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Please add profiles for those who were born, lived or died in Hampden County, Massachusetts.
Hampden County was split from Hampshire County in 1812, because Northampton, Massachusetts, was made Hampshire County's "shire town" in 1794; however, Springfield—theretofore Hampshire County's traditional shire town, dating back to its founding in 1636—grew at a pace far quicker than Northampton and was granted shire town-status over its own, southerly jurisdiction. It was named for parliamentarian John Hampden.
Factories in the county manufactured firearms, most notably the Springfield and M-1 rifles, used in the U.S. War of Independence, the American Civil War, and World Wars I and II.
The sports of basketball and volleyball originated in the county in the 1890s.
Adjacent Counties
- Berkshire County
- Hampshire County
- Litchfield County, Connecticut
- Hartford County, Connecticut
- Tolland County, Connecticut
- Worcester County
Cities
- Agawam
- Chicopee
- Holyoke
- Palmer
- Springfield (County Seat)
- West Springfield
- Westfield
Other Towns & Communities: Blandford, Bondsville, Brimfield, Chester, Depot Village, East Longmeadow, Feeding Hills, Granville, Hampden, Holland, Longmeadow, Monson, Monson Center, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, Three Rivers, Wales, Wilbraham and Woronoco
Links
National Register of Historic Places
USS Hampden County LST-803
