In 1962, the Springfield Rescue Mission acquired the building, and it has been used by them ever since. The old building was then used as a private boarding house for many years, as seen in the first photo. The WCA provided a place for young, single women to live while working in the city, and this building served that purpose until the larger YWCA building was completed a block away on Howard Street in 1907. As Springfield’s population and economy grew in the late 19th century, so did the demand for workers. It was built in 1884, as a boarding house for the Women’s Christian Association. The building at 19 Bliss Street has had a variety of roles over the years.

Courtesy of the Springfield Preservation Trust.

The former WCA boarding house at 19 Bliss Street in Springfield, around 1938-1939.