The Pioneer Valley is the everyday name and promotion for the Connecticut River Valley section of Massachusetts in the United States. Usually taken to consist of three districts of Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin. The lower Pioneer Valley corresponds to the metropolitan areas of Springfield, Massachusetts, the city center of the region, and the center of Hampden County. The upper Pioneer Valley area includes the small towns of Northampton and Greenfield, the Hampshire district seats and the Franklin district.
Many cities and towns include forested areas, and Springfield itself, which in the early 1900s was nicknamed "The City in the Forest," features nature within the city limits and over 12% of parks. The Pioneer Valley is known for its scenery and as a holiday destination. The Holyoke Range, Mount Tom Range, and many hills, cliffs and grasslands showcase the mansions of the Gilded Age, many of which surround the longest and largest river in New England, the Connecticut River, which flows through the region.
Video Pioneer Valley
Tourist destination
The Pioneer Valley is a popular tourist destination throughout the year - a role that has been played historically, before deindustrialization (from about 1970-2000). Tourists are attracted to Pioneer Valley with its lively college towns, such as Northampton and Amherst; the resurgent city of Springfield; unspoiled nature, many parks and recreational facilities, including New England's largest and most popular amusement park, Six Flags New England in Agawam; cultural sites and history, such as Emily Dickinson House in Amherst, Springfield National Historical Site, and Springfield River Basketball Hall of Fame. The region has Alpine skiing at resorts such as Berkshire East and Blandford Ski Resort and seasonal festivals that attract millions of visitors, such as The Big E - all six states of New York state, annual fairs in West Springfield - and Bright Nights in Springfield's Forest Park - a complex high-tech lighting screen during the holiday season.
Maps Pioneer Valley
Geology
The Pioneer Valley covers about half of the southern Connecticut River Valley - an ancient rift valley created by the breakdown of the supercontinent Pangea along the Atlantic Central Ridge during the Triassic and Jurassic periods of the Mesozoic Era. The Connecticut River has been flowing through the valley for millions of years and is naturally dammed to form the glacial lake of Hitchcock during the last ice age.
According to the King of the Book of the King of Springfield, by the King of Moses, the Valley of Pioneers is not an ordinary river channel, in fact, a trough between two mountain systems, to the west lying in use-the remnants of the formerly high Berkshire Mountains, on the east, a more degraded ridge that forms what we call the eastern Massachusetts mountains.These rocks now form many sharp hills and mountains in the Valley.In the Triassic period, the Massachusetts Section of the Connecticut River Valley formed a shallow sea arm, "leaving sediment which enriched the very fertile soil in the Pioneer Valley.
Geologically interesting parts of the Valley are basal flow and dinosaur trails in South Hadley and Holyoke, Massachusetts, a basaltic rock trap chain known as the Metacomet Ridge along ancient tectonic rifts including Mount Holyoke and Mount Tom range, layers of rock deposits laid down to the river, and varves and deltas are kept by Hitchcock Lake during the Pleistocene.
Political geography
The region known as the Pioneer Valley forms part of Massachusetts from the lush Connecticut River Valley and the hill and mountain towns to the east and west. The following three districts - from north to south, and each with different characters - cover the Pioneer Valley:
Franklin County
Franklin County is the most rural area of ​​Massachusetts and thus reminiscent of southern Vermont, which borders. Greenfield is its largest municipality, a small town often used as a gateway to many outdoor activities in the region. This area offers downhill skiing at resorts like Berkshire East, rafting, zip-lining, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. In addition, Franklin County contains many rural, former milling cities. Many of these have become archaic and beautiful since the decline of factories, (eg, Turners Falls.) Routes Massachusetts 2 and 2A, which run through Franklin County, showcase many antique stores.
Hampshire County
Hampshire County is home to five leading colleges and universities that work with each other and are known collectively as the Five Colleges. They are UMass Amherst, Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and Hampshire. These respected colleges and universities of liberal arts contribute to the atmosphere of the college town of Hampshire County, especially in the significant college towns of Northampton and Amherst. Many of Hampshire County's cultural activities, often flamboyant nightlife, and musical venues are concentrated in these two small but life-spaced cities that are only 7 miles apart. While the college towns in Hampshire County are known for their liberal political values ​​and the embrace of their alternative culture and lifestyle, many of the remote towns of the district preserve their traditional, rural character. In terms of political demography, Hampshire County is one of the most liberal areas in the United States in both voter registration and return of elections.
Hampden County
Hampden County is the most urban area in Western Massachusetts; However, the neighborhood has long been described as a rus in urbe - a town in a forest. Springfield, Massachusetts - the "shire town" where Hampden County was originally carved out of Hampshire County in 1814 - is located south of Hampden County, at a natural intersection where three significant rivers flow into the Connecticut River, (Westfield, the Chicopee, and Mill. ) The history of Springfield is long, illustrious, and well written. It is one of the most important United States precision manufacturing and defense centers to the relatively recent deindustrialization, catalyzed by the government's controversial closure of Springfield Armory during the Vietnam War. (In 1777, General George Washington and Henry Knox personally chose the place for the United States Federal Arsenal.) After nearly 30 years of setbacks, Springfield since about 2006 experienced a cultural and economic revival, catalyzed by billions of dollars in personal and public investment, including construction funded from the first high-speed US bullet train, known as the Inter-City Corridor Knowledge railway line as well as a steep decline in new crime and festivals that have renewed the pride of the city's strong traditional society. Springfield itself features international attractions such as Basketball Hall of Fame and Springfield Armory National Historic Site; it also featured Dr. Seuss Memorial, Augustus Saint Gaudens' outdoor masterpiece, "The Puritan," and five world-class art, science and history museums in Quadrangle. Forest Park, a 745 acre city park (3,010,000 m 2 ) designed to follow the principles of Frederick Law Olmsted, best known for designing Central Park New York City, is quite diverse and ornate. The city's economic base is diverse, featuring the wealthiest Fortune 100 companies in Massachusetts, MassMutual Insurance, as well as a number of universities and hospitals. Springfield features thousands of Victorian mansions (like San Francisco, for example, in the McKnight Historic District). In addition to the Connecticut River, Springfield has Watershops Pond, Porter Lake, and Mill River.
Less than two miles south of Springfield, Six Flags New England amusement park is located on the outskirts of Agawam; and one mile west of Springfield, The Big E - a collective state fair from six New England states - is located in West Springfield. North of Springfield, Westover US Air Force Base is located in the resurgent industrial city of Chicopee. The city of Chicopee has the fast-moving Chicopee River encounter and the meandering Connecticut River. The Chicopee River, although only 18.0 miles long, has the largest water pool in Massachusetts - and along the Connecticut River - at 741 square miles. Across from Chicopee, on the west side of the Connecticut River, Holyoke Mall in Ingleside is one of New England's largest malls. In addition to the mall, Holyoke is home to the mountain of Tom Range mountains, the Holyoke Canal System, and the Volleyball Hall of Fame. (Volleyball was found in Holyoke in 1895).
Westfield City owns Westfield State University, founded by renowned educational reform Horace Mann. Close to Westfield - about 15 miles west of Springfield - many open opportunities are available, such as alpine skiing in the Blandford Ski Area and the oldest white water rafting contest at 78.1 miles Westfield River, the longest river in Connecticut River in Massachusetts.
The international airport that serves Hampden County, and the Pioneer Valley in general, is Bradley International Airport, located 12 miles south of Springfield in the town of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, a land formerly owned by Springfield.
Demographics
Ethnicity
Today, Pioneer Valley's ethnic and racial diversity varies greatly from city to city. Especially in England until the 19th century, and then Europe-America in the late 19th and 20th centuries, at the 2010 Census, the region had a rapidly growing Hispanic population in almost all urban areas. This entry includes a large number of Puerto Rican people. Among the European-American communities, the Pioneer Valley population reflects the background of the British Isles of the original settlers and immigrant populations that settled during the late 19th century, including large numbers of Irish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, French Canadians. , and Greek background. In 2011, Springfield was home to a large number of Vietnamese immigrants. Also, in 2011, Russian and Ukrainian immigrants increased in Springfield, West Springfield, Westfield, and other communities.
Large LGBT populations
According to the 2010 Census, Pioneer Valley features one of the highest per capita lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations in the United States. Indeed, according to the US Census 2010 Census Bureau statistics, Springfield was ranked one of the top 10 gay cities in the United States. The 2010 Census figures show the number of same-sex households per thousand. Springfield ranked # 10, with 5.69 same-sex couples per thousand. In January 2010, the LGBT magazine nationwide The Advocate rated Springfield # 13 among the "15 new Gayest Gayest in America" ​​15, ahead of San Diego, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Springfield is the only Massachusetts city on The Advocate's list.
Cities in Northampton and Springfield, in particular, feature a vibrant LGBT community. Unlike in other communities throughout the United States, LGBT populations have been largely integrated into Northampton and Springfield, ie no ghetto-gay towns. Generally, in the Pioneer Valley, LGBT and righteous people mingle at bars, night clubs and cultural institutions. However, both cities feature a strong and active LGBT nightlife - especially Northampton for lesbians, and Springfield for gay men. The colleges of Amherst and South Hadley colleges also feature significant LGBT populations.
Higher education institutions
Five university consortiums
- Amherst College - Amherst
- Hampshire College - Amherst
- Mount Holyoke College - South Hadley
- Smith College - Northampton
- University of Massachusetts Amherst - Amherst
Metro Metro University
- American International College - Springfield
- Bay University Path - Longmeadow
- Cambridge College - Springfield
- Elms College - Chicopee
- Springfield College - Springfield
- Western New England University - Recently
- Westfield State - Westfield University
Graduate School
- Conway School of Landscape Design - Conway, Easthampton
Community college
- Greenfield Community College - Greenfield
- Holyoke Community College - Holyoke
- Springfield Technical Community College -Springfield
History
Native American history in the Pioneer Valley stretches back thousands of years; recorded history began in 1635, when Roxbury judge William Pynchon commissioned John Cable and John Woodcock land scouts to find the best Connecticut River Valley sites for both trade and agriculture. The first 16 years of European settlement history of the Pioneer Valley, before 1652, when Northampton, Massachusetts was founded, is adjacent to the history of Springfield, Massachusetts, because it is the only settlement of the Pioneer Valley. From 1633 to 1635, there were three English settlements in the Connecticut River Valley: Wethersfield, Connecticut; Windsor, Connecticut; and is best located in three (because of its two rivers :) Hartford, Connecticut. Cable and Woodcock continued north until they found the place they approved was the best among them all: Springfield, Massachusetts modern.
Springfield is located at the intersection of nature, at the four river rivers: to the west, 78.1 miles Westfield River, (the longest river of the Connecticut River in Massachusetts;) in the center of the Connecticut River 418.0 miles, then known as "The Great River"; and to the east two smaller rivers: 18.0 mile Chicopee River, which features fast-moving and the largest river valley of the Connecticut River; and also, the Mill River, which will be very important about 150 years later after the George Washington foundation in the US Armory in Springfield.
The first solution
At that time, on the west bank of the Connecticut River, the explorers found the village of Arokam in Pocomtuc (or perhaps Nipmuck). Just south of the Westfield River, the colonists built a pre-fabricated house in what is now Agawam, Massachusetts.
In 1636, Pynchon led a settlement expedition with a larger group, including Henry Smith (Pynchon's son-in-law), Jehu Burr, William Blake, Matthew Mitchell, Edmund Wood, Thomas Ufford, and John Cable. Springfield is Massachusetts's first settlement for non-religious reasons, though many of its settlers are very religious, as their first article on merging shows, "Wee intends by God's grace, as fast as we can, at all the comfortable pace to get some godly Pastors and faithful we aim to rejoice in the church's covenant, to walk in all the ways of Christ. "In exploring Springfield, Cable, Woodcock, and Pynchon chose a place north of Enfield Falls, the first place on the Connecticut River where all travelers should stop to negotiate waterfalls, 32 feet (9.8 m) elevation, and then move their cargo from ship that goes to sea to smaller shallops. Parties Pynchon bought land on both sides of the Connecticut River from 18 tribes living in palisade citadel at its current location in Springfield's Longhill Street. The price paid is 18 hoes, 18 warehouses, 18 coats, 18 axes and 18 knives. Initially, in 1636, a British settlement called Agawam Plantation. By establishing "Agawam" at its particular location, Pynchon basically forces all northern river trade to move through his city.
After a native warning about the flood-prone west side of the Connecticut River, most of the Springfield settlers moved to the east side of the river, which was slightly less profitable for agriculture due to its prominent cliffs and hills. The initial grant of land for an English family was made there in what is now the Springfield Metro Center, all day long is Main Street. Long, narrow land of farmland was created, stretching out from the river. In addition, "much wood" forest is far offered. The major profit-producing industry for Springfield was trading with the Indians for beaver skin, which were then exported throughout the colonial world.
Choosing Massachusetts
In 1640 and 1641 two events occurred that forever changed the political boundaries of the Connecticut River Valley. Since its founding until then, Springfield has been managed by Connecticut, along with three other settlements in Connecticut - in Wethersfield, Hartford, and Windsor. In the spring of 1640, grains were very rare; cattle die of starvation. The nearby Connecticut Colony settlements gave William Pynchon power to buy corn for all four British settlements, (Springfield native, by far, most pleasurable for England.) If the natives would not sell their corn at market prices, then Pynchon is authorized to offer more money. Natives refuse to sell their corn at market prices, and then refuse to sell it at "reasonable" prices. Pynchon refused to buy it, believing that it should not broadcast the weaknesses of British colonizers, and also want to keep the market value stable.
Leading citizens (what will become) Hartford is furious with Pynchon for not buying wheat. With the approval of Windsor and Wethersfield, three southern settlements commissioned the famous American Conqueror Captain John Mason to travel to Springfield with "money in one hand and a sword in the other." Upon reaching (what will become) Springfield, Mason intimidates local indigenous people with a war if they do not sell their corn at "reasonable prices." The Natives surrendered and eventually sold the colony maize. Pynchon, a "peace man," believed in negotiations with the Natives (and thus, quickly earned a lot of money), while Mason - the hero of Pequot Wars and the conqueror of Connecticut - believes subjugating the Natives to violence if necessary. This philosophical distinction causes Mason to use "harsh words" against Pynchon. The Pynchon settlement, however, agreed with him, and his philosophy, and the same year, chose to separate from the Connecticut Colony and annexed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. When the dust finally settled, William Pynchon was named Agawam judge by the Massachusetts Bay Colony and, in his honor, the settlement was renamed Springfield after the village of Springfield near Chelmsford, Essex in England, where Pynchon was born and raised. For decades, Springfield - which, at the time, included the modern Westfield - was the westernmost settlement in Massachusetts.
The first black magic and book in the New World
In 1645, 46 years before the Salem wizard's trial, Springfield suffered the first witch-off in America when Mary Parsons accused a widow named Marshfield, who moved from Windsor to Springfield, with magic - a breach that could then be put to death. For this, Mary Parsons was found guilty of defamation. In 1651, Mary Parsons was accused of being a sorcerer - especially "demon divers with witchcraft, to harm Martha and Rebeckah Moxon," the first two ministers of Springfield's ministers - and also to kill her own son. In turn, Mary Parsons later accused her own husband, Hugh Parsons, of witchcraft. At the first trial of the witch in America, both Mary and Hugh Parsons were found not guilty for wanting satisfactory proof; However, Mary was found guilty of murdering her own son. For this, he was sentenced to death, but died in prison in 1651, before receiving the death penalty.
In 1650, William Pynchon became famous for writing the first forbidden book in the New World. In 1649, Pynchon found time to write a book, The Meritous Price of Our Redemption , a study of theology published in London in 1650. Several copies made it back to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and its capital, Boston, this time reacting with anger to Pynchon rather than with support. Because of his critical attitude toward Massachusetts Calvinist Puritanism, Pynchon was accused of heresy, and his book burned in Boston Common. Only four copies survived. With the declaration of the Massachusetts General Court, in 1650, our Meritous Price of Redemption became the first book banned in the New World. In 1651, Pynchon was accused of heresy by the Massachusetts General Court (at the same Court meeting in which Springfielder Mary Parsons was sentenced to death in the first witch trial in America). So he is the first author to have his work "banned in Boston". Standing to lose all his land-his ownership - the largest in the Connecticut River Valley - William Pynchon transferred ownership to his son, John, and then, in 1652, moved back to England with his friend, Reverend Moxon.
William's son, John Pynchon, and his brother-in-law, Elizur Holyoke, quickly took on the leadership role of the settlement. They began to move Springfield from reduced feather trade to agricultural activities, as well as establishing several new towns, including Northampton, Massachusetts.
Northampton
Initial Completion
The area now called Northampton was once known as Norwottuck, or Nonotuck, which means "the middle of the river" by the natives of Pocumtuc. According to various accounts, Northampton was named by John King (1629-1703), one of the original settlers, or perhaps in his honor, for allegedly he came to Massachusetts from Northampton, England (Allen 9, Dwight 10, Leach 124).
The Pocumtuc Confederacy occupied the Connecticut River Valley, from what is now southern Vermont and New Hampshire north of Connecticut. The Pocumtuc tribe is the Algonquian, and is traditionally allied with the Mahican confederation in the west. In 1606, an ongoing struggle between the Mahica Confederation and the Iroquois led to a direct attack on Pocumtuc by the Iroquoian Mohawk nation. The Mahican Confederation was defeated by 1628, limiting Pocumtuc's access to trade routes to the west. The area suffered from a large-scale smallpox epidemic in the 1630s, following the arrival of Dutch traders in the Hudson Valley and British settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony over the previous two decades. It was in this context that the land that formed most of modern Northampton was sold to settlers from Springfield, Massachusetts in 1653, and settled the following year. The situation in the region grew worse as Mohawk increased hostility against the Pocumtuc Confederation and other Algonquian tribes after 1655, forcing many disaster-stricken Algonquian groups into a defensive merger. This coincided with the worsening relationship between Wampanoag and the Massachusetts Bay colony, which eventually led to an expanded Algonquian alliance that took part in the War of King Philip.
Northampton Partition
The Northampton area will be enlarged beyond the original settlements, but the next sections will be carved into separate towns, cities and municipalities. Southampton, for example, was founded in 1775, and includes parts of the modern Montgomery region (founded in 1780) and Easthampton. Westhampton was founded in 1778, and Easthampton in 1809. Earlier, a section of Northampton called the Smith Ferry was separated from the rest of the city by the boundaries of Easthampton. The shortest path to the city center is on the road near the oxford of the Connecticut River, which is often flooded. Smith's Ferry was handed over to Holyoke, Massachusetts in 1909.
Deerfield Deerfield
Deerfield was the northwestern post of New England settlement for decades during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It occupies a fertile part of the Connecticut River Valley and is vulnerable to attack because of its position near the Berkshire Mountains. For these reasons, the place became the scene of several English-French and Indian battles during its early history, as well as intertribal warfare.
On arrival of the British colony, the Deerfield area is inhabited by Algonquian-speaking Pocumtucks, with a large village of the same name. First settled by the British colonists in 1673, Deerfield was founded in 1677. The settlement was the result of a court case in which the government in Boston agreed to return a portion of the Dedham city land to the control of Native Americans, and allow some of the Dedham residents to acquire land in the new township Pocumtuck. To get this land, their agent John Plympton signed an agreement with several Pocumtuck men, including one named Chaulk. He has no authority to do land to the colonists, and seems to have only a rough idea of ​​what he signed. Native Americans and Britishs have very different ideas about property and land use, which contribute to their conflict, along with competition for resources.
The settlers drove the Pocumtuck tribe by force, who in turn sought refuge from the Canadian colonists. At the Battle of Bloody Brook on September 18, 1675, the seized Indians destroyed a small force under the command of Captain Thomas Lathrop before being mobilized by reinforcements. The number of colonial victims amounted to about sixty. In retaliation, at dawn on May 19, 1676, Captain William Turner led the settlers' troops in a surprise attack on Peskeompskut, in Montague today, which became the gathering place of the indigenous people. They killed 200 indigenous people, mostly women and children. When the tribesmen returned, they drove Turner, who died of a deadly wound in Green River.
On February 29, 1704, during the War of the Queen Anne, the combined forces of France and India invaded the city in what is known as the 1704 Attack at Deerfield. Under the command of Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville were 47 Canadiens and 200 Abenaki, Kanienkehaka and Wyandot, as well as some Pocumtuck. They attack at dawn, crush Deerfield and kill 56 colonists, including 22 men, 9 women, and 25 children. They arrested 109 survivors, including women and children, and "took them away for several months on a trip to Quebec, many who died along the way or were killed when they could not keep up.
Deerfield and other communities raised funds to redeem the prisoners, and negotiations were made between the colonial government. When New England released the French pirates, Canada governed the redemption of many Deerfield people, among them minister John Williams. He wrote a captive narrative of his experience, published in 1707 and became famous. Due to the loss of war and disease, Mohawk and other tribes often adopted younger prisoners into their tribes. As with the daughter of Williams, Eunice, eight years when arrested. He became completely assimilated, at the age of 16 marrying a Mohawk man. Most of the Deerfield prisoners eventually returned to New England. During this period, other prisoners continued to vote in French and Native communities such as Kahnawake for the rest of their lives.
As the border moved north, Deerfield became another colonial city with an uneasy history. In 1753 Greenfield departed and incorporated. During the early nineteenth century, Deerfield's role in agricultural production in the Northeast declined. It was followed by the rapid development of the Midwestern United States into the nation's bread basket, with transportation to the eastern markets and New York City enhanced by the construction of the Erie Canal.
During the Colonial Revival movement in the late nineteenth century, the residents of Deerfield rediscovered the city's past. The inhabitants founded the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in 1870, and established monuments to commemorate events, including Bloody Brook and 1704 attacks. In 1890, Charlotte Alice Baker returned to Deerfield to restore her family home, Frary House. Assisted by the Boston architectural firm Shepley, Rutan & amp; Coolidge, his project is one of the first in historic preservation in western Massachusetts. Today, tourism is the city's main industry. Historic Deerfield, a Historic Historic Landmark district with eleven museum houses and a regional museum and visitor center, and Yankee Candle Company are the main attractions.
The story of the early history of the city was written by local historian George Sheldon and published in the late nineteenth century. At this time, South Deerfield and other New England villages have absorbed a new wave of Eastern European immigration, especially from Poland. New people affect the demography and culture of Deerfield. They were mostly Catholic farmers, who built their own church and first worked as laborers, forming a community that became known as Old Polonia. Later, the 20th century Polish immigrants tend to be more educated, but settled in big cities. Immigrants in smaller communities follow different paths, and their descendants often move into the city to get more opportunities.
Greenfield
The Pocumtuck Indians first settled and initially inhabited the Greenfield area. Native American artifacts found in the area have been from 7,000 to 9,000 years BC. Pocumtucks planted crops and lured the river, but was destroyed as a tribe by the Mohawks in 1664. After that, the newly inhabited area - the eastern end of the Mohawk Line, the main route to Native American trade traveling west to New York - was colonized by the British in 1686 as part of Deerfield. In 1753, Greenfield departed from Deerfield and entered as a separate city, named after the Green River.
In 1795, the South Hadley Canal was opened, allowing boats to pass through South Hadley to fall and reach Greenfield via the Connecticut River. Located at the confluence of the Deerfield and Green rivers, and not far from where they joined the Connecticut River, Greenfield evolved into a trading center. It was designated as county seat when Franklin County was created from Hampshire County in 1811. Waterfalls provide water power for industry, and Greenfield grows into a prosperous factory town.
Culture
Hampshire County
The Pioneer Valley is sometimes known to the inhabitants of its colleagues as the "Happy Valley", but more full-time residents call it simply the "Valley".
Citizens benefit from the rich cultural range of art, performances, prominent architecture, and sidewalks of traveling scientists and literary VIPs - mostly in college towns and in Springfield. According to the 2010 Census, per capita, Northampton has the highest lesbian concentration in the United States, and possibly the world. Hampshire County is of course a "Pioneer Valley... in the lonely west of eastern wood", sung by Pixies in the song "U-Mass".
Springfield
Springfield's cultural contribution to the United States and the world at large has been so great that here, only a brief description of the important national and international cultural milestones will be mentioned.
In 2011, the most renowned cultural contribution worldwide in Springfield is basketball, which is currently the second most popular sport in the world. That said, "City of Progress" yielded three other innovations, not nearly well-publicized, but which has proven to have proven equally important, if not more, to the world at large. In 1892-1993, the first American-powered, functional gasoline car was produced at the Stacy Building in Springfield by Duryea Brothers. The Duryea car also won the world's first car race in 1895 in Chicago. In 1901, the first motorcycle company in the world was "India", produced in Springfield; in 1905, the world's first modern firefighter was manufactured by Knox Automobile, (which made Springfield firefighters the world's first modern firefighter;) and finally, the first commercial radio station in the US was aired from Springfield's luxury hotel. Kimball in 1921.
For the sake of the nation, Springfield featured the first magic trial in the United States in 1646 - a decade before the Salem Witch Trials; and a few years later in 1650, a Springfielder wrote the first banned book in the New World, The Meritous Price of Our Redemption by William Pynchon. Pynchon is the founder of Springfield City. His book, expressing views contrary to the Puritan Calvinist doctrine, led to him being taken to a high court in Boston and accused of heretics. He then returned to England.
In Springfield, in 1860, Milton Bradley invented and produced his popular living room games, including the still-popular The Game of Life. Also in Springfield, Dr. Seuss grew up, and wrote some of his now best-known works (for example And Thinking That I See It on Mulberry Street.) Psychiatrist and LSD activist Timothy Leary - the person who influenced the generation to "turn on, listen, break up" - was born and educated at Springfield. Earlier, from 1846 to 1850, John Brown, a famous abolitionist, lived in Springfield, where he met, for the first time national leaders of the removal movement such as Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. In Springfield, in response to the Fugitive Slave Act, John Brown founded his first militant anti-slavery organization, The League of Gileadites. The Brown years in Springfield are often called "transformative years."
As far as military history adds to the place culture, Springfield's history is especially rich, starting with the 1675 Attack on Springfield during the Philip King's War. Later, events like George Washington and Henry Knox founded Springfield Armory on a cliff in the city made Springfield one of the most important places for the US military for centuries. The Shays uprising, which leads directly to the US Constitution, took place at Armory ten years after the founding of Washington - and also forced him out of retirement.
Regarding literary works, the world's first American-English dictionary was published in Springfield in 1806, and is still published in the city by Merriam Webster. Also, the first comprehensive US history book was first written by Springfielder George Bancroft in 1830.
As far as cultural contributions consist of discovery, innovation, and progress, Springfield has, historically, one of the most innovative cities in the country. In 1819, inventor Thomas Blanchard invented the lathe in Springfield, which would catalyze manufacturing developments now known worldwide as interchangeable parts and assembly lines. In 1825, Blanchard also built the first American car, a "horse-drawn carriage", powered by steam. In 1844, inventor Charles Goodyear refined and patented the process for making vulcanized rubber in Springfield - in 2011, as it had been years earlier, the name Goodyear is known worldwide for rubber production.
Other major cultural contributions from Springfield included the first US postcard in 1873; the first American horse show in 1853; the first American dog show - and even the first American friction match of 1834.
Art and museum
The inhabitants of the valley also love the art, both visual and performing, as demonstrated by the many countless art galleries, theaters and performances, the residency of children's authors. Seuss, Eric Carle in the valley, and Eric Carle Picture Art Museum in Amherst.
Springfield's Quadrangle features a group of five outstanding museums, including two art museums, two historical museums, and one science museum. Springfield's Science Museum features the first planetarium in the United States. Interspersed among the five museums is the Dr. sculpture garden. Seuss Memorial, which recreates the odd character of Springfield writer in bronze.
In Springfield, Springfield Symphony Hall serves as the main focal point for classical music, Broadway tours, concerts and stand-up comedy shows in the Valley. Symphony Hall was built in 1911-13, and its ornaments are a spectacle of its own. The main playhouse in Springfield is CityStage, which features an eclectic mix of entertainment. Both places are managed by Springfield Performing Arts Development Corporation.
Local media
- The Valley Post
- The Republican , (Springfield's main newspaper)
- The Valley Advocate , local art & amp; entertainment newspaper
- Predvestnik , Russian-language Pioneer Valley, (stops publication April 2008)
- The Rainbow Times , Pioneer Valley LGBT magazine. (Springfield and Northampton have a sizeable LGBT community.)
- The Valley Art Newsletter
Independent bookstore
While this charming country enclave, known as the Valley of Pioneers, may be a wild turkey country, as well as an approach to the Vermont ski country, as well as a former book country. Our three-day visit is dedicated to exploring and buying amid a network of rich and collegial private bookstores and dealerships. More members of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Antiquarian Booksellers (36) can be found in this area than in Greater Boston (25).
With independent bookstores in almost every town, several small publishers, and many local authors, the Valley could be considered a reader's paradise. Amherst has at least four bookstores (including Amherst Books and Food for Thought Bookstore), South Hadley has at least one famous bookstore ( The Odyssey Bookshop ). Since the late 1980s, Montague has had The Bookmill, and the World Eye Bookshop is in its 40th year at Greenfield. John Doe, Jr. using books and notes opened in Greenfield summer of 2009. Federal Street Books is another used bookstore in Greenfield. Northampton has at least four independent bookstores (including Broadside Bookshop). One of the more popular books, Raven Used, has diverse titles and subjects. South Deerfield has New England Auctions, specializing in rare and antique books.
Sports
The Pioneer Valley is home to many professional sports teams, amateurs, and colleges, as well as rich athletic history.
The Springfield Thunderbirds is the only professional sports team in the region, which competes in the American Hockey League. Historically, the city has a professional hockey dating from the 1930s with a seven-time Calder Cup champion, Indian Springfield. The area also has several small league baseball teams and Springfield Armor from the NBA Development League.
At the college level, the only school in the region that is a full member of the NCAA I Division is the University of Massachusetts, although an ice hockey team at American International College competes in the Atlantic Hockey Association, a DI hockey conference. There are many famous Division III schools, including Amherst College.
The most prominent amateur team in the region is Holyoke Blue Sox, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
The region already has many famous professional athletes seeing a significant part of their careers in the region. Eddie Shore played for and later became the owner of the highly successful Springfield Indian franchise; the number 2 remains retired by Thunderbirds. Julius Erving, one of the best basketball players of all time, played at UMass Amherst. Wrestler John Cena graduated from Springfield College before joining WWE. The most prominent athletes to be born in the region are hockey player Bill Guerin, a Stanley Cup champion and Olympic Silver Medalist, coming from Wilbraham.
The region features many independent professional wrestling performances, notably Pioneer Valley Pro Wrestling, former Old Age Old Teen wrestling and The Way Wrestling Was Promotions. In addition to monthly events, PVP Wrestling also runs a charity event for various benefits.
The area is also credited as the home of both basketball (found at Springfield College) and volleyball (invented in Holyoke), as it was made in the late 1890s; Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Volleyball Hall of Fame are located in these cities.
Economy
The Pioneer Valley has a broad and diverse economic base, featuring over 16 liberal arts colleges and universities, (many of which are considered the best in the United States, such as Amherst College); many hospitals and health organizations (eg Baystate Health, the third largest company in Massachusetts) and many financial services organizations (eg Fortune 100 MassMutual.) Manufacturing remains part of the Pioneer Valley economy (eg Smith & Wesson), though the manufacturing base has shrunk since 1968, when Springfield Armory was controversially turned off. The Pioneer Valley is considered to have a "mature economy", which means that its economic base is sufficiently varied that it is not entirely dependent on market fluctuations, like many places in the United States. This was illustrated during the Great Recession, when Springfield, Massachusetts, and Pioneer Valley performed in the Top 10 of all US regional economies. Of all
Franklin County
Franklin County in the north serves as a significant agricultural area despite its size, since rich topsoil is found in the area. Sweet corn and asparagus in the valley are commercial crops. Corn beef, potatoes, and shredded tobacco are also the main crops. All kinds of fields, especially corn and tobacco fields, as well as a number of farm houses and barns of tobacco show the landscape. Light industry is concentrated in the city of South Deerfield and Greenfield city, while the service industry exists throughout the region. The more Franklin County became a community bedroom, with Interstate 91 major transportation routes, Routes 2, and Route 5 US facilitating a boom in residential buildings that have not been in line with commercial developments in many cities in the area.
Hallmark Institute of Photography terletak di Turners Falls.
Two big companies, Channing Bete and Yankee Candle, are based in South Deerfield and Greenfield. Both communities have had controversial zoning issues around it allowing variations to build big box stores such as Wal-Mart. Greenfield gained national attention when his decision prevented Wal-Mart from building a shop in town.
The area also collects tourism because of places such as the Historic Deer (which hosts craft fairs in the summer and larger and more popular craft fall fair), and the Butterfly Garden located in South Deerfield. The annual arrival of thousands of American and foreign tourists to observe the spectacular autumn foliage in this area is a welcome boost for income.
Hampshire County
With Five Colleges, Hampshire County has an important part of its economy aimed at serving university students and liberal arts, including many independent bookstores and stationery stores. Hampshire County is also one of the most politically liberal areas in the United States, largely because Northampton, Amherst, and the large LGBT community are centered in the Five College area.
The area is also home to many restaurants, ranging in characters from sports bars to steakhouses. Northampton (also known as "Hamp" and the other as "Noho") - along with Springfield - the western culinary capital of West Massachusetts and the lesbian mecca, featuring the highest number of lesbians per capita by the United States. 2000 Census.
Hampden County
Hampden County is centered in the region's premier economic and cultural center, Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield is a major transportation hub, stretching not far from Boston Harbor and Albany, New York, and also close to New York City and Montreal. Many projects have driven the recent economic revival in Springfield with regard to transportation, eg. intercity corridor corridor Corridor worth $ 1 billion plus intercity commuter line Springfield-Northampton-Brattleboro. Springfield is also a medical, government and higher education center. Baystate Health's $ 300 million "Hospital of the Future" is scheduled for completion in 2012. Massachusetts $ 110 million high-tech data center - adaptive reuse of high school City native engineering - will also be completed by 2012. Regarding higher education: in 2011 , Western New England University and Springfield College each added an additional $ 45 million plus to their respective campuses in Springfield. The remnants of the manufacturing economy remained in Springfield despite the dramatic deindustrialization of the last quarter of the 20th century; for example, in 2011, Smith & amp; Wesson relocated 225 new jobs to its headquarters in Springfield, bringing its total manufacturing workforce in Springfield to over 1150.
The growth of Chicopee continues to be catalyzed by the growth of Westover Air Force Base, especially around Memorial Avenue. In 2011, Holyoke continues to see rapid growth in the high-tech sector, featuring a new company that utilizes the green energy abundance of Holyoke, e..g. water strength from Holyoke Canal System, nearby Waterfall, and proposed wind farm. The three previously industrialized cities - Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke - continue to face typical urban issues, such as gang activity and drug trafficking in parts that are increasingly isolated from every city; However, these activities have been significantly reduced over the last 20 years and the revitalizing spirit now covers every city. The previously almost dead city center of Westfield is in the midst of receiving dramatic changes, complete with a 60-foot clock tower - scheduled for completion in 2012.
Almost all other towns and villages in Hampden County are rich suburbs (eg Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Wilbraham, Massachusetts), or rural areas (eg Palmer, Massachusetts and Brimfield, Massachusetts.) Hampden County also features many natural retreats such as Mount Tom Range and Mount Holyoke Range.
In Hampden County, tourism is very popular. Six Flags New England features the world's # 1 roller-coaster ("Bizarro") and attracts tourists from all over. Similarly, Hall of Fame Basket, a temple for the second most popular sport in the world, found in Springfield, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors per year. Other major attractions include only Western Massachusetts National Park, Springfield Armory National Historic Site. Quadrangle in Springfield features five museums with a variety of themes, including the first planetarium in the United States, gathered around the unique Dr Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Park. Forest Park (Springfield) designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (from NYC Central Park fame) is one of the largest urban parks in the United States at 735 acres (2,970,000 m 2 ). During the holiday season it displays a nationally renowned light display called "The Light Night. The new United States collective state, The Big E, is held every September-October and generally attracts millions of visitors." Parade of the Big Balloons "Springfield takes place on November 1st every year, borrows lots of balloons from Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and draws 100,000 viewers Every July, the Hoops City Jazz Festival draws tens of thousands to the Metro Center to listen to famous jazz musicians. , Vintage Sports Car Club of America moves its famous annual Grand Prix from Pittsburgh to Springfield - Springfield Grand Prix takes place in 2012, on a 1.6 mile line through the city center Outside Hampden County towns like Tolland rarely residents and close to the Berkshires - outdoor activities such as camping make the most of their economy.
Politically, Hampden County is leaning liberally; however, it features some very conservative cities and towns, such as Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, Monson, and Palmer. Hampden County's largest city of Springfield, although historically moderate, has been politically almost as liberal as Hampshire County in recent years, according to voter registration and election results.
Preservation
Appreciation of the natural environment, historically, has become a big part of Pioneer Valley life. It features many non-profit sanctuaries, such as the Friends of Wissatinnewag, Inc. 43 acres (170,000 m 2 ) a funeral of native American cemeteries where the Turners Falls massacre occurred in 1676, as well as historical parks such as King Phillip's Stockade in Springfield, a 735-acre Forest Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and only Western Massachusetts National Park, Springfield Armory National Historic Site. Great Falls Discovery Center, the main visitor center of a multi-country country, Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is located in Turners Falls. In addition to this, there are hundreds of state and city parks and forests. Due to the considerable natural resources and culture in Pioneer Valley, environmental agencies have made substantial investments in protecting the pristine nature of the area, especially along the Connecticut River, and in many "hill towns" in the Pioneer Valley. Government conservation efforts have targeted wildlife and habitats of rare plants, recreational sites and corridors including the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, and rich farmland in agricultural cities like Hadley, Massachusetts. Efforts have been enhanced and assisted by the confidence of local and regional conservation lands and state and national conservation organizations. Many of these organizations protect additional lands through the direct ownership of conservation areas and lands held under conservation conservation. Many cities in this area also have conservation holdings, usually under the protection of the community 's' conservation commission', designated bodies that also apply local and state environmental regulations.
One of the most famous areas consisting of Mount Tom State Reservation, Mount Holyoke Range State Park, and Skinner State Park, which, joined the 600-acre (2,4 km 2 Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary organized by Massachusetts Audubon Society, formed a long corridor of wildlife that stretches across the Connecticut River.
Recently, there has been a notable grassroots effort to retake the accessible and pedestrian-friendly Springfield coast, now separated from the city by an 8-lane, flyover known as Interstate 91. In 2010, the Urban Land Institute presented a plan that suggested how Springfield could be reunited with its greatest natural resource, the Connecticut River.
See also
- Kestrel Trust
- Knowledge Corridor
- Massachusetts geography
- Metropolitan Springfield
- Pioneer Valley League, a high school athletic conference in Massachusetts
- Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
- Western Massachusetts
References
External links
- Greater Springfield Convention & amp; Visitor Bureau
- Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
- The First Valley Local Pioneer
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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