About Us

Museum History

The Connecticut Valley Historical Society was originally a separate organization which held its meetings and housed its collections in the City Library building. By 1927, these collections, reflecting "natural, civil, military, literary, ecclesiastical and genealogical materials," had grown so large that a new Museum building was constructed. The granite building, designed by prominent local architect Max Westhoff, incorporates some of the finest architectural features of a Colonial home. The front door is a replica of the doorway from the 1755 house of Col. Josiah Dwight of Springfield. The original Dwight door was purchased in 1924 by Henry Francis duPont for his own home on Long Island. It was later moved to the duPont home at Winterthur.

Museum Exhibits

Learn more about the history and traditions of the Connecticut River Valley through our permanent and changing exhibits that tell the story of the region from 1636 to the present through the Museum's collection of handcrafted furniture and silver by local craftsmen, motorcycles and antique autos made in Springfield, industrial objects from the region's factories, and historical firearms from the area's gun industry, including selected revolvers from a premier Smith & Wesson collection. The Museum celebrates many of the area's famous people, including Springfield native Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. A satellite museum at the Smith & Wesson Academy in East Springfield features exhibits recalling the region's important role in firearms manufacturing.

Genealogy & Local History Library

To delve into your personal history, join the researchers and family historians from throughout the United States and Canada who use the Museum's Genealogy and Local History Library. In addition to the largest collection of French Canadian records outside Quebec, the library has the Ellis Island passenger records, the Loiselle Index, over 20,000 genealogy books, 6,000 microforms, 25,000 photos and 1.3 million archival documents, as well as diaries, deeds, account books, land transfer documents and photographs.