Neighborhoods in Springfield, Massachusetts facts for kids
Springfield, Massachusetts, is a city with 19 different neighborhoods. Many of these neighborhoods have smaller areas known by other names, like The X or Hungry Hill. Springfield's neighborhoods spread out from its very first settlement, which is now called Metro Center.
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Springfield's Neighborhood Story
For a long time, Springfield grew mostly along the Connecticut River. Its main spot was Court Square. A second neighborhood grew when the Springfield Armory was built in 1777. This Armory was a very important place where weapons were made. Fancy houses and apartments filled in around it.
Later, the Armory needed more space, so it expanded near Watershops Pond. This created a third neighborhood called Upper Hill. When trains arrived in the 1830s, another neighborhood started to form. Because the neighborhoods were quite far apart, Springfield was first called "The City of Magnificent Distances."
But Springfield grew quickly and became very rich! New neighborhoods filled the spaces between the old ones, like the South End. Other neighborhoods were carefully designed, such as the beautiful Victorian McKnight Historic District and the lovely Forest Park neighborhood, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
Springfield's first "Gold Coast" (a fancy area) was around Lower Maple, Maple-Hill, and Ridgewood Historic Districts. This area includes Mulberry Street, which became famous because of Dr. Seuss' first children's book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
In 1881, Springfield's McKnight National Historic District became the first planned neighborhood in the entire United States! It has over 900 Victorian "painted lady" houses, which are colorful and detailed, much like those you might see in San Francisco.
Exploring Springfield's Neighborhoods
Metro Center: The Heart of the City
Since 1636, Metro Center has been the main cultural, civic, and business hub of Springfield. It sits on flat land next to the Connecticut River. As you move inland, the land rises to a bluff. The lower part of Metro Center has tall buildings, businesses, and fun nightlife. On top of the bluff, you'll find cultural places like The Springfield Museums and the Springfield Public Library, along with homes.
Metro Center is easy to walk around. It has classic New England buildings around Court Square, the modern MassMutual Center, and the lively Club Quarter with many restaurants. Even though a highway (I-91) was built along the river, making it harder to reach the Basketball Hall of Fame from Metro Center, people are looking for ways to connect the city back to the river.
Eastern Metro Center rises steeply. On this bluff, you'll find historic areas like the Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District and the Springfield Armory National Park. Many people, including artists and young adults, are choosing to live in Metro Center because it offers an urban lifestyle without being too expensive.
South End and Forest Park: Italian Culture and Green Spaces
Just south of Metro Center is Springfield's South End. This neighborhood is the center of the city's Italian community. You can find many Italian restaurants, pastry shops, and cultural events here, especially during Feast Day celebrations. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is located by the river in the South End.
East of the South End, on a bluff, is the historic Lower Maple Historic District, which was Springfield's first "Gold Coast." This area includes Mulberry Street, famous from Dr. Seuss' book.
South of the South End are the beautiful Victorian garden neighborhoods of Forest Park and Forest Park Heights. These areas surround Frederick Law Olmsted's amazing Forest Park, which is about 735 acres (3 km2) big. This Old House magazine even said in 2011 that Forest Park has the best Victorian houses in the Northeast! Many of its 600 Victorian "Painted Ladies" have been updated.
Forest Park itself has a small, well-kept zoo, many playgrounds, tennis courts, and Porter Lake where you can paddle-boat and fish. It also has walking trails, sculptures, and the United States' first public swimming pool, built in 1899.
East and Sixteen Acres: Suburban Living
To the east of Forest Park is East Forest Park. This neighborhood has well-kept bungalows and Craftsman-style houses. It's centered around Lake Massasoit, which is Springfield's second-largest body of water.
Even further east is Sixteen Acres, Springfield's biggest and newest neighborhood. It feels like a suburb within the city. Sixteen Acres is home to Western New England University and the SABIS International School, which is known as one of the top high schools in America.
Central Neighborhoods: History and Colleges
The middle of Springfield has four unique neighborhoods with lots of Victorian architecture: The McKnight National Historic District, Old Hill, Upper Hill, and Bay.
Historically, McKnight was a center for the African American and Jamaican communities. Now, many LGBT residents have also moved into the neighborhood. Currently, Bay is Springfield's main African American and Jamaican neighborhood. Old Hill has a growing Latino population. Both Old Hill and Upper Hill are near scenic Lake Massasoit. Upper Hill is also home to Springfield College.
The main shopping area for these four neighborhoods is called Mason Square. Here, you'll find the beautiful red-brick campus of American International College.
North End: Hospitals and Diverse Communities
North of Metro Center are the three neighborhoods that make up Springfield's "North End." These areas are mostly Latino today, but decades ago, they were mainly Greek and Irish. The North End is home to Springfield's three nationally ranked hospitals: Baystate Health, Mercy Hospital, and Shriner's Children's Hospital.
Since the 1970s, the North End has been divided by Interstate 91. The Brightwood neighborhood, which used to have old factory buildings, has been transformed into a modern medical campus for Baystate Health. Memorial Square is the North End's main shopping area.
East of Memorial Square is Liberty Heights, which includes the historic Irish neighborhood known as Hungry Hill. Liberty Heights offers easy access to major roads and to Elms College, a Catholic university nearby. North of Liberty Heights is the pretty, green neighborhood called Atwater Park.
To the east of Liberty Heights is East Springfield, a neighborhood where many working-class families live. Springfield's most northeastern neighborhood is Indian Orchard. This used to be a suburb connected by streetcars, and now it's known as a place where many artists live. South of Indian Orchard is Pine Point, a quiet, middle-class neighborhood that is home to the Fortune 100 MassMutual Company.
Springfield's Neighborhoods (Alphabetical Order)
- Atwater Park – A residential neighborhood that includes part of the main Baystate Health campus.
- Bay – Home to Blunt Park. Many residents in Bay are African American.
- Boston Road – This area is mostly for shopping, with places like the Eastfield Mall. It's designed for people traveling by car.
- Brightwood – Features many Baystate Health specialty buildings. It is separated from the rest of Springfield by the Interstate 91 highway.
- East Forest Park – A middle-class neighborhood that borders East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
- East Springfield – A working-class neighborhood that is home to Smith & Wesson.
- Forest Park – Features Frederick Law Olmsted's famous Forest Park (735 acres or 3 km2). It's a residential area with a shopping district called "The X" and a fancy garden area around the park.
- Indian Orchard – Has a clear Main Street and old factory buildings that artists now use. It used to be a separate town before joining Springfield. It's mostly residential and has Lake Lorraine State Park.
- Liberty Heights – Home to Springfield's three nationally ranked hospitals: Baystate Health, Mercy Medical, and Shriner's Children's Hospital. It's a diverse residential and medical area, including Hungry Hill and Van Horn Park.
- The McKnight Historic District – Known for having the largest collection of historic Victorian architecture, including over 900 Painted Ladies. It was the first planned residential neighborhood in the U.S. Its shopping area is Mason Square, which includes American International College. It has many African American and LGBT residents.
- Memorial Square – This is the main shopping district for the North End.
- Metro Center – The main cultural, business, and civic center of the region. It's becoming more residential and features the Downtown Business District and The Club Quarter with many clubs and restaurants.
- North End – This is not one neighborhood, but three northern Springfield neighborhoods: Brightwood (residential and medical), Memorial Square (commercial), and Liberty Heights (medical and residential). It is mostly Puerto Rican.
- Old Hill – Home to Springfield College. It's a residential area next to Lake Massasoit. Many residents in Old Hill are Latino.
- Pine Point – A middle-class residential neighborhood that is home to the headquarters of MassMutual, a large company.
- Six Corners – An urban and residential area that includes Mulberry Street in the Ridgewood Historic District.
- Sixteen Acres – A suburban neighborhood that is home to Western New England University and SABIS International School. It has many homes built after World War II.
- South End – Known for its many Italian-American restaurants, festivals, and landmarks. It's an urban and commercial area. It includes the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, but the highway Interstate 91 separates it.
- Upper Hill – A residential neighborhood that includes Wesson Park and borders Lake Massasoit. It is located between Springfield College and American International College.
