Springfield Armory Closes
On this day in 1968, there was great sadness in Springfield as the city's historic armory closed its doors after nearly two centuries as the leading producer of small arms for the American military. First established by George Washington early in the Revolutionary War, the armory became a pioneer in mass production, division of labor, and industrial management. Among the most innovative and important weapons it produced were the "Springfield '03" rifle that U.S. soldiers carried in World War I and the classic M1 semiautomatic rifle that played a critical role in World War II. Ten years after the armory was shut down, the National Park Service opened a museum on the site that traces the story of the development of arms and industry in Springfield.
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