Upper tributaries of the Hoosic separate Massachusetts' highest peak, Mount Greylock 3,491ft (1,064 meters) from both ranges, however Greylock's geology connects it with the Taconics. The debate has been particularly strong in northern towns; for example, in Greenfield, Massachusetts.[40]. The volume of the trade fell, from a 1654 high of 3723 pelts to a mere 191 ten years later. Western Massachusetts highway map with rest areas. We use cookies for a number of reasons, such as keeping our sites reliable and secure, personalizing content and ads, providing social media features and to analyze how our Sites are used. Within a population of 41,301, 15 percent of the city's residents are college students. Education- Eleven schools, three are private; Greenfield Community College. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Massachusetts city and town websites, is. Based on the form of government, there are 292 towns and 59 cities in Massachusetts. Greenfield What better way to celebrate springs arrival than with an uplifting Gospel performance at the welcoming Greenfield Second Church? The town, which is situated in Western Massachusetts' picturesque Pioneer Valley, has developed a reputation among locals, communities nearby, and visitors from all over the country for . (May 2015) Map showing the area typically considered to make up Western Massachusetts (dark green). Watertown is now the 'city of Watertown', "Memorial Sketch of Hyde Park, Mass., for the first twenty years of its corporate existence (1868 1888)", Archaic Community, District, Neighborhood, Section and Village, Names in Massachusetts, "DIOTD, Mar. This list does not include territory changes affecting only part of a municipality; see History of Massachusetts. Its located in an old church where a woman named Alice, whom Arlo knew well, lived with her husband. Fourth of July celebrations to light up Western Massachusetts. Government- Mayor Roxann Wedegartner; ten town council members for nine districts. Bringing the kids? Government- Mayor Alex B. Morse; 15-member city council representing seven residential wards. It's a small community that has a per capita income of $69,734. Industrial Parks- The Whiting Farms Road Industrial Area, Crossroads Development Park. This Small New England City Was on the Verge of Bankruptcy. Please limit your input to 500 characters. You skipped the table of contents section. Subscribe. RSVP here. This map[clarification needed] shows towns colored by the date they were incorporated in Massachusetts since the founding of Plimoth Plantation in 1620. Government- Mayor Donald Humason; 13 city councilors for 6 wards. 'Hilltowns' look for a foothold", School funding overhaul requires a much larger state commitment, "School Board Districts at the Elementary School Level", "Bridging the divide between eastern and western Massachusetts", "Hampshire district's empty seat suits speaker", "Historical Data Relating to the Incorporation of and Abolishment of Counties in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "Wal-Mart Watch - Greenfield, MA stops Wal-Mart rezoning", "State Leaders Are Hoping to Expand State Rail Service Beyond Springfield", "(Map of) Massachusetts Cities and Towns", Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, Western Massachusetts 1855 BowlesOld State Map Reprint, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_Massachusetts&oldid=1147454279. History Outdoors Sports Posted by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism From March to Memorial Day, the iconic towns, villages and cities in Western Massachusetts are brimming with vivid scenery, entertaining festivals, and culinary delights. The top form of property protection among Massachusetts residents this year is a home security system with 32% of residents using them. But our towns and villages are also buzzing with modern energy which comes mainly from the great people who live in them. Infrastructure- The crossroads of interstates 90 and 91, with multiple exits to West Springfield. All settlements in the District of Maine were ceded when the state of Maine gained its independence from Massachusetts in 1820 as part of the Missouri Compromise. 3. Geology is similar to the Hilltown-Berkshire uplands with resistant metamorphic rocks overlain by thin and rocky soil. Subsistence farming predominated in this area. Listen to epic music at Springfields Symphony Hall or the iconic Tanglewood music venue. [22] To combat the higher cost of telecommunications which were roughly double that of Eastern Massachusetts, the government of the Commonwealth invested $45.4 Million in building out a broadband network using Federal grant under the 'Massachusetts Technology Park - MassBroadband 123' initiative,[23] funds which were matched by $45 million in federal investment. The modern-day Springfield metropolitan area was inhabited by the Agawam people. Email: sections of Holyoke). Numerous towns were ceded to New Hampshire after the Northern boundary of Massachusetts was defined by royal decree in 1741. 5. Cities use mayor-council or council-manager structures, while towns hold open town meetings or representative town meetings. Use this link to learn more about each of the tourism regions and towns in Massachusetts. Here is a list of all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. Separated from Wrentham. Explore now. Rockport, Ma. 4. The largest employers include the Holyoke Hospital Health Care, Holyoke Community College, ISO New England Electric Power Management, and Providence Behavioral Center Health Care. North Adams is home to a world-famous museum and boasts a handful of scenic attractions courtesy of the Hoosic River, which runs through it. It offers a variety of neighborhood amenities including great places to eat, good shopping venues, and ample job opportunities. Government- Mayor John Vieau; 13-member city council representing nine residential wards. Herman Melville, who wrote Moby-Dick while living in Pittsfield; Edith Wharton, who wrote The House of Mirth and Ethan Frome while living in Lenox; and Norman Rockwell, many of whose painting were based on scenes that he observed in the town of Stockbridge). The Berkshire Historical Society now maintains that former farm as a museum to the author. Free map of Western half Massachusetts state with towns and cities. The geography of Massachusetts is varied and diverse. To lengthen your stay, heres a list of available accommodations in Greenfield. These towns were settled before America was even a twinkle in Thomas Jeffersons eye. Visit the City of Holyoke online for more info. Check out colonial houses in Hadley, and stop by the Hardley Farm Museum to see the early workings of farm and industry in the area. Mount Greylock, the highest natural point in Massachusetts, is just north of the city, too. This performance of paleontological puppetry will take you on a guided tour through the ancient Australian landscape, with plenty of appearances from lifelike dinosaur reproductions. Some towns and cities were annexed to others; disincorporated; or ceded to another state in their entirety. Sign up to receive updates about outdoor activities. THE 15 MOST CHARMING SMALL TOWNS IN NEW ENGLAND. In Crash!ng the Party, Ralph Nader includes Western Massachusetts as one of the few places in the country where he believes small-town spirit is still strong. Towns at the western edge of Worcester County, especially those near the Quabbin Reservoir, may be considered to be in western Massachusetts for some purposes; for example, two Worcester County towns have telephone numbers in western Massachusetts's area code 413. Shelburne Falls, Photo: American Indian Mohawk Trail Mosaic via MOTT. Land, the natural resource whose availability did not fluctuate, served as collateral for mortgages in which Native people bought goods from the colonists in exchange for the future promise of beavers. But not all towns are the kind of place where you'd want to hang out and spend time. Farther south, the area called the Quaboag Hills includes Hampden, Monson, Wales, Warren, Holland, and Wilbraham on the Connecticut border. Nearly all of Massachusetts territory had been incorporated by 1815, with the final three areas of Erving (1838), Gay Head (now Aquinnah) and Mashpee (both 1870) being incorporated from previously Native American land. New England's largest river, the Connecticut, flows through the center of its agricultural valley. East-west rail gains headway in western Mass. These northern municipalities include Warwick, Orange, Petersham, Phillipston, Wendell, New Salem, and Athol near the New Hampshire border. Boxford Located in Essex County, the Boston suburb town of Boxford has a population of about 8,000. Infrastructure- Westover Air Reserve Base and Westover Metropolitan Airport with the largest runway on the east coast at 11,597 x 301 feet. A secondary population concentration exists in the Housatonic-Hoosic valley due to the industrial heritage of Pittsfield and North Adams, and the development of tourism throughout that valley. You have a few other options. Concord, 1635 Wikimedia Commons Concord was originally known as Musketaquid, meaning "grassy plain." The town is perhaps most famous for The Battle of Lexington and Concord, which kicked off the Revolutionary War. From March to Memorial Day, the iconic towns, villages and cities in Western Massachusetts are brimming with vivid scenery, entertaining festivals, and culinary delights. Once a thriving fishing village in the early 1600's, the rocky outpost on the Massachusetts coast was among the most populous towns in the colonies prior to the Revolutionary War. It extends from coastal lowlands on its Atlantic Ocean coast . A hundred colonists pursued them, catching up to them at the foot of Sugarloaf Hill, which was a sacred space for the Nonotucks called the Great Beaver. [18] The third largest city in Massachusetts, Springfield is situated in the region, and it has struggled financially coming close to bankruptcy at the beginning of the 21st century. One of 13 municipalities with a city form of government that refers to itself as "The Town of". By closing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device in accordance with our cookie policy. Bedford, MA. Many of the towns and future cities shown covering the area of their original incorporation have since been divided into two, three or in some cases several smaller municipalities. It is home to the Eastern States Exposition, the largest agricultural fair in the North East and is the fifth largest in the United States. Westford has a population of 24,342 residents. (Springfield lies only 4 miles north of Connecticut; however, Agawam included lands as far south as Windsor Locks, as far north as Holyoke, and as far west as Westfield. [13] Many refugees of the war joined the Wabanaki in the north, where their descendants remain today. [citation needed], Following the war, the greater part of the Native American population left Western Massachusetts behind. However, trade with the colonists made pelts so lucrative that the beaver was rapidly overhunted. Then in the early 1800s better land opened up in Western New York and the Northwest Territory. This created new jobs, land development, and had gentrifying effects in many college towns. Great Barrington If youre a fan of film, Great Barrington will make for a top-notch destination as May turns into June. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican). On March 30, the Second Congregational Church is hosting Expect a Miracle, a spring Gospel concert featuring renowned vocalist Moonlight Davis and R&B saxophonist Charles Neville. scenic automobile route. Founded by Thomas Weston in 1622, 2nd oldest European settlement in Massachusetts. See the green hills of the Berkshires or the stunning foliage along the Mohawk Trail, Americas first (and best!) From April 12 to May 4, Hancock Shaker Village invites you to welcome a new batch of baby chicks, lambs and piglets at their annual Baby Animals On the Farm. This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. Education- Seventeen schools, three of which are private. His birthplace, about two miles from downtown, is a National Historic Site. There are a total of 48 cities in the state which have populations that fall between 10,000 and 100,000 people. Enter City and State or Zip Code. 11. The rest of Western Massachusetts is lightly populated, particularly the Hilltowns where densities below 50 persons per square mile (20 per km2) are the rule. The Berkshire Museum on South Street is a kind of sample menu, blending objects from myriad places and fieldsthink the Boston Museum of Science meets the Isabella Stewart Gardner. The center of each city listed is within 9 miles of Weston, MA. Wamsutta's brother, Chief Metacomet (known to inhabitants of Springfield as "Philip,") began a war against colonial expansion in New England which spread across the region. The hilltown agricultural population went into a long decline and fields began reverting to forest. Massachusetts is a state located in the Northeastern United States. The Metacomet Ridge is a series of narrow traprock ridges where lava penetrated this rift zone, beginning at the northern end of the graben near Greenfield and extending south across Massachusetts and Connecticut to Long Island Sound. To take a peek at what goes on in Springfield when flapjacks dont own the day, click here. The city of Pittsfield is the largest community located in the Berkshires. EASTHAMPTON, Mass. Industrial Parks- The Interstate 91 Industrial Park. Northampton is perhaps the "largest" of the small towns on the list with some 29,000 residents, but that . Hampden County, with over half of the population of western Massachusetts, includes the City of Springfield; to the north, Hampshire County contains the college towns of Northampton, Amherst and South Hadley; further north, rural Franklin County borders Vermont and New Hampshire; to the west is Berkshire County, bordering New York, Vermont and Connecticut and the other three counties. Massachusetts, . From these valleys, uplands to the east appear as a rounded mountain range, rising some 1,600 feet (490 meters) although they are actually a plateau. Industrial Parks- Interstate Drive Industrial Park, Industrial areas near Circuit Drive, Union Street, and Memorial Avenue. Zulmalee Rivera, with the non-profit . Western Massachusetts is truly one of a kind. Mills were built to exploit the kinetic energy of falling water, and mill towns grew up around them, or company towns integrating production, residential and commercial activities. Southeast corner of town was part of the Dorchester New Grant of 1637. Past festivals have featured live entertainment, horse and carriage rides, and even appearances from celebrities Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Western Massachusetts' population is concentrated in the cities and suburbs along the Connecticut River in an urban axis surrounding Springfield that is contiguous with greater Hartford, Connecticut (i.e. Lexington, MA. Most of this region is a rolling upland of schist, gneiss and other resistant metamorphics with intrusions of pegmatite and granite. Scroll down the page to find a list of big cities if you're booking a flight between airports, or a list of smaller surrounding towns if you're doing a road trip. The Quaboag Hills and Valley, the Quabbin Regions, and populated places stretching east towards Worcester are all locally known as "Hill Towns"; a term interchangeable with the Hill Towns west of the Pioneer Valley. In a 2010 editorial, the Boston Globe berated communities in northern Western Massachusetts for resisting efforts to force consolidation of local school districts. The Sumner Tunnel in Boston will be closed between July 5, 2023, and August 31, 2023. Dominating the options is the Ski Butternut resort, which includes 22 runs and two terrain parks, and lots of opportunities for lessons. Maynard, MA. After its closure, locals stepped in to preserve the 750-acre expanse as a kind of living museum. You should also check out the Naumkeag House, the onetime 46-acre Gilded Age estate of a noted New York City lawyer, including its 44-room main house that Stanford White designed in the 1880s. The largest city in Massachusetts is Boston, with a population of 617,459. On top, elevations rise gradually to the west. As a quick guide to springtime in Western MA, heres a closer look at 7 welcoming destinations and what theyll be offering in the coming months. Rockport Source: Halee Burg / shutterstock Rockport, Massachusetts Rockport is one of the most beautifully charming towns in the state of Massachusetts. [9] Native people began to construct and gather in palisaded fortsstructures that were not necessary beforehand. She became the Alice in Arlos cult classic Alices Restaurant. There are regular performances and lectures at the Guthrie Center. Safety is a priority for many people trying to find a place to live, and for people 22News spoke with, that can only. Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts, or UMass as it is known locally. And, at the end of the afternoon or evening, picturesque Main Street is right around the corner. With the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) in 1990, a long process of repatriation began. Concord, MA. Visit an amazing collection of unique museums including the Basketball Hall of Fame. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The biggest Stockbridge attraction is the Norman Rockwell Museum. To learn more about Massachusetts' cities and towns, such as their incorporation and settlement dates, refer to the Secretary of State's website. Large Detailed Map of Massachusetts With Cities and Towns This map shows cities, towns, counties, interstate highways, U.S. highways, state highways, main roads, secondary roads, driving distances, ferries, rivers, lakes, airports, parks, forests, travel plazas, tourist information centers and points of interest in Massachusetts. Boston, which is the capital of the state, is the most populated, with an estimated 667,137 residents in 2017. As continental glaciers receded near the end of the last glacial period, a moraine at Rocky Hill, Connecticut, dammed the river to create Lake Hitchcock, extending northward some 200 miles (320km) inundating places such as Springfield, Agawam, and West Springfield, while certain highlands remained above water, (i.e. Parks and Open Space - West Springfield has 18 parks. Although it might seem far away today, it wont be too long before the weather warms up and the signs of spring reappear. Chicopee With a population of 55,717 residents, Chicopee (Hampden County) is the second largest city in Western Massachusetts. Western Massachusetts's small towns: The ultimate guide - Curbed Boston Expert Advice A guide to the small towns of Western Massachusetts Whether you're an outdoors enthusiast, a. Cities with populations over 10,000 include: Abington, Amesbury, Amherst, Attleboro, Barnstable, Beverly, Boston, Braintree, Brockton, Brookline, Burlington, Chicopee, Danvers, Dedham, Easthampton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Gloucester, Greenfield, Haverhill, Holbrook, Holyoke, Hudson, Hull, Lawrence, Leominster, Longm. Visit the City of Greenfield online for more info. Created a precinct with Clapboard Trees (Westwood) in 1729. Skiers love Great Barrington because its a great jumping-off point for some of the best skiing in Western Massachusetts. Education and Population - A total of 14 schools, 3 are private; Lower Pioneer Valley Collaborative School. Secondary rifts branched off the main crustal fracture, and this one was eventually occupied by the Connecticut River. Perhaps the most prominent plan B for is the Guthrie Center, an interfaith church that folkie Arlo Guthrie founded to honor his parents Woody Guthrie and Marjorie Mazia-Guthrie. The city's largest employers are Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Charlene Manor Extended Care Facility, Buckley Health Care and Bete Fog Nozzle. West of the Housatonic-Hoosic valley system rises the narrower Taconic Range along the New York border. Then known as Springfield, it became a precinct of Dedham by vote of Town Meeting in 1729; 800 acres taken from Dedham, along with land from Dorchester and Milton. Innovations originating in the valley include the sports of basketball (James Naismith, 1895) and volleyball (William Morgan, 1895); the first American automobile (Duryea, 1893); the first motorcycle company (Indian, 1901); the first use of interchangeable parts in manufacturing (Thomas Blanchard, 1825); and the first commercial radio station, (WBZ, 1920, from Springfield's Kimball Hotel). The following towns were disincorporated in 1938 due to the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir; all their territory was absorbed into surrounding towns: The following towns were ceded to the Rhode Island colony in 1747 as part of a border dispute: Due to a 1642 surveying error and long-running political disputes, the following Massachusetts towns joined the Connecticut Colony in late 1749: Due to general lack of colonial government there, all four towns in colonial New Hampshire chose to become part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1641. These sites were excavated in the 19th and 20th centuries by anthropologists who took cultural objects and human remains and displayed them for years in area museums. Eastern section of town was part of the Dorchester New Grant of 1637. Archeological efforts in the Connecticut River Valley have revealed traces of human life dating back at least 9,000 years. Williamsburg in Hampshire County and Becket in Berkshire County are prominent hilltowns.
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