Springfield is a city in Massachusetts. It is the county seat of Hampden County, although Hampden County exists today only as a historical geographic region, and has no county government.
The community was named for Springfield, England.
The city is the largest (and also historically the first) city called Springfield in the United States. It is also the largest city on the Connecticut River and the largest city in Western Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley. It is home to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Springfield Falcons hockey team.
The city of Springfield is most commonly known as the birthplace of basketball. In 1891, James Naismith, a physical education teacher in Springfield, invented the sport at the Springfield YMCA, now Springfield College, to fill the gap between the football and baseball seasons. The sport quickly became popular worldwide. On February 17, 1986, The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was opened on the banks of the Connecticut River. In 2002 a new facility for the Hall of Fame opened next to the existing site. Shaped like a basketball and illuminated at night, it has become an interesting addition to the cityscape.
Springfield offers everything anyone could wish for. The museum complex at The Quadrangle, includes the Museum of Fine Arts, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum and the Springfield Science Museum. The Springfield Symphony plays in downtown Symphony Hall to ever-larger audiences. Local community theater is alive and Springfield is the setting each year for a Community Theater festival. The Springfield Civic Center bustles with activity throughout the year.
Housing Cost
The city of Springfield offers beautiful housing, available for every taste and lifestyle, is available at a cost significantly less than in the eastern part of Massachusetts. Victorian homes, farm houses, contemporary palaces, condominiums and apartments are found in every community. Special complexes to accommodate the elderly are also available.
Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $140,700
Demographics
Estimated population in July 2006: 151,176. Springfield covers 32.1 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 70 feet above sea level.
Area code: 413
Weather
Springfield, MA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 84.90 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 17.20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 17 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Springfield is 45.68 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is April with an average rainfall of 4.33 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
