For our Boston friends wondering where Springfield, the 3rd largest city in Massachusetts and 4th largest in New England, is – It’s on the west side – between Worcester & The Berkshires!

The other 29+ Fun Facts About Springfield, Massachusetts:

• The Hartford-Springfield region is known as the Knowledge Corridor because it has the 2nd highest concentration of higher-learning institutions in the United States.

• Recently, Springfield has become home to a number of biotech firms and high-speed computing centers. As of 2009 Springfield ranks as the 24th most important high-tech center in the United States.

• In 1777, George Washington and Henry Knox founded the United States’ National Armory in Springfield, which produced the first American musket in 1794, and later the famous Springfield rifle.

• In addition to its nicknames,  , Springfield is also known as  because of its many innovations:

  • The first use of interchangeable parts and the assembly line in manufacturing, (1819, Thomas Blanchard)

  • The first American horseless car, (1825, Thomas Blanchard)

  • The discovery and patent of vulcanized rubber, (1844, Charles Goodyear)

  • The first American gasoline-powered car, (1893, Duryea Brothers) which in 1895 won the first automobile race in Chicago, Illinois.

  • The first motorcycle company, (1901, “Indian Motorcycle Company”)

  • Forest Park housed the United States’ first public swimming pool (1899)

  • The first and most widely read American-English dictionary, Merriam Webster, was created in Springfield (1806)

• The world’s second-most-popular sport, basketball, was created in Springfield (1891, Dr. James Naismith.)

• Famous children’s author, Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, which inspired much of his work.

• Springfield is home to Massachusetts’ largest Fortune 100 company, Mass Mutual Financial Group.

• Is home to the world’s largest producer of handguns, Smith & Wesson, founded in 1852.

• Springfield serves as the headquarters of the professional American Hockey League, the NHL’s minor league.

• The Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League  was the oldest minor league hockey franchise in existence.  In 1994 the team relocated to Worcester and was replaced by the current Springfield Falcons, who play at the Mass Mutual Center.

• Forest Park is one of the United States’ largest urban parks and also one of its most historically important urban parks. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted – the famed designer of New York City’s Central Park – Forest Park is nearly as large, and similarly diverse.

• Springfield resident Mr. Everett Barney invented the clip-on ice skate and popularized the roller skate during the 19th century.

• Springfield is home to Massachusetts’ 3rd largest employer, Baystate Health, with over 10,000 employees.

• WWLP is the oldest TV station to air regularly scheduled programming in the market, launching its schedule on March 17, 1953, on Channel 61. (Now in Chicopee, MA)

• Springfield was home to the first commercially licensed radio station in the United States, and the oldest radio station of any kind in New England: WBZ, which broadcast live from Springfield’s luxurious Hotel Kimball at 140 Chestnut Street, before moving to Boston in 1931.

• Friendly Ice Cream Corporation – Founded in Springfield, 1935

• Good Housekeeping Magazine – Founded in Springfield in 1885.

• Goodyear Tires – Founded in Springfield in 1844

• Milton Bradley Company – established in Springfield in 1860

• Rolls-Royce of America Inc. was formed in 1919 in Springfield. A manufacturing plant was set up on Hendee Street.  The factory’s 1,200 employees produced 1,703 Silver Ghosts and 1,241 Phantoms. The 1929 stock market crash lead to the plant’s closure in 1931. The 1996 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur  was made to commemorate Rolls-Royce of America’s 75th anniversary.

• Sheraton Hotels and Resorts – founded in Springfield in 1937 with the purchase of The Stonehaven Hotel, and later the famous Hotel Kimball.

• In 1968 Springfield Technical Community College was founded behind the Springfield Armory National Park. It is the only “technical” community college in Massachusetts, and was founded to continue Springfield’s traditional of technical innovation.

• The Quadrangle, a cluster of  5 museums and a library that surrounds a sculptural garden, includes the first American-made planetarium, designed and built (1937) by Frank Korkosz, and the most extensive collection of Chinese cloisonne outside of China.

• Volleyball was invented in nearby Holyoke, MA but it’s first exhibition match was held in 1896 at the International YMCA Training School, now known as Springfield College.

Famous musicians from Springfield include:

• Blues legend Taj Mahal

• The band Staind and its front-man Aaron Lewis

• The band Shadows Fall

• Linda Perry, former leader singer of 4 Non Blondes and now famous songwriter and producer

• Taj Mahal’s sister, Carole Fredericks, a soul singer very popular in France

• Numerous jazz musicians, including Joe Morello, drummer for the Dave Brubeck Quartet; Phil Woods, saxophonist for Quincy Jones; Tony MacAlpine, keyboardist and guitarist with Steve Vai; and Paul Weston, composer for Frank Sinatra, among many others