About 15,000 years ago,
the current site of the City of Holyoke lay on the bottom of a portion of a 157 mile long
body of water known as Lake Hitchcock. As the waters receded, they left a double legacy -
the rich alluvial soils which have supported a long history of agriculture in the
Connecticut Valley, and the river itself, the original motor of economic progress in the
region.
The first inhabitants of Holyoke were, of course,
the Native Americans. Since the Connecticut River was a major source of transportation, many different tribes
are believed to have resided in the area. These were tribes of the Algonquians, including
the Pequots, Mohegans, and Chippewas. Others included the Agawams to the south, and the
Nonotucks to the north, from whom early European settlers eventually purchased the land
that would be incorporated into the future boundaries of Holyoke.
Holyoke would not take his name for over two hundred more years, but
Captain Elizur Holyoke is reckoned to be the first European to explore the City. In 1633,
he lead a daring expedition up the Connecticut River to explore the potential for
settlement. Two years later, based upon his encouraging report, European agriculture
settlement began in the region. Initially concentrated in Springfield, settlers soon began
to migrate to the surrounding areas that would later become the towns of West Springfield,
Chicopee and Holyoke. Holyoke was then known as Ireland Parish, a name that would be in
common use until 1850.
Rural Holyoke in the 1800's you can see the river to
your right.
The Old Train Station on Main Street.
"Once Boston entrepreneurs realized Western Massachusetts could
be as profitable as Lowell and Waltham, they set out to plan and create an industrial city
on a scale never seen before."
Industrial investment, and the corresponding growth in population,
housing and employment began in the first half of the 19th century. Once Boston
entrepreneurs realized Western Massachusetts could be as profitable as Lowell and Waltham,
they set out to plan and create an industrial city on a scale never seen before.
On November 6, 1848, the first of three dams was completed at the South Hadley Falls. Made of wood and financed by Boston industrialists, it was to last only a few hours.
As crowds watched, the dam began to show strain from the rising water. James Mills, reporting for the waiting investors, sent the following telegrams to Boston:
_"10:00 A.M., the gates were closed and the water filling behind
the dam."
_"12:00 Noon, Dam leaking badly."
_"1:00 P.M., Leaks cannot be stopped."
_"2:00 P.M., Bulkheads are giving way."
_"3:20 P.M., Dam gone to hell by way of Willimansett."
Still, the lessons learned were valuable, and the builders did not give up. A replacement dam, also of wood, was completed the following summer. This dam still stands, 150 feet under water, behind the current, modern stone dam, put into service in 1900.
In 1847, taking advantage of the broad plain and the 57 foot drop in the Connecticut River at South Hadley Falls, work began on a planned industrial City. Canals, mills, boarding houses, offices and a dam were all built by pick and shovel. The rapid growth of this "New City" led to approval from the State Legislature for a separate municipality to be created. On March 4, 1850, Holyoke finally became its own town.
Holyoke's development was rapid. Within 30 years, America recognized it
as the "Queen of Industrial Cities", and soon after as the "Paper
City of the World".
Textiles were the first major product of the City, quickly followed by paper. As a major force, the cotton mills did not last, as the Civil War cut off raw cotton supplies from the South.
Paper grew as the dominant force in the City, and at one
time over 25 paper mills were in operation. The population followed, expanding
from just
4,600 in 1885 to over 60,000
in 1920.
"These were the days when Holyoke exerted considerable
influence on American life."
Holyoke also built schools, churches, parks and many public
buildings, including the beautiful and historic City Hall. Much of the land was donated by
the Holyoke Water Power Company, owner of the South Hadley Falls dam. The Company's
crucial role in the growth of Holyoke is well recognized. Along with supplying power, HWP
acted as an industrial developer, preparing sites and selling them to
employment-generating industry.
These
were the days when Holyoke exerted considerable influence on American life. The Holyoke
Opera House was the test location for Broadway plays, before moving on to New York. The
Easter parade here drew as many spectators as on Fifth Avenue. Margaret Sanger created a
controversy when she attempted to give one of her early lectures on birth control in
Holyoke.
As Holyoke matured, it began to diversify industrially. Four and a half miles of canals were dug by pick and shovel through the lower wards, and all types of products were manufactured along their banks. Steam pumps, blank books, silk goods, hydrants, bicycles and trolleys were among a growing list of goods being shipped all over the world.
In 1900,
the wooden dam was replaced by a new stone dam, which had taken five years to construct.
Known as Holyoke's Million Dollar Dam, it used the most advanced technology of its day,
and attracted visitors from all over the world.
The early
part of the 20th century witnessed a pattern of development similar to most Northern
industrial cities. Difficulties in absorbing large numbers of immigrants resulted in
crowded housing conditions. The boom and bust cycle of manufacturing first attracted new
residents, and then left them jobless. Holyoke, though, fought back. Service and aid
groups, such as the Family Service Society, were organized to meet the needs of the
unfortunate. These agencies, oriented towards self-help, seem to be echoed by many of the
"new ideas" talked about today.
As society adapted, so did business. From its highs of the 1920's
industry showed a gradual decline in overall employment. Many labor and energy intensive
firms followed the national pattern, and moved to the South and West, to be nearer raw
materials and cheaper labor. The remaining industries took advantage of Holyoke's unique
resources, especially her highly skilled labor force and plentiful water for power and
process uses. Although many of the paper mills left, many "specialty" paper
producers remained, capitalizing on their greater need for the types of resources Holyoke
had to offer.
"...industries took advantage of
Holyoke's unique resources."
The recession of the mid 1970's shook out many of the remaining weaker industries. The current economic base is strong and healthy, facing the enviable problem of difficulties in locating space to expand. Industries include printing and publishing, electrical machinery, plastics, chemicals, and high technology, as well as more traditional companies. The many services and programs for business offered within the City are recognized as supporting and encouraging this growth.
Because of its success, many communities look to Holyoke as a model of
the "public-private partnership", and attempt to duplicate it as a new idea for
improving municipal/industrial relations. What this short history shows us is that these
relationships are rooted in over a century of cooperation. This partnership has always
been "standard operating procedure" within the City of Holyoke, and will
doubtlessly continue long into the future.