East Longmeadow, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts
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East Longmeadow Town Hall
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Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Hampden | ||
| Settled | 1720 | ||
| Incorporated | 1894 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Town Council and Town Manager | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 12.94 sq mi (33.5 km2) | ||
| • Land | 13.0 sq mi (33.6 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 400 ft (69 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 16,430 | ||
| • Density | 1,263.8/sq mi (489.0/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) | ||
| ZIP code |
01028
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| Area code(s) | 413 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-19645 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618182 | ||
East Longmeadow is a friendly town in Hampden County, Massachusetts. It's located in the western part of the state, in a beautiful area called the Pioneer Valley. About 16,430 people lived here in 2020.
The town is about 5 miles southeast of downtown Springfield. It's also not too far from other big cities. These include Hartford (about 25 miles north), Boston (about 88 miles southwest), and New York City (about 142 miles northeast).
A long time ago, East Longmeadow grew because of its brownstone quarries. Many immigrants came to work in these quarries. These included people from Sweden, France, and Italy.
East Longmeadow is known for its big Fourth of July Parade. It's one of the largest in Western Massachusetts. East Longmeadow High School also hosts a fireworks show on July 3rd each year.
Contents
History of East Longmeadow
The area that is now Longmeadow, Massachusetts was first settled in the 1600s. In the 1750s, houses started to appear in the eastern part of the town. This area was known as "East Village."
Becoming a Town
In 1894, East Village separated from Longmeadow. It officially became its own town called East Longmeadow. Even before it was a separate town, it was famous for its brownstone quarries.
Old Railroad and New Bike Path
A railroad was built through the town in the late 1800s. It was built by the Springfield and New London Railroad. This railroad wasn't a main route, so it was abandoned by the 1980s.
In the early 2010s, a bike path was built on part of the old tracks. It's called The Redstone Rail Trail and is about 1.6 miles long. It goes from Maple Street to Denslow Road. In 2020, the old train depot was bought and fixed up. It became an ice cream stand and opened in spring 2021.
Sports in East Longmeadow
East Longmeadow and its neighbor, Longmeadow, have a fun tradition. They play an annual Thanksgiving Day football game. Thousands of people come to watch this exciting event.
The town is also proud of its high school sports teams. The Varsity High School Baseball team won the Western Massachusetts championship in 2007 and 2019. The Girls Indoor Track team also won the Western Mass championship in 2010 and 2011.
Geography and Location
East Longmeadow covers about 12.94 square miles (33.6 square kilometers). This information comes from the United States Census Bureau in 2020.
Neighboring Towns and States
East Longmeadow shares its borders with several places. To the south, it borders Enfield and Somers in Connecticut. To the east is Hampden. Wilbraham is to the northeast. Springfield is to the north and northwest. Finally, Longmeadow is to the west.
Population Information
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1900 | 1,187 | — |
| 1910 | 1,553 | +30.8% |
| 1920 | 2,352 | +51.4% |
| 1930 | 3,327 | +41.5% |
| 1940 | 3,403 | +2.3% |
| 1950 | 4,881 | +43.4% |
| 1960 | 10,294 | +110.9% |
| 1970 | 13,029 | +26.6% |
| 1980 | 12,905 | −1.0% |
| 1990 | 13,367 | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 14,100 | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 15,720 | +11.5% |
| 2020 | 16,430 | +4.5% |
| 2022* | 16,343 | −0.5% |
| * = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data. | ||
In 2010, about 16,187 people lived in East Longmeadow. There were 5,248 households, with many being married couples. About 34.1% of households had children under 18.
The average age of people in town was 41 years old. About 24.8% of the population was under 18.
Fun Places to Visit
East Longmeadow has some cool places to check out.
Heritage Park
One popular spot is Heritage Park. It has a pond called Blackman's Pond where you can fish. The park also has baseball fields, a soccer field, a playground, and picnic areas. It's a great place to spend time outdoors.
Historic Sites
You can also find historic places in East Longmeadow. These include the old red and brown sandstone quarries. The stone from these quarries was even used to build the original Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington. Other historic spots are the Elijah Burt House, The Seward Pease House, the old Train depot, and the First Congregational Church.
The Central Rotary
The area around the central rotary is called "The Rotary." Here, you'll find small shops and many restaurants. The Rotary became famous because of Robert Ripley, who wrote Ripley's Believe It or Not. He noted that seven streets meet at the rotary with no traffic lights.
Churches and Businesses
East Longmeadow has many churches, like St. Michael's (Catholic) and First Baptist. The town was also home to the Milton Bradley Company for many years. This company makes games and toys. After Hasbro bought Milton Bradley in 1984, one of their largest facilities stayed here. In 2016, Cartamundi bought this location.
Education in Town
East Longmeadow has its own school system. You can find more details about it at East Longmeadow School District.
The Public Library
The East Longmeadow public library started in 1896. A brand new library building was opened in 2004. In 2008, the town spent about $584,361 on its library, which was about $38 for each person.
Famous People from East Longmeadow
Many interesting people have connections to East Longmeadow:
- Kim Adler: A professional bowler who won 15 national titles.
- Nick Ahmed: A professional baseball player for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Victoria Aveyard: A writer, known for her popular Red Queen book series.
- Wendell Corey: An actor and politician.
- Tim Daggett: An Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics.
- Peter Dolfen: A sport shooter who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.
- Jim Douglas: A politician who graduated from East Longmeadow High School.
- Pete Franklin: A sports talk radio host.
- Joseph Grigely: A visual artist and scholar.
- John Kawie: A comedian, actor, and writer.
- Erik P. Kraft: A writer whose novel Miracle Wimp is set in East Longmeadow.
- Brian Lees: A Massachusetts politician and former State Senator.
- Sue C. Nichols: An artist known for her work with Walt Disney Animation Studios.
- James Lorin Richards: A financier and industrialist.
- Kyle Smith: A film critic for the New York Post.
- Raymond F. Sullivan: A politician.
- Antonio Thomas: A professional wrestler.
- James Thorpe: A soccer player.
- Jim Trelease: An educator and author.
- Frank Vatrano: A professional Ice Hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks.
- Robert F. Willard: A retired United States Navy admiral who graduated from East Longmeadow High School.
See also
In Spanish: East Longmeadow (Massachusetts) para niños
