Springfield is a city located in Hampden County, in the southern
US state of Massachusetts, near the border with Connecticut. In
the 2020 census it had a population of 155,929 inhabitants and a
population density of 1,787 people per km². It is located on the
left bank of the Connecticut River.
Springfield is
located 38 km north of Hartford (Connecticut). The Hartford and
Springfield region has approximately 1.8 million residents and
160,000 college students at 32 universities, which is why it is
known as the "knowledge corridor." Only the Boston area has a
higher concentration of higher education institutions.
The game of basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891 by
Canadian James Naismith. The Basketball Hall of Fame is located
in Springfield. Springfield is famous for many other things,
including America's first motorcycle company (Indian, 1901) and
the first gasoline-powered automobile (Duryea Motor Wagon,
1893).
Springfield exists because it is at a natural crossroads. It is in
Springfield that three rivers meet, and the Connecticut River is too
deep for ocean-going vessels. Native Americans lived in Springfield for
thousands of years due to its excellent location, and fertile soil for
agriculture. English businessman William Pynchon in 1636 realized that
Springfield was the best of the land near the Connecticut River. Pynchon
purchased the land from Native Americans for 18 years.
George
Washington chose the site in 1777 for the "Springfield Armory". After
Springfield is a major arsenal of guns and rifles. This business
attracted many Springfield inventors. For example, inventor Charles
Goodyear invented rubber vulcanization in Springfield in 1844.
John Brown (abolitionist) went to Springfield in 1846 and this is where
he became an abolitionist. After the American Civil War, Springfield is
the second richest city in the United States. During this time, many
large mansions are built in the city, giving it the nickname "The City
of Homes."
In 1891, James Naismith invented basketball at
Springfield College. In 1892, the Duryea brothers built the first
automobile gasoline engine in the United States. In 1895, the first game
of volleyball was played in Springfield, although it was invented in
Holyoke, Massachusetts. The first motorcycle in the modern world,
"Indian" and in the world the first truck with an internal combustion
engine. The world's first modern motorcycle was invented in Springfield
in 1901. The world's first modern internal combustion engine was
invented in Springfield in 1905.
The only Rolls Royce factory
ever established outside of England were made in Springfield during the
1920s, and they are considered among the best automobiles ever made. The
Springfield Armory was closed in 1968 during the Vietnam War. Today, the
Springfield Armory is a national park.
The city has one of the
largest public parks in the United States, "Forest Park". The park is
almost as big as Central Park in New York. It has a zoo, rose gardens,
and rides. Also in Springfield are the famous sculptures of Dr. Seuss
and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Springfield has a Science Museum, an Art
Museum, a Curio Museum, a History Museum, and a Springfield History
Museum. It's called "The Quadrangle," and it's the largest cultural
center in western New England.
Springfield sits at a natural crossroads, at the confluence of three
rivers. The longest river in the New England States, the Connecticut
River, flows through Springfield. On the Connecticut River is the
confluence of the Westfield River and the Chicopee River at Springfield.
Springfield is surrounded on all sides by mountains, but it is
located in a fertile valley. To the west of Springfield are the
Berkshires mountains. North of Springfield are the Holyoke Mountains.
Springfield is located at coordinates 42°6′56″N 72°32′24″W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Springfield has a total
area of 85.66 km², of which 82.53 km² is land and (3.65%) 3.13 km² is
water.3
As of the 2010 census, there were 153,060 people residing in Springfield. The population density was 1,786.86 inhabitants/km². Of the population of 153,060, Springfield was 51.83% White, 22.26% African American, 0.64% Native American, 2.44% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 18.04% other races, and 4.7 % belonged to two or more races. Of the total population, 38.84% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.