Springfield Armory visitors spent $1.1M last year, National Park Service says
SPRINGFIELD — Visitors to the Springfield Armory National Historic Site spent more than $1.1 million here last year, the National Park Service said Friday.
These expenditures — on things like food, gas, sundries and lodging — meant $562,000 in wages and a total of $1.5 million in economic output. The armory hosted 15,925 visitors in 2024.
The Park Service released its annual report on visitor traffic and economic impact. Visitors to Yellowstone National Park spent $710 million, for example.
Across the country, the report — 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects — finds that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near National Parks. This spending provided $18.8 billion in labor income and $56.3 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy.
Lodging had the highest direct contributions, with $11.1 billion in economic output. Restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions, with $5.7 billion in economic output.
In Massachusetts alone, 8.8 million visitors to National Parks here spent $950 million in the state in 2024. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of $1.4 billion.
In 2024, 2.7 million park visitors spent an estimated $193 million while visiting Boston National Historical Park , which includes the Freedom Trail.
Springfield Armory Superintendent Kelly Fellner, left, and Curator Alex MacKenzie talk about the history of the trapdoor rifle on May 7 at the armory in Springfield. (Douglas Hook / The Republican, File)Douglas Hook
The numbers come out as the National Park Service and the federal government as a whole face the possibility of a shutdown Wednesday.
In past years, such shutdowns have closed the Springfield Armory museum buildings and furloughed workers. Some parks remain open to hikers, but amenities including restrooms are shut down.
The popularity of park — home to the world's largest historic American military firearms collection — is trending upward. It's celebrating 50 years as a Park Service property and is at the center of local plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
A collection of firearm production mishaps are on display at the Springfield Armory in Springfield. (Steve Smith / Special to The Republican, File)
It had hosted 10,724 visitors for the first eight months of 2025; that is about 3.7% ahead of the pace of 2024 .
Established by George Washington, the Springfield Armory was the nation's first, operating from 1794 to 1968, and its technological advances laid the foundation for the country's — and Springfield's — manufacturing innovation over the centuries.
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
