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Springfield Museums receive final installment of grant from Verizon
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Ellen Cummings, the regional director of external affairs for Central and Western Massachusetts for Verizon, presents a thrid installment of $20,000 to Frances Gagnon and Guy McLain for the new Museum of Springfield History. Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs
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By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD With a display of classic Indian Motocycles as a backdrop, Springfield Museum officials accepted the third and final installment of a $60,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation for the new Museum of Springfield History on Wednesday.
Guy McLain, director of the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, said the grant would be used to fund exhibits and programming presenting the history of technology.
Frances Gagnon, who is a museum trustee and director of collections for the new museums, noted the progress that has been made in converting the former Verizon office building at the corner of Chestnut and Edwards streets to a modern museum space.
The building was in "shambles," she said.
McLain added, "The transformation of the building has been incredible."
Outside on the side of the property facing Edwards Street, construction crews were making preparations to put the concrete for the foundation of the new entrance and exhibit area for the building.
Springfield, she added, was "the Silicon Valley of the United States 100 years ago," referring to the city as a center of invention and innovation. The museum will feature the Indian Motocycles the first American-made motorcycles as well as the accomplishments of the Duryea Brothers who made and tested the first American gasoline-powered automobile here.
The contributions to aviation made by the Granville Brothers with their GeeBee planes, the story of Rolls Royse in Springfield and the development of nationally known businesses such as Milton Bradley, Smith & Wesson, Friendly's Ice Cream and Merriam Webster will also be presented at the museum.
Although the history of the city has been presented in exhibits at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, McLain said, "This building allows us to do things we haven't been able to do at the Pynchon building."
The new museum will add 16,000 square feet of exhibit space.
McLain said the museum goal is not just to present the past with its exhibits, but also "to inspire people that the same of things can happen here in the 21st century."
The museum is scheduled to open next year.
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