What Chicopee is known for

The Chicopee Destination is located in the lower part of Massachusetts, with most of the region covering the county of Hampden.[1] The destination's namesake is after the city of Chicopee that was initially a part of Springfield, Massachusetts. The land was first purchased from the Indians and divided into districts. The city's name was first Nayasett which was given to the Chicopee area when split into districts.[8] The city has since grown and now sits at a current population of 54,530 people. The area's demographics mainly consist of Caucasians who make up 85.81% of the population. The rest of the composition for the demographics is 5.15% for African Americans, 2.36% for Asian, and 4.44% being specified as other races.[6] 

The most popular attractions in the Chicopee Destination include fishing at Chicopee Memorial State Park, seeing the tanks at Szot Park, Polish Center of Discovery and Learning, Ray Ash Memorial Park, ice skating at Alpert Park, and Chicopee State Park.[2] These places are primarily located in Chicopee city; however, there are other places to see and explore within the destination. Such activities include visiting the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Springfield Museums, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Forest Park, Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, and Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden. The famous Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Young Seuss grew up running around Forest Park since his father was in charge of the Forest Park Zoo. Since then, the city has been attributed to inspiring so many of Dr. Seuss's stories. Springfield now is home to the memorial for Dr. Seuss. The monument has museums with sculptures of Dr. Seuss's characters from his books such as Horton the elephant, Sam-I-Am, Thing One, Sally, and Thidwick. There is also a sculpture of Dr. Seuss himself with the Cat in the Hat.[3]

Those familiar with the weather of the Chicopee Destination would recommend that guests plan their visit to the region anytime between May to September. During this time, the area typically has a higher chance of good weather, with average temperatures from 68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.[5] The attractions in the region help move the economy of the Chicopee Destination, but the largest industries in the area are Health Care and Social Assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. The economy employs over 26,800 of the residents living in the area. The highest paying industries are the Public Administration, utilities, and the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.[7]

Geography

The Chicopee Destination is located in the bottom part of Massachusetts, connected to the border of Connecticut. Cities in the region include Chicopee, Springfield, Westfield, Palmer, Northampton, Amherst, Greenfield, Ware, Sturbridge, and Gardner. The city of Chicopee is located at the juncture of the Chicopee and Connecticut Rivers. The overall terrain of the area is characterized as mountainous with ridges and valleys.[1] 

Massachusetts has 76 species of mammals that can be found in the Chicopee Destination. Such wildlife includes white-tailed deer, bobcat, river otter, striped skunk, mink, ermine, fisher, raccoon, black bear, gray fox, porcupine, and beavers. Flora found in the area consists of oak, pine, maple, birch, beech, hemlock, Rhodora, mountain laurel, and false loosestrife. Endangered plants in the area are the northeastern bulrush, sandplain gerardia, and small whorled pogonia.[9]

The best time of the year is from May to September since the average temperature is from 68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.[5] This time of the year is classified as the warm season for the region. The cold season lasts for about 3.3 months, from December to March, with the average temperatures falling from 18 degrees to 34 degrees Fahrenheit. The wettest season of the year is from May to August, with each day having a 29% chance of rain. Snow is not very common for the destination, only happening for about three weeks out of the year.[10]

History

William Pynchon purchased the land where the Chicopee Destination is located in 1636 from the Native Americans in the area. In 1660 the land was split into the Nayasett, Skipmuck, and Skenungonuck districts. The region built a textile mill in 1823, which led to it becoming the second-largest operation in the state. It also contributed to King Cotton becoming a part of the extended slave economy. Throughout the years, other industries that became a part of the destination's economy were the cotton mills, woolen mills, textiles, brass and iron foundries, paper making, and footwear factories. The Ames Manufacturing Company established in the area made many machines, cannons, and swords. Chicopee also became a major manufacturer of bicycles in the late nineteenth century. The two leading factories were the Overman Wheel Company and the Spalding Sporting Goods Company.[8]

On March 2, 1904, one of the most famous American children's book authors was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Theodor Seuss Geisel, most commonly known as Dr. Seuss. Seuss's father managed the family brewery and later became the supervisor of the local zoo. His home growing up was on Fairfield Street, which was near Mulberry Street—made famous in his book, And To Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street.[4] There is a popular attraction in the region that guests frequently visit throughout the year: the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.[3] 

Nowadays, the cities of Chicopee and Springfield have become the most popular areas in the region and have grown since first being established. Chicopee has a current population of 54,530 people, while the county that Chicopee is located in, Hampden, has 466,000 people. The current economy is driven primarily by Health Care and Social Assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.[7]