City Spotlight: Chicopee, MA

The next town over from Springfield, MA, is directly north, and the City of Chicopee, MA. Due to

its prime location within central Massachusetts, this Hampden County city is an excellent

location to visit or to live in.

It shares relatively the exact distances to Boston and major cities in Connecticut as Springfield,

MA does. It's less than an hour and a half from Boston and a little over an hour to those that

need to get to New Haven, making it a possible commuting distance.

About Chicopee, MA

It is a cozy city that makes it feel like a great New England town. Its current population hovers

around 55,000, and it has been held steady for the past few decades. It doesn't see much

growth in the city, but it also doesn't see a declining population, keeping a lovely image of

stability through its people and overall demeanor.

It is nestled on the Connecticut River and is surrounded by numerous parks and recreational

spaces for the local community. Its current Mayor, John Vieau, just finished winning his second

term.

Before that, he was a pivotal member of the community, being part of the City Council for about

16 years. His primary focus is to look inward and focus on the city of Chicopee as being a

livable city for people to work and raise their families.

Demographics and Industry of Chicopee, MA

The city has a predominantly White population, but as with the rest of the region, it’s starting to

diversify more and more with each year. It's also a city on the rise and growing positively in all

directions.

Its unemployment rate has been stabilized and slowly dropped again to pre-pandemic levels. Its

overall economy is just under the national average, yet homeownership in the area is nearly up

to 60%.

When it comes to the industry overview of Chicopee, MA, it doesn't currently have any

significant headquarters there. Still, again, its proximity to major cities, especially insurance

hubs in Connecticut, makes it a great commuting location for those looking for those mega-

companies.

For those that want to stay more localized, the main focus for Chicopee is currently

Manufacturing, Retail trade, and Healthcare & social assistance, with the latter (healthcare-

related) being the dominant industry of its population.

Historical Significance of Chicopee, MA

It was initially settled back in 1640 but was eventually incorporated into a town in 1848. By 1890

it had grown large enough to be able to incorporate into a city. It is commonly known as the

‘crossroads of New England’ due to its prime location within the New England area and its

contribution to the nation's growth when it first started.

It's one of those key places where manufacturing was done, primarily through the Ames

bronzeworking company. So it was a production machine with a big focus of pushing the United

States through its industrialization phase.

Is anyone famous or anything noteworthy in Chicopee, MA?

It was the first place where the friction match was invented and sold by David Chapin. This

event occurred all the way back in 1834. David Chapin would go door to door to sell these

matches, and yes, these are the ones we commonly find today that we activate by striking it with

friction.

There aren't many famous people who call this place home, but from an industrial standpoint, it

has one of the biggest companies mentioned above, founded in Chicopee, MA. This is, of

course, the Ames bronzeworking company.

Eventually, this was bought out by Spaulding, and for a time, the Spaulding worldwide

headquarters called Chicopee, MA home, but ultimately that company was losing to its

competition and lost their deal with the NBA to provide basketballs recently. This is a sad fact

since Basketball was invented in the city of Springfield, MA.

One final item to discuss about Chicopee, MA history is the Chicopee Public Library. It was the

first Public Library in Western MA and was chartered all the way back in 1853. It still remains

today as a beacon of its history.

School breakdown in Chicopee, MA

When it comes to schools from pre-Kindergarten through High School, Chicopee, MA, is home

to about 36 schools with over 7,000 students. In addition, it's home to one of the best Charter

schools in the area, the Hampden Charter School of Science - East

When looking at higher education, again, we're talking about New England, so there is a host of

some of the most prestigious schools possible not only in the State or the United States but the

globe. For those looking specifically in Chicopee, MA, it is home to Elms College, and they have

one of the greatest nursing programs in the region.

Things to do for fun in Chicopee, MA

Chicopee is home to an abundance of nature and the Chicopee Memorial State Park, where

you can spend the day surrounded in peace or spend the day fishing. On top of that, it's home

to Szot Park, which has several war memorials to check out and two tanks from each World

War.

It’s also home to the Westover Air Reserve Base, which hosts an annual two-day air show. This

yearly event alone brings in over 100,000 visitors and is always a tourist attraction for locals and

travelers alike.

Chicopee, MA, is home to the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning for those wanting to

explore more into history. This museum is a place that showcases exemplary Polish and Polish

descendants that have made outstanding contributions to the United States. In addition, it

houses numerous historical items related to Poles in America and is a go-to destination for

anyone in the area.

Best food in Chicopee, MA

On to the local grub! Chicopee, MA, has no shortage of food choices in the area. Take a stop at

the Munich Haus to grab some of their assortment of various beer offerings and enjoy traditional

German food, such as their variety of sausages.

Another great option, and sticking to the international fair offered in Chicopee, MA, is Cana

Korean Restaurant. Their range of food is strictly traditional Korean food and flavors, with the

delicious and fun Korean BBQ, where you’re able to cook your own food right there on the

table!

As always, this is a small sampling of the food available directly, and maybe you're looking for

both a place for some great bites and a place to unwind, catch the game, or play a round of

pool. If that's more your style, and you want to hang out with the locals, take the time to head

over to Rumbleseat Bar & Grille.

Final thoughts on Chicopee, MA

For those looking to raise a family or simply live in the picturesque New England Scene,

Chicopee, MA, is the place to be. It's that right mix of small-town vibe, with direct access to

some of the major cities on the East Coast. You can spend the week at work, and on the

weekends, with just a couple of hours' drive, you can be enjoying the vibe of a big city until its

time to head back home!