Of all the Springfields in America, including the famous home of the hugely popular Simpsons cartoon, Springfield, Massachusetts is the first to take the name and the biggest of the lot. Sat on the banks of the Connecticut River, the city is situated in the very south of Massachusetts close to the border with Connecticut State. The city was founded way back in 1636, meaning it’s a historic place with plenty to keep the visitor happy.
Not content with being a pioneer of the name Springfield in the US, the town then reached even greater heights of inventiveness in concocting a rather odd indoor sport that involved bouncing a ball around a court and getting the thing through a basket. That was at the end of the 19th century. Just over 100 years later, basketball is the most popular indoor sport in America and there’s a hall of fame in Springfield to prove it.
Springfield is also home to the factory that produced the first motorcycles in the country and the home of famous cartoonist Dr Seuss. All of these achievements are proudly displayed at museums in the city, but if all that history starts to get a bit wearing then head to nearby theme park Six Flags New England featuring hair-raising rides and not a single basketball in sight.
Highlights
The Quadrangle: the historic and cultural epicenter of Springfield with its Fine Arts Museum, Science Museum and lots more besides.
Basketball Hall of Fame: an attraction with considerable balls, the Basketball Hall of Fame is memorabilia galore with plenty of visits by stars of the game.
Six Flags New England: plenty of stomach-churning rides, particularly twisty-turny roller coasters that will keep the kids happy all day long.
The Springfield Armory: was the first place that supplied weapons for George Washington when America went to war.
Indian Motorcycle Museum: is where America’s love affair with two wheels began, formerly a factory for the Indian motorcycle, now a fascinating exhibition.