HARPER'S
NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
No. XXVI.—JULY, 1852.—Vol. V.
THE ARMORY AT SPRINGFIELD
BY JACOB ABBOTT
GENERAL VIEW.SPRINGFIELD.
The Connecticut river flows through the Stateof Massachusetts, from north to south, on aline about half way between the middle of theState and its western boundary. The valleythrough which the river flows, which perhapsthe stream itself has formed, is broad and fertile,and it presents, in the summer months of theyear, one widely extended scene of inexpressibleverdure and beauty. The river meanders througha region of broad and luxuriant meadows whichare overflowed and enriched by an annual inundation.These meadows extend sometimesfor miles on either side of the stream, and areadorned here and there with rural villages, builtwherever there is a little elevation of land—sufficientto render human habitations secure.The broad and beautiful valley is bounded oneither hand by an elevated and undulating country,with streams, mills, farms, villages, forests,and now and then a towering mountain, to varyand embellish the landscape. In some cases asort of spur or projection from the upland countryprojects into the valley, forming a mountainsummit there, from which the most magnificentviews are obtained of the beauty and fertility ofthe surrounding scene.
There are three principal towns upon thebanks of the Connecticut within the Massachusettslines: Greenfield on the north—where theriver enters into Massachusetts from betweenNew Hampshire and Vermont—Northampton atthe centre, and Springfield on the south. Thesetowns are all built at points where the uplandapproaches near to the river. Thus at Springfieldthe land rises by a gentle ascent from nearthe bank of the stream to a spacious and beautifulplain which overlooks the valley. The townis built upon this declivity. It is so envelopedin trees that from a distance it appears simplylike a grove with cupolas and spires rising abovethe masses of forest foliage; but to one withinit, it presents every where most enchanting picturesof rural elegance and beauty. The streetsare avenues of trees. The houses are surroundedby gardens, and so enveloped in shrubberythat in many cases they reveal themselves to thepasser-by only by the glimpse that he obtainsof a colonnade or a piazza, through some littlevista which opens for a moment and then closesagain as he passes along. At one point, in ascendingfrom the river to the plain above, thetourist stops involuntarily to admire the view[Pg 2]which opens on either side, along a winding andbeautiful street which here crosses his way. Itis called Chestnut-street on the right hand, andMaple-street on the left—the two portions receivingtheir several names from the trees withwhich they are respectively adorned. The branchesof the trees meet in a dense and unbrokenmass of foliage over the middle of the street, andthe sidewalk presents very precisely the appearanceand expression of an alley in the gardensof Versailles.
THE ARMORY GROUNDS.
On reaching the summit of the ascent, thevisitor finds himself upon an extended plain, withstreets of beautiful rural residences on every hand,and in the centre a vast public square occupiedand surrounded by the buildings of the Armory.These bu