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Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield, Massachusetts
City
City of Springfield
Skyline of Springfield in October 2009
Skyline of Springfield in October 2009
Flag of Springfield, Massachusetts
Flag
Official seal of Springfield, Massachusetts
Seal
Nickname(s): The City of Firsts; The City of Progress; The City of Homes; A City in the Forest; Hoop City
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts is located in the US
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 42°06′05″N 72°35′25″W / 42.10139°N 72.59028°W / 42.10139; -72.59028
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Hampden
Settled May 14, 1636
Incorporated 1852
Founded by William Pynchon
Government
 • Type Mayor-council city
 • Mayor Domenic Sarno (D)
Area
 • City 33.2 sq mi (86.0 km2)
 • Land 32.1 sq mi (83.1 km2)
 • Water 1.1 sq mi (2.9 km2)
Elevation 70 ft (21 m)
Population (2010)
 • City 153,060
 • Density 4,768.2/sq mi (1,841.9/km2)
 • Metro 698,903
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 01101, 01103–01105, 01107–01109, 01118-01119, 01128–01129, 01151
Area code(s) 413
FIPS code 25-67000
GNIS feature ID 0609092
Website www.springfieldma.gov

Springfield is a city in western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern Mill River. As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 153,060.Metropolitan Springfield, as one of two metropolitan areas in Massachusetts (the other being Greater Boston), had an estimated population of 698,903 as of 2009.

The first Springfield in the New World, it is the largest city in Western New England, and the urban, economic, and cultural capital of Massachusetts' Connecticut River Valley (colloquially known as the Pioneer Valley). It is the third-largest city in Massachusetts and fourth-largest in New England, after Boston, Worcester, and Providence. Springfield has several nicknames – The City of Firsts, because of its many innovations (see below for a partial list); The City of Homes, due to its Victorian residential architecture; and Hoop City, as basketball – one of the world's most popular sports – was invented in Springfield by James Naismith.

Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, lies 23.9 miles (38 km) south of Springfield, on the western bank of the Connecticut River. Bradley International Airport, which sits 12 miles (19 km) south of Metro Center Springfield, is Hartford-Springfield's airport. The Hartford-Springfield region is known as the Knowledge Corridor because it hosts over 160,000 university students and over 32 universities and liberal arts colleges – the second-highest concentration of higher-learning institutions in the United States. The city of Springfield itself is home to Springfield College; Western New England University; American International College; and Springfield Technical Community College, among other higher educational institutions.


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