"The Wheelman's Mecca."
Springfield is a flourishing city of 50,000 inhabitants, and is situated on the left bank of the Connecticut River a few miles above the Connecticut State line. It was first settled by a brave trader, William Pynchon, and became a city in 1852. The largest United States arsenal is situated here and gives employment to many men.
The river is spanned by four bridges, and at one point is 1136 feet wide. The last battle of Shays's Rebellion was fought here, and the spot is marked by a monument. Springfield takes great pride in her schools, which are among the finest in Massachusetts. In a few months electric cars will be running to the "Paper City"—Holyoke, which is nearly as large a city as Springfield. Forest Park is the summer breathing-place of the city. It contains picnic grounds, fine drives, duck, lotus, and lily ponds, drinking-fountains, a "zoo" of small size, and many pavilions.
Paper, bicycles, railroad passenger cars, buttons, skates, and pistols are largely manufactured here. The Public Library contains about 90,000 volumes. Hampden Park has the best bicycle track in the United States, and Springfield is called the "Wheelman's Mecca." The famous "Yale-Harvard" football games are also played on Hampden Park.
Albert W. Atwater.