Editing Springfield, Massachusetts (section)

=== Post-colonial period ===
In 1777, Springfield's location at numerous crossroads led [[George Washington]] and [[Henry Knox]] to establish the United States' [[Springfield Armory|National Armory at Springfield]], which produced the first American [[musket]] in 1794, and later the famous [[Springfield rifle]].<ref name="springfield375.org">{{cite web|url=http://springfield375.org/?p=126 |title=Firsts &#124; Springfield 375 |publisher=Springfield375.org |access-date=April 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521154926/http://springfield375.org/?p=126 |archive-date=May 21, 2013 }}</ref> From 1777 until its closing during the [[Vietnam War]], the Springfield Armory attracted skilled laborers to Springfield, making it the United States' longtime center for precision manufacturing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/news/view/375-new_museum_of_springfield_history_to_open_october_10 |title=New Museum of Springfield History to Open October 10—News |publisher=Springfield Museums |date=September 24, 2009 |access-date=April 4, 2012 |archive-date=June 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605113252/http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/news/view/375-new_museum_of_springfield_history_to_open_october_10 |url-status=live }}</ref> The near-capture of the armory during [[Shays' Rebellion]] of 1787 led directly to the formation of the [[U.S. Constitutional Convention]].

[[File:1908 Main Street Springfield Massachusetts byDetroitPubCo LC 4a22730a.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Main Street, 1908]]

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Springfielders produced many innovations, including the first American-English dictionary (1805, [[Merriam-Webster]]); the first use of [[interchangeable parts]] and the [[assembly line]] in manufacturing (1819, [[Thomas Blanchard (inventor)|Thomas Blanchard]]); the first American horseless car (1825, Thomas Blanchard); the mass production of [[vulcanized rubber]] (1844, [[Charles Goodyear]]); the first American gasoline-powered car (1893, [[Duryea Brothers]]); the first successful motorcycle company (1901, "[[Indian (motorcycle)|Indian]]"); one of America's first commercial radio stations (1921, [[WBZ (AM)|WBZ]], broadcast from the [[Hotel Kimball]]); and most famously, the world's second-most-popular sport, [[basketball]] (1891, Dr. [[James Naismith]]).<ref name="springfield375.org" /> Springfield would play major roles in machine production, initially driven by the arms industry of the Armory, as well as from private companies such as [[Smith & Wesson]], established by [[Horace Smith (inventor)|Horace Smith]] and [[Daniel B. Wesson]]. Similarly, the industrial economy led Thomas and Charles Wason to establish the [[Wason Manufacturing Company]], which produced the first manufactured [[sleeping car]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Bianculli |first=Anthony J. |title=Trains and Technology: the American Railroad in the Nineteenth Century. Vol. 2, Cars. |year=2002 |publisher=University of Delaware Press |location=Newark, Del. [u.a.] |isbn=0-87413-730-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/trainstechnology0000bian/page/52 52] |url=https://archive.org/details/trainstechnology0000bian/page/52 }}</ref> The largest railcar works in New England, Wason produced 100 cars a day at its peak; the company was eventually purchased by [[Brill Company|Brill]] in 1907 and closed during the Depression in 1937.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lost Springfield, Massachusetts|last=Strahan|first=Derek|publisher=The History Press|location=Charleston, SC|year=2017|pages=70–71}}</ref> Among numerous other industries, during the first half of the 20th century Springfield also produced brass goods, chemicals, clothing and knit goods, paper goods, watches, boilers, engines, manufacturing machinery, silverware, jewelry, skates, carriages, buttons, needles, toys, and printed books and magazines.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Collier's New Encyclopedia|year=1921|title=Springfield (Massachusetts)|location=New York|title-link=:s:Springfield (Massachusetts)}}</ref>

Springfield underwent a protracted decline during the second half of the 20th century, due largely to the decommissioning of the Springfield Armory in 1969; poor city planning decisions, such as the location of the elevated [[Interstate 91|I-91]] along the city's [[Connecticut River]] front; and overall decline of industry throughout the [[northeastern United States]]. During the 1980s and 1990s, Springfield developed a national reputation for crime, political corruption, and cronyism. During the early 21st century, Springfield saw long-term revitalization projects and several large projects, including the $1&nbsp;billion [[Hartford Line|New Haven–Hartford–Springfield intercity rail]];<ref name="nhhsrail">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhhsrail.com/ |title=New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Rail Program |publisher=nhhsrail.com |access-date=October 16, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006032221/http://www.nhhsrail.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[MGM Springfield|a $1&nbsp;billion MGM casino]].,<ref name="mgmspringfield">{{cite web |url=http://www.mgmspringfield.com/springfield/vision.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825001237/http://www.mgmspringfield.com/springfield/vision.aspx |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |url-status=dead |title=MGM Springfield—Our Vision |access-date=October 16, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="springfield-ma">{{cite web |url=http://www3.springfield-ma.gov/planning/328.0.html |title=Springfield Redevelopment Authority: Union Station |publisher=www3.springfield-ma.gov |access-date=October 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018200656/http://www3.springfield-ma.gov/planning/328.0.html |archive-date=October 18, 2014 }}</ref> and the $95 million redevelopment of Springfield Union Station.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.springfield-ma.gov/sra/union-station|title=Springfield Union Station: Springfield Redevelopment Authority|website=www.springfield-ma.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masslive.com/business-news/2017/03/union_station.html|title=Grand opening date set for Springfield's Union Station|first=Jim|last=Kinney|date=March 6, 2017|website=masslive}}</ref>  In December 2022, Springfield was designated by the National Park Service as an American World War II Heritage City,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/spar/learn/news/city-of-springfield-designated-an-american-world-war-ii-heritage-city-by-national-park-service.htm|title=City of Springfield Designated an American World War II Heritage City by National Park Service - Springfield Armory National Historic Site |website=U.S. National Park Service |date=December 6, 2022  |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203224648/https://www.nps.gov/spar/learn/news/city-of-springfield-designated-an-american-world-war-ii-heritage-city-by-national-park-service.htm |archive-date= 2024-02-03 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.springfield-ma.gov/cos/news-story?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=16042&cHash=df98fa6c04cdd81241285cd99218c863|title=City of Springfield Designated an American World War II Heritage City by National Park Service|date=December 6, 2022|website=City of Springfield, MA}}</ref> the first in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and one of only 18 communities in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/national-park-service-announces-new-american-world-war-ii-heritage-cities.htm|title=National Park Service announces new American World War II Heritage Cities - Office of Communications (U.S. National Park Service)|website=www.nps.gov}}</ref>