Walking Through My Old Man's Stomping Grounds, Part II

From Dave Brigham:

On my second trek through my father's hometown of Springfield, Mass., I started a few blocks northeast of the Metro Center area I checked out in my initial visit (see August 30, 2025, "Walking Through My Old Man's Stomping Grounds, Part I"). The first place I found interesting is one that my dad may have known about.

Athletic Emblem & Lettering at 189 Taylor Street has been in business for 50 years. The sign also lists Hampden Hat & Cap Co., but I'm not sure if that part of the business is still active. According to the company's web site, the family behind the business first opened a sporting goods store in 1950. "When our father saw the need for embroidery and custom screen printing he opened Athletic Emblem and Lettering Company in 1975," the web site continues.

In 1950, my dad was 21 and finishing his senior year at Springfield College. It's possible that he bought baseball bats or gloves or other sporting equipment here as a young man.

I was bummed to see so many vacant lots in this area, as I mentioned in the first post. I imagine if I'd explored Springfield 10 years ago I'd have seen more of the old industrial properties I love to shoot.

Along Winter Street I spied a small ghost sign on the rear of a building that currently houses JB Auto Sales.

Hampden Glass & Paint moved to Main Street at some point. The company may have been acquired by BAPS Auto Paints & Supplies.

Heading southwest toward the heart of Metro Center, I spied a very faded sign at 265 Dwight Street for the defunct Center Stage Gentlemen's Club.

With the MGM Casino not far away, I figured a strip club would survive. From what I've read online, this place was considered pretty good up until a few years ago.

I spied a ghost sign for a much more wholesome endeavor not far away, on the derriere of 75 Market Street.

Established in 1893 on Main Street, Johnson's Bookstore "was a favorite haunt for many people of all ages who lived in the Springfield area," according to a blog post at the Springfield Museums web site. "A trip downtown to shop at the city’s department stores was often paired with a visit to Johnson’s to look at the books, toys, and gifts. As those department stores closed, Johnson’s became a destination in itself."

I'm guessing my dad visited this store at some point, probably with his mother. The store closed in 1997, after having been run by four generations of the Johnson family.

I continued east-southeast along Main Street, past the Mass Mutual Center, home to the Springfield Thunderbirds AHL hockey team and host to concerts, sporting events, conventions and more, on my left, and a nice park in front of city hall on my right. At the corner of Elm and Main streets, I was dazzled by the Walker Building, despite the fact that it was undergoing renovations.

The Richardsonian Romanesque beauty dates to 1890 and "was designed to house four shops at street level, and 14 offices on each of the upper floors," according to MACRIS. "Among early tenants of the stores were Sawtell & Lane, a men's hat store, and Brewer and Coburn Company."

The. building is named for T.M. Walker, who "started and built up the T.M. Walker Company as a leading manufacturer and dealer in woodwork, painting and builder's supplies," MACRIS continues. "Walker's success in business prompted him to explore other ventures, such as the Exchange Hotel, and later The Walker Building. The construction of commercial blocks such as this by enterprising local merchants played a key role in the continued commercial growth and development of the downtown in the late 19th/early 20th centuries."

At the corner of State and Main streets is the impressive Davis Block, aka the Masonic Temple Building, with a fantastic clock tower.

"Upon original construction in 1893, the building was Richardsonian Romanesque in style," according to MACRIS. "In 1927, the upper floors and clocktower were demolished, redesigned by architect Richard Moore, and reconstructed, creating the building seen today."

Its original purpose was as the headquarters of the local Free Masons chapter, with other commercial space available. After the Masons moved out and the reconstruction was completed, "the building continued to be used for leasable commercial and retail space with typical tenants, including dentists, lawyers, and real estate agents, among others," MACRIS continues.

I continued southeast on Main Street for just a moment. When I looked north along Stockbridge Street, I quickly pivoted in that direction to shoot the building below.

One of the oldest buildings in downtown Springfield, 7-9 Stockbridge Street dates to 1845 and is known as Guenther and Handel's Block. "This building was one of a series constructed in the 1840's on Stockbridge Street," according to old reliable, MACRIS. "The street was laid out in 1839 by Elam Stockbridge, and he followed by building a series of structures similar to this block which formed a cohesive unit of stores and rooms. A grocery store on the ground floor was purchased by Emil Guenther and his brother-in-law, Richard Handel, who in that year established Guenther and Handel Co., a deli and fancy grocery store," MACRIS indicates.

I'm not sure whether this beauty was occupied when I happened by. A sign in the window indicated that the building was being rehabbed, with funding coming in part from the Springfield Historic Preservation Trust Fund, which was created by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and MGM Springfield, the casino around the corner (which I will discuss...right now).

MGM Springfield opened in the Metro Center neighborhood in August 2018, the first full-service gambling house in Massachusetts. The complex includes a casino, hotel, entertainment venues and restaurants. I'll admit that when I learned the city had been awarded a coveted casino license, I was surprised. When Massachusetts legalized casino gambling, the state was split into three regions, of which Western Massachusetts was one. As the largest city in that part of the state, Spriingfield was a logical choice, despite its financial struggles over the years.

(The Chandler Steakhouse is one of MGM Springfield's restaurants.)

I'm glad that MGM put forth some effort to retain historic buildings (or, in some cases, just their facades), and to create the illusion of a series of separate buildings along Main Street, at pedestrian scale. I've written a few times about the Encore Boston Harbor casino complex in Everett, Mass., which is a stand-alone building that dwarfs the buildings around it (see May 4, 2019, "Roll the Dice: Encore!").

"MGM Springfield’s unique urban design integrates the region’s first luxury gaming resort into the architectural fabric of downtown, combining new construction with revived historic architecture," according to this MGM Springfield document I found online. "Designed to celebrate Springfield’s rich past, the preservation and reuse of multiple buildings is a central component of the property."

The building housing the Chandler Steakhouse is new, although the design has an old-world feel. Adjacent to the restaurant is the former Union House Hotel, of which only the facade was retained. The Italianate hotel was built in 1862 and used as a hotel until 1933, according to MACRIS. Other businesses took up residence in the years before the casino was built. If I'd known the history of that building, I would've made a photo.

MGM saved other buildings in their entirety, including: a former state armory that had been damaged in a 2011 tornado, which, in its restored state, is part of the casino's entertainment district; and the French Congregational Church, which was moved and is now the flagship location of Kringle Candle Co.. Other buildings have been saved in part, or architectural elements have been used by MGM.

Across the street from the casino stands a wonderfully restored block of buildings.

The McKinney Building, on the left, dates to 1905 and originally included a meeting hall used by the First Spiritualist Society, as well as commercial space on the ground floor, MACRIS tells us. In the middle is the Bangs Block, which dates to 1870. The building was used as a market and a watchmaker's shop in the early days. On the right is the Burbach Block, which was built in 1882. The building was affiliated with the adjacent United States Hotel, which was demolished in 1915, according to MACRIS.

Each of these buildings looked ready for occupancy by retail or restaurant tenants when I walked by.

At this point, although I wanted to continue heading southeast along Main Street, I turned around and began making my way back toward my car. On the rear of of a building along State Street, I spied another ghost sign.

"Oh, that's pretty cool," I said to myself. I had no idea what awaited me on the front of the building. But first, let's discuss the Court Square Building. Completed in 1892 in the Classical Revival / Victorian Eclectic styles, the building faces Elm Street, and initially included a theater. In 1900, the owner, Dwight Gilmore, added a sixth floor and an ell from Elm to State Street. The theater was demolished in 1957.

Perhaps my dad took in a film with a news reel at that theater when he was growing up.

Now, let's take a look at the facade on Elm Street.

Wow! They don't make buildings like that anymore. I mean, check out the details in the second photo, with the half dog/half royalty hybrid. Insane!

Redeveloped into apartments and now known as ThirtyOne Elm, the building offers "stunning Italian revival design overlooking Court Square," per the web site. Apartment options are one-bedroom, one-plus-den and two-bedroom "with unique architecture, bay windows, historic wood detail and trim paired with modern interior finishes," the web site indicates. The building features a lounge with a catering kitchen, billiard table, work-from-home spaces, a fitness center, on-site restaurant and a speakeasy lounge.

The building is fully leased.

I wound my way around for a bit until I was standing in front of the Whitcomb Building on Hampden Street.

Built in 1896, the Whitcomb Warehouse "was probably initially associated with the plant of the Springfield Cigar Manufacturing Company on Hampden Street," according to MACRIS. "This was the leading cigar maker in the city. It was founded in 1883 under the name of Baer and Carruth at 525-27 Main Street and moved to Hampden Street in 1885."

Later, Colby Manufacturing Co., which made paper rulers, moved in. Currently, the space is occupied by, among other organizations, Parent Villages, whose mission "is to build bridges between parents, youth, advocates, community leaders, and educators to close the opportunity gap and improve the quality of life for ALL children," per its web site.

I cut through a parking lot behind the Hippodrome/Paramount Theater block (see the first post about Springfield).

(The mural was completed by artist Mimi Ditkoff, who was mentioned in the first Springfield post, and Out Now, an organization of LGBTQ+ youth "dedicated to promoting health & well being, self-determination, and community building through anti-oppression organizing & peer support.")

The last two images are of the front and back entrances to the Board of Trade Block, located across from the old Paramount Theater.

In 1862, "John Olmsted had this block built as a combination office and warehouse building," MACRIS says. "It was originally leased by the Bay State Paper Co. During 1895 Olmsted completely remodeled the facade. This corresponded with the move of the Springfield Board of Trade to this building. Their object was to have entire new businesses locate in Springfield and promote the ones that were already here."

The door on the left is the entrance to Christian Hope Ministry.

I hope you've enjoyed this trip through my old man's stomping grounds. I hope to return in the near future!