CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS

'Chicopee' (pronounced IPA ) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts. The city is made up of several neighborhoods, the result of the city's origin as a collection of villages in the northern-most part of Springfield. These villages are now represented by the neighborhoods of Aldenville, Willimansett, Chicopee Center (Cabotville), Chicopee Falls, and Fairview. The city has since filled in most of its open space resulting in a number of new neighborhoods. These neighborhoods include Chicomansett (often referred to as part of Willimansett, this area is located at the southern intersection of Meadow and Chicopee Streets northward to Meetinghouse Road), Ferry Lane (an offshoot of Chicomansett surrounding Ferry Lane), Sandy Hill (the area overlooking Chicopee Center, connecting Cabotville and Aldenville), and the geographically isolated Burnett Road neighborhood.
Chicopee is home to Westover Air Reserve Base, built in 1940. It has one of the largest runway on the east coast at 11,597 x 301 feet. Elms College is located in Chicopee. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,653. The current mayor is Michael D. Bissonnette.
The Chicopee Provision Company is a major producer of Polish kielbasa under the Blue Seal brand. Chicopee also held an annual kielbasa festival until the mid 1990s, at which the World's Largest Kielbasa was proudly unveiled.

Contents

Name

History

Geography

Demographics

See also

External links

Name

Chicopee is a Nipmuck name from ''chekee'', "violent", and ''pee'', "waters", with reference to rapids. The Nipmucks were the native residents of the region before the arrival of the English.

History

Chicopee was settled in 1640, but was a part of Springfield, Massachusetts until 1848. The City's original Charter was granted by the Massachusetts General Court on April 18, 1890. George Sylvester Taylor (1822-1910) became Chicopee's first mayor on January 5, 1891.
In the 19th century it was noted for its cotton mills, woolen mills, brass foundries and iron foundries. During the early 20th century it became home to Crescent-Davis Firearm manufacturing, which specialized in double barrel shotguns. The Ames Manufacturing Company made many machines and bronze cannons, and more swords than any other American manufacturer at the time. Chicopee was home to the first gasoline-powered automobile, a Duryea, that was made in the United States. In 1991, St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Church, located on Front Street in Chicopee, Massachusetts, was proclaimed a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II.
Author Edward Bellamy was a resident of Chicopee.

Geography

Chicopee is located at (42.170159, -72.588630).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 61.9 km² (23.9 mi²). 59.2 km² (22.9 mi²) of it is land and 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²) of it (4.31%) is water. The Chicopee River flows through the south part of the city.
Within Chicopee lies the Chicopee Memorial State Park in the Burnett Road neighborhood. Formerly known as the Cooley Brook Reservoir and Watershed, the area has been developed into a high use active recreation area. The total area is 575 acres including two 25 acre ponds. Activities include swimming, fishing, picnicking, jogging and biking.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 54,653 people, 23,117 households, and 14,147 families residing in the city. The population density was 922.7/km² (2,389.7/mi²). There were 24,424 housing units at an average density of 412.3/km² (1,067.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.82% White, 2.28% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 4.90% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.76% of the population.
There were 23,117 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,672, and the median income for a family was $44,136. Males had a median income of $35,585 versus $25,975 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,646. About 9.6% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Chicopee is home to thriving Polish-American, Irish-American, Portuguese-American, and French-American communities.

See also

★ Polish Cathedral style

External links

★ Chicopee Official Site

★ Chicopee Local News and Community Events