On October 17, 1898, Springfield accumulated the earliest snowfall on record. The Leader-Democrat started the paper by saying, “It’s all a mistake, this weather. It’s out of place and out of date.

In 1892, the U.S. Army held trials to find a new service rifle. The Army wanted a bolt action to replace the trapdoor Springfield, and the winner out more than 40 entrants was the Krag-Jørgensen from ...