On this date in 1974, Springfield Armory was officially authorized as a National Park Service site! With the approval of Congress and President Gerald Ford, Springfield Armory was designated as a site significant to the history of the nation. The NPS site has been open to the public since 1978.
Our birthday wish this year is to continue our mission of preserving and telling the stories of the Nation’s First Armory for you and future generations.
ABOUT THE PARK: Springfield Armory National Historic Site is the location of the nation’s first armory (1794 – 1968) and was established by George Washington. The site includes historic grounds, buildings, and the world’s largest historic American military firearms collection.