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Contact: Shera Cohen, (413) 271-3982
SPRINGFIELD, MA - Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates the 225th Anniversary of Shays's Rebellion - one of the most significant, yet tragic, moments in the history of the United States. On Saturday, January 21st, 2012, from 1:30pm to 2:30pm, Richard Colton, Park Ranger, will introduce the public to a new, interactive kiosk that explores the history of that conflict. In addition, he will deliver an informative program on Shays and his rebels. The program will take place in the theatre and is free and open to the public. After the American Revolutionary War, Daniel Shays struggled to support his family as Massachusetts imposed heavy fees and tax burdens on its citizens to pay its war debt. In an effort to correct the injustices they experienced, Shays and others, many of them veterans of the war, soon attempted to storm and occupy the Springfield Arsenal on January 25, 1787. The rebellion that bears his name ended in loss of life and near disaster for the new Commonwealth. Out of the bloodshed and anger came a strengthened nation that very same year. Many call Shays's Rebellion the precursor to the writing of the United States Constitution. The interactive kiosk will be a permanent part of the museum exhibit on Shays's Rebellion. The kiosk and its companion website were created by Springfield Technical Community College and funded through a grant from the Massachusetts Foundation on the Humanities. The website is www.shaysrebellion.stcc.edu The 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. The park is open daily from 9am - 5pm. There is ample parking and the building is wheelchair accessible. For further information and weather cancelation call 413-734-8551 or check the website at www.nps.gov/spar. - NPS - |
Last updated: February 26, 2015