Once a booming industrial center in the heart of Vermont’s “Precision Valley,” Springfield is rich in history. Visit orchards, galleries and a star party at the Stellafane Observatory. Springfield is a town of about 9,000 people located on the western shore of the Connecticut River. First chartered as a New Hampshire land grant in 1761, Springfield grew through the mid-19th and early 20th centuries into a booming industrial center in the heart of Vermont’s “Precision Valley,” so named for the precision manufacturing that was born there. The town’s machine tool production was so vital to the Allied war effort during World War II that the U.S. government ranked Springfield the seventh most likely bombing target by Nazi forces. Though Springfield’s industrial importance is largely a thing of the past, the town is rich in history, as evidenced by much of the downtown architecture along the Black River, whose dam and waterfalls once powered local mills and factories. Springfield is also home to the state’s first airstrip, Hartness State Airport, as well as the 370-bed Southern State Correctional Facility. In 2007, Springfield won a national contest, put on by the Fox Broadcasting Company, to become the “official Springfield” of The Simpsons Movie. On July 10, 2007, the city hosted the movie’s world premiere at its Springfield Cinemas 3. If you want to visit Springfield, Vermont, here’s a suggested itinerary. Note: Check websites to confirm business hours for the day of your visit. Black River Coffee Bar Grab a bagel, muffin, danish or biscotti with a locally roasted coffee, espresso, latte or cappuccino. Located in a historic 19th-century building that once housed the town’s fire engines, Black River Coffee Bar gets its name from the adjacent river and falls of the same name. Good views of the Black River Falls and upper dam are available from a parking lot about 200 feet up Park Street next to a brick building. Additionally, there is a small public park along Route 11 with views of the upper dam and cascades. 3 Main St., Springfield Toonerville Rail Trail The 3.2-mile multiuse trail, built on the railroad bed of the former Toonerville Trolley, follows the Black River between downtown Springfield and the Connecticut River. Popular for walking, biking, running, skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, the trail is 10 feet wide, paved and closed to motor vehicles except for short stretches on low-volume roads. Accessible from the rail trail is Goulds Mill Falls, also called the Lower Falls. Ample trailhead parking is available off Route 11. 280 Clinton St., Springfield Springfield Farmers Market…