Springfield College, then called the School for Christian Workers, was founded in January, 1885. Classes began in the Old Chapel of Hope Church until the original school building could be constructed directly adjacent to the Church on the corner of State and Sherman Streets in the Winchester Square section of Springfield. The area was named after Springfield’s mayor at that time, Charles A. Winchester. In 1987 Winchester Square was changed to Mason Square, after Primus Mason who originally owned the land during the mid-1800s. Primus Mason (1817-1892) was an influential African-American businessman who invested his money in real estate in Springfield. By 1888 he was one of the wealthiest citizens of the city and when he died in 1892 he left his money to found the Springfield Home for Aged Men which is now the Mason-Wright Retirement Community on Walnut Street. In March of 1886, students moved into their rooms in the new building and on April 1 of that year construction was completed. The School for Christian Workers building was officially dedicated on June 1, 1886.

On June 10, 1890 the departments of the School for Christian Workers separated into two separate schools: the School for Christian Workers and the Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College). Both schools continued to share the building in Winchester Square until 1896, when the Training School moved to its present location on Massasoit Lake (formerly Watershops Pond). Initially, according to the September 19th, 1890 trustee records, it was agreed that the YMCA Training School would purchase the original school building from the School for Christian Workers. On January 9, 1891, during the International YMCA Training School Trustee Meeting, that decision was rescinded because land on Alden Street became available that was more suited for the needs of the Training School. The thirty acres of land were purchased from two prominent Springfield families, the McKnight Brothers, looking to settle an estate. Soon after, the School purchased the adjoining land from William R. Purple which added another 450 feet to the school’s waterfront. In 1894, the first building on the new land, Judd Gymnasia was constructed and in 1896 the first dormitory. In 1896 the transfer of the International YMCA Training School to the new campus was complete.

In 1897 the School for Christian Workers became the Bible Normal College and moved to Hartford, Connecticut to share the resources of the Hartford Seminary. The original School for Christian Workers building has significant historic value as it is where the game of basketball was invented by James Naismith and the site of the first game in 1891. In 1965 the building was torn down and the land paved to create a parking lot. Christian Workers building has significant historic value as it is where the game of basketball was invented by James Naismith and the site of the first game in 1891.

The buildings of Springfield College were established at the following times:

1885: Original School Building

1894: Judd Gymnasium

1895: Administration Building, Doggetts House/Old Student Union

1901: Gladden Boathouse

1905: East Campus, Woods Hall

1911: Power Plant

1912: Marsh Memorial

1921: Weiser Hall

1927: Alumni Hall

1931: Pueblo of the Seven Fires

1947: Memorial Field House

1950: Abbey-Appleton Hall

1958: Beveridge Center, Doggett’s Memorial Presidential Home, Massasoit Hall

1960: Lakeside Hall, Schoo-Bemis Science Center

1961: Reed Hall

1963: International Hall

1966: Linkletter Natatorium, Locklin Hall, Towne Student Health Center

1967: Cheney Hall

1968: Allied Health Sciences Center, Basketball Hall of Fame

1969: Gulick Hall

1970: Babson Library

1974: Hickory Hall

1980: Loveland Chapel, Wellness and Recreation Complex, Physical Education Complex

1983: Fuller Arts Center

1989: The Townhouses

1990: Herbert P. Blake Hall, Reeds Landing, The Living Center and Kakley Graduate Annex

1992: Brennan Center

2003: Senior Suites

2008: Richard B. Flynn Campus Union