Springfield Armory National Historic Site - Management (U.S. National Park Service)

The emblem of the US National Park Service

US NPS

Official emblem, created in 1951, of the U.S. National Park Service

Congressional legislation and related documents establishing Springfield Armory National Historic Site

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US NPS

The US NPS was created in 1916.

Centennial Initiative 2016

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The US ARMY Ordnance Department crest below the Springfield Armory banner

Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS

Springfield Armory was the shoulder arms manufacturing and development facility of the US ARMY Ordnance Department from 1794 to 1968. Earlier, the Ordnance Department had a major arsenal on the site from 1777.

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The INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT Between THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY and THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ". . . that the Collection shall be and shall remain within the exclusive custody and responsibility of the NPS." (June 2000) [page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield Technical Community College, which was created after the closing of the historic Springfield Armory in 1968, now occupies most of the original buildings in Armory Square. Armory Square's two occupants, the US National Park Service and STCC, jointly administer the National Historic Landmark and National Historic Site.

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AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS: a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning administration of the National Historic Site (August 21, 1999)

A Review of National Park Cultural Resource Programs, Oct 2008

Shown here is the first page of the 104-page document that may be seen by "CLICKING" on the gold-highlighted document title in the text to the left.

SAVING OUR HISTORY: A Review of National Park Cultural Resource Programs

A Report by a Panel of the NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

for the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service

October 2008

The Panel is concerned that cultural resources throughout the National Park System are at risk. The Panel has identified ways that NPS can improve its stewardship of these significant national resources by strengthening performance-based management, ensuring park superintendent accountability, increasing flexibility in the use of funds, strengthening national leadership, and seeking additional staff and funding to reduce risks to cultural resources of national significance.

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Shown here is the first page of the 11-page document that may be seen by "CLICKING" on the gold-highlighted document title in the text to the right.

DIRECTOR’S ORDER #24: NPS MUSEUM COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT - reissued January 31, 2009

This Director's Order supersedes Director's Order #24 issued August 21, 2000. It supplements NPS Management Policies and is augmented by procedures in the Museum Handbook.

1. Background and Purpose

The National Park Service is custodian in perpetuity of irreplaceable and priceless museum collections that include objects, specimens, and archival and manuscript materials (textual, electronic, cartographic, architectural, and audio-visual documents), representing cultural and natural resources in the United States, including but not limited to the disciplines of archeology, biology, ethnology, geology, history, and paleontology. NPS museum collections are park resources that are part of the natural and cultural heritage of the country and are collected, preserved, and interpreted for public benefit.

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A view of part of a rack corridor opened for access (up to eight feet wide)

Springfield Armory NHS, US NPS

The thirty-two long racks, standing mostly in back-to-back pairs, are moved easily from a closed position to open by turning a hand wheel. Additional flat storage for small objects and floor storage for very heavy items are found in the Collection Storage Room, also.

NEW COMPACT STORAGE OF THE FIREARMS COLLECTION INSTALLED IN LATE 2007 COMPLETION REPORT and FLOOR PLAN showing moving RIFLE RACKS mounted on rails.

Compared to the old rifle racks, most of which were built by Springfield Armory for use at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (Gen. U.S. Grant was a keynote speaker), the new racks are state-of-the-art and combine not only the thousands of shoulder arms formerly stored in the old wooden racks, but also the nearly 3,000 fully-automatic weapons previously stored elsewhere. Those long arms, such as the US Model 1841 rifles, are held vertically in secure foam supports. Heavier items, including most of the machine guns, are stored on the lower horizontal shelves. The collection continues to function as a technical reference encyclopedia for engineers and scholars and especially for the U.S. Armed Forces (see The INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT Between THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY and THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR above on this page). Take the time to view or search the collection on-line.

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