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Chicopee, Massachusetts
Chicopee, Massachusetts | |
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     Clockwise from top: Chicopee City Hall, Berchmans Hall at College of Our Lady of the Elms, the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning, Al's Diner, and the Carreau Block | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: | |
| Motto(s): | |
 Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts | |
  Chicopee, Massachusetts Location in the United States  Chicopee, Massachusetts Chicopee, Massachusetts (Massachusetts) | |
| Coordinates: 42°08′55″N 72°36′30″W / 42.14861°N 72.60833°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Massachusetts |
| County | Hampden |
| Settled | 1640 |
| Incorporated (parish) | June 11, 1751[a][4] |
| Incorporated (town) | April 29, 1848[5] |
| Incorporated (city) | April 18, 1890 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council city |
| • Mayor | John L. Vieau (I)[6][7] |
| Area | |
• Total | 23.87 sq mi (61.83 km2) |
| • Land | 22.91 sq mi (59.33 km2) |
| • Water | 0.97 sq mi (2.50 km2) |
| Elevation | 200 ft (61 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 55,560 |
| • Density | 2,425.57/sq mi (936.53/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes | 01013, 01020–01022 |
| Area code | 413 |
| FIPS code | 25-13660 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0617597 |
| Website | www.chicopeema.gov |
Chicopee (/ˈtʃɪkəpi/ CHIK-ə-pee) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 55,560, making it the second-largest city in western Massachusetts after Springfield.[9] Chicopee is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The communities of Chicopee Center (Cabotville), Chicopee Falls, Willimansett, Fairview, Aldenville, Burnett Road, Smith Highlands and Westover are located within the city.
One of the ventures of the Boston Associates,[10] Chicopee is a city built around several smaller former mill communities on its namesake, the Chicopee River. During the 19th century, the city was home to the first American producer of friction matches as well as a variety of other industries,[11] including the Ames Manufacturing Company, an early pioneer in machining lathes, building upon the work of Springfield's Thomas Blanchard, and the largest producer of swords and cutlasses for the Union Army during the Civil War.[12][13] By the start of the 20th century, the city was home to a number of industrial plants, including those of the Fisk Tire Company, one of the largest tire makers of that time, and some of the earliest sporting goods factories of A. G. Spalding.[14]
Today the city is home to a variety of specialty manufacturers, as well as Westover Air Reserve Base, the largest Air Force Reserve Base of the United States, built in 1940 with the emergence of World War II.[15] Chicopee today goes by the nickname the "Crossroads of New England" as part of a business-development marketing campaign, one that West Springfield also uses. The name reflects the city's location among a number of metropolitan areas and its transportation network. Four interstate highways run through its boundaries, including I-90, I-91, I-291, and I-391, as well as state routes such as Route 33, 116, and 141.
- ^ Trausch, Susan (1990), "There is Life Beyond Boston – Really," The Boston Globe, June 6, 1990, p. 17: "[Springfield] has Chicopee, "Kielbasa Capital of the World," right next door."
- ^ "'King Kielbasa' unveiled," Archived 2017-09-21 at the Wayback Machine UPI, September 5, 1984: "[Chicopee Provision Co.] has been making the kielbasa since the festival began in 1974 to boost tourism in the western Massachusetts city of about 55,000, which has a large Polish population and calls itself the Kielbasa Capital of the World." Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ Plourde-Barker, Michele (1998). Chicopee. Arcadia. p. 29. ISBN 9780738590066. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015.
- ^ Szetela, Thaddeus (1848). History of Chicopee. Chicopee, Mass.: Szetela & Rich Publishing Company. p. 32.
- ^ Massachusetts Topographical Survey Commission (1900). Atlas of the Boundaries of the City of Springfield. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Topographical Survey Commission. p. D. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ^ Lovelace, Curt (November 26, 2002). "Republicans Give Thanks". Mass News. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
Mayor Richard Kos of Chicopee did nothing to dispel the mood when he proclaimed, 'There is an excitement in the air.' He went on to urge candidates to make sure that they 'stand for something." He added, 'If you stand for nothing, people will fear that you'll fall for anything.' Decrying government waste and the emphasis on 'bringing home the pork,' the four-term Republican Mayor, proclaimed.
- ^ "Mayor's Office". City of Chicopee. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Chicopee city, Massachusetts". Retrieved September 25, 2021.
- ^ The Run of the Mill, Steve Dunwell, 1978
- ^ Federal Writers' Project (1937), "Haverhill", Massachusetts: a Guide to its Places and People, American Guide Series, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, hdl:2027/mdp.39015014440781
- ^ "Some Personal Items". Army and Navy Journal. Vol. XVIII. May 14, 1881. p. 850.
Mr Woodworth is the president of the Ames Manufacturing Company- the largest sword manufacturing establishment in the country
- Wylie, Arthur (1980). American Swords. Tulsa: MCN Press. ISBN 9781304811967.
- ^ Tony Griffiths (November 24, 2018). "Ames of Chicopee Mass". Lathes.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 24, 2018.
Although little is known of Ames Chicopee machine-tool production, they must have been at the forefront of developments: an example of their gunstock copying lathe is in the London Science Museum and several examples of an early and beautifully-made 7.25" swing backgeared and screwcutting lathe have survived. Although dating the lathes shown here must be a matter for conjecture, with Ames Chicopee founded in 1810 and machine-tool production starting in 1835
- ^ Springfield Republican, October 10, 1893, p. 6
- ^ "About Westover Air Reserve Base". Westover Air Reserve Base. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019.
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