The Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway is a 3.7-mile corridor running along the beautiful Connecticut River through Springfield. Stretching from the South End Bridge to Plainfield Street, the pathway passes Springfield landmarks like the Basketball Hall of Fame and Riverfront Park. The Walk and Bikeway is a great community resource for outdoor recreation.
The Springfield Armory, located in the heart of the city, is the location of one of the country's first armory and is also where the U.S. military arms were manufactured during most of the 18th Century. This significant national site is featured on the National Register of Historic Places and preserves the largest collection of historic American firearms in the world.
Features a state of the art sound system.
Founded in 1959, the present facility of the Basketball Hall of Fame was opened in 2002 in a gorgeously modern building shaped like a basketball. Located on three floors, the museum houses a large collection of sports memorabilia, exhibits, and more dedicated to athletes and teams from around the world, as well as other innovators, coaches, commentators and referees. At the end of your self-guided tour, shoot some baskets on the regulation-size court at a variety of hoops, ranging from the wooden headboards of the 1890s to the fiberglass models of the 21st Century.
Founded as a "Free Church" then "Sanford Street Church" in the 1840s, the St. John’s Congregational Church is one of the oldest active Black New England churches. Abolitionist John Brown was a member of the church and he along with other church members would help fugitive slaves escape, their actions helped Springfield become a major stop on the Underground Railroad. Church members also fought for Civil Rights, including Rev. Dr. Charles E. Cobb who successfully made the Springfield school Board end its ban on hiring qualified black teachers in 1956. A bible owned by John Brown is on display at the church.