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Making America's Best Idea Even Better
Springfield Armory National Historic SiteClose-up of Springfield musket lockplate dated 1799
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Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Inventors & Inventions

inventors & inventions includes:

Thomas Blanchard
Erskine S. Allin
John M. Garand
 
 

Inventors & Inventions of Springfield Armory

 
Historic Blanchard Lathe on Exhibit

Springfield Armory NHS, Archives

Historic Blanchard Lathe on Exhibit at the Annual Regional Fair, ca. 1950.

Springfield Armory operated from 1794 through 1968 manufacturing seven major types of military shoulder arms. They were used in every US armed conflict up to the present. Inventors increased the Armory's fame through their innovations. Among them were Thomas Blanchard- who invented the eccentric lathe; Eskine S. Allin- who converted the muzzle-loading Civil War rifle-muskets into breech-loading rifles; and John Garand- who invented the famous M1 "Garand" rifle. (visit the Museum exhibit about the Armory's inventors, titled "Genius of Springfield.")
Thomas Blanchard, Inventor of the eccentric lathe, allowing the rapid manufacturing of irregular shapes.
Thomas Blanchard, Inventor of the eccentric lathe,
allowed the rapid manufacturing of irregular shapes and
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Erskine S. Allin invented the breechloading Trapdoor rifle
Erskine S. Alline invented the Trapdoor.
by modifying the breech of the rifle-musket.
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John M. Garand, Inventor of the M1-Garand
John Garand's M1 was adopted by the Army in 1936
and was manufactured primarily at Springfield Armory
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Aerial view of small community, Kismet, looking from the southwest, bay to the upper left and sandy beach to the lower right.  

Did You Know?
Seventeen pre-existing communities remain inside the boundaries of Fire Island National Seashore. Some early supporters of the national seashore were interested in its establishment to ensure that a proposed parkway down the middle of Fire Island would not be constructed.
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Last Updated: February 27, 2009 at 16:35 EST