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107-467: He was a recognized philanthropist and donated time and finances towards the betterment of youth, the furthering of the arts, and the study of agricultural sciences. His image was featured on a U.S. stamp in 1984, and his legacy of charity carries on via the numerous organizations he founded and funded during his lifetime. In 1956, the Horace A. Moses Foundation published "Achievement is my Goal", which detailed

214-577: A 1948 Moses Trophy winner, the historic Moses trophies were held annually by the two top recipients as a form of "traveling trophy" and then returned to be presented the following year to the new top Leadership winners. Not much is known about Moses outside of his business and philanthropic interests, except that he was a devoted religious man and member of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Springfield, MA. A painted portrait sits above

321-624: A collection of Asian curiosities; the Springfield Science Museum , which features a life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex, an aquarium and the first American-made planetarium , designed and built (1937) by Frank Korkosz; the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum , as Springfield is the birthplace of Theodor Geisel ; and the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, a museum about the multi-faceted city. The Connecticut Valley Historical Museum

428-529: A collection of rare artifacts that tell stories about the ill-fated ocean liner's passengers and crew. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra performs in Springfield Symphony Hall . In 2011, Springfield's music scene was eclectic. It featured a notable heavy rock scene, from which the bands Gaiah, Staind , All That Remains , Shadows Fall , and The Acacia Strain rose to national prominence. Jazz and blues rival rock in popularity. In 2010 and 2011

535-448: A history spanning nearly four centuries, Springfield has been home to a number of legacy companies that were household names, including: Springfield's mosaic of ethnic communities have long played a role in its culinary institutions, with many newer smaller restaurants and several decades-old establishments in its downtown. Among its oldest institutions are Smith's Billiards, founded in 1902, which serves Theodore's Blues, Booze, & BBQ,

642-413: A law in 1647 requiring the construction of a public school in any town with 50 or more families. In 1706 after two years of petitioning, west side residents were granted funds for the construction of a school (though west side students might have been home-schooled before that time). In 1707, the west side parish was delegated from Springfield town meeting the right to grant land in its territory. Given

749-679: A location well suited for distribution, and in the past this has played a significant role in its economy. For this reason in the early 20th century it was the largest producer in New England of commercially produced cakes and pastries, and among the largest in bread—with one 1926 estimate of 1.4 million loaves of bread and 14 million breakfast rolls produced in the city on a weekly basis. Today Springfield's top five industries (in order, by number of workers) are: Education and Health Services; Trade and Transportation; Manufacturing; Tourism and Hospitality; and Professional & Business Services. Springfield

856-561: A luxury condominium building. The Hotel Kimball , (140 Chestnut Street), which hosted several U.S. Presidents as guests and once featured the United States' first commercial radio station (WBZ), has been converted into The Kimball Towers Condominiums . The former McIntosh Shoe Company (158 Chestnut Street), one of Springfield's finest examples of the Chicago School of Architecture , has been converted into industrial-style condominiums; and

963-700: A major transportation hub, and the railroad became one of the largest employers in the town for many decades. Repair shops were also built in West Springfield in 1896, and at the peak of operations, there were two major rail yards—one in Mittineague, and one near the present-day Memorial Avenue. The original horsecar trolley, operated by the Springfield Street Railway, opened in 1877 from Main Street in Springfield to Elm and Park Streets, via Main Street and

1070-614: A neighboring barbecue and music venue since 1979, recognized as the "Best Blues Club in the Country" in 2004 by the Blues Foundation . Other venues include The Student Prince Cafe , a long-running German restaurant at its downtown location since 1935, featured on Thrillist 's 2014 Editor's Choice bars, and a wide array of long-running acclaimed Italian restaurants such as Frigo's (1950), The Red Rose (1963), and Leone's (1988) and pastry shops like La Fiorentina (1947). In recent decades

1177-516: A protracted decline during the second half of the 20th century, due largely to the decommissioning of the Springfield Armory in 1969; poor city planning decisions, such as the location of the elevated I-91 along the city's Connecticut River front; and overall decline of industry throughout the northeastern United States . During the 1980s and 1990s, Springfield developed a national reputation for crime, political corruption, and cronyism. During

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1284-422: A snow storm dumped more than ten inches of wet snow on the town and the surrounding area. Snow clung to trees which still had most of their leaves. The result was the falling of trees and limbs on homes, vehicles, powerlines and roadways. It took more than one week for some homes to have power restored. Agriculture continued to dominate the local economy when market gardening started in the 1830s, concentrating in

1391-552: A tornado touched down in West Springfield, crossed the Connecticut River , and then devastated the City of Springfield, Massachusetts . It damaged densely populated parts of West Springfield, causing two fatalities in the city—including a mother who died while shielding her 15-year-old daughter. U.S. President Barack Obama declared the area surrounding West Springfield and Springfield a federal disaster area . On October 29, 2011,

1498-456: A trading post, although its prosperity waned dramatically during (and after) King Philip's War in 1675, when natives laid siege to it and burned it to the ground . During that attack, three-quarters of the original settlement was burned to the ground, with many of Springfield's residents survived by taking refuge in John Pynchon's brick house, the "Old Fort", the first such house to be built in

1605-572: A year-round basis. The first Morgan horse was bred in West Springfield in 1789–1790. Light manufacturing began to grow in the 19th century, including tanned hides, horse carriages, gunpowder, ceramics, industrial pipes, hats, and boats. When the Industrial Revolution reached Western Massachusetts in the 19th century, the region's many fast-moving rivers resulted in a mill town boom. Early textile and paper mills were staffed by Irish famine immigrants who nearly doubled their population in

1712-400: Is considered to have a "mature economy", which protects the city to a degree during recessions and inhibits it somewhat during bubbles. Springfield is considered to have one of America's top emerging multi-cultural markets—the city features a 33% Latino population with buying power that has increased over 295% from 1990 to 2006. As of 2006, more than 60% of Hispanic Springfielders had arrived in

1819-412: Is divided into 17 distinct neighborhoods; in alphabetical order, they are: According to the 2010 Census , Springfield had a population of 153,060, of which 72,573 (47.4%) were male and 80,487 (52.6%) were female. 73.0% of the population were over 18 years old, and 10.9% were over 65 years old; the median age was 32.2 years. The median age for males was 30.2 years and 34.1 years for females. According to

1926-408: Is headquartered in Springfield. Conversion from steam to diesel locomotives shut down the West Springfield repair shop in 1956. With the rise of the automobile, the West Springfield (Mittineague) passenger railroad station closed in 1957. Amtrak service is still available to Springfield, and the central rail yard is still in active use for freight by CSX , the present-day successor of this part of

2033-516: Is home to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' largest Fortune 100 company, MassMutual Financial Group. It is also home to the world's largest producer of handguns, Smith & Wesson , founded in 1852. It is home to Merriam Webster , the first and most widely read American–English dictionary, founded in 1806. Springfield is also home to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' third largest employer, Baystate Health , with over 10,000 employees. Baystate

2140-482: Is known as The City of Homes for its attractive architecture, which differentiates it from most medium-size, Northeastern American cities. Most of Springfield's housing stock consists of Victorian " Painted Ladies " (similar to those found in San Francisco); however, Springfield also features Gilded Age mansions, urban condominiums buildings, brick apartment blocks, and more suburban post-World War II architecture (in

2247-551: Is land and 0.8 square mile (2.0 km ) (4.50%) is water. It is on the west side of the Connecticut River , across from Springfield, and on the north side of the Westfield River , above Agawam. West Springfield is bordered on the west by linear cliffs of volcanic trap rock known as East Mountain . They are part of the Metacomet Ridge , a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly

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2354-695: Is relatively flat, and follows the north–south trajectory of the Connecticut River; however, as one moves eastward, the city becomes increasingly hilly. Aside from its rivers, Springfield's second most prominent topographical feature is the city's 735-acre (297 ha) Forest Park . Forest Park lies in the southwestern corner of the city, surrounded by Springfield's attractive garden districts, Forest Park and Forest Park Heights , which feature over 600 Victorian Painted Lady mansions. Forest Park also borders Longmeadow. Springfield shares borders with other suburbs such as East Longmeadow , Wilbraham , Ludlow and

2461-525: Is still in use. Old county records indicate a license was given to Benjamin Ashley of West Springfield to operate a ferry across the Connecticut River in 1843, in the Riverdale neighborhood at what are now Ashley Avenue and Ferry Street. A wooden toll bridge was built on this site (at the base of Wayside Avenue—formerly Bridge Street—and Ashley Avenue) in 1847, but burned down in 1903. It was evidently replaced, as

2568-430: Is the most populous city in and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts , United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River , the eastern Chicopee River , and the eastern Mill River . At the 2020 census , the city's population was 155,929, making it the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and

2675-587: Is the western campus of Tufts University School of Medicine . Baystate Health is in the midst of a $ 300 million addition; nicknamed "The Hospital of the Future", it is the largest construction project in New England. In addition to Baystate, Springfield features two other nationally ranked hospitals; Mercy Medical , run by The Sisters of Providence , and Shriners Hospital for Children. The following companies maintain their headquarters in Springfield: With

2782-520: The 2010 Census , there were 61,706 housing units in Springfield, of which 56,752 were occupied. This was the highest average of home occupancy among the four distinct Western New England metropolises (the other three being Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport, Connecticut ). Also as of 2010, Springfield features the highest average homeowner occupancy ratio among the four Western New England metropolises at 50%—73,232 Springfielders live in owner-occupied units, versus 74,111 in rental units. By comparison, as of

2889-670: The City Beautiful movement. The Quadrangle's five distinct collections include the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden ; the largest collection of Chinese cloisonne outside of China; and the original casting of Augustus Saint Gaudens 's most famous sculpture, Puritan . The Quadrangle's five museums are the Museum of Fine Arts, which features a large Impressionist collection; the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum,

2996-473: The Eastern States Exposition grounds. Between 1925 and 1927, In 1984, Moses was featured on a 20 cent U.S. stamp honoring him as the founder of Junior Achievement, although several First day of issue prints incorrectly list his date of birth as 1862. Moses continued making financial contributions to arts and sciences in his hometown, Ticonderoga, New York , throughout his life. He constructed

3103-856: The Hancock House (Ticonderoga, New York) in 1925 and funded other projects, including the Liberty Monument, Moses-Ludington Hospital, and the Community House. Beginning in 1919, Moses began acquiring land in the South Quarter section of Russell, Massachusetts . The hill-top property, known as Woronoake Heights, became the Moses' summer estate and encompassed 1600 acres, including a private 90-acre lake (now known as Russell Pond and formerly as Hazzard Pond). The family, along with numerous summer staff, raised prized apples, steer, and award-winning hunting dogs on

3210-532: The Hotel Kimball ); and most famously, the world's second-most-popular sport, basketball (1891, Dr. James Naismith ). Springfield would play major roles in machine production, initially driven by the arms industry of the Armory, as well as from private companies such as Smith & Wesson , established by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson . Similarly, the industrial economy led Thomas and Charles Wason to establish

3317-586: The Lyndon B. Johnson administration, today the national park site features the largest collection of historic American firearms in the world. Today the city is the largest in western New England , and the urban, economic, and media capital of Massachusetts' section of the Connecticut River Valley , colloquially known as the Pioneer Valley . Springfield has several nicknames—"The City of Firsts", due to

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3424-543: The Vermont border. Both are traversed by the 110-mile (180 km) Metacomet-Monadnock Trail . West Springfield is located 27 miles (43 km) away from Hartford , 90 miles (140 km) away from Boston , 85 miles (137 km) from Albany , 48 miles (77 km) away from Pittsfield , 139 miles (224 km) from New York City and 6 miles (9.7 km) miles from Six Flags . Other major geographical features include: Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield

3531-732: The Wason Manufacturing Company , which produced the first manufactured sleeping car . The largest railcar works in New England, Wason produced 100 cars a day at its peak; the company was eventually purchased by Brill in 1907 and closed during the Depression in 1937. Among numerous other industries, during the first half of the 20th century Springfield also produced brass goods, chemicals, clothing and knit goods, paper goods, watches, boilers, engines, manufacturing machinery, silverware, jewelry, skates, carriages, buttons, needles, toys, and printed books and magazines. Springfield underwent

3638-447: The many innovations developed there , such as the first American dictionary , the first American gas-powered automobile , and the first machining lathe for interchangeable parts ; "The City of Homes", due to its Victorian residential architecture; and "Hoop City", as basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891 by Canadian James Naismith . Hartford , the capital of Connecticut , lies 24 miles (39 km) south of Springfield, on

3745-434: The tornado left three dead, hundreds injured, and over 500 homeless in the city alone. The tornado caused hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage to Springfield and wrought significant destruction in a 39-mile-long (63 km) path from Westfield to Charlton, Massachusetts . It was the first deadly tornado to strike Massachusetts since May 29, 1995. Neighborhoods of Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield

3852-445: The "Old Toll Bridge", though tolls were removed in 1873. The modern Memorial Bridge was opened in 1922; it underwent a major overhaul in the 1990s. The first North End Bridge opened 1887 with a sturdy metal box-shaped truss (the upper part of the box being suspended above the roadway). In 1923, the tar-sealed wooden decking caught fire, which was made worse by the gas mains the bridge carried. The replacement bridge at this location

3959-616: The 2010 Census, New Haven features an owner occupancy rate of 31%; Hartford of 26%; and Bridgeport of 43%. In terms of race and ethnicity, Springfield is 51.8% White , 22.3% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% Asian (1.2% Vietnamese, 0.3% Chinese, 0.2% Indian, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Filipino, 0.1% Korean, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Laotian), 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 18.0% from Some Other Race, and 4.7% from Two or More Races (1.5% White and Black or African American; 1.0% White and Some Other Race). Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 38.8% of

4066-497: The Agawam (Westfield) River in 1878, but heavy rain flooded the town again in 1927. Both heavy rains and a large snowmelt brought an even more massive flood in 1936 , with 8,000 people were displaced in the town of 17,000. The area's bridges survived; the railroad bridge being weighed down by a fully loaded freight train intentionally parked across it. The New England Hurricane of 1938 flooded crops along Riverdale Road and severely damaged

4173-556: The Berkshires, and upstate New York. It would become the Boston and Albany Railroad in 1870. Travel time from Boston to Albany was considerably reduced from the over 40 hours it took by stagecoach in the 1820s. The covered wooden railroad bridge across the Connecticut which opened in 1841, was replaced by the current double-track steel truss railroad bridge in 1874. West Springfield became

4280-557: The Boston & Albany. Rural Free Delivery started delivering postal mail to residents' homes in the late 19th or early 20th century. A major power plant for the Western Massachusetts Electric Company (now a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities ) went online in West Springfield in 1949. Even more substantial canal and mill development took place in the "North Parish" or "Ireland Parish" of West Springfield, which

4387-468: The Chicopee River. Early in that decade, Springfield had made a provision that any able-bodied man (and his work animals) could be required to work up to six eight-hour days on local roads (the barter economy equivalent of an infrastructure tax). In 1666, the west side residents complained about having to work on east side roads while their own were not well taken care of. After considerable dispute, it

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4494-553: The Connecticut River Valley. Out of the siege, Miles Morgan and his sons were lauded as heroes; as one of the few homesteads to survive the attack, alerting troops in Hadley, as well as Toto, often referred to as the "Windsor Indian" who, running 20 miles from Windsor, Connecticut , to the settlement, was able to give advance warning of the attack. The original settlement—today's downtown Springfield—was located atop bluffs at

4601-604: The Connecticut on their way to church when their boat capsized. The west side residents renewed their complaints and began to demand their own church meeting house. On 29 May 1697, the Massachusetts General Court finally approved a separate parish and meeting house for the approximately 200 residents. West side parishes were also created for Agawam (1696), Feeding Hills (1800), and Holyoke ("North Parish" or "Ireland Parish" named for early Irish settlers John and Mary Riley; 1786). The Massachusetts Bay Colony passed

4708-595: The Eastern States Exposition. Beginning in the late 1930s, in addition to receiving the Moses silver trophy, the top boy and girl in Leadership also received a $ 300 scholarship personally funded by Edward Foss Wilson, of Chicago, the son of Thomas E. Wilson, and president of Wilson & Company, major meat-packers in America. In 1942 the scholarship amount for the two top recipients of the award by Edward Foss Wilson

4815-870: The Exposition grounds, causing the fair to close for the season. It also opened a hole in the dike at Mosley Avenue, which was repaired before the rain waters could once again flood the lower section of town. Yet another major flood struck in 1955 from Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane arriving five days apart, knocking out the town's drinking water facilities in Southwick and destroying Bear Hole Dam, Piper Reservoir, and Memorial Pool (all of which were rebuilt). Winter weather has also caused significant damage at times during West Springfield's history. The Great Blizzard of 1888 dropped over 5 feet (1.5 m) of snow, with 20-foot (6.1 m) drifts. There have also been more recent blizzards in 1978 and 1996 . On June 1, 2011,

4922-458: The FBI, and indexed by NeighborhoodScout showed between 2010 and 2018 the violent crime rate for Springfield decreased by approximately 52.5%, whereas the property crime rate declined by 54%; both rates remain more than twice their respective state averages, as of 2018. Distribution of Greater Springfield NECTA Labor Force (2016) Springfield's vicinity to both Boston and New York City lends it

5029-527: The German mercenaries stayed and married into the local population. Economic conditions after the Revolution led to Shays' Rebellion in Springfield and West Springfield in 1786–1787. Technological advancements allowed the first bridge to be built across the Connecticut River in 1805. It was a toll bridge built on stone pilings; the roadway heaved up and down as it passed over six arch-shaped spans. This bridge

5136-464: The Horace A. Moses Building at the Eastern States Exposition and sponsored the International 4-H Leader Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. The top winners in the 4-H Leadership awards program at National 4-H Congress traditionally received the prestigious Moses Leadership trophy, presented in the name of Horace A. Moses. His interests in agriculture made him the impetus of what would become

5243-456: The Riverdale Road area. These crops were intended to be sent to market for cash, rather than to be used by the farming family for themselves or to barter for other crops. Growing population and improved transportation links increased the size of the potential market; by 1860, West Springfield was using greenhouses and exporting fresh crops to Boston. Agriculture remained an important part of

5350-572: The Sixteen Acres and Pine Point neighborhoods). While Springfield's architecture is attractive, much of its built-environment stems from the 19th and early 20th centuries when the city experienced a period of "intense and concentrated prosperity"—today, its Victorian architecture can be found in various states of rehabilitation and disrepair. As of 2011, Springfield's housing prices are considerably lower than nearby New England cities which do not feature such intricate architecture. In Metro Center, stands

5457-628: The Springfield-headquartered Hampden Bank sponsored the Hoops City Jazz & Art Festival, a three-day event that drew approximately 30,000 people to Metro Center to hear varieties of different jazz music—from smooth jazz, to hard bop, to New Orleans-style jazz. Headliners included Springfield great Taj Mahal , the Average White Band , and Poncho Sanchez . In addition to its nickname The City of Firsts , Springfield

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5564-599: The Suffield Street Railway in Connecticut (making the Hartford-West Side Line possible, 1905). The destruction of the old North End Bridge in 1923 saw relocation of the trolley crossing to the modern Memorial Bridge. But trolley passenger service was cut starting in 1924 and by 1936, eliminated. Present-day local and intercity mass transit is provided by Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus routes, Amtrak , and private bus carriers. Peter Pan Bus Lines

5671-466: The United States' City Crime Rankings—its second-lowest ranking in recent years, (in 2009, it ranked 51st). Springfield's 2010 crime rating of 142 is down approximately 50% from its heights in the late 1990s and 2000s. The Urban Land Institute stated in 2010 that "the perception of crime [in Springfield] appears to be worse than the reality". By another measure, crime and population data collected by

5778-477: The West Springfield and Agawam waterfronts in 1938, 1941–1942, and 1952–1953. This resulted in some land takings and cutting off certain neighborhoods from the river, but north–south travel was speeded, and the dike system was reinforced to prevent the flooding of these neighborhoods. The approaches to the North End and Memorial Bridges were modified to accommodate the new traffic patterns. The Massachusetts Turnpike

5885-446: The West Springfield economy for many decades, but land development and economic changes led to a decline, and by the 1940s, it was a minor activity in the town. The Eastern States Exposition started in 1917 as a reaction against the slow decline of New England agriculture. The annual fall fair is by far West Springfield's largest tourist attraction and one of the largest fairs in the country. The exposition grounds host many events on

5992-593: The administration of the Connecticut Colony . In 1641 it was renamed after Pynchon's hometown of Springfield, Essex , England, following incidents, including trade disputes as well as Captain John Mason's hostilities toward native tribes, which precipitated the settlement's joining the Massachusetts Bay Colony . During its early existence, Springfield flourished both as an agricultural settlement and as

6099-622: The camp) include the dairy milking station (blacksmith shop), guest house (Sachem Lodge), and caretaker cabin (Overlook Lodge) The camp is now operated by the Western Massachusetts Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The Silver Beaver Award given to Moses now hangs in the camp office. Mr. Moses was an early friend of 4-H Club Work. A member of the National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work from 1925-1945, he also funded

6206-560: The city has also become home to a number of cuisines not found elsewhere in the region, including Cajun restaurant Chef Wayne's Big Mamou, Lebanese restaurant Nadim's Downtown, local chain Puerto Rican Bakery, and a host of other Greek, Jamaican, Mexican, and Vietnamese venues. Springfield is home to five distinct museums at the Quadrangle , along with the ornate Springfield City Library —an architecturally significant example of

6313-407: The city of Chicopee (which constituted one of Springfield's most populous neighborhoods until it separated and became an independent municipality in 1852). The Connecticut state line is only 4 miles (6 km) south of Springfield, beside the wealthy suburb of Longmeadow , which itself separated from Springfield in 1783. Springfield's densely urban Metro Center district surrounding Main Street

6420-595: The city of Chicopee. The small cities of Agawam and West Springfield lie less than a mile (1.6 km) from Springfield's Metro Center, across the Connecticut River. The City of Springfield also owns the Springfield Country Club, located in the autonomous city of West Springfield, which separated from Springfield in 1774. Springfield, like other cities in southern New England, has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfa ) with four distinct seasons and precipitation evenly distributed throughout

6527-673: The city since 1986. With 25 universities and colleges within a 15-mile (24 km) radius from Springfield, including several universities and liberal arts colleges , and more than six institutions within the city itself, the Hartford–Springfield metropolitan area has been dubbed the Knowledge Corridor by regional educators, civic authorities, and businessmen—touting its 32 universities and liberal arts colleges , numerous highly regarded hospitals, and nearly 120,000 students. The Knowledge Corridor universities and colleges provide

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6634-565: The city's riverfront, there has never been enough space in Springfield to build more than a few of these businesses. Thus Springfield never received the economic benefit that West Springfield would have, according to a 2009 assessment by the UMass School of Urban Design. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 17.5 square miles (45.4 km ), of which 16.8 square miles (43.4 km )

6741-400: The colonial legislature. On 23 February 1774, West Springfield was incorporated as a separate town, with territory including what is now Agawam and most of Holyoke. Another dispute was immediately created when the charter of the town prevented it from taxing the property of Springfield residents within its boundaries. This law was later changed to apply only until such property was sold, but

6848-410: The confluence of four rivers, at the nexus of trade routes to Boston , Albany , New York City , and Montreal , and with some of the northeastern United States' most fertile soil. In 1777, Springfield's location at numerous crossroads led George Washington and Henry Knox to establish the United States' National Armory at Springfield , which produced the first American musket in 1794, and later

6955-537: The continuing need to cross the Connecticut River to attend town meetings, and east–west tension over resource allocation, the west side residents petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to be incorporated as a separate town in 1756. After a particularly contentious town meeting in 1773 which bounced between meeting houses on opposite shores and nearly resulted in a year-long government shutdown, proposals for partition were eventually sent from both sides to

7062-409: The country. On the occasions that hurricanes have hit New England, Springfield's inland, upriver location has caused its damages to be considerably less than shoreline cities like New Haven, Connecticut , and Providence, Rhode Island . On June 1, 2011, Springfield was directly struck by the second-largest tornado ever to hit Massachusetts . With wind speeds exceeding 160 mph (257 km/h),

7169-464: The early 21st century, Springfield saw long-term revitalization projects and several large projects, including the $ 1 billion New Haven–Hartford–Springfield intercity rail ; a $ 1 billion MGM casino ., and the $ 95 million redevelopment of Springfield Union Station. In December 2022, Springfield was designated by the National Park Service as an American World War II Heritage City,

7276-422: The fact that it is on the western side of the Connecticut River from Springfield, a fact which played a major part in the town's early history. The area that became known as West Springfield was settled in 1635. The settlers fled to higher ground on the east side of the river and founded Springfield in the aftermath of the great hurricane of 1635 . West Springfield was good farm land, so some families did stay on

7383-506: The famous Springfield rifle . From 1777 until its closing during the Vietnam War , the Springfield Armory attracted skilled laborers to Springfield, making it the United States' longtime center for precision manufacturing. The near-capture of the armory during Shays' Rebellion of 1787 led directly to the formation of the U.S. Constitutional Convention . During the 19th and 20th centuries, Springfielders produced many innovations, including

7490-521: The fertile Connecticut River Valley , surrounded by mountains, bluffs, and rolling hills in all cardinal directions, Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, near its confluence with two major tributary rivers—the western Westfield River , which flows into the Connecticut opposite Springfield's South End Bridge; and the eastern Chicopee River , which flows into the Connecticut less than 0.5 mi (0.8 km) north of Springfield, in

7597-509: The first American-English dictionary (1805, Merriam-Webster ); the first use of interchangeable parts and the assembly line in manufacturing (1819, Thomas Blanchard ); the first American horseless car (1825, Thomas Blanchard); the mass production of vulcanized rubber (1844, Charles Goodyear ); the first American gasoline-powered car (1893, Duryea Brothers ); the first successful motorcycle company (1901, " Indian "); one of America's first commercial radio stations (1921, WBZ , broadcast from

7704-478: The first in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and one of only 18 communities in the country. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 33.1 square miles (85.7 km ), of which 31.9 square miles (82.5 km ) are land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km ), or 3.65%, are water. Once nicknamed "The City in a Forest", Springfield features over 4.0 square miles (10.4 km ) of urban parkland, 12% of its total land area. Located in

7811-651: The fourth most populous city in New England after Boston , Worcester , and Providence . Metropolitan Springfield , as one of two metropolitan areas in Massachusetts (the other being Greater Boston ), had a population of 699,162 in 2020. Springfield was founded in 1636, the first Springfield in the New World. In the late 1700s, during the American Revolution , Springfield was designated by George Washington as

7918-480: The high snowfall amounts and blustery wind averages of nearby cities such as Worcester, Massachusetts , and Albany, New York . Springfield's summers are very warm and sometimes humid. During summer, several times per month, on hot days afternoon thunderstorms will develop when unstable warm air collides with approaching cold fronts . The daily average in July is around 74 °F (23 °C). Usually several days during

8025-412: The highway on the Springfield side, finding that a short existing section of US 5 through West Springfield that was built in 1952–1953 failed to meet Interstate design standards. On the east bank of the river, Springfield got an elevated highway, as opposed to the planned ground-level highway in West Springfield. After Interstate 91 was constructed in Springfield, that city did not experience anything like

8132-627: The last such parcel did not become taxable by West Springfield until the 1860s. West Springfield minutemen participated in the American Revolutionary War beginning on April 20, 1775, the day after the Battles of Lexington and Concord . In 1777, a major contingent of Hessian and British troops were captured at the Battle of Saratoga and transported to Boston (for possible deportation or imprisonment). While encamped in West Springfield, some of

8239-667: The life and times of Moses. It was written by Harry L. Lane and F. Nelson Bridgham. The work is out of print as of 2012. Shortly after relocating to Springfield, Massachusetts, Moses established the Mittineague Paper Mill in West Springfield, Massachusetts , on February 18, 1892, at age 30 and with $ 100,000 of authorized capital. Shortly thereafter, in 1894, he traveled to the Strathmore Valley in Scotland, where he observed

8346-569: The mantel in the church's foyer's fireplace. The Fifteenth Census of the United States taken in 1930 shows Horace A. Moses living with his wife Alice E. in the sixth ward of Springfield, Massachusetts , in what is today the Forest Park neighborhood, along with a maid and a chef (both live-in). The house was valued at $ 31,000, adjusted for inflation to roughly $ 380,000 in 2010 dollars. Following her husband's death in 1947, Alice Moses lived full-time at Woronoake Heights, while continuing to slowly sell off

8453-619: The north and the south. Between 1953 and 1958, Riverdale Road was widened in places, added on to, and numerous businesses were closed and moved back, or to other parts of West Springfield to make way for Interstate 91, which was planned to connect with Springfield via numerous bridges. The original plan for I-91 would have likely benefitted West Springfield, which already had U.S. 5 passing through, causing travelers to patronize many of West Springfield's businesses. In 1958, however, Springfield's city planners campaigned vociferously for Interstate 91 to occupy Springfield's riverfront. Their reasoning at

8560-690: The old toll bridge at Bridge Street. It was later extended via Westfield Street to (Upper) Church Street. Electrification was completed in 1892–1893, and the river crossing was moved to the original North End Bridge. Over the years, extensions were made to the Holyoke Street Railway (via Riverdale Road, 1895), Tatham (1896) the Woronoco Street Railway (in Westfield, 1899), the Connecticut border via Riverside Park (now Six Flags New England ) in Agawam (1900), Feeding Hills (1902), and eventually

8667-426: The population (33.2% Puerto Rican, 1.7% Dominican, 1.0% Mexican, 0.5% Guatemalan, 0.3% Cuban, 0.2% Colombian, 0.2% Spanish, 0.2% Salvadoran, 0.1% Peruvian, 0.1% Ecuadorian, 0.1% Panamanian, 0.1% Costa Rican, 0.1% Honduran). Non-Hispanic Whites were 36.7% of the population in 2010, down from 84.1% in 1970. Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. In 2010, Springfield ranked 35th in

8774-521: The property around her to the Boy Scouts. After her death in 1962, Alice was buried with her husband in Glen Path South of Springfield Cemetery in Springfield, MA. Mr. and Mrs. Moses had one daughter, Madeline Moses, born on March 4, 1896, in Springfield, Massachusetts. She died in Weston, Fairfield Co., Connecticut on September 24, 1993, at the age of 97. Madeline was college educated but never married and

8881-585: The property. Shortly before his death in 1947, he began selling sections of the estate to the Hampden Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The council operated the property as the Horace A. Moses Scout Reservation and included three camps, although these have since been consolidated into a single facility. Today, many structures original to Moses still stand, including his weekend home, known locally as The Manor House (and formerly as "Memorial Lodge"). Other remaining buildings (and their current names/uses within

8988-405: The prosperity boom predicted by its city planners in 1958. I-91's construction in Springfield coincided with the beginning of that city's four decades of decline. Unlike West Springfield's U.S. 5, Springfield's I-91 was constructed in an area where there had never been highway traffic or businesses that catered to such traffic. Due to I-91's proximity to both Springfield's densely built downtown and

9095-404: The region with an educated workforce, which yields a yearly GDP of over $ 100 billion—more than at least 16 U.S. States. Hartford–Springfield has become home to a number of biotech firms and high-speed computing centers. As of 2009 Springfield ranks as the 24th most important high-tech center in the United States with approximately 14,000 high-tech jobs. In 2010, the median household income

9202-600: The site of the Springfield Armory because of its central location. Subsequently it was the site of Shays' Rebellion . The city would also play a pivotal role in the Civil War , as a stop on the Underground Railroad and home of abolitionist John Brown , widely known for his raid on Harpers Ferry , and for the Armory's manufacture of the famed " Springfield rifles " used ubiquitously by Union troops. Closing during

9309-516: The state closed a bridge to Chicopee on this site in 1972, and demolished it in 1987. Several crossings of the Westfield River were built in the 19th century, but most were destroyed by floods. Several highway bridges were also constructed in the late 20th century. The warnings of the Agawam Indians proved true in 1647, 1767, 1801, 1804, and 1818. Civil War-era dikes held back high water in

9416-607: The structure of factory towns. In 1904, he acquired the Woronoco Paper Co. (then known as a "cursed" mill) in Westfield, Massachusetts , and operated it as a stand-alone company, meanwhile developing the surrounding village into a factory town with a notably high standard of living. In 1914, Mittineague Paper Mill and Woronoco Paper Company were combined and the Strathmore Paper Company, named for his travels in Scotland,

9523-472: The summer exceed 90 °F (32 °C), constituting a " heat wave ". Spring and fall temperatures are usually pleasant, with mild days and crisp, cool nights. Precipitation averages 45.85 inches (1,165 mm) annually, and snowfall averages 40.5 inches (103 cm), most of which falls from mid-December to early March. Although not unheard of, extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes occur infrequently in Springfield compared with other areas in

9630-411: The time was that Springfield, being a more populous city than West Springfield, should have a major highway routed through it. Indeed, Springfield's 1958 city planners advocated that the construction of I-91 on Springfield's riverfront would catalyze economic growth comparable to that experienced during the great railroad expansion of the mid-19th century. Massachusetts highway officials decided to route

9737-418: The time, crossings had to be made by boat. The Hay Place was created between the current town common and East School Street, for people who farmed or mowed on land grants on the west side to leave their crops while they awaited transport back to the eastern side. By the 1650s some English settlers had begun living full-time on the western side of the river, probably near what is now Riverdale Road, across from

9844-477: The town "meeting house") in the early settlement were mandatory, and this was enforced by fines. For several decades, West Side residents requested accommodation from the town in the form of a free ferry service to reach the Springfield meeting house on the east side of the river, but were refused by town meeting and even by arbitrators from Northampton and Hadley. In March 1683, Reice Bedortha, his son John, John's wife Lydia, and their newborn Mercy, were drowned on

9951-1044: The town between 1840 and 1860. Paper manufacturing became a major regional industry, including within the town limits included (mostly clustered on the Westfield River) the Southworth Paper Company (1839), the Agawam Paper Company (1859), the Agawam Canal Company, the Springfield Glazed Paper Company (1882), the Worthy Paper Company (1892), the Mittineague Paper Company (1892, later known as the Strathmore Paper Company and acquired by International Paper ) The Western Railroad opened for freight and passenger service in 1841, connecting West Springfield to Worcester, Boston,

10058-500: The two prominent skyscrapers, Tower Square, and Monarch Place , the latter of which is the tallest building in Massachusetts outside of Boston. Many of the city's Victorian buildings including former hotels, factories, and other institutions have been converted into apartment buildings and luxury condominiums. For example, Springfield's ornate Classical High School (235 State Street), with its immense Victorian atrium—where Dr. Seuss, Timothy Leary, and Taj Mahal all went to high school—is now

10165-402: The west side. Other than the trade in beaver skins, economic activity in early colonial Springfield consisted largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry, with barter being the preferred medium of exchange for neighbors' crops, and locally produced goods. Gristmills and saw mills were also present in the early settlement. Because the Connecticut River was too wide to be bridged at

10272-568: The western bank of the Connecticut River. The Hartford–Springfield region is known as the Knowledge Corridor because it hosts over 160,000 university students and over 32 universities and liberal arts colleges —the second-highest concentration of higher-learning institutions in the United States. The city of Springfield itself is home to Springfield College , Western New England University , American International College , and Springfield Technical Community College , among other higher educational institutions. The area that would become Springfield

10379-460: The year, but the intensity (and sometimes the duration) of warmer periods is greater than in northern areas. Winters are cold with a daily average in January of around 26 °F (−3 °C). During winter, nor'easter storms can drop significant snowfalls on Springfield and the Connecticut River Valley . Temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) can occur each year, though the area does not experience

10486-464: Was $ 35,236. Median income for the family was $ 51,110. The per capita income was $ 16,863. About 21.3% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.0% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over. The City of Springfield is the economic center of Western Massachusetts. It features the Pioneer Valley 's largest concentration of retail, manufacturing, entertainment, banking, legal, and medical groups. Springfield

10593-648: Was constructed from 1955 to 1957. Interstate 91 was constructed over a dozen years, from 1958 to 1970, following considerable controversy over whether it should be placed in West Springfield, as originally planned, or in Springfield, as that city's planners wished. The original plan for Interstate 91—detailed in the 1953 Master Highway Plan for the Springfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Area —called for Interstate 91 to occupy an enlarged U.S. Route 5 in West Springfield—the route which had, historically, been used to reach West Springfield and Springfield from both

10700-399: Was damaged by spring floods in 1814, and after a partial collapse under heavy traffic, was demolished. In 1816, a replacement bridge opened at Bridge Street. It was destroyed in 1818 by spring ice, despite a valiant attempt to keep it from being washed downstream by tying it to a tree; the cable snapped. A third bridge built on the same foundations, was in use for over 100 years, and known as

10807-465: Was determined that the men of the settlement would tend the roads on their own sides of the river. In many ways, the distinction between the church and the state in the early New England town form of government was fuzzy, though religious and secular meetings were held separately and generally led by different people. For the early settlers of Springfield, attendance at both town meetings and weekly Congregational church services (often both held in

10914-558: Was dropped to $ 200 each, however $ 100 scholarships were also awarded to the first boy and girl alternates. The annual Awards Handbook for 1941, for the first time, describes the Moses Trophy as being awarded annually by the International 4-H Training School, which was sponsored by Horace A. Moses. In 1949 The Annual Awards Handbook lists the donor of the trophies as the H. A. Moses Foundation, Springfield, Massachusetts. According to Alvin Davis,

11021-479: Was favorably located near Hadley Falls. The parish was incorporated as the independent town of Holyoke, Massachusetts , in 1850. The area mainly south of the Westfield River, including the parishes of Agawam and Feeding Hills, was incorporated as the independent town of Agawam, Massachusetts , in 1855. U.S. Route 5 (currently, also known as Riverdale Street) was modified to bypass the downtowns of Springfield and West Springfield as new segments were constructed on

11128-513: Was formed. The surrounding villages became factory towns with remarkably high standards of living. Hammermill Papers acquired Strathmore in 1962. Moses began working with the fledgling Junior Achievement program in 1919 and was named chairman of the recently established Junior Achievement Bureau in October, 1920. He would serve in this capacity for 27 years until his death in 1947. He constructed Achievement Hall in West Springfield, Massachusetts on

11235-515: Was historically inhabited by indigenous people, with documented middle archaic period sites, a ceramic workshop site from the Woodland period in south Springfield, and the contact period Long Hill site, excavated in 1895. At the time of European contact at settlement, the Springfield area was inhabited by the Agawam tribe, who sold land to English settlers. Springfield was founded in 1636 by English Puritan William Pynchon as "Agawam Plantation" under

11342-716: Was one of the Quadrangle's five museums until 2009. In 2017 the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum opened in the former location, the William Pynchon Memorial Building. The collections of the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum are now located in the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Springfield's Indian Orchard neighborhood is home to the RMS Titanic Historical Society's Titanic Museum , which displays

11449-511: Was the manager of the Horace A. Moses Foundation up to the time of her death. West Springfield, Massachusetts West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts , United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area . The population was 28,835 at the 2020 United States Census . The city is also known as "West Side", in reference to

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