History of Northampton, Massachusetts, USA

1654 - Northampton is settled

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1656 - Northampton is incorporated

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1818 - 3 County Fair
The 3 County Fair was established in 1818.

1823 - FIRE.
On Friday morning last, the Woolen Factory, at Northhampton, belonging to Messrs J. & C. Cook, was destroyed by fire, with all its contents, although five men slept in the building. None of the property was insured. The amount of loss is about $12,000.
Village Register and Norfolk County Advertiser
Dedham, Massachusetts
February 21, 1823

1839 - Northampton
Northampton, Massachusetts
Chief town of Hampshire county. This is a very beautiful town, delightfully situated on the west bank of Connecticut river, and united to Hadley by a bridge. Since the first settlement on the Connecticut basin, this town has been an important point of attraction. This was the third town settled on Connecticut river in this state. Its Indian name was Nonatuck. The soil of the town is alluvial and its products exuberant. Both before and since the division of the old county into three, this place has been the seat of justice. The buildings are handsome and the most important county offices are fire proof. A fine stream passes through the centre of the town, possessing a good water power, on which are manufactories and mills of various kinds.

The manufactures of Northampton consist of woolen and silk goods, boots, shoes, leather, paper, brooms, chairs, iron, tin, and cabinet wares, &c.; total value the year ending April 1, 1837, about $350,000. The... Read MORE...

1845 - NORTHAMPTON. [Pop. 3,750. Inc. 1654.]
Northampton, whose Indian name was Nonotuck, formerly included East, West, and Southampton, and is the county town as well as the largest in the county.

The chief village is about a mile from Connecticut River, on the banks of which are some of the richest meadows in New England.

The foot-prints of immense birds in the rocks of this town and the towns south of it are exceedingly curious, as no such birds are now known to exist.

The scenery is beautiful, and the public and private buildings ornamental.

The Farmington Canal connects New Haven, on Long Island Sound, with Northampton, on the Connecticut.

Mill River, which runs through the town, affords excellent sites for factories of woollen cloth, silk, paper, &c, before it joins the Connecticut-Northampton, though long in the wilderness, was not disturbed by the Indians until Philip's War, when a few houses were burned. In the subsequent French and Indian wars, the whole town was fortified with a... Read MORE...

1854 - Northampton
Northampton, a beautiful post-village and seat of justice of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, on the Connecticut River railroad, 17 miles N. from Springfield. It is delight fully situated on rising ground, about a mile W. from Connecticut river, and contains, be sides the county buildings, 4 or 5 churches, 2 banks, with an aggregate capital of $400,000, 2 newspaper offices, and a number of fine schools. West of the village the ground rises into a considerable elevation, called Round Hill, which is the site of several splendid residences, and has on its summit an extensive water-cure establishment. Northampton is celebrated for its healthy atmosphere and magnificent scenery - Mount Tom and Mount Holyoke being in full view. For several years past the rearing of the silkworm has been successfully prosecuted, and large quantities of sewing silk annually made. Population of the township in 1840, 3750; in 1850, 5278.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1855 - FIRE IN NORTHAMPTON.
The dwelling house, barn and shop belonging to Moses Breck, was burned to the ground at midnight, Monday night, undoubtedly the work of an incendiary. The total loss is nearly $6,000, insured for but $2,750. Among the inmates of the house was Mr. Ebenezer Kingsley, 86 years of age, who was in feeble health, and occupied a room near where the fire broke out; but he was rescued uninjured. This is the third loss of Mr. Breck by fire, each time the work of an incendiary whose enmity had been caused probably by the fire temperance principles of Mr. B. The selectmen of Northampton have offered $500 for the detection of the incendiary. Springfield Republican.
The Pittsfield Sun
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
May 24, 1855

1866 - July 10 - Indelible pencil patents by Edson P Clark, Northampton, Mass

historyorb.com

1868 - Patent Shoe-Pegger
A patent shoe-pegger is being manufactured in Northampton, Massachusetts, which makes the hole, cuts off the peg and drives it home. A workman can easily peg a shoe or boot in a minute.
The Charlotte Democrat
Charlotte, North Carolina
March 3, 1868

1870 - FIRES - Stores in Northampton, Mass., Burned--Loss $50,000.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 20 - The Edwards Church and the Hunt Building, at Northampton, were totally destroyed by fire last night. The loss is about $50,000, of which $20,000 falls upon the Church; $8,500 upon BENJAMI NORTH'S heirs, owners of the HUNT BUILDING; $15,000 upon R. J. FAIR, whose dry-goods and fancy store was in the building, and $5,000 upon EVERETT & HANMAN, jobbers, in the upper-story of the same.
The New York Times
New York, New York
May 21, 1870

1870 - Fire
The Warner House, at Northampton, Massachusetts, with ten stores and saloons adjacent, were burned early yesterday morning. The inmates of the hotel barely escaped. The total loss is about $125,000; insured for $85,000, mostly in New York and Hartford companies.
The Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, Indiana
July 19, 1870

1874 - May 16 - The Mill Creek disaster occurred west of Northhampton MA. Dam slippage resulted in a flash flood which claimed 143 lives, and caused a million dollars property damage.

WeatherForYou.com

1878 - Tornado
NORTHAMPTON, Mass., July 17.- The town is almost despoiled of its beautiful shade trees, mostly large elms, for which it is noted, there being some 15 uprooted on Elm-street alone. The horse cars to Florence cannot run for some day, there being many great trees across the track. On Main-street awnings and signs were blown down and the fronts of several stores blown in, the rain and broken glass damaging the stocks within. The Mansion House lost its tin roof and several chimneys, and the slate roof of the new First Church was badly damaged. The furniture house of W. L. Smith & Co. lost its tine roof and chimneys, while the stock in the house was heavily damaged by the rain. Several tobacco barns were demolished, and a man named Dumpacy is reported to have been buried in the ruins of one of them. Mr. Edwards, President of the Northampton Bank, suffers a great loss to his fine lawn and shade trees.
The New York Times
New York, New York
August 13, 1878

1883 - Northampton is incorporated as a city

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

Northampton Massachusetts, 1890
NORTHAMPTON is a beautiful city of large territory, situated on the west side of the Connecticut River, in the midst of Hampshire County, of which it is the court town. It is nearly 90 miles west of Boston in a direct line, and 115 by the Boston and Albany and the Connecticut River railroads. The latter also connects with the Fitchburg Railroad at Greenfield. The New Haven and Northampton connects it with Williamsburg and towns southward to the seaport of New Haven. A fine carriage bridge, 1,080 feet in length, connects the city with Hadley, on the eastern side of the Connecticut.

It is bounded on the north by Williamsburg and Hatfield, east by the latter and Hadley, south by Easthampton, and west by Westhampton. The assessed area is 21,634 acres. This includes a long mountainous tract lying on the west bank of the Connecticut southeast of Easthampton. In the southern extremity of this tract rises Mount Tom, to the height of 1,214 feet, forming the grandest feature of the... Read MORE...

March 22, 1893: First women's basketball game was played at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts
The Old Farmer's Almanac
www.almanac.com

1895 - Northampton
Northampton, a beautiful post-village, capital of Hampshire co., Mass., nearly 1 1/ 2 miles W. of the Connecticut River, 17 miles N. by W. of Springfield, and 19 miles S. of Greenfield. It is delightfully situated on a fertile intervale which is partly enclosed by high hills, and is 3 miles N.W. of Mount Holyoke. Here are the state lunatic asylum, which will accommodate 500 patients, and the Clarke Institution for Mutes, which has an endowment of $500,000. Northampton contains many fine residences, 10 churches, 3 public libraries, 3 national banks, 3 savings: banks, and 3 newspaper offices. This city is the site of Smith College, the largest and highest seat of learning for women in the United States, having requirements similar to Harvard University. It has about 800 students. The city is noted for its charitable endowments, over $6,000,000 being held in trust for charities, among which may be mentioned the endowment for indentured boys and girls, $1,500,000; for an agricultural... Read MORE...

1900 - FELL DOWN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT
Serious Accident to J. F. Barry in a Northampton Hotel Last Evening.

J. F. Barry of the firm of J. S. Barry & Son, proprietors of the Hampton hotel at Northampton, fell down an elevator shaft at the hotel at 10 o’clock last evening, sustaining injuries so severe that his condition was critical at an early hour this morning. Mr. Barry stepped into the shaft from the first floor and fell about 15 feet. His head came in contact with a beam at the edge of the pit, in the bottom of the shaft. The concussion of the brain which resulted was very severe, and there are grave fears that he may not recover. The door opposite the second floor. Mr. Osborne, the night clerk, also approached the shaft at the same time, with the intention of taking Mr. and Mrs. Caleb L. Thyaer to their rooms. Mr. Barry reached the door first, and unlocking it, slid it back. Without looking to see whether the elevator was opposite the first floor, he took a step forward and fell into the basement. Drs. Hoadley and... Read MORE...

1900 - Fires at Northampton and Amherst.
The engine-house number was struck on the fire alarm bell at Northampton at 1 o'clock yesterday because of a forest fire near Park hill. Several acres were burned ever near H. J. Searle's house and the Westhampton road, and the smoke rolled up dense volumes at noon. Chief Chase and about a dozen men drove to the fire and aided in getting it under control. Forest fires were raging in the woods along the Belchertown road in Amherst yesterday.
Springfield Daily Republican
Springfield, Massachusetts
April 27, 1900

1906
Northampton, a city, capital of Hampshire co., Mass., on the Connecticut River, 17 miles N. by W. of Springfield, on the Boston and Maine and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Rs. It is delightfully situated on a fertile intervale which is partly enclosed by high hills and is 3 miles NW. of Mount Holyoke and about 5 miles N. of Mount Tom. It is a frequented summer-resort. Its streets are well shaded with elm-trees. The city is the seat of Smith College, one of the foremost institutions of learning for women in the United States, which had an attendance in 1904 of 1033 students. Here are also the Clarke Institution for Deaf Mutes, the State Lunatic Asylum, a memorial hall (with the public library), the Forbes Library (containing about 100,000 volumes), an art-gallery, and an academy of music. Northampton has manufactures of silk thread, satins, cutlery, hardware, sewing-machines, silver-plated ware, etc. Pop. in 1900, 18,643.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

1907 - RUNAWAY AT NORTHAMPTON - Horses Dash Along Railroad Tracks for a Mile and Scatter People at Union Station.
A sensational runaway, in which a span of horses scattered the people standing about the union station at Northampton and ran for a mile on the railroad tracks, took place yesterday noon. The horses started to run on Pleasant street and after going through Railroad avenue and dashing across the platform at the station, took to the tracks. They passed safely over two railroad bridges, and were finally caught on North King street, not much the worse for their wild dash.

The horses were owned by S. J. Hobbs of Holyoke, who had driven from that city with F. C. Richards of Williamsburg. The horses became frightened by an electric car, and both men were thrown out on Pleasant street. Mr. Hobbs received a severe injury to one of his arms, but no bones were broken. The horses separated themselves from the carriage before reaching the station. They took to the station platform on the side next to the tracks of the New Haven road, and then ran up the track. The railroad bridges, fortunately, ... Read MORE...

1924 - FUNERAL SERVICES BE TOMORROW AFTERNOON FOR PRESIDENT'S SON
CALVIN COOLIDGE, JR., DIED MONDAY NIGHT AT WALTER REED HOSPITAL

By Associated Press.
Washington, July 8. - Tentative plans for the funeral of Calvin Coolidge, Jr., who died at the Walter Reed Hospital last night of blood poisoning, are understood today to include a simple service at the White House at three tomorrow afternoon.

The body will then be taken to Northampton, Massachusetts, the Coolidge home, where another service will be held with burial Thursday at Plymouth, Vermont, where the President was born...
Corsicana Daily Sun
Corsicana, Texas
July 8, 1924

Read more about John Calvin COOLIDGE

Whether you're a visitor or a local, there are plenty of places to go and things to do in Northampton. Here's a list of some of the best attractions and activities:
Smith College Botanic Garden: Explore the diverse plant collections and beautiful gardens at Smith College. It's a peaceful oasis in the heart of Northampton.

Downtown Northampton: Stroll through the lively downtown area, which is filled with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and cafes. It's a great place for shopping and people-watching.

Academy of Music Theatre: Catch a live performance at this historic venue. It hosts a variety of events, from concerts to theater productions.

Pulaski Park: Relax in this scenic park with green lawns, benches, and a playground. It's a perfect spot for a picnic or a leisurely afternoon.

The Calvin Theatre: Another great spot for live entertainment, The Calvin Theatre features concerts, comedy shows, and other performances.

Smith College Museum of Art: Art enthusiasts will appreciate the impressive collection of artworks, including pieces by renowned artists like Monet and Picasso.

Historic Northampton: Learn about the city's... Read MORE...