Hampden County, Massachusetts

1767 Milestones Academy Historic District Adams Apartment Building Agawam Center Historic District Al's Diner Ames Hill/Crescent Hill District Ames Manufacturing Company Apremont Triangle Historic District Bangs Block Baystate Corset Block Bellamy, Edward, House Belle and Franklin Streets Historic District Bicycle Club Building Brimfield Center Historic District Burbach Block Burgess, Thornton W., House Burt, Elijah, House Cabotville Common Historic District Caledonia Building Calhoun, Apartments, The Carlton House Block Carreau Block Chapin National Bank Building Chapin School Chester Center Historic District Chester Factory Village Historic District City Hall Colonial Block Court Square Historic District Cutler and Porter Block Day, Josiah, House Dewey, Joseph, House Downtown Springfield Railroad District Driscoll's Block Dwight Manufacturing Company Housing District Ethel Apartment House Evans Court Apartment Building Federal Square Historic District First Church of Christ, Congregational First Congregational Church of Blandford First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow Fitzgerald's Stearns Square Block Forest Park Heights Historic District French Congregational Church Friedrich Block Fuller Block Granville Center Historic District Granville Village Historic District Guenther & Handel's Block Gunn and Hubbard Blocks Hadley Falls Company Housing District Hampden County Courthouse Hampden County Training School Hampden Park Historic District Hampden Savings Bank Hancock Apartment Building Haynes Hotel Waters Building Henking Hotel and Cafe Hiberian Block Holyoke Canal System Holyoke City Hall Hooker Apartments Indian Orchard Branch Library Ivernia Apartment Building Kennedy-Worthington Blocks Kenwyn Apartments Laflin-Phelps Homestead Landlord Fowler Tavern Laurel Hall Leonard, Capt. Charles, House Longmeadow Historic District Longmeadow Street-North Historic District Ludlow Center Historic District Ludlow Village Historic District Maple-Union Corners Maplewood Hotel Masonic Temple McIntosh Building McKinney Building McKnight District McKnight District (Boundary Increase) Mechanic Street Cemetery Memorial Square District Memorial Town Hall Mills-Hale-Owen Blocks Mills-Stebbins Villa Milton-Bradley Company Monson Center Historic District Morgan Block Moseley School Myrtle Street School New Bay Diner Restaurant Norcross, William, House North High Street Historic District North High Street Historic District (Boundary Increase II) North High Street Historic District (Boundary Increase) Octagon House Olmsted-Hixon-Albion Block Outing Park Historic District Page, Thomas D., House Palmer Memorial Hall Patton and Loomis Block Patton Building Polish National Home Produce Exchange Building Prospect Hill School Prospect Park Purchase-Ferre House Quadrangle-Mattoon Historic District (Boundary Increase) Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District Radding Building Republican Block Robert, Clovis, Block Rose, John and Ruth, House Russell Center Historic District Sanderson, Julia, Theater Sanford Whip Factory School Street Barn Smith Carriage Company District Smith's Building Smith, Thomas and Esther, House South Congregational Church South Main Street School Springfield Armory National Historic Site Springfield District Court Springfield Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Springfield Safe Deposit and Trust Company Springfield Steam Power Company Block Springfield Street Historic District St John's Congregational Church & Parsonage-Parish for Working Girls St. James Apartments, The St. Joseph's Church Stacy Building State Armory State Normal Training School Stearns Building Swetland-Pease House Thompson, Jacob, House Trinity Block Union Station Union Trust Company Building United Electric Co. Building United States Whip Company Complex Upper Worthington Historic District Upper Worthington Historic District (Boundary Increase) US Post Office-Holyoke Main US Post Office-Palmer Main Valentine School Van Deusen, H. M., Whip Company Verona, Apartments, The W C A Boarding House Walker Building Wason-Springfield Steam Power Blocks Water Shops Armory Wells Block West Granville Historic District Westfield Center Commercial Historic District Westfield Center Historic District Westfield Municipal Building Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company Whitcomb Warehouse Wigglesworth Building, The Willy's Overland Block Winchester Square Historic District Wistariahurst Worthy Hotel

104th Infantry Regiment 95 State Street Agawam Veteran War Memorial Apremont Park Armory Fence Armory Square Benjamin Church Board of Trade Block Burbach, Bangs, and McKinney Blocks Cabotville Canal Citizens of Chicopee Remember World War II Civil War Memorial Civil War Memorial Civil War Monument Civil War Soldiers' Monument Civilian Conservation Corps (1933-1941) Commanding Officer's House Dr. Mahlon Loomis Edward P. Boland First Meeting House First School House First Spiritualist Church Forging Arms for Our Nation Frank J Szot Memorial Park French Congregational Church From Arsenal to Icon Fuller Block Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail Gen. Henry Knox Trail George Washington Memorial Highway Granville Citizens Park Granville Veterans Monument Hampden County Courthouse Hampden County District Court Building Hay Road Hessian Encampment Hitchcock Free Academy Holland (MA) War Memorial Home of the Duryea Automobile Howard Street School / WCA Boarding House In Memory of Gordon Hall Indian Hill Innovation Continues at STCC IX Miles to Springfield Courthouse Josiah Day House Korean Veterans Memorial Plaza Korean War Memorial Lieut. Richard Falley Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur Main Arsenal Mass Mutual Building Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Building Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery Master Armorer's House Miles Morgan Morgan Block Mt. Tom B-17 Memorial National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark Old First Church Park Street Cemetery Roll of Honor ShaysÂ’ Rebellion Sheard Playground Southwick Veterans Monument Springfield Armory Springfield Safe Deposit and Trust Company Springfield Soldiers and Sailors Monument Springfield Steam Power Company Block Stacy Building State Armory Stearns Building Steerage Rock Stockbridge Block Szot Memorial Park Fountain The 104th U.S. Infantry The Cabotville Sycamores The First Meeting House The Girls and Boys of Bemisuwka The Military Presence The Store at West Granville Theodore Seuss Geisel Was Born Here in 1904 To the Memory of George Washington Tolland Honor Roll Trinity Block U.S.N. Armed Guard of World War II Union House / Chandler Hotel / Edisonia Theater Union Trust Company United Electric Co. Building / Old "Turnverein" Building United Electric Company Building Veterans Memorial Veterans Monument Vietnam Vietnam War Memorial Washington Park Wells and Bicycle Blocks West Springfield 9/11 Memorial West Springfield Veterans Memorial West Springfield Vietnam Veterans Memorial Westfield Civil War Monument World War II World War Memorial YWCA
Hampden County, located in western Massachusetts, has a rich history that has shaped its development over the years. The county was originally inhabited by indigenous peoples, including the Pocomtuc and Nipmuc tribes, before the arrival of European settlers. In the early 17th century, English colonists established settlements in the region, with Springfield being founded in 1636 by William Pynchon.

During the colonial period, Hampden County played a significant role in the American Revolution. Springfield served as a major supply and support base for the Continental Army, and the county became a hub of activity as the patriots fought for independence. After the Revolutionary War, the county experienced rapid industrialization, especially with the rise of textile mills and the development of transportation infrastructure like canals and railroads.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Hampden County continued to prosper as its industries expanded. It became a center for manufacturing and innovation, with cities like Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee leading the way in industries such as papermaking, armaments, and automobile manufacturing.

However, like many other industrial areas, Hampden County faced challenges in the latter half of the 20th century as industries declined and jobs were lost. Efforts have been made in recent years to revitalize the region through diversification and by focusing on sectors like healthcare, education, and technology. Hampden County remains a vibrant community with a mix of urban and suburban areas, preserving its historical sites while embracing the opportunities of the future.
Brief timeline of the history of Hampden County, Massachusetts:

  • Hampden County is created in 1812
  • Springfield, the county seat, is settled in 1636
  • Westfield is settled in 1660
  • Holyoke is settled in 1745
  • Chicopee is settled in 1848
  • Palmer is incorporated in 1775
  • Hampden County experiences significant industrialization in the 19th century
  • Springfield becomes known as the "City of Homes" in the early 20th century
  • The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 causes significant damage to Hampden County
  • Westover Air Force Base is established in Chicopee in 1940
  • Springfield experiences a tornado outbreak in 2011, causing widespread destruction

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Hampden County, Massachusetts.