Northampton is a lively, diverse community located in the heart of the Five
College Area of the Pioneer Valley. Home to Smith College, Northampton also
serves as the county seat of Hampshire County. It is located at the
intersection of a major east-west highway which links Amherst and the
University of Massachusetts with the hilltowns to the west, and the
north-south corridor of Route 91. Calvin Coolidge once served as mayor,
while the city’s first woman mayor, the Honorable Mary Ford, was elected in
1991; and today, Mary Claire Higgins serves as mayor.
Residents see Northampton as both traditional and innovative. Several
village centers provide focal points for outlying residential areas while
the downtown is alive days and evenings with a wide selection of
restaurants, coffee and ice-cream shops, theaters including the only
municipally owned theater in the state, clubs featuring an array of music,
street musicians and a Center for the Arts. All of this provides a perfect
atmosphere for strolling, area. The city also offers strong municipal
programs in education, recreation, public safety and public works. It is
known for its energy conservation program and its initiative to improve
handicap access to downtown establishments.
The community has a strong and diverse economic base consisting of a
resilient retail and commercial sector, a manufacturing sector which shows
a mixture of traditional operations (wire protrusion, plastic molding) and
innovative ones (production of heat sensing devices) and a large
institutional base which includes county services, three hospitals and
Smith College. The vibrant small city atmosphere of the community is
enhanced by rich natural resources, which include the Connecticut River,
agricultural and conservation lands and the Acadia Wildlife Sanctuary.
Residents believe Northampton has a rich history and are confident that its
future which will be built on its diverse population base, solid economic
base and abundant resources.
College Area of the Pioneer Valley. Home to Smith College, Northampton also
serves as the county seat of Hampshire County. It is located at the
intersection of a major east-west highway which links Amherst and the
University of Massachusetts with the hilltowns to the west, and the
north-south corridor of Route 91. Calvin Coolidge once served as mayor,
while the city’s first woman mayor, the Honorable Mary Ford, was elected in
1991; and today, Mary Claire Higgins serves as mayor.
Residents see Northampton as both traditional and innovative. Several
village centers provide focal points for outlying residential areas while
the downtown is alive days and evenings with a wide selection of
restaurants, coffee and ice-cream shops, theaters including the only
municipally owned theater in the state, clubs featuring an array of music,
street musicians and a Center for the Arts. All of this provides a perfect
atmosphere for strolling, area. The city also offers strong municipal
programs in education, recreation, public safety and public works. It is
known for its energy conservation program and its initiative to improve
handicap access to downtown establishments.
The community has a strong and diverse economic base consisting of a
resilient retail and commercial sector, a manufacturing sector which shows
a mixture of traditional operations (wire protrusion, plastic molding) and
innovative ones (production of heat sensing devices) and a large
institutional base which includes county services, three hospitals and
Smith College. The vibrant small city atmosphere of the community is
enhanced by rich natural resources, which include the Connecticut River,
agricultural and conservation lands and the Acadia Wildlife Sanctuary.
Residents believe Northampton has a rich history and are confident that its
future which will be built on its diverse population base, solid economic
base and abundant resources.
