Holyoke

Holyoke is a city in Hampden County in western Massachusetts, sitting along the Connecticut River. The layout follows a uniform street grid with many red brick factory buildings from the 19th century.

Incorporation took place in 1850 as a planned industrial town exploiting the waterpower of the Connecticut River. By the end of the 19th century, four fifths of the United States writing paper was made here.

The name comes from Reverend Elizur Holyoke, an early surveyor of the area in the 17th century. The city still shows a grid street pattern typical of deliberately planned New England manufacturing towns.

The local power supply relies on hydroelectricity and covers about nine tenths of the city's needs. This means low electricity costs for residents and little dependence on fossil fuels.

William Morgan developed the game of volleyball at the local YMCA gymnasium in 1895. The city is therefore recognized worldwide as the birthplace of this sport.

Location: Hampden County

Inception: 1850

Founders: George C. Ewing, The Boston Associates

Elevation above the sea: 61 m

Website: http://holyoke.org

GPS coordinates: 42.20417,-72.61806

Latest update: December 13, 2025 15:51