Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It sits between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,248. It is located 8 miles (13 km) north of Springfield and is part of the Springfield Metropolitan Area.

Holyoke is one of the early planned industrial cities in the United States. It was built alongside the Holyoke Dam to make use of the water power from Hadley Falls. During the late 1800s, Holyoke made about 80% of the writing paper used in the United States. It was home to the largest paper mill company in the country, as well as the biggest paper, silk, and alpaca wool mills in the world. Today, Holyoke is still called "The Paper City," even though fewer businesses work in paper now. The city now has many specialty manufacturing companies and the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, which opened in 2012.

Holyoke is also famous for being the "Birthplace of Volleyball." The sport was invented and first played at the local YMCA by William G. Morgan in 1895. The city is home to the Volleyball Hall of Fame.

In the 1880s, engineer Clemens Herschel invented the Venturi meter while working at the Holyoke Testing Flume. This tool helps measure large amounts of water flow and is used in many areas today, like waterworks and carburetors. Holyoke has very low electricity costs because of its canals. As of 2016, between 85% and 90% of the city's energy was carbon neutral, and the city aims to reach 100% in the future.

History

See also: History of papermaking in Massachusetts; List of mills in Holyoke, Massachusetts; and Timeline of Holyoke, Massachusetts

The first people to live in the Holyoke area were the Algonquian peoples. They were known as the Pocomtuc, sometimes called the Agawam or Nonotuck.

English settlers arrived in the Connecticut River Valley in 1633. In 1636, a man named William Pynchon led a group to create a settlement called Springfield. This area near the river became important for farming and trade.

Holyoke began as a small part of West Springfield and was called “Ireland Parish.” It became an official town in 1850 and was named after Elizur Holyoke, who explored the area long before.

Later, a part of Northampton called Smith's Ferry joined Holyoke in 1909.

Holyoke grew quickly after building a dam and canals in 1849. Many mills, especially for making paper, opened there. At one time, Holyoke had over 25 paper mills and became a major paper producer in the United States.

The city’s population grew from about 5,000 in 1860 to over 60,000 by 1920. Because of this growth, Holyoke became a city in 1873.

Holyoke was known for making paper and other inventions. It even kept its own electricity during a big power outage in 1965. The city also helped create important tools and machines, like a way to measure water flow and an early music machine called the Telharmonium.

Geography

Holyoke is a city in Massachusetts. It is located between the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. The city covers an area of 22.8 square miles, with 21.3 square miles of land and 1.5 square miles of water.

Holyoke has many neighborhoods, such as Springdale, Oakdale, and Downtown. The city's architecture includes many different styles, like Italianate and Gothic Revival. Holyoke was an important place for making paper and had many mills along the river. The city's streets are named after trees and local leaders.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Holyoke, Massachusetts

2020 census

In 2020, Holyoke had a population of 38,238 people. The average age was 39 years. About 22% of the people were younger than 18, and 18% were older than 65. For every 100 females, there were 89 males.

Most people, about 97%, lived in urban areas, while a small 3% lived in rural areas.

There were 15,504 homes in Holyoke. About 29% of these homes had children under 18 living in them. About 29% were homes where a couple was married, 21% had a male living alone, and 41% had a female living alone. Around 34% of homes had just one person living in them, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 16,874 places to live, but 8% were empty. About 1% of homes for owners were empty, and 5% of homes for renters were empty.

2017 estimates

In 2017, the people in Holyoke were mostly white (85%), with many also being black (22%), Asian (2%), and from mixed backgrounds (5%). About 51% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino background, with many coming from Puerto Rico.

2010 census

In 2010, there were 15,361 homes in Holyoke. About 35% had children under 18 living in them, and 31% were homes where a couple was married. About 40% of homes had just one person living in them, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

Employment and income

From 2013 to 2017, the average yearly income for a home was about $38,000, and for a family it was about $47,000. Men who worked full-time earned about $47,000, while women earned about $41,000. The average income for everyone was about $22,000. Many families and people were living below the poverty line, especially children under 18.

Ethnicity and immigration

Holyoke has had many people from different countries living there over time. In the past, many people came from Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy. Later, many people came from Puerto Rico, Greece, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.

Religion

Holyoke has many places of worship for different religions. Most people who follow a religion are Christian, especially Roman Catholic. There are also Protestant, Jewish, and Greek Orthodox communities in the city.

Economy

Holyoke has a rich history in making paper products. It was once known as the "Paper City" because it made a lot of stationery, writing paper, and special papers. Though paper making is not as big today, Holyoke still has companies that make special paper products.

Holyoke has also become a place for technology jobs. A big computer center was built there, working with universities and companies to help with computing needs. The city has also attracted other types of jobs, including stores and services, which help the local economy.

Holyoke has always had some farming too. It was the first city in Western Massachusetts to have a farmers market. Today, there are small farms and garden projects that grow food for the community.

Education

Holyoke has many places for learning, including Holyoke Public Schools such as Holyoke High School, and some private schools like First Lutheran School and Mater Dolorosa Catholic School. The schools are managed by a special leader chosen by the state to help improve them.

The city is also home to Holyoke Community College, the first community college in Massachusetts. It started with the city's school board and helps high school seniors take college classes early. The college opened a special cooking school with MGM Springfield in 2018.

In 2016, Bard College began a small program in Holyoke for young mothers who are also students, working with a local group called The Care Center.

Library

The Holyoke Public Library at 335 Maple Street is a special building designed in a grand style by local architect James A. Clough. It opened in 1902 after local people raised money to build it. The library is very important to the community, offering many books and resources for everyone to use.

Culture

See also: Holyoke Publishing, The Nautilus (magazine), and Notre Dame Victory March

Holyoke has been home to many artists and performers. One famous sculptor, Jerome Connor, moved there when he was just 14 years old. He later created well-known statues in Washington, D.C., including one called Nuns of the Battlefield, which honors women who helped during the American Civil War.

The city also saw the start of the magazine Good Housekeeping, launched in 1885 by Clark W. Bryan. It began as a family journal and later moved to New York. In books, Holyoke was the hometown of writer John Clellon Holmes, whose novel Go was one of the first to feature the Beat Generation.

Photographers from Holyoke include Ray D'Addario, who took pictures at important historical trials, and William Wegman, famous for his pictures with dogs dressed up in costumes.

During its busy industrial times, Holyoke was a stop for many famous Vaudeville performers. Eva Tanguay, known as “The Girl Who Made Vaudeville Famous,” grew up here and began her career performing songs in local halls. She later became very famous and earned more money than big stars like Enrico Caruso and Harry Houdini.

Even after Vaudeville faded, Holyoke kept welcoming actors and musicians. Famous names like Bing Crosby and The Marx Brothers performed at the Victory Theater. Other famous spots included the Valley Arena Gardens, where many well-known music acts played, and Holyoke City Hall, which hosted orchestras like the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Today, Holyoke still has music venues such as Gateway City Arts and the Holyoke Civic Symphony, which has been playing since 1967.

Museums

Holyoke has interesting museums, including the Children's Museum at Holyoke. Started in 1984, it offers hands-on activities like a water table and a Lite-Brite wall. There is also Wistariahurst, a beautiful estate with gardens and history related to a family that made sewing silk.

Annual events

See also: Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade

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Holyoke holds many fun yearly events. One of the biggest is the St. Patrick's Day parade, which is the second largest in the United States. It started in 1952 and draws crowds of up to 450,000 people.

Another popular event is the Shad Derby in May, where people fish for American shad in the Connecticut River. In June, there is a ceremony to raise a rainbow flag for Gay Pride Month. In July, the Puerto Rican community celebrates with a parade and festival. August brings “Celebrate Holyoke,” featuring music and food, and September has El Sabor de South Holyoke, a festival showcasing Puerto Rican food and culture. Every November, the International Volleyball Hall of Fame gives out awards for top volleyball players and contributors.

Points of interest

Holyoke has many interesting places to see, such as:

• Dinosaur Footprints Reservation along the Connecticut River
• Gateway City Arts, a space for artists
• Holyoke Canal System
• Holyoke Heritage State Park
• Holyoke Merry-Go-Round
• Mackenzie Stadium, home of the Valley Blue Sox
• Metacomet-Monadnock Trail
• Mount Tom of the Mount Tom Range
• Robert E. Barrett Fishway, a lift for fish to swim past the Holyoke Dam
• Scott Tower
• Holyoke U.S. Post Office, featuring a mural painted by Ross Moffett in 1936
• Victory Theater
• Wistariahurst Museum

Sports

See also: Holyoke Falcos and Holyoke Hurricanes

Birthplace of volleyball

On February 9, 1895, William G. Morgan created volleyball, first called "mintonette," at the Holyoke YMCA. The Volleyball Hall of Fame is now at Holyoke Heritage State Park, honoring great players and coaches each October. Two volleyball teams in the Netherlands are named after Holyoke.

Baseball

The Valley Blue Sox play at Mackenzie Stadium in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Holyoke has had many baseball teams over the years, including the Holyoke Paperweights from 1903 to 1911 and the Holyoke Millers, who left in 1982.

Boxing

Holyoke has been important in boxing history. Sixto Escobar, the first Puerto Rican world champion, won his first U.S. fight here in 1934. Rocky Marciano began his professional career in Holyoke in 1947. Mike Tyson also had early fights in the city, winning a match in 1983.

Golf

Holyoke has two private golf courses: the nine-hole Holyoke Country Club and the 18-hole Wyckoff Country Club. Wyckoff was designed by famous golf course designer Donald Ross and changed shape when Interstate 91 was built.

Parks and recreation

See also: East Mountain (Massachusetts); Mount Nonotuck; and Veterans Park (Holyoke, Massachusetts)

Holyoke has many beautiful parks for people to enjoy. Some of these parks were designed by the Olmsted Brothers. The largest park is Springdale Park, where a big celebration happens every year. There are also Pulaski Park and the Roberts Sports Complex. The city has many places to play, like baseball fields, playgrounds, a skatepark, basketball courts, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a dog park.

There are also state parks nearby, like Mount Tom State Reservation and Holyoke Heritage State Park. Other groups take care of special places in the city, such as the Dinosaur Footprints Reservation and Land of Providence.

Government and politics

See also: List of mayors of Holyoke, Massachusetts; Holyoke Police Department; Holyoke Housing Authority; Holyoke Public Schools; and Holyoke Water Works

Holyoke uses a system where a mayor leads the city and works with a council. The mayor can choose many important workers, like the police chief, without needing approval from the council. Some jobs, like treasurer, are chosen by the people directly. In 2015, people voted to change the mayor’s term from two years to four years. Joshua A. Garcia became mayor in 2021.

The city council has seven members from different parts of the city and six others who represent the whole city. The council makes important decisions, like passing the city’s budget and making new rules. Holyoke has many government offices, including its own power and water services.

Holyoke is part of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where Patricia Duffy represents the city. John Velis is the state senator for the area. In the United States Congress, Richard Neal represents the city, along with senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey.

Most voters in Holyoke do not belong to a political party, but the city often supports candidates from the Democratic Party. In past elections, many people in Holyoke voted for Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren.

Public safety

Holyoke has its own police department, which has been helping the city since the 1850s. As of August 2024, the department had 88 police officers.

After many factories closed in the 1970s, Holyoke faced more crime and fewer people moving in. Since then, crime has slowly gone down with help from state police and programs to support young people. Since 2011, officials have worked together to make the city safer, especially for young people who might be at risk.

The fire department in Holyoke answers calls for fires and emergencies. Medical help is provided by a private ambulance company.

Media

Newspapers

The city of Holyoke is covered by two daily newspapers: The Republican from Springfield and the Daily Hampshire Gazette from Northampton. Holyoke had its own newspaper called the Holyoke Transcript-Telegram, but it stopped publishing in 1993. Since then, the weekly Holyoke Sun, run by Turley Publications, has provided news for the city. Starting in 2019, the Daily Hampshire Gazette began covering Holyoke full-time and opened an office there.

Since 2004, the area has also been served by El Sol Latino, a bilingual monthly newspaper from Amherst that focuses on the Puerto Rican community in the Pioneer Valley, including Holyoke. Historically, Holyoke has had many non-English newspapers, such as the French-language La Justice and the Polish-language Gwiazda.

Radio and television

Holyoke has several radio stations, including its own WCCH, Holyoke Community College's station WMHC in South Hadley, and WMUA from UMass Amherst. There is also a Christian radio station WREA that broadcasts Spanish-language religious programs from downtown Holyoke.

Besides television stations serving the Springfield market, Holyoke is home to Holyoke Media, a public-access media non-profit.

Film

Holyoke has been a filming location for many smaller movies and a few well-known ones, such as the 1993 film Malice and the 1975 movie The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. The city was also used for the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron, because Mountain Park used to host bodybuilding competitions. The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round appeared in a music video for the 2007 British documentary Young@Heart, which tells the story of a group of older people from Northampton who perform rock songs.

Infrastructure

Healthcare

The Holyoke Medical Center provides many health services and has been recognized for its care. It received awards for stroke care and has programs for mental and substance abuse treatment. The Soldiers' Home in Holyoke offers care for veterans, with good safety measures for older residents.

Telecom and public fiber

Since 1997, the city’s utility, Holyoke Gas & Electric, has provided fast internet to businesses and city services. This helped bring a major computing center to the city. The network also serves nearby towns and there has been interest in offering it to homes, though no plans were made by 2018. Voters in 2019 supported studying this idea.

Transportation

Highways

Interstate highways near Holyoke include:

• I-91 – North to Northampton, Hatfield, Greenfield, and South to Springfield, Hartford.
• I-391 – South to Chicopee, and Springfield.

South of Holyoke is the Massachusetts Turnpike, reachable from exit 14 on I-91 South:

• I-90 – East to Worcester and Boston, and West to Stockbridge, and Albany

U.S. Highways near Holyoke include:

• US 5 – Connecting West Springfield to Easthampton and Northampton.
• US 202 – Running from South Hadley to Westfield, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts highways in the area include:

• Route 116 – Connecting Chicopee to South Hadley.
• Route 141 – Connecting Easthampton through downtown to Chicopee.

Bus and rail

Buses from the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority travel through the city, including routes to nearby towns. Passenger trains returned to Holyoke in 2015. The Vermonter stops at the Holyoke station daily, and the Valley Flyer began in 2019, linking Holyoke to Greenfield and New Haven, Connecticut. Freight trains serve industrial areas, and there are special passenger rides in the fall and winter.

Airports

For small planes, Westover Metropolitan Airport and Northampton Airport are nearby. The biggest airport is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Cycling and walking

Holyoke has areas where it is easy to walk, especially downtown, but other parts are easier for cars. The city built the Canalwalk to connect different parts of town.

Environment

Holyoke has a rich variety of plants and animals. The city has many areas set aside to protect wildlife and natural spaces. Along the Metacomet Ridge and Mount Tom Range, you can find many different kinds of animals. There are 29 types of fish, 21 kinds of frogs and salamanders, 18 types of reptiles, over 160 kinds of birds like ruby-throated hummingbirds and bald eagles, and 42 types of mammals including black bears and moose. Sometimes, black bears may even wander into the downtown area.

The area west of Interstate 91 has special rules to protect nature and keep the water clean. This helps make sure animals have places to live and that people stay healthy.

Global outreach

Holyoke has formed friendly connections with cities around the world. These include:

• Svaliava, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine (1997)
• Tralee, Ireland (2017)

The city has also had informal partnerships with other cities. For example:

• Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1888)
• Beijing, Qing China (1906)
• Dublin, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1906)
• Apremont-la-Forêt, Meuse, France (1919)
• San Juan, Puerto Rico (2018)

Notable people

Further information: List of people from Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke, Massachusetts, has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some of these individuals have made important contributions in fields like arts, science, and public service. The city continues to be a place where inspiring stories begin.