Springfield College: An Architectural Tour of Spirit, Mind, and Body

Explore the campus of Springfield College with the Springfield College Archivist and Library Director who will show you its unique history in sport and wellness as reflected in the buildings and grounds of this 130 year old campus. Stand where Dr. James Naismith taught and played some of the earliest Basketball games ever played and where William Morgan introduced the game of volleyball to the world. See where the original Basketball Hall of Fame was, and visit the structures where many visited and played during their childhood. See how the campus has adapted to meet the needs of today’s college students and adapted academic spaces over the decades. Learn the stories of how the College interacts with the Watershops Pond and the wider community.

This walking tour departs at 10:30am and ends at 12pm. The tour is $5 for Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums members, and $10 for non-members, payable in advance on Eventbrite or at the tour's outset.
Second Saturday Tours explore historic Springfield. The series is co-presented by the Springfield Preservation Trust, Springfield Museums, and Springfield Libraries—and is generously sponsored by the Springfield Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council.

About Your Tour Guides

Jeffrey Monseau has been the College Archivist at the Springfield College Archives and Special Collections since 2008. Over the years Jeffrey has helped spread the news of the rich history of Springfield College, the birth of Basketball and Volleyball, the development of Physical Education and Sport, and the unique philosophy of Humanics through the Springfield College Museum at Judd Gymnasia, the National YMCA Hall of Fame, and exhibits on and off campus, including at the Springfield Museums. 

John Brady, Library Director, began working at Springfield College during the conversion of the Babson Library to Learning Commons renovation project in 2016. Prior to working at Springfield College, John worked for nearly twenty years at Chicago’s world renown independent research Newberry Library. As a Newberry Curator and Director of Reader Services, John built and managed the collections, and worked closely with researchers, exhibits, public programs and academic classes. For the past ten years, his focus has been establishing the Learning Commons as the academic hub of the Springfield College community and supporting student and faculty research.

About the Springfield Preservation Trust

Founded in 1972, the Springfield Preservation Trust strives to preserve and protect properties in Springfield that have architectural or historic significance. As the only non-profit, non-government advocacy group for historic preservation in Springfield, the Trust will continue to be the voice of preservation into the future. Learn more at springfieldpreservation.org.

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