Springfield Armory in dire financial straits??

[Cabinetman]

Hi all. Living here on the MA border in CT allows me to visit the Armory museum whenever I wish. I haven't been there in a few months, however, but was just reading a post in another well known forum about the museum. He stated that there are no longer any "special tours" available because of continued staff cuts and, after talking to the super, it's questionable that the armory will even stay open because of budget cuts. I don't want to begin any rumors and figured someone else out here must be aware of it.

Has anyone else heard this? I know that the place has always been at the bottom of the list when it came to funding having been close friends with Doug Culliard, the past Superintendant. But to actually read that its future is in jeapordy is pretty scary. Their collection is by far one of the most amazing one in the US if not on the Continent and their history goes back to George Washintgon, himself.

Just curious. There is a "Friends" group that does a lot to support the museum but I doubt it could pick up that much slack.

Rome

 

[pdm]

Who funds it, the feds or the state?

 

[Cabinetman]

Since it's a National Park (on the same plane as Acadia or Yellowstone), the Feds do. Since that's the case, you'd think that some of that "stimulus money' would find its way there to make the improvments needed and staffing levels high. I don't believe that Springfield nor MA contribute to their budget but I may be wrong.

Rome

 

[smitty]

Oh my god! It's a damn national park right? I mean it's ran by the national park service, so the "Feds" pay for it. If our current government runs the park, then it's done for!
I truely hope that the Springfield Armory doesn't go away. It is one of few things in New England that I do like.
smitty

 

[mark056]

Well since it doesn't glorify popular culture or persons recently deceased who might be characterized as prime movers in popular culture, it lacks worthiness as a place to be visited by a significant portion of the general populace. Then too, it glorifies evil guns and also tends to portray Euro-Americans almost exclusively; their accomplishments in the development of manufacturing and what used to be termed with pride as "yankee ingenuity." Then too, so many engineers, skilled workers and others got their start at the Springfield Armory and then went to the commerical firms then operating in "gun valley"...thus the Spingfield Armory could be viewed as the original source or fount of all the really bad evil guns which are the root cause of virtually all of our problems today.

So you see, under current government thinking, the Springfield Armory needs to be closed down. Perhaps the funds that were used previously for the SA could be diverted and used to make Neverland out next national park...Now there's an idea worth considering...remember it's for the children !!!!!

Mark056

 

[Jose]

If our current government runs the park, then it's done for!

Lack of federal funding for anything that exposes firearms in a positive light is no accident.

 

[FiremanBob]

sounds like an Administration anti-gun conspiracy to me.

 

[JimB]

yup

heard several months ago that no tours on the second floor. Not suprised
that funding is not there.

JimB

 

[Taipan01]

If they are tied in with Springfield Armory, I'd gladly support Springfield with $1000 by buying an EMP in MA.

 

[GLOCK.Perfection]

there is another thread about the armory. I think in their someone mentioned plans to close it for good.