ABSTRACT
In his comprehensive 1930 history of Massachusetts industry, Orra Stone referred
to Springfield as “a beehive of diversified production,” with 24 large factories,
having annual production in excess of $1 million and numerous smaller sup-
porting specialty shops.1 Internationally and nationally recognized, the city’s
and larger valley’s skill base drew England’s Rolls Royce, Inc. to the region
in 1919 after an exhaustive search for potential sites for a new manufacturing
facility. Access to an expansive supply of highly skilled machinists and easy
access to quality drop forgings and other precision parts dictated the decision.
