From Arsenal to Icon

The massive Main Arsenal building at Springfield Armory served as the storage facility for the weapons manufactured there. Constructed between 1847 and 1850 during the term of Commanding Officer James W. Ripley, it dominated the site and quickly became so iconic that Springfield incorporated it into the city seal when the city was established in 1852. The Main Arsenal remains Armory Square's largest and most memorable building. Its interior now houses a museum featuring the world's largest collection of American military firearms, a collection that began as a technical reference library for armory workers and engineers, and the building also serves as a visitor center for the historic site.

Springfield, Massachusetts · United States