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