundraiser, featuring a historic tour, opera performance, Victorian era music, a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, and a lush formal garden setting at The Carriage House at the Barney Estate. This event will take place on August 24 at 1pm. Tickets are $40 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Garden Club members and $50 for non-members, and can be purchased online via Eventbrite.
Purchase Tickets Here
Highlighting work by the Springfield Garden Club and the Springfield Department of Public Parks, the event features floral and garden designs fit for Victorian era garden strolls—Carriage House plantings information will be provided for those interested in how the Garden Club and Parks Department curate the estate’s gardens and planters.
Take a stroll through history as well, with a tour of the historic Carriage House, including the second level, which among other gems, features Mr. Everett Barney’s office, including a restored pastoral mural and a grandfather clock which has stood on the property since the Barney’s ownership.
Finally, hear youth artist Baillie DiStefano in an operatic performance in the Carriage House ballroom, as she performs “Deh, vieni, non tardar,” from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”.
Summer florals and fauna-inspired patterns encouraged, to celebrate the “Flora & Fauna: A Forest Park Garden Party Fundraiser” theme!
Bountiful hors d’oeuvres will be served, and historic and contemporary items and experiences will be featured in the silent auction. Cash bar available for libations.
Parking is off of Route 5

About the Carriage House & Gardens
The Carriage House at the Barney Estate was built in 1883, alongside Pecousic Villa, the towering mansion of Everett Barney, a local ice skate manufacturer who owned much of what is now the western section of the park, accounting for 175 acres. Pecousic Village was devastatingly demolished in the 1950s for the construction of Interstate 91, but the Carriage House stands the test of time, along with Barney’s well-landscaped grounds, including ponds, fountains, a waterfall, bridges, and a network of paths.
The Carriage House sits snuggly within Forest Park—at 735 acres, it is one of the largest municipal parks in the country. The park was established in 1884, when Orrick H. Greenleaf—one of the city’s park commissioners—donated 65 acres of land on the south side of Sumner Avenue. The city accepted this offer in 1884, and soon allocated funding for acquiring additional land adjacent to this property. This marked the start of Forest Park, which would steadily grow with further donations—including the largest donation by Barney Everett—and land acquisitions throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Springfield Union, one of the city’s newspapers, praised Barney for his landscaping work in his obituary in 1916, writing:
“Forest Park is Springfield’s great breathing ground, and a trip there always includes a visit to Barney’s front yard. There he showed his passionate love for nature and that he was an expert horticulturalist. He planted there rare shrubs and trees from Europe, Egypt, China, Japan and India, and there he planned and maintained lily ponds containing nearly all varieties of lilies. There, too, he maintained a lotus pond. Mr. Barney’s nature was a restless, untiring one, and he changed his lawns and flower gardens frequently. His taste ran strongly to mathematical arrangement of flower beds and shrubs, and one is constantly startled by coming suddenly on a stone deer or other piece of statuary.”
Today, The Carriage House is a frequent wedding and events venue, and is home to the Springfield Garden Club, which manages the plantings and gardens around the structure.
Some historical excerpts from Lost New England & the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

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 Garden Party Fundraiser this year!
Tickets are $40 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Garden Club members and $50 for non-members, and can be purchased online via Eventbrite.

Photo above: Performer Baillie DiStefano (right) performs in opera Acis and Galatea.

About Guest Performer Baillie DiStefano
We are honored to have youth artist Baillie DiStefano performing with us at the event. Baillie will be performing “Deh, vieni, non tardar” (from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”).
Among notable performances, Baillie has performed as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” and was a choir member for the “Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds” show at The Bushnell, with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. She was also recently an ensemble member for opera Acis and Galatea while also serving as understudy for the part of Damon in that opera. She has also performed as a supporting vocalist with Grammy-winning artist Mr. G at multiple festivals and shows, including the Green River Music Festival.
Baillie was honored as a Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts’ 18 Under 18 recipient in 2023. She attended the Springfield Conservatory of the Arts and New England Music Camp for summers. She currently attends the University of Hartford, double majoring in vocal performance and music education.
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 its website at springfieldpreservation.org.
About the Springfield Garden Club
Organized in 1917 and federated in 1928, the Springfield Garden Club is “rooted in the past and still growing with a mission to create interest in the art of gardening, stimulate the promotion of civic beauty through horticulture and conservation, and encourage the appreciation of the visual art of designing with plant material. The club is a proud member of National Garden Clubs, New England Garden Clubs, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, and Tower Hill Botanic Garden. To learn more, visit its website at: springfieldgardenclubma.org.

Rushville: Springfield’s Oldest Craftsman Neighborhood (A Walking Tour)
2025-08-09 10:30 - 12:00 | MA
The early 20th century saw the rise of the Craftsman style architecture. It grew out of the Arts & Crafts movement, a reaction to the ornate styles and decor of the Victorian era. Its arrival in Springfield coincided with a building boom in single-family houses in neighborhoods such as Pine Point, Forest Park, Liberty Heights, and East Springfield. The popularity of Craftsman homes also occurred at the same time as use of concrete block for foundations and sometimes for entire houses.
The tour will focus on some of the earliest and more unusual Craftsman houses in Springfield. It will leave from the corner of Berkshire Avenue and Dewey Street. On-Street parking is available on Dewey, Hobson, and Elizabeth Streets.
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 Tour Guide
Bob McCarroll 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.
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.

Underground Railroad: Springfield’s Contributions to Emancipation (Tour)
2025-07-12 10:30 - 12:00 | Tower Square, 1500 Main Street, Springfield
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 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.
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 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.

The Grand Homes of McKnight Historic District: A Historic Homes Tour
2025-06-22 13:00 - 16:00 | Thompson Triangle, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
Explore restored Victorian gems on this self-guided tour through the storied residences of Springfield’s McKnight neighborhood.
Join us as the Springfield Preservation Trust proudly presents its beloved Annual Historic Homes Tour, returning in 2025 with a spectacular focus on the grand, storied residences of the McKnight Historic District—a neighborhood that quite literally gave Springfield its nickname: The City of Homes.
From 1870 to 1910, the McKnight neighborhood blossomed into Springfield’s first true suburban development, and today remains New England’s largest collection of wood-frame Victorian homes. Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Local Historic District, McKnight stands as a living testament to an era of craftsmanship, charm, and architectural ambition.
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.
Presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, this rare opportunity grants interior access to a curated selection of homes that have long captivated passersby. If you’ve ever admired these elegant facades from the sidewalk, now is your moment to cross the threshold and experience the intricate woodwork, vintage details, and timeless charm that lies within. Don’t miss this immersive journey into Springfield’s architectural past—where every doorway tells a story.
This year’s self-guided tour offers rare interior access to some of the most stunning and meticulously restored homes in the district. These aren’t just beautiful facades you’ve admired from afar—now, you’re invited to step inside and discover the hand-carved woodwork, vibrant period details, and the rich character that makes each home a masterpiece.
Many of these homes underwent passionate restorations during the Victorian revival of the 1970s, with homeowners honoring the original architecture and decorating interiors to reflect the elegance and spirit of the late 19th century. On this tour, you’ll witness the very best of those efforts—a celebration of authenticity, artistry, and reverence for the past.
🎟️ Tickets are $30 for non-members and $20 for members and include a detailed tour map with historical notes for each home. All homes are located within a three-block radius, making the experience an easy, scenic walk through tree-lined streets and timeless beauty. Tickets can be picked up at Thompson Triangle (the park in the triangle between St. James Avenue, Worthington Street, and Clarendon Street.) Ticketing opens at 12:45pm. Doors open at 1:00pm. Remember to check in with your tickets by 2:00pm at Thompson Triangle or buy tickets in person by 2pm on June 22. Street parking at Ingersoll Grove or Florida Street.
✨ Whether you’re a preservation enthusiast, an admirer of fine architecture, or simply curious to peek behind the doors of Springfield’s most iconic homes, this is your chance to wander, wonder, and be transported.
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’s Lost Riverfront (A Walking Tour)
2025-06-14 10:30 - 12:00 | Riverfront Park, Springfield, MA
Come learn about the historic Springfield riverfront, including histories of the bridges, steamboat access, buildings, and even the sewage system.
Derek Strahan will be leading the Second Saturday Tours series on June 14th at 10:30am. It will start at Riverfront Park, at the parking lot directly across from the end of State Street. The Springfield Preservation Trust walking tours this season are sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.
This walking tour departs from the Riverfront Park at 10:30am and ends at 12pm. 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.
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 Tour Guide
Derek Strahan is a former board member and former chair of the Educational Programming committee at the Springfield Preservation Trust, which is focused on protecting, preserving, and promoting historic properties in Springfield. He was on the board from 2017-2024 and served as president of the nonprofit from 2019 to 2023. He leads historic walking tours of Springfield, presents lectures about Springfield’s history, and has also been a costumed interpreter at several of the organization’s annual “Voices of the Grave” cemetery tours. Aside from his work with the Trust, Strahan also runs the local history website LostNewEngland.com, and he is the author of “Lost Springfield, Massachusetts” and “New England Then and Now,” and is the host of the Western Mass History podcast. Derek has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Science degree in Regional Planning from Westfield State University, and currently serves as a land use and environmental planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. He and his wife Melissa are proud owners of a circa 1760 farmhouse, where they are raising their two young sons.
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.

The 17th Annual McKnight Block Party
2025-05-31 12:00 - 17:00 | Thompson Triangle, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
The 17th Annual McKnight Block Party will take place on Saturday, May 31, from 12-5 pm. This event will take place at the Thompson Triangle, located at the corner of Worthington St and Saint James Ave. The Springfield Preservation Trust will be on hand with Historical Displays, Walking Tour brochures, information about the McKnight Historic House Tour on June 22, and a raffle to win free tickets. Atlas maps of McKnight from 1882 and 1899 will be on display, as well as pictures of McKnight Houses that have received preservation awards. This display is dependent on the weather. Trust Board members Jim Boone, Bob McCarroll, and Michael Stevens will be there to answer your questions and engage in discussions about our local history.

Voices from the Grave: Heroes of the American Revolution, an MA250 Event
2025-05-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Springfield Cemetery, 171 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, United States
Honor the legacy of the American Revolution and Springfield’s contribution at war and on the homefront, by joining us at our commemorative “Voices from the Grave: Heroes of the American Revolution” cemetery tour at Springfield Cemetery, on Sunday, May 18, 2025.
Seven historical residents will be featured on the tour, including John Bryant III (1742-1816), first Armory Superintendent, who lost his arm in battle; Hannah Mason Bryant (1756-1829), who sewed flannel cartridges for the Continental army; Nathaniel Brewer (1711-1809), Deacon of First Church for 53 years, and a joiner by trade; and Susan Freedom (1784-1803), a Black indentured servant whose name poignantly symbolizes the struggle for freedom and identity among African Americans in the post-Revolutionary War era.
Join the tour to see who else from Springfield’s revolutionary history will be highlighted! This tour will highlight the oldest gravestones and residents ever featured on the “Voices from the Grave” tours, ongoing for more than a decade.
Hosted by the Springfield Preservation Trust and developed by historian Derek Strahan and SPT Secretary Michael Stevens, the “Heroes of the American Revolution” 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.
Purchase tickets through Eventbrite. 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 promo code “SPTMember” if you are a Trust member, for the $5 discount.) This event is held rain or shine!
This event is supported by a Massachusetts 250 grant, administered by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) within the Executive Office of Economic Development, in celebration of the American Revolution’s 250th Anniversary. Thank you, MOTT!

Springfield Central Library: An Architectural & Historical Walking Tour
2025-05-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Join us for an all-access, interior and exterior tour of the Springfield Central Library building at 220 State Street! This 1912 building, funded by Andrew Carnegie and the citizens of Springfield, is an important part of the downtown Springfield landscape and a contributor to the Quadrangle–Mattoon Street Historic District.

The tour is part of the Second Saturday Walking Tour series and will feature a full tour of the building interior, including the fourth floor, historical insights while circling the building’s exterior, and a brief history on the development of the Quadrangle. Along the tour, you’ll gain knowledge of the history of libraries in Springfield and the architecture of the Central Library building. Additionally, the tour will showcase how historical buildings adapt to modern usage. Included on the tour is an up-close look at the Rotunda which features open books and the bust of Athena.
This walking tour departs from the Springfield Museums’ Welcome Center at 10:30am and ends at 12:00pm. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums members and $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite.
The Second Saturday Walking Tour series 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
Maggie Keane (she/her) is a reference librarian at the Springfield City Library. Growing up in Holyoke, she has always been interested in local history from hearing family stories about Mountain Park to going to museums in the area. Nowadays you can find her at the Springfield Central Library running programs, helping folks with local history requests, and spouting fun facts about the building to all those interested.

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.

2025 Preservation Awards
2025-05-08 19:00 - 20:30 | 52 Sumner, 52 Sumner Ave, Springfield, MA, 01108, United States
The Springfield Preservation Trust Preservation Awards honor the people and organizations that are helping to restore historic structures in Springfield. Every year, the Trust showcases exemplary properties that represent the best historic preservation in Springfield over the previous year. Preservation Awards are commonly given to properties that have restored the historic look of a building by removing inappropriate siding, repairing or replicating original details, or generally bringing back a building that was in disrepair.

Join us for the 2025 Preservation Awards, taking place at 52 Sumner, the city’s newest venue for the arts, including live music and other entertainment at the old church at 52 Sumner Avenue, Springfield. The owners of 52 Sumner, Springfield Performing Arts Venture, won a 2024 Preservation Award for restoration of this 1912 Gothic Revival style former church which underwent interior renovation and adaptive reuse.
This awards ceremony is part of the Trust’s festivities in celebration of Preservation Month, designated each May by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to raise awareness about the enormous impact historic preservation has in protecting and enhancing our neighborhoods and communities.

A cash bar and snacks for purchase will be available. Learn more and RSVP on Eventbrite.

Springfield’s Literary Legacy: Celebrating Famous Authors and Literary Landmarks (Virtual Lecture)
2025-03-13 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
Celebrate Springfield’s literary legacy through its famous authors and literary landmarks in this virtual lecture by Dr. Kate Benson.
Discover the rich literary history of Springfield, Massachusetts in this online lecture with Dr. Kate Benson. Known as the birthplace of renowned authors such as Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), whose whimsical stories captivated readers worldwide, Springfield boasts a legacy of creativity and storytelling. Learn about William Pynchon, the city’s founder and one of the earliest authors in American history, whose controversial book The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption left an indelible mark on early colonial literature and modern authors like Springfield natives Robert B. Parker and journalist Samuel Bowles.
This lecture will also explore iconic literary landmarks such as Johnson’s Bookstore and the offices of Merriam Webster, the oldest dictionary publisher in the United States. We’ll dive into the significance of the Springfield City Library, a historical establishment that has supported the intellectual growth of the city for centuries, and touch on Springfield’s connection to the development of American publishing.
Perfect for literature enthusiasts, history buffs, and educators, this session offers a window into how Springfield shaped and was shaped by its literary greats and cultural institutions. Join us on March 13th at 7:00pm to celebrate the stories, authors, and establishments that make Springfield a true literary treasure.
About the Lecture Series & Presenter
This virtual lecture is part of the Winter Lecture Series, co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield City Library. 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.

Voices from the Grave: Heroes of the American Revolution, an MA250 Celebration
2025-03-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Springfield Cemetery, 171 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, United States
Honor the legacy of the American Revolution and Springfield’s contribution at war and on the homefront, by joining us at our commemorative “Voices from the Grave: Heroes of the American Revolution” cemetery tour at Springfield Cemetery, on May 18, 2025.
Seven historical residents will be featured on the tour, including John Bryant III (1742-1816), first Armory Superintendent, who lost his arm in battle; Hannah Mason Bryant (1756-1829), who sewed flannel cartridges for the Continental army; Nathaniel Brewer (1711-1809), Deacon of First Church for 53 years, and a joiner by trade; and Susan Freedom (1784-1803), a Black indentured servant whose name poignantly symbolizes the struggle for freedom and identity among African Americans in the post-Revolutionary War era.
Join the tour to see who else from Springfield’s revolutionary history will be highlighted! This tour will highlight the oldest gravestones and residents ever featured on the “Voices from the Grave” tours, ongoing for more than a decade.

Hosted by the Springfield Preservation Trust and developed by historian Derek Strahan and SPT Secretary Michael Stevens, the “Heroes of the American Revolution” 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. This event is held rain or shine!
This event is supported by a Massachusetts 250 Grant, administered by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) within the Executive Office of Economic Development, in celebration of the American Revolution’s 250th Anniversary. Thank you, MOTT!

2025 Annual Meeting
2025-03-02 13:00 - 14:30 | Student Prince, 9 Fort Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Join the Springfield Preservation Trust, on March 2nd at 1:00pm, for the 2025 Annual Meeting, at Student Prince, at 8 Fort Street.
The 2025 Annual Meeting will feature an overview of the past year, the election of the board of directors, the release of the 2024 Annual Report, a look at the year to come, a Community Preservation Act update, and announcement of the 2025 Most Endangered Historic Resources List.
The meeting will conclude with a brief development update by guest speaker Ed Woodbury​​​​, president of McCaffery Interests, preferred developer for the Main Street and Convention District Development including the Clock Tower Building, Colonial Block, and 11-21 Stockbridge Street.
The meeting will be open to SPT members and the public.
Programming will include:

Election of the 2025 Board of Directors
Introduction of the 2025 Most Endangered Historic Resources List
Community Preservation Act update
The Year in Review
The Year Ahead
A brief development update by Ed Woodbury, ​​​​ President of McCaffery Interests, about the firm’s downtown redevelopment projects

Programming is expected to last about 75 minutes.
Please email info@springfieldpreservation.org to reserve your spot(s) by February 26th.
Metered parking is free on Sundays—find a free metered parking spot or park in the Hampden Street parking lot that crosses Fort Street. (Lot entrances are on Hampden & Fort Streets.)

50+ Years of Historic Preservation in Springfield: History of the Springfield Preservation Trust (Virtual Lecture)
2025-02-13 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
Springfield is the “City of Homes” and “City of Firsts,” a treasure worth protecting. As the only non-profit/non-government advocate group for historic preservation in Springfield, the Springfield Preservation Trust has been active in Springfield since 1972. Through Advocacy, Restoration, and Community Engagement, the Trust has done its part in ensuring Springfield’s architectural and historical assets have been preserved and the public educated about the importance of our history and built environment. Join this virtual lecture on February 13th at 7:00pm to learn about the history of the Springfield Preservation Trust, alongside the historic preservation history of the great city of Springfield.

About the Lecture Series & Presenter
This virtual lecture is part of the Winter Lecture Series, co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield City Library. The lecture will be streamed on the Springfield Preservation Trust Facebook Page.

The lecture will be presented by Jim Boone. Jim Boone has been on the Trust board of the SPT since 1977. He is a retired school counselor who worked with special needs students and a retired 30-year realtor, who specialized in historic houses. He lives in Springfield’s McKnight Historic District, where he has been a resident since 1976, restoring three homes. Jim has written and lectured about house restoration, Springfield, and McKnight District history; overseen restoration of five SPT house projects; and is a docent at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Jim is also on the board of Vinalhaven Land Trust, where he has served for 15 years, organizing summer programs and lectures. He has previously served on the Springfield Historical Commission.

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.

A Victorian Winter Wonderland—2025 Winter Fundraiser
2025-01-26 13:00 - 16:00 | Loomis-Wesson Mansion, 220 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
Celebrate this winter season at Loomis-Wesson Mansion in a Victorian Winter Wonderland. Victorian-inspired attire encouraged but optional.
The Springfield Preservation Trust’s 2025 Winter Fundraiser—with the theme “A Victorian Winter Wonderland”—will be held at the Loomis-Wesson Mansion, the stately high gothic Victorian at 220 Maple Street, courtesy of homeowner and host Angelene Huang.
Enter the mansion… and travel back in time to the Victorian period. Victorian-inspired attire is encouraged but optional—think brightly colored waistcoats, vests, and puff ties on the masculine side, or long skirts, bonnets, and shawls, on the feminine side… like a Charles Dickens novel!
The event, taking place on January 26, 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.
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!
Tickets are sold out for this event.
If you bought a ticket please park your car at 1 Ames Hill Drive and then walk to 220 Maple Street. Please provide the name of the person who bought the tickets when entering the event.
Photos courtesy of Seven Roads Real Estate Media

Deciphering Springfield Cemetery's Oldest Gravestones: Symbolism & Carvers (Virtual Lecture)
2025-01-09 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
Explore the old section of Springfield Cemetery and learn about its oldest gravestones, the symbolism of their designs, and who carved them.
Springfield Cemetery contains the oldest existing gravestones in the city, including hundreds of stones that date to the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. Most of these were produced by local stonecutters, and their work reflects the changing styles of gravestone art and attitudes toward death during and immediately after the colonial period. Join local historian Derek Strahan via virtual lecture on January 9th at 7:00pm as he explores some of the highlights from the old section of Springfield Cemetery, including an overview of the evolution of gravestone styles, the symbolic meanings of the design elements, as well as the identities of these local gravestone carvers.

About the Lecture Series & Presenter
This virtual lecture is part of the Winter Lecture Series, co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield City Library. The lecture will be streamed on the Springfield Preservation Trust Facebook Page.
The lecture will be presented by Derek Strahan. Derek Strahan is a board member and chair of the Educational Programming committee at the Springfield Preservation Trust, which is focused on protecting, preserving, and promoting historic properties in Springfield. He has been on the board since 2017 and served as president of the nonprofit from 2019 to 2023. He regularly leads historic walking tours of Springfield, presents lectures about Springfield’s history, and has also been a costumed interpreter at several of the organization’s annual “Voices of the Grave” cemetery tours. Aside from his work with the Trust, Strahan also runs the local history website LostNewEngland.com, and he is the author of “Lost Springfield, Massachusetts” and “New England Then and Now,” and is the host of the Western Mass History podcast. Derek has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Science degree in Regional Planning from Westfield State University, and currently serves as a land use and environmental planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. He and his wife Melissa are proud owners of a circa 1760 farmhouse, where they are raising their two young sons.
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.

“Voices from the Grave” Cemetery Tour 2024
2024-10-20 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.

Thank you to our sponsors!
Turnberg & Swallow Team | Coldwell Banker
Turnkey Media
Focus Springfield
Crystal Miller Photography
Springfield Cemetery & Crematory

Springfield's Gilded Age: Art and Architecture from the City's Most Prosperous Period
2024-10-12 10:30 - 12:00 | Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Join the Springfield Preservation Trust for a walk around downtown Springfield to explore the legacy of the City during the Gilded Age, American’s most prosperous period. This tour will be guided by Westfield Athenaeum Executive Director Guy McLain and features art and architecture across Springfield’s metropolitan landscape.

Mark Twain described America in the late nineteenth century as a Gilded Age. And indeed, the country experienced economic growth that hasn’t been matched before or since. But it wasn’t just a time for building new factories and businesses. A significant portion of the wealth created at this time was funneled into the arts. Museums, libraries, colleges, orchestras, and opera houses were established at a rate that seems astounding today. Springfield, just 25 miles north of Twain’s home in Hartford, was a perfect example of the prosperity that he was describing. During the Gilded Age, Springfield citizens founded most of the cultural institutions, monuments, and civic buildings that still serve the city today. Also influencing art and architecture at this time was the City Beautiful Movement. This movement was dedicated to advocating for civic structures that would bring greater beauty and cohesion to American cities. Springfield fully embraced the principles of this movement, and as a result, some of the most beautiful buildings in the city today were products of this time.

About the Tour Guide
Guy McLain, currently the Executive Director of the Westfield Athenaeum, has been devoted to the preservation and dissemination of Western Massachusetts history for more than 40 years. Prior to his current appointment in Westfield he served on the staff of the University of Massachusetts Archives, was the Special Collections Librarian and Archivist for the Springfield City Library, and was the founding Director of the Wood Museum of Springfield History. He is the author of the Pioneer Valley: a Pictorial History (1991), and a novel titled Drawing Without an Eraser (2020). He has also published in the Historical Journal of Massachusetts and is the editor of the book Springfield Fights the Civil War.
The Second Saturday Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and generously sponsored by the Daboul Family Charitable Trust.

Springfield Armory: The Nation’s First Armory (A Walking Tour)
2024-09-14 10:30 - 12:00 | Springfield Armory National Historic Site, 1 Armory St #2, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
See 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.

On this tour, attendees will explore the architectural details of buildings on the armory site, including the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) campus and Springfield Armory Museum. Attendees will also explore the Museum collection.

Learn more about the Armory at: 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 Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and generously sponsored by the Daboul Family Charitable Trust.

Linen & Lace: A French Provincial Garden Party Fundraiser
2024-08-25 13:00 - 16:00 | Le’ Chateau Douillett, 400 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
Join us for the Springfield Preservation Trust’s Annual Garden Party Fundraiser, featuring music, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beverages, and a gorgeous formal garden setting at Le’ Chateau Douillett, the bed and breakfast and events venue at 400 Maple Street, courtesy of homeowner and host Cheryl Duyette.
Summer linen and lace encouraged, to celebrate the “Linen & Lace: A French Provincial Garden Party Fundraiser” theme!
About the Home & Gardens
Built in 1929, 400 Maple Street is historically known as the Clarence Schoo House—the mansion is Springfield’s only example of a French Provincial house and was one of the last large homes to be built in what is now recognized as the Maple Hill Historic District. French Provincial style was popular in the period between the two world wars and is usually reserved for people of wealth. The grandeur of the home translates, too, to its formal gardens.
Nestled behind the grand chateau, the home’s formal French Provincial garden is characterized by its symmetrical and geometric design, meticulous layout, and use of hedges, topiaries, statues, and water features. In the heart of this garden stands a magnificent marble fountain, a centerpiece exuding grace and grandeur. Carved with intricate detail, water cascades from the fountain’s tiers into a pristine basin below, creating a serene melody that intermingles with the garden’s tranquility. Bluestone pathways guide visitors through meticulously manicured lawns and immaculate parterres adorned with vibrantly colored flowers, including roses, irises, wisteria, hydrangeas, tulips, echinacea, lavender, and daisies, among many more varieties.
“The plantings of a French Provincial property are usually heavily weighted in evergreens as well as flowers that are blue, purple and white,” Duyette shares. She keeps a garden log book of plantings in the library, tracking how various flora are performing on the estate. Stroll the grounds to see how many you can identify.
The garden epitomizes the elegance and precision associated with the French formal gardening style, showcasing meticulous design elements and an exquisite balance between natural beauty and human craftsmanship.
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 Garden Party Fundraiser this year!
More about this Historic Home
400 Maple Street is two stories in height, smoothly stuccoed and topped off with a slate, hipped roof. The windows of the second story have fine, wrought iron balconies, and there are large patios in the front and rear of the house, accessible via large French doors. The original owners were Clarence J. and Grace H. Schoo. Clarence came to Springfield in 1920 and founded the General Fibre Box Co. He was intimately involved with the Eastern States Exposition, serving as a trustee since 1926. As a benefactor of Springfield College, he gave the classroom-science building which was dedicated in 1963 as the Clarence and Grace School Hall. Mr. Schoo was a lifelong friend of professional golfer Bobby Jones, with whom he was a founding member of the Augusta National Golf Club. He frequently played there with President Eisenhower, who affectionately referred to Clarence as “Schooey.”
The house is set on an acre of land that is beautifully landscaped. This was formerly part of the John Ames estate and was separated for the construction of this house. It was built in 1929 from designs of Boston architect John Barnard, at the cost of $45,000.

Victorian Era Churches: A Downtown Springfield Walking Tour
2024-08-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
See where Victorian era parishioners worshiped, in this Victorian Era Churches in Downtown Springfield Second Saturday Walking Tour, led by Bob McCarroll, board member and officer-at-large.
The tour departs from the Springfield Museums Welcome Center and will stop at:

The former North Congregational Church, designed by Henry Hobson Richardson
St. Michael’s Cathedral, the oldest Catholic church in Springfield
Christ Church Cathedral, designed by Lord & Fuller of Boston
South Congregational Church, called one of the finest examples of the High Victorian Gothic Revival style in America.

We will enter at least three churches, barring weddings or church services.
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 Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and generously sponsored by the Daboul Family Charitable Trust.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Morgan (Springfield Preservation Trust)

Springfield Food History Second Saturday Walking Tour
2024-07-13 10:30 - 12:00 | Stearns Square, 52-98 Stearns Square, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Curious about food history in Springfield? Come learn about the city’s delicious past—and taste a bit of the beauty along the way!
Join James Johnson, Executive Vice President of Springfield Preservation Trust, on the July Second Saturday Walking Tour. This walking tour will depart from Stearns Square and be filled with historic buildings of restaurants and local attractions. Additionally, there will be extra TASTY surprises on this tour for each visitor! This walking tour departs from Stearns Square, the heart of the Worthington Street Dining District (Stearns Square at Worthington Street).
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 Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and generously sponsored by the Daboul Family Charitable Trust.

2024 Underground Railroad Historic Walking Tour, presented with PAHMUSA
2024-06-08 10:30 - 12:00 | Tower Square, 1500 Main Street, Springfield
Visit locations and meet people that salute the perseverance, ingenuity, and resilience of some of Springfield’s unsung early residents. The Underground Railroad was comprised of many people and places—Springfield was an important destination for freedom seekers and activists like Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and John Brown.
Join the Springfield Preservation Trust, in partnership with the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA) for this Second Saturday Walking Tour. Special thank you to PAHMUSA Executive Director Sam Bradley and Board Member Regine Jackson for leading the organization and research of this tour.
This walking tour departs from the Tower Square Lobby, near Dunkin and Big Y. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and PAHMUSA members, and is $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite or at the outset of the tour. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and PAHMUSA members, and is $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite or at the outset of the tour.
The Second Saturday Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and generously sponsored by the Daboul Family Charitable Trust.
About PAHMUSA
This event is presented in partnership with the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA), a museum that links the African Diaspora to Springfield, MA and surrounding communities. PAHMUSA was founded in 1995 by Lujuana Hood and is located at Tower Square (1500 Main Street) in Springfield. To learn more, visit its website at pahmusa.org.
About the Springfield Preservation Trust
Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve, protect, and promote 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 its website at springfieldpreservation.org.

Historic Homes Tour & Social in the Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District
2024-06-02 13:00 - 18:00 | Kimball Towers, 140 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Tour historic homes in Springfield’s Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District, then enjoy hors d’oeuvres, music and libations at the post-tour social.
Springfield Preservation Trust to announce its 2024 Annual Historic Homes Tour, taking place this year in the Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District.
The event will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 1:00-4:00pm, followed by a social gathering at the Springfield Museums, from 4:00-6:00pm, where hors d’oeuvres, libations, and live music by Nick Di Maria Quartet are in store. All of the buildings on this tour are only accessible through stairs. Attendees can pick up their tour brochure at the parking lot on Bridge Street across from Kimball Towers. Attendees will park, check in, and pick up a tour brochure. Attendees will park for the social after 4pm at Springfield Museums.
Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy the striking beauty of these historic homes and structures, on the inside and out. This year, the tour will focus on the Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District, which contains notable examples of 19th century architecture, both domestic and institutional. Additionally, it contains the cultural center of the city, located in one of the most unique urban open areas of its kind in Massachusetts. Quadrangle-Mattoon Street received its local historic district designation in 1972 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Past historic homes tours have opened hundreds of homes, showcased the wonderful neighborhoods of Springfield, and even encouraged people to buy homes in the city. Previous tours have included homes in Forest Park Heights (2023), Colony Hills (2019), Atwater Park (2018), Maple Street (2017), and McKnight (2016). The tour was canceled in 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tickets are $20 (tour-only), $50 (social-only) or $70 (tour+social) for SPT members, and $25 (tour-only), $55 (social-only), or $80 (tour+social) for non-members. All tour proceeds support the Springfield Preservation Trust’s mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting properties in Springfield which have architectural, historic, educational, or general cultural significance.
The Historic Homes Tour & Social are made possible by sponsors, as well as by a grant from the Mass Cultural Council.

2024 Preservation Awards
2024-05-14 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
The Preservation Awards honor people and organizations helping to restore historic structures in Springfield. The 2024 awards ceremony will be hosted at Loophole Brewing, in the historic downtown building located at 51-59 Taylor Street. A cash bar and snacks for purchase will be available by Loophole Brewing. We hope you will join us for this special event. Learn more and RSVP by May 13 on Eventbrite.

Walking Tour: Valentine Mansion & the Ames Hill/Crescent Hill Historic District
2024-05-11 10:30 - 12:00 | Valentine Mansion, 270 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
Tour the Valentine Mansion and surrounding Ames Hill/Crescent Hill Historic District, home of some of Springfield’s largest historic mansions.
Join local historian Derek Strahan on a walking tour of the Ames Hill/Crescent Hill Historic District. The tour will focus on the mansions lining Maple Street, Pine Street, and Crescent Hill and will kick off with an interior tour of Valentine Mansion, the circa 1879 home at 270 Maple Street, historically known as the Frederick Harris House and admirably perched on the crest of the hill on Maple Street.
The tour will begin at 10:30 a.m. on May 11th at the Valentine Mansion (270 Maple Street), and will last approximately 1.5 hours. The tour route is about 1 mile in length, along a path that gently ascends the hillside neighborhood, mostly along well-maintained, paved sidewalks.On-street parking is available on side streets, and limited accessible parking will be available at Valentine Mansion. Please be sure to not block driveways or fire hydrants.
The tour is $15 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums members, and is $20 for non-members, payable in advance via Eventbrite or check (payable to “Springfield Preservation Trust” and mailed to our office).
The Second Saturday Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums. The 2024 Second Saturday walking series is sponsored by Daboul Family Charitable Trust.

Forest Park Photography Walking Tour
2024-04-13 10:30 - 12:00 | Washington Boulevard & Magnolia Terrace Springfield, MA 01108, Washington Boulevard & Magnolia Terrace, Springfield, MA, 01108, United States
Do you love historic homes and architectural detail? Do you have a camera? Come tour the Forest Park Heights Historic District!
Do you love historic homes and architectural detail? Do you have a camera? Come tour the Forest Park Heights Historic District surrounding Springfield’s Forest Park with architectural photographer and SPT board member Kate Benson. Whether you’re bringing a smartphone, cellphone, digital camera, or even film camera, Kate will be on hand to answer all your questions about photographing historic homes and landscapes, and there will even be a special guest!
Bring your camera and your questions and join us for this installment of our Second Saturday Walking Tour!
LOGISTICS
The tour will begin at 10:30 a.m. on April 13th at Washington Blvd at Magnolia Terrace, and will last approximately 1.5 hours. The tour route is about 1 mile in length, along a level path mostly along well-maintained, paved sidewalks. On-street parking is available on Washington Blvd and side streets. Please be sure to not block driveways or fire hydrants.
TICKETS
The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums members, and is $10 for non-members, payable in advance via Eventbrite or check (payable to “Springfield Preservation Trust” and mailed to our office). Exact change or checks are accepted on-site, prior to the start of the tour.
THANK YOU, SPONSORS
The Second Saturday Walking Tour series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums, and generously sponsored by the Daboul Family Charitable Trust.

Nurturing Minds: A Journey through Women's Education & Historic Educational Institutions in Springfield
2024-03-14 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
Join us for an enlightening virtual lecture as we delve into the rich history of women’s education in Springfield, Massachusetts. We’ll explore private institutions such as The Elms and MacDuffie, as well as the challenges and triumphs faced by women seeking access to quality education in the city’s public schools. From the struggles for equal funding and resources to the efforts to integrate schools and promote diversity, we’ll uncover the stories of the women who fought tirelessly for educational equity while looking at some of Springfield’s lost schools such as Chestnut Middle School, Buckingham Junior High, and The Technical High School.
We’ll also explore the evolution of special education in Springfield, tracing its origins from early efforts to provide specialized instruction for students with disabilities to the development of comprehensive programs aimed at meeting the diverse needs of all learners including Three Rivers, Springfield’s only residential treatment program housed in a historic building. We’ll highlight the contributions of pioneering educators and advocates who have worked to ensure that every student, regardless of ability, has access to a meaningful and inclusive education.
This virtual lecture will take place on the Springfield Preservation Trust Facebook Page at facebook.com/PreserveSpringfield.
The Springfield Preservation Trust celebrates Women’s History Month, commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.

Annual Meeting 2024
2024-03-03 13:00 - 14:30 | Kimball Towers, 140 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Join the Springfield Preservation Trust, On March 3rd at 1:00pm, for the SPT Annual Meeting at Kimball Towers, 140 Chestnut Street.
The meeting will be open to SPT members and the public and will feature an overview of the past year, election of the board of directors, release of the 2023 Annual Report, a look at the year to come, and the announcement of the 2024 Most Endangered Historic Resources List, followed by a brief talk by guest speaker Catherine Ratté.
Programming will include:

Election of the 2024 Board of Directors
Introduction of the 2024 Most Endangered Historic Resources List
Community Preservation Act update
The Year in Review
The Year Ahead
A brief guest talk on the City of Springfield’s Neighborhood Investment Plans, by Catherine Ratté, Director of the Land Use/Environment Department at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission

Programming is expected to last about 75 minutes.
Please email info@springfieldpreservation.org to reserve your spot(s) by February 25th.

The Legacy of Primus Mason… Revised (Black History in Springfield)
2024-02-22 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
Regine Jackson, board member of the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA), will delve into the history of black entrepreneur, real estate investor, and philanthropist Primus Mason. Mason settled in Springfield in the 1830s, and his purchase of land in the city became a catalyst for transforming its architecture, leading to the development of well-known neighborhoods like Mason Square.
This lecture is presented in partnership with the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA), a museum that links the African Diaspora to Springfield, MA and surrounding communities.
This virtual lecture will take place on the Springfield Preservation Trust Facebook Page at facebook.com/PreserveSpringfield.
The Springfield Preservation Trust celebrates Black History Month, commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of African Americans in American history.
About the Speaker
Regine Jackson is a writer who was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts. Being an avid reader since she was a child, Jackson always wished to write, specifically stories where the main characters looked like her and the people around her. While Jackson mainly writes within the science-fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, she also writes prose and poetry revolving around her life living in an inner city. She hopes to not only hone her own craft but also to bring more creative work to her city and encourage more BIPOC women to write their truths. To learn more, visit Regine’s website at reginejackson.com.
About PAHMUSA
This lecture is presented in partnership with the Pan African Historical Museum USA (PAHMUSA), a museum that links the African Diaspora to Springfield, MA and surrounding communities. PAHMUSA was founded in 1995 by Lujuana Hood and is located at Tower Square (1500 Main Street) in Springfield. To learn more, visit its website at pahmusa.org.
About the Springfield Preservation Trust
Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve, protect, and promote 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 its website at springfieldpreservation.org.

For the Love of the City—A Valentine Soirée
2024-02-04 13:00 - 16:00 | Valentine Mansion, 270 Maple Street, Springfield, MA, 01105, United States
The Springfield Preservation Trust’s 2024 Winter Fundraiser—with the theme “For the Love of the City—A Valentine Soirée”—will be held at the Valentine Mansion, the bed and breakfast and events venue at 270 Maple Street, courtesy of homeowner and host Katherine Prewitt.
The event, taking place on February 4, 2024, at 1:00pm, will feature music, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beverages, a silent auction, and gorgeous city views from the home’s sweeping ballroom and expansion hosting spaces.
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!

History of the Home and It Original Owners
Built in 1879, 270 Maple Street is a 30-room historic mansion is an impressive 11,102 square feet in size, with a 40-foot grand ballroom, ornate floor-to-ceiling hand-carved fireplace, 12 bedrooms, and what might be the best residential view of Springfield.
The home is historically known as the Frederick Harris House, as it was built for Frederick Harris and Emily Osborne, who were married in 1879 and shortly thereafter, moved into this fantastic home perched on the crest of the hill on Maple Street.
The house started out as the carriage house of Jotham G. Chase, who built a house next door on the site of what would become the Nathan Bill House. The exterior of the Chase house was built around 1873-74, and the carriage house may have been built around the same time—the masonry beholds an “1877” mark, which could be indicative of its age. However, Chase ran out of money during the Panic of 1873 and couldn’t finish the construction. In 1879, he sold the carriage house to Harris, who hired a contractor to convert it into a house in time to move in after his and Emily’s September 1879 wedding in Auburn, New York.
When the house was completed in 1879, it was considerably smaller than its current appearance. The first major expansion came in 1886, followed by the addition of a ballroom in 1900, reportedly built by Italian artisans over two years of construction.
Frederick Harris was a banker—who succeeded his father, Frederick H. Harris, as president of the Third National Bank of Springfield in 1911, when his father passed away. This would explain the hidden vault behind the dining room wainscotting! He was also active politically, and served as an alderman and as a member of the school committee.
Emily came from an even more prominent family. Originally from Auburn, New York, her father David was a prominent businessman and mayor, but her family was even better known for social activism. Her grandmother, Martha Coffin Wright, and her great aunt, Lucretia Coffin Mott, were both leaders of the abolitionist and women’s rights movements, and her brother, Thomas Mott Osborne, was the warden of Sing Sing and an influential prison reform advocate. Her sister was Helen Osborne Storrow, the philanthropist who founded Storrowton Village at the Big E. Helen’s husband was James Jackson Storrow II, a Boston businessman who briefly served as president of General Motors in the company’s early years.
Frederick and Emily had two children, Florence and Helen, but they were hardly the only residents of this house. Like other wealthy families of the era, they regularly employed multiple servants who lived here. In the 1900 census, they had three, and by 1910 they had four: a housekeeper, waitress, cook, and laundress. Florence moved out after her marriage in 1907 to Frederic Jones, and the couple later moved into a nearby house on Maple Street. Like his father-in-law, Frederic Jones would later go on to serve as president of Third National Bank.
Frederick died in 1926, and two years later he was memorialized in the naming of the Frederick Harris School, an elementary school on Hartford Terrace in the East Forest Park neighborhood. Emily lived out her life in the home until her death in 1940, some 60 years after she first moved in. Daughter Helen (Harris) Smith then moved into her mother’s home—she was the last family member to own the house. An alumna of Smith College, Helen was president of the Visiting Nurse Association, trustee of the Springfield Hospital, and vice president of the Wesson Maternity Hospital.

Helen lived in the home until her death in 1974. The home was willed the following year to the MacDuffie School for Girls, who sold the home that same year to MaryAnn and Robert Cornell. The Cornells lived in the home and operated it as an art gallery—from 1975 to 1984. In 1984, Thomas A. Valentine purchased the home—with much of the remaining art still hanging on the walls. Valentine retained ownership through various trusts until 2019 when he sold it to current owner, Katherine Prewitt. Prewitt lives in the home and operates it as a bed and breakfast, which she named after Mr. Valentine and happens to have purchased on Valentine’s Day. Fitting!
The mansion has the distinction of being the only house on Upper Maple Street to be in continuous ownership by one family for almost 100 years.
Since then, the house has remained well-preserved on both the exterior and interior. The side porch overlooking the city was damaged in the June 1, 2011 tornado, but was restored. The mansion remains as an important part of the Ames/Crescent Hill District on the National Register of Historic Places.

Join Us at the Winter Fundraiser!
The Trust looks forward to hosting its annual winter fundraiser at this home and is grateful for Katherine Prewitt for opening it up to us in support of our mission to protect, preserve, and promote historic properties of Springfield.
This event is sold out, but you may be added to the wait list by contacting info@springfieldpreservation.org.
