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SPRINGFIELD, MA: Following the removal of the famous Building 104 at Federal Square surprises were found when the building was taken down. Known as the site that manufactured millions of semi-automatic Rifles Building 104, located in Springfield Technology Park at Federal Square of the historic Springfield Armory, was a state of the art manufacturing facility built exclusively to keep up with necessary production during WWII. Following the removal of the majority of Building 104, an archeology crew from UMASS Amherst was brought in to investigate the area which historically was the location of a World War One barracks, an early 19th century storehouse and ordnance yard. Investigations revealed historic artifacts, as well as prehistoric artifacts suggesting the area was originally a Native American site. Building 104's historic uses will inform our interaction with museum visitors, students and scholars studying the historical uses of Springfield's industrial buildings. Park Resources and Maintenance Chief Gavin Gardner commented that "The discovery of these artifacts will provide knowledge that can become a part of visitor programs for years to come. At the presentation visitors will learn what historic clues were found, the archeological techniques used, and the reasons behind the scientific practices." Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates and preserves the site of our Nation's first armory, established in 1794. It is the home of the world's largest historic American military firearms collection. The
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Last updated: February 11, 2016