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Easthampton, Massachusetts

Easthampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States.
Population 16,211

Top Events in Easthampton History

1
1664Government
== History == Easthampton was first settled by European immigrants beginning in 1664 as the village of Pascommuck and was originally part of Northampton.
2
1704Military
On 24 May 1704 during Queen Anne's War, a party of 72 Native Americans attacked the village, killing 19 of 38 residents.
3
1785Government
The village was soon resettled, and by 1785, Easthampton was established as a "district" by Massachusetts (a former type of political entity with less independence than a town),...
4
1797Education
== Education == In 1797, the town was divided into four school districts.
5
1847Government
The first of these, the Williston-Knight Button Company, was established in 1847 by Samuel Williston, son of the town's first minister, a Congregationalist named Payson Williston.
6
1864Education
Following this spurt of industrial development, the town's first high school and first national bank opened in 1864, and a town hall was built in 1869.
7
1869Military
The High Victorian Gothic town hall was built in 1869 by Boston architect Charles Edward Parker.
8
1871Infrastructure
Constables were replaced by the town's first police officer in 1871, the same year that Easthampton became a regular stop on the railroad.
9
1881Architecture
The town's public library opened in 1881, and fourteen years later in 1895 the community was introduced to two new innovations, telephones and streetcars.
10
1891History
Chapin designed the initial curriculum, and served as principal until ill health in 1891.

Historical Timeline

1664Government
== History == Easthampton was first settled by European immigrants beginning in 1664 as the village of Pascommuck and was originally part of Northampton.
1704Military
On 24 May 1704 during Queen Anne's War, a party of 72 Native Americans attacked the village, killing 19 of 38 residents.
1785Government
The village was soon resettled, and by 1785, Easthampton was established as a "district" by Massachusetts (a former type of political entity with less independence than a town),...
1797Education
== Education == In 1797, the town was divided into four school districts.
1847Government
The first of these, the Williston-Knight Button Company, was established in 1847 by Samuel Williston, son of the town's first minister, a Congregationalist named Payson Williston.
1864Education
Following this spurt of industrial development, the town's first high school and first national bank opened in 1864, and a town hall was built in 1869.
1869Military
The High Victorian Gothic town hall was built in 1869 by Boston architect Charles Edward Parker.
1871Infrastructure
Constables were replaced by the town's first police officer in 1871, the same year that Easthampton became a regular stop on the railroad.
1881Architecture
The town's public library opened in 1881, and fourteen years later in 1895 the community was introduced to two new innovations, telephones and streetcars.
1891History
Chapin designed the initial curriculum, and served as principal until ill health in 1891.
1897Education
In 1897, an eight-room school was constructed on Maple Street.
1899Economy
In 1899, the West Boylston Manufacturing Company and the Hampton Company, both specializing in cloth production, moved to Easthampton, recruiting a larger immigrant labor force,...
1901History
She retired with the class of 1901 and died that summer.
1902History
In 1902, the town responded to the population increase resulting from the growth of the West Boylston and Hampton Companies.
1912Education
In 1912, the school district constructed a new high school and enlarged this building (then called Park Primary School) using brick salvaged from the Center Union School.
1920Education
In 1920, the interior of this building was reconfigured as a 12-room school.
1934Education
An eight-room school was expanded in 1934, adding a gymnasium and an auditorium.
1939Education
It was used as an elementary school until 1939 and again from the 1950s to the 1970s.
1950Education
The junior high school was consolidated here from 1950 to 1962.
1962Education
After 1962, this school was used for elementary classes.
1975Education
In 1975, it was converted for use as a grade school and renamed the Neil A.
1987History
In 1987, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1996Government
Easthampton changed its charter in 1996 to become a city.
1999Government
In 1999 the mayor and council petitioned the General Court to remove the word "town" from its name and to replace the word town with "city".
2010History
== Demographics == As of the census of 2010, there were 16,053 people, 7,224 households, and 4,066 families residing in the city.
2013Education
and a high school (Easthampton High School), which was built in 2013.
2017Government
In 2017, lawyer Nicole LaChapelle defeated long-time district councilor Joy Winnie to become the city's next mayor.
2018Government
In November 2018, the administration of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced a $3.5 million grant through the MassWorks program to the Ferry Street Mill redevelopment ...
2021Government
The reform took effect for the 2021 city elections.
2023Civil Rights
As of March 2023, the city's public school district includes a single PK-8 school, Mountain View School, built in 2022 and consolidates the former schools of Pepin, Center, alon...
2025Government
In 2025, LaChapelle stepped down as Mayor and City Council President Salem Derby became acting mayor.

Did You Know?

1
Easthampton is located in the state of Massachusetts.
2
Easthampton has a population of 16,211 residents.
3
The city is in the Pioneer Valley, near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst.

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Famous People from Easthampton, Massachusetts

HK
Horatio G. Knight
Politician · Born Mar 24, 1818 · Died Oct 16, 1895 (age 77)
JL
John D. Ludden
Politician · Born Apr 5, 1819 · Died Oct 14, 1907 (age 88)
JR
Jeffrey Rowland
Artist, Author · Born May 22, 1974 · Age 51
EC
Enoch White Clark
Banker · Born Nov 16, 1802 · Died Aug 4, 1856 (age 53)
LL
Lauren D. Lyman
Reporter, Aviation Writer · Born Apr 24, 1891 · Died Jul 12, 1972 (age 81)
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