Northampton is a city in
Hampshire County, MassachusettsHampshire County is a non-governmental county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2000, the population was 152,251. Its largest municipality is Amherst, and its county seat is Northampton....
, United States. The population was 28,978 at the 2000 census. It is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of Hampshire County. It is nicknamed
The Paradise City.
Northampton is part of the
Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the largest city on the Connecticut River and the county seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.In the 2000 census, the city population was 154,082. It is the third largest city in Massachusetts and fourth largest in New England...
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Springfield Metropolitan Area is the region that is socio-economically tied to the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. The Office of Management and Budget defines the metropolitan statistical area of Springfield as the region consisting of three counties in Western Massachusetts...
.
History
The area now known as Northampton was named Norwottuck, or Nonotuck, meaning "the mist of the river" by Native Americans. In 1653, land was purchased from the native inhabitants making up the bulk of modern Northampton. Colonial Northampton was founded in 1654 by settlers from
Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the largest city on the Connecticut River and the county seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.In the 2000 census, the city population was 154,082. It is the third largest city in Massachusetts and fourth largest in New England...
.
Northampton's territory would be enlarged beyond the original settlement, but later the outer portions would be carved up into separate cities and towns.
SouthamptonSouthampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It was established first as a district of Northampton in 1753. It was incorporated in 1753. The name Southampton was given to it during its first town meeting in 1773. Its ZIP code is 01073...
was incorporated in 1775, including parts of the modern territories of
MontgomeryMontgomery is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 654 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(which was itself incorporated in 1780) and Easthampton.
WesthamptonWesthampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,468 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
was incorporated in 1778, and
EasthamptonEasthampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,994 at the 2000 census.- History :Easthampton was first settled by European immigrants beginning in 1664 and was originally considered part of Northampton...
in 1809. A part of Northampton known as Smith's Ferry was separated from the rest of the town by Easthampton, and the shortest path to downtown was on a road near the Connecticut River
oxbowThe Oxbow is an extension of the Connecticut River, located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is famous for its appearance in the 1836 painting The Oxbow by Thomas Cole. Historically, the Oxbow was connected directly to the Connecticut river as a large U-Shaped bend...
, which was subject to frequent flooding. The neighborhood was ceded to
Holyoke, MassachusettsHolyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, on the banks of the Connecticut River. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after Elizur Holyoke, who explored the area in 1660...
in 1909.
Initial cooperation between the settlers and the Natives gave way to conflict, evidence of which can today be seen most clearly in nearby
Historic DeerfieldHistoric Deerfield is an open-air museum dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley, with historic houses, museums and programs that provide today's audiences with an understanding and appreciation of New England's historic villages and...
. Northampton hosted its own
witch trialsThe Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before local magistrates followed by county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex counties of colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
in the 18th century, although no alleged witches were executed. Members of the community were present at the
Constitutional ConventionThe Philadelphia Convention took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of...
.
Colonial American Congregational preacher Jonathan Edwards led a spiritual revival in Northampton beginning in 1733. It reached such intensity, in the winter of 1734 and the following spring, as to threaten the business of the town. In the spring of 1735, the movement began to subside and a reaction set in. But the relapse was brief, and the Northampton revival, which had spread through the Connecticut River Valley and whose fame had reached England and Scotland, was followed in 1739–1740 by the Great Awakening, distinctively under the leadership of Edwards.
On August 29, 1786,
Daniel ShaysDaniel Shays is mostly known for leading an army of farmers in Shays' Rebellion, which was a tax revolt against the state government of Massachusetts from 1786-1787, and a key event in the early history of the United States...
and a group of Revolutionary War Veterans called the
ShaysitesThe Shaysites, who called themselves Regulators, were the group of rebels that followed Daniel Shays and Luke Day during Shays' Rebellion in 1786...
, or "Regulators", stopped the civil court from sitting in Northampton.
Northampton was linked to the sea by the
Hampshire and Hampden CanalThe Hampshire and Hampden Canal was the Massachusetts segment of an canal that once connected New Haven, Connecticut to the Connecticut River north of Northampton, Massachusetts...
in 1835, but the canal enterprise foundered and after about a decade was replaced by a railroad running along the same route. A flood on the
Mill RiverThe Mill River is a tributary of the Connecticut River arising in the Berkshires in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It is notable for dropping in elevation more than 700 feet over 15 miles.- History :...
on May 16, 1874, destroyed almost the entire
village of LeedsLeeds is a neighborhood in the western portion of the city of Northampton, Massachusetts, United States, bordering Williamsburg along the Mill River and Florence....
in the township of Northampton.
Northampton, which was incorporated as a city in 1883, developed into a thriving community and a local center for commerce, education, and the arts, even supporting a still-extant opera house, the Academy of Music, which functioned as an independent movie house until recently. However, the 800 seat theatre now operates as a venue for rent for local and other productions. In 1851, opera singer
Jenny LindJohanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale"...
, the "
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
Nightingale", declared Northampton to be the "Paradise of America." The first game of
women's basketballWomen's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast, in large part via women's colleges...
was played in 1892 at
Smith CollegeSmith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
.
ImmigrantImmigration is the arrival of new individuals into a habitat or population. It is a biological concept and is important in population ecology, differentiated from emigration and migration.-As a political term:...
groups that settled here in large numbers included
IrishIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
,
PolishPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and French-Canadian. Former President
Calvin CoolidgeJohn Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the...
retired to Northampton upon leaving the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
in 1929, and died there on January 5, 1933.
Northampton today is a popular destination for
touristsTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other...
, who come to sample the city's shopping and
restaurantA restaurant prepares and serves food and drink to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s. Since 1995 the city has been home to the biannual
Paradise City Arts Festival, held at the Three County Fairgrounds on
Memorial DayMemorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May . Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service...
Weekend and Columbus Day Weekend. The Festival is ranked the #1 arts fair in America, and is a national juried showcase for contemporary craft and fine art. It is an open and tolerant community, and is home to a sizable
lesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
community.
Northampton is also home to a vibrant music scene. This is the result of music venues such as the Calvin Theater, Pines Theater, Pearl Street, Iron Horse Music Hall, The Elevens, and The Academy of Music. Musicians and bands that refer to the Northampton area as "home" include
Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley ....
, Mobius Band, The Alchemystics, The Primate Fiasco,
Erin McKeownErin McKeown is a multi-instrumentalist and folk-rock singer/songwriter.McKeown began her career in the folk scene. She released her first album, Monday Morning Cold, on her own label , travelling throughout New England while still a student at Brown University in order to promote the record...
, Swillmerchants, The Thungs, The Amity Front, The Neilds,
The Young@Heart ChorusYoung@Heart is an entertainment group created by and for the elderly, comprised at present of people at least 70 years of age. Some have prior professional theater or music experience, others have performed at amateur level, and some have no experience whatsoever...
, Ella Longpre, The Trials and Tribulations,
Cordelia's DadCordelia's Dad is a band from Northampton, Massachusetts that combines folk and punk rock influences and was instrumental in the creation of the genre later to be dubbed "No Depression". The band formed in 1987 and was active until 1998, when the members relocated to different parts of the country...
, Thrillpillow, Rusty Belle, Curious Buddies, The Novels, Los Hijos Unicos, futurepunk, Rabbit Rabbit,Spanish for Hitchiking, The Skeptics,
Fountains of WayneFountains of Wayne are an American power pop band formed in 1996 and known for such singles as "Radiation Vibe", "Too Cool For School" and their international hit "Stacy's Mom".-Early years:...
, and the Winterpills
Geography
Northampton sits on the banks of the
Connecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
, in the
Pioneer ValleyThe Pioneer Valley is a region consisting of the three counties in Western Massachusetts through which the Connecticut River passes, and especially those towns that are in the lowlands of the Connecticut River Valley...
of
Western MassachusettsWestern Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley...
. It is located at .
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 35.6 square miles (92.2 km²), of which, 34.5 square miles (89.3 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (3.0 km²) of it (3.20%) is water.
Inclusive within the city limits are the villages of
FlorenceFlorence is a village in the northwestern portion of the city of Northampton, near Westhampton and Williamsburg in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.In 1832, Samuel Whitmarsh planted of mulberry trees in Florence in order to raise silkworms...
and
LeedsLeeds is a neighborhood in the western portion of the city of Northampton, Massachusetts, United States, bordering Williamsburg along the Mill River and Florence....
. It is bordered to the north by the towns of
HatfieldHatfield is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,249 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and
WilliamsburgWilliamsburg is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,427 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-The Mill River Flood:...
, to the west by
WesthamptonWesthampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,468 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, to the east by
HadleyHadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early:...
(across the
Connecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
), and to the south by
EasthamptonEasthampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,994 at the 2000 census.- History :Easthampton was first settled by European immigrants beginning in 1664 and was originally considered part of Northampton...
.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 28,978 people, 11,880 households, and 5,880 families residing in the city. Northampton has the most lesbian couples per capita of any city in the US. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 841.0 people per square mile (324.7/km²). There were 12,405 housing units at an average density of 360.0/sq mi (139.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.01% White, 2.08% African American, 0.30% Native American, 3.13% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.24% of the population.
There were 11,880 households out of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.5% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 17.0% under the age of 18, 15.4% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 75.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,808, and the median income for a family was $56,844. Males had a median income of $37,264 versus $30,728 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $24,022. About 5.7% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Northampton's public schools include four
elementary schoolAn elementary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America...
s (kindergarten through 5th grade), one
middle schoolMiddle school or junior high school serves as a "bridge" between elementary school and high school. The terms can be used in different ways in different countries, sometimes interchangeably...
(6th to 8th grade), one
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
(9th to 12th grade), and one
vocational-agricultural high schoolA vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
(9th to 12th grade). There are a few charter schools and several private schools in Northampton and surrounding towns.
Government
Northampton is also considered by many as something of a liberal mecca, due in part to the
five collegesThe Five Colleges comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, belonging to a consortium called Five Colleges, Incorporated, which was established in 1965...
in the area and the city's large
LGBTLGBT is an initialism referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. In use since the 1990s, the term “LGBT” is an adaptation of the initialism “LGB” which itself started replacing the phrase “gay community” which many within LGBT communities felt did not represent...
community.
Smith CollegeSmith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
, which has an active and progressive lesbian community and a number of female-to-male transgendered students, is part of the center of the city's activities. The city has a non-discrimination ordinance in place which protects individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.
The city is home to the national office of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, a civil liberties advocacy group;
Free PressFree Press is a non-partisan media advocacy organization, and by membership the largest such organization in the United States. It was founded by media critic Robert W. McChesney, journalist John Nichols and current executive director Josh Silver. The current chair of Free Press is Columbia...
, a non-profit advocating media reform and citizen involvement in media public policy; The
Freedom CenterThe Freedom Center is a Northampton, Massachusetts-based activist, support, and advocacy group run by and for people diagnosed with severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar, borderline and obsessive-compulsive, who are challenging the 'disease and disorder' medical model of mental...
, an antipsychiatry community and advocacy group; and the National Priorities Project, a non-profit group that tracks federal spending, most notably by maintaining a web-based counter calculating the cost of the war in Iraq.
As of 2007,
Mary Clare HigginsMary Clare Higgins, a Democrat, was elected to her first term as Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts in November 1999; she took office in January 2000. She was elected to a fourth two-yearterm in November 2005...
is the Mayor. Previous mayors include former president
Calvin CoolidgeJohn Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the...
and James "Big Jim" Cahillane who served from 1954 to 1960. Also well known Judge Sean M. Dunphy was the youngest elected mayor in its history at age 28.
The
Paradise City Forum was founded November, 2001 to provide a nonpartisan discussion tool for the community.
Transportation
Northampton is served by
Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, which passes to the east of downtown along the Connecticut River.
U.S. Route 5U.S. Route 5 is a north-south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
, Massachusetts Route 9, and Massachusetts Route 10 all intersect in the city's downtown area.
The
Pioneer Valley Transit AuthorityThe Pioneer Valley Transit Authority oversees and coordinates public transportation in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Currently the PVTA offers fixed-route bus service as well as paratransit service for the elderly and disabled. The PVTA was created by Chapter 161B of the...
operates several local passenger buses which originate in Northampton, with service to local towns such as
AmherstAmherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2000 census, the population was 34,874. The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, three of the Five Colleges...
and
HolyokeHolyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, on the banks of the Connecticut River. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after Elizur Holyoke, who explored the area in 1660...
, and nearby universities, such as
Mount Holyoke CollegeMount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is a member of the Seven Sisters and one of the oldest women's colleges in the United States...
,
Amherst CollegeAmherst College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. Founded in 1821, it is the third oldest college in Massachusetts, and has been coeducational since 1975...
,
University of Massachusetts AmherstThe University of Massachusetts is a selective research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts...
, and
Hampshire CollegeHampshire College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, to be in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of...
. The Franklin Regional Transit Authority also operates a bus to
Greenfield, MassachusettsGreenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,168 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
. There is a Peter Pan Bus terminal with services to
SpringfieldSpringfield is the largest city on the Connecticut River and the county seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.In the 2000 census, the city population was 154,082. It is the third largest city in Massachusetts and fourth largest in New England...
, Boston, and other locations in New England. The Vermont Transit Lines bus also serves this terminal.
Passenger railway service to the Northampton area is provided by
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
via the
Amherst Train StationAmherst is an Amtrak station in Amherst, Massachusetts on the Vermonter. On average, thirty-five passengers boarded or detrained Amtrak services daily at Amherst in FY08, making it the 8th-busiest stop in Massachusetts....
, about a 20-minute drive east of downtown Northampton. A potential realignment of the route of Amtrak's
Vermonter|}Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans, Vermont, New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
could return passenger rail service to the city, on tracks currently owned by Pan Am Rail. Additionally, at the bus terminal in Springfield, passengers can connect to buses to other cities in the northeast. The
Springfield Amtrak stationSpringfield Union Station is an Amtrak train station in Springfield, Massachusetts. The station was built in 1926 by the Boston and Albany Railroad to serve the many rail lines feeding into the city. It was the third such station to occupy the area. The station sits on the former Boston and...
is a short walk from the Springfield bus depot.
Major domestic and limited international service is available 40 miles to the south at
Bradley International AirportBradley International Airport is a public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
(BDL) in
Windsor Locks, ConnecticutWindsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,043 at the 2000 census.Situated on the Connecticut River, the town is named after a set of canal locks...
.
The only active train line through Northampton is operated by a Class 2 railroad regional railway,
Pan Am RailwaysPan Am Railways , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates a Class II regional railroad covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
(formerly known as Guilford Rail System). The Amtrak
Montrealer was the last passenger train to run through Northampton.
Northampton Airport, identified by the airport code 7B2, offers a 3365X50 foot runway and is within a mile-and-a-half walk from downtown.
Media
The
Daily Hampshire Gazette is based in Northampton, covering Hampshire and Franklin counties. Northampton is the
city of licenseA city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.- History :...
for three commercial radio stations:
WLZXWLZX is a Saga Communications rock radio station in East Longmeadow, Ma, broadcasting at 99.3 FM. Its heyday was in the 1990s, where it was the Pioneer Valley's outlet for alternative rock and college rock...
,
WEIBWEIB is a radio station broadcasting a New AC /Smooth Jazz format. Licensed to Northampton, Massachusetts, USA, the station serves the Springfield MA area. The station is currently owned by Cutting Edge Broadcasting, Inc.....
and
WHMPWHMP is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Northampton, Massachusetts, it serves the Pioneer Valley. It is currently owned by Saga Communications, and is repeated on WHNP in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts and WHMQ in Greenfield, Massachusetts.WHNP and WHMQ previously...
. Northampton is also home to WXOJ-LP, a low power
community radioCommunity radio is a type of radio service that caters to the interests of a certain area, broadcasting content that is popular to a local audience but which may often be overlooked by commercial or mass-media broadcasters....
station owned and operated by
Valley Free Radio. The station was built by more than 400 volunteers from Northampton and around the country in August 2005 at the eighth
Prometheus Radio ProjectThe Prometheus Radio Project is a non-profit advocacy and community organizing group committed to building an inclusive and representative media landscape in the United States and around the world. Their primary focus has been to create a large community of low power community radio stations and...
barnraising, in conjunction with the tenth annual
Grassroots Radio CoalitionThe Grassroots Radio Coalition is a coalition of community media activists.The GRC has a mailing list and holds a conference every year, but has so far not incorporated. There are no dues, no hierarchy and no bylaws...
conference. WXOJ broadcasts music, news, and public affairs to listeners at 103.3FM. Northampton is also the birthplace of
The Rainbow Times, the only lesbian-owned LGBT newspaper (found in 2006), which also serves north central CT & Southern VT. According to the U.S. Census 2000, Northampton is the second gayest zip code in Massachusetts. In addition, Northampton is home to Northampton Community Television, which has existed in numerous forms since the mid-1980's, but which experienced a radical change in 2006 when it became an independently run nonprofit community media center. After a new public unveiling in November 2007, NCTV grew to over 200 active members in less than 18 months and had already attracted statewide and national attention in the community media landscape.
Points of interest
- First Churches , located on Main Street, was the home church of Jonathan Edwards, 18th century theologian, philosopher and leader of the First Great Awakening
The First Great Awakening was a period of heightened religious activity, primarily in the United Kingdom and its North American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s.-History:...
.
- Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
is a women's collegeWomen's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women...
(one of the Seven SistersThe Seven Sisters are seven liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern United States that are historically women's colleges. They are Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mount Holyoke College, Radcliffe College, Smith College, Vassar College, and Wellesley College. All were founded between 1837 and...
) founded in 1871. It is also one of the Five CollegesThe Five Colleges comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, belonging to a consortium called Five Colleges, Incorporated, which was established in 1965...
.
- Clarke School For The Deaf
Clarke School for the Deaf is a private school located in Northampton, Massachusetts that specializes in educating deaf children using the oral method and suggests to its students to refrain from using sign language while on campus. However, it respects the decisions of the student to use sign...
specializes in oral education (speech and lip-reading, as opposed to signingAmerican Sign Language is the dominant sign language of the Deaf community in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
), and holds an annual summer camp, the theme varying from summer to summer. Clarke is also the oldest oral school for the deaf in the country, being established in 1867 on Round Hill Road overlooking the Connecticut River Valley.
- The Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
and The OxbowThe Oxbow is an extension of the Connecticut River, located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is famous for its appearance in the 1836 painting The Oxbow by Thomas Cole. Historically, the Oxbow was connected directly to the Connecticut river as a large U-Shaped bend...
, are popular areas for boaters in the valley.
- Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area, Rainbow Beach, Roberts Hill Conservation Area, Mineral Hills Conservation Area, and Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area provide a portion of the protected open space that covers 15% of the City.
- Look Park
Look Memorial Park, commonly referred to as Look Park, is a park in Florence, Massachusetts in Hampshire Country. The park is open year round.-History:...
is a 150+ acre recreational parkA park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment. It may consist of, rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas....
founded in 1930. Although Frank Newhall Look, who left the property to the city in his will, requested that the park would always have free admission for the public, the current annual membership fee is $25. Blanket picnicking is not permitted, although picnic tables may be rented for an additional fee.
- Northampton is becoming a rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
hub. Currently, the Norwottuck Rail TrailThe Norwottuck Rail Trail is a combination bicycle/pedestrian paved right-of-way running from Northampton, Massachusetts, through Hadley and Amherst, to Belchertown, Massachusetts. It opened in 1992. No motor vehicles or horses are allowed.- Use :...
extends ten miles from Northampton to AmherstAmherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2000 census, the population was 34,874. The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, three of the Five Colleges...
and BelchertownBelchertown is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,968 at the 2000 census...
, the 2.5 mile Northampton Bike Path extends from downtown Northampton to FlorenceFlorence is a village in the northwestern portion of the city of Northampton, near Westhampton and Williamsburg in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.In 1832, Samuel Whitmarsh planted of mulberry trees in Florence in order to raise silkworms...
, and the Manhan Rail TrailThe Manhan Rail Trail is a rails-to-trails paved recreational trail and non-motorized commuter route located in the lower Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts in the town of Easthampton. The long trail, completed in 2003, is part of a larger rails-to-trails project that would extend from New...
Spur extends 0.5 miles from Route 66 to Florence Road. Four other rail trail extensions are under construction, in the bidding process, or planned for the short term.
- The Botanic Garden of Smith College
The Botanic Garden of Smith College is located on the campus of Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA. It consists of a fine selection of woody trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and an excellent collection of warm-weather plants in a set of historic conservatories...
is a diverse outdoor collection of trees, shrubs, and plants, as well as a fine collection of plant conservatories for the tropics, semi-tropics, and desert regions. It also includes an indoor greenhouseA greenhouse is a building where plants are cultivated.A greenhouse is a structure with a glass or plastic roof and frequently glass or plastic walls; it heats up because incoming solar radiation from the sun warms plants, soil, and other things inside the building faster than heat can escape the...
.
- The Three County Fair claims to be the "longest consecutive running agricultural fair
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
in the country", having been established and incorporated in 1818.
- Due to its relative proximity to Boston and its strong arts community, many musicians perform in Northampton at local venues such as the Calvin theater, the Iron Horse Music Hall, and the Pearl Street Nightclub.
- The Northampton Independent Film Festival (NIFF) is held each fall. Founded as the Northampton Film Festival in 1995 by Howard Polonsky and Dee DeGeiso, it has continued to grow under a variety of directors. It is one of the largest in New England.
- The Academy of Music, built in 1890 by Edward H.R. Lyman, is the only municipally owned theatre
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be given...
in the nation, and was the first to be so owned; it is also one of the six oldest theatres, nationally. Boris KarloffBoris Karloff was a British actor who emigrated to Canada in the 1910s. He is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 film Frankenstein, 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein, and 1939 film Son of Frankenstein...
and Harry HoudiniHarry Houdini was a Hungarian American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer...
(who installed a trap door in the stage) performed here. The Academy is still in operation today.
- Forbes Library The built in 1894 is the public library
A public library is a library which is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and may be operated by civil servants...
for Northampton. The second floor houses the unofficial Calvin CoolidgeJohn Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the...
presidential library.
- Mirage Studios
Mirage Studios is an independent American comic book company founded in 1983 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, based in Northampton, Massachusetts and best known for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series.-History:...
, the Creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four mutant turtles, who were trained by a giant, talking rat sensei, Master Splinter, in the art of Ninjitsu...
Franchise. In the TMNT series, the turtles and Casey JonesArnold "Casey" Jones is a character from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Like the turtles, Casey Jones is a self-appointed vigilante. Created as a parody of vigilante characters that were in comics. Casey wears a hockey mask and cut-off biking gloves and carries his weapons in a golf bag...
visit Casey Jones' grandmother's farmA farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibers and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single individual, family, community, corporation...
in Northampton, Massachusetts.
- Northampton Community Music Center Each May, students from the (NCMC) fill the streets with music.
- LGBT Pride On the first Saturday of May, Northampton marks the annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride March & Rallywith a colorful parade down Main St. (Route 9), ending with an all-day family-friendly festival at a designated location in town.
- Thornes Marketplace in downtown Northampton contains shops, restaurants, a gallery and a performing space where local dance and theater performances occur regularly.
- On a small hill overlooking the city, right by the site of the Northampton State Hospital, sits a simple stone monument marking the spot of the hangings of Daley and Halligan, two Irishmen wrongfully accused of murder in the early 1800s.
- Sylvester's Restaurant - Located at 111 Pleasant Street. Sylvester's is located in the former home of Sylvester Graham, inventor of the Graham Cracker. Sylvester's claimed top honors for breakfast in the Valley Advocate's "Best Of" reader's poll and since then, Sylvester's has consistently ranked among the top 3 contenders for assorted restaurant categories.
Paradise Pond trail
Notable residents
- Lexie Barnes, handbag designer, author, and director of Twist, a contemporary craft and art fair.
- Jesse Barrett-Mills
Jesse Barrett-Mills is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer.-Biography:Jesse Barrett-Mills was born in Salem, Massachusetts. He was raised in Amherst, Massachusetts and received his high school degree from Northfield Mount Hermon School, where he began to experiment in filmmaking...
, Independent Filmmaker
- Jeanne Birdsall
Jeanne Birdsall is an American author awarded with the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2005 for her debut novel The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. She was raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and, while she decided to...
, children's author, best known for her debut novel, The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting BoyThe Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy is the long title of Jeanne Birdsall's debut fictional children's novel awarded with the 2005 National Book Award. The Penderwicks are made up of a father and four sisters, Batty, Jane, Skye and Rosalind all of...
- Jonah Burke, creator, fundraising website The Darfur Wall
The Darfur Wall is a non-profit web site that raises awareness of the Darfur conflict and supports Darfur-relief organizations. It displays a list of numbers from 1 to 400,000, each representing one person killed in Darfur...
- Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Xon Burroughs is an American writer known for his New York Times bestselling memoir Running with Scissors , which spawned a film of the same name.- Life :...
, author, his bestseller Running with Scissors describes his strange childhood in Northampton
- William Cullen Bryant
William Cullen Bryant was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post.-Youth and education:...
, 19c author and newspaper editor
- Eric Carle
Eric Carle is a children's book author and illustrator who is most famous for his book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which has been translated into over 47 languages...
, children's book author and illustrator
- Lydia Maria Child, authoress of the Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day, or Thanksgiving, presently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863. It did not become a federal holiday until 1941...
poem "Over the River and Through the Woods"
- Chris Collingwood
Chris Collingwood, born in 1968 in Pennsylvania, is a founding member of the power pop band Fountains of Wayne. His roles in the group include lead vocal, guitar, and keyboard. Chris also writes songs for the band...
, lead singer of the band Fountains of WayneFountains of Wayne are an American power pop band formed in 1996 and known for such singles as "Radiation Vibe", "Too Cool For School" and their international hit "Stacy's Mom".-Early years:...
- Carol T. Christ
Carol Tecla Christ is the president of Smith College. Smith College, located in Northampton, Massachusetts, is a liberal arts college and one of the Seven Sisters colleges....
, notably joked-about PresidentPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Smith CollegeSmith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
and Victorian Literature Scholar
- Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the...
; served as mayor of Northampton before becoming governorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
and U.S. president
- Galaxy Craze
Galaxy Craze is an actress. She moved to the United States with her mother in 1980. She appeared in a few independent films in the 1990s.She is a 1993 graduate of Barnard College....
, actress and author known for bestselling novel By the Shore.
- DJ Willegal, Hip-Hop Producer
- Kevin Eastman
Kevin Brooks Eastman is an American comic book artist, best known as the creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Eastman is also the current owner, editor and publisher of the magazine Heavy Metal.-Biography:Kevin Eastman was born on May 30, 1962 in Springvale, Maine...
and Peter LairdPeter Alan Laird is an American comic book artist. He is best known for co-creating Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the fall of 1983 with Kevin Eastman.-Early life and career:...
published Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four mutant turtles, who were trained by a giant, talking rat sensei, Master Splinter, in the art of Ninjitsu...
comics from their Northampton studio
- Jonathan Edwards, 18c Congregational theologian, philosopher, leader of First Great Awakening
The First Great Awakening was a period of heightened religious activity, primarily in the United Kingdom and its North American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s.-History:...
and local pastor
- Anthony Giardina
Anthony Giardina is an American novelist, short story writer, essayist and playwright.-Career:Giardina's plays have been produced in New Haven, New York City, and Washington, D.C. He is a regular contributor to publications such as The New York Times Magazine, GQ, Esquire, and Harper's...
, author
- Herbert Gintis
Herbert Gintis is an American behavioral scientist, educator, and author. He is notable for his foundational views on Altruism, Cooperation, Epistemic Game Theory, Gene-culture Coevolution, Efficiency wages, Strong Reciprocity, and Human capital theory. Gintis has also written extensively on...
, economist
- Sylvester Graham
The Reverend Sylvester Graham was an American dietary reformer. He was born in Suffield, Connecticut, and was ordained in 1826 as a Presbyterian minister. He entered Amherst College in 1823 but did not graduate...
, Vegetarian advocate and namesake of the Graham CrackerThe graham cracker was developed in 1829 in Bound Brook, New Jersey, by Presbyterian minister Rev. Sylvester Graham. Though called a cracker, it is sweet rather than salty and so bears some resemblance to a biscuit - digestive biscuits are the closest approximation...
- Jonathan Harr
Jonathan Harr is an American writer, best known for A Civil Action.Harr was born in Beloit, Wisconsin. He lives and works in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he has taught nonfiction writing at Smith College. He is a former staff writer at New England Monthly and has written for The New Yorker...
, author of the A Civil ActionA Civil Action is a 1998 film starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall, based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. Both the book and the film are based on a true story that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s.The case involved is Anne Anderson, et al., v. Cryovac, Inc., et...
- D. Dennis Hudson, emeritus professor and internationally known scholar of Indian religion
- Jonathan Hunt (Vermont Lieutenant Governor)
Jonathan Hunt was born in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1738, the son of Capt. Samuel Strong Hunt of Northampton and Ann Ellsworth of Windsor, Ct., and the great-great-grandson of Jonathan Hunt and his wife Mary Webster, daughter of Governor John Webster of the Connecticut Colony...
(1738–1808), early Vermont pioneer, landowner, officeholder, born Northampton
- Jeph Jacques
Jeph Jacques writes and illustrates the webcomics Questionable Content and "indietits". He was born in Rockville, Maryland, graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in music, and lives in Easthampton, Massachusetts with his wife Cristi.-Questionable Content:Questionable Content is a...
, creator of webcomic Questionable ContentQuestionable Content is a slice-of-life webcomic written and drawn by Jeph Jacques. It was launched on August 1, 2003; the 1500th strip was posted on September 25, 2009. Jacques currently makes his living exclusively from QC merchandising and advertising, making QC one of the few self-sufficient...
- Tracy Kidder
John Tracy Kidder is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer of the 1981 nonfiction narrative, The Soul of a New Machine, about the creation of a new computer at Data General Corporation....
, author
- Michael Klare
Michael T. Klare is a Five Colleges professor of Peace and World Security Studies, whose department is located at Hampshire College, defense correspondent of The Nation magazine, and author of Resource Wars and Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America's Growing Petroleum Dependency...
, author, professor and defense correspondent for The NationThe Nation is a weekly United States periodical devoted to politics and culture, self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865 at the start of Reconstruction as a supporter of the victorious North in the American Civil War, it is the oldest continuously published weekly...
- Megan E. LaBonte - local artist.
- Elinor Lipman
Elinor Lipman is the author of eight novels about contemporary American society and a collection of short stories. Born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Lipman graduated from Simmons College where she studied journalism. She lives in western Massachusetts and Manhattan, and received the New...
, author
- Rachel Maddow
Rachel Anne Maddow is an American radio personality, television host, and political commentator. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, airs on Air America Radio. Maddow also hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. She was also a guest host of...
, radio personality, MSNBC television host, and liberal political commentator
- Charles McCarry
Charles McCarry is an American writer primarily of spy fiction.-Life:McCarry served in the United States Army, where he was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, has been a small-town newspaperman, and was a speechwriter in the Eisenhower administration. From 1958 to 1967 he worked for the CIA,...
, author
- José Molina
José Molina is the name of:*José Francisco Molina, Spanish football goalkeeper* José Molina from Puerto Rico* José Molina of the TV series Dark Angel, Firefly, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit...
, member, USA national Indoor field hockeyIndoor field hockey is an indoor variant of "traditional" outdoor field hockey. It is not to be confused with other indoor hockey variants such as rink hockey or floorball....
team
- William Monahan
William J. Monahan is an Academy Award-winning American screenwriter and novelist. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he studied Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, Monahan moved to New York City to pursue a career as a journalist, writer and critic. He wrote for...
, novelist and screenwriter
- Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running Ecstatic Peace! records.-Early years:Moore was born in Coral Gables, Florida, but was...
and Kim GordonKim Althea Gordon is an American musician, vocalist, and artist. She sings, plays bass and guitar in the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
of the band Sonic YouthSonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley ....
- Lesléa Newman
Lesléa Newman is an American author and editor. She is Jewish, a feminist and openly lesbian.She has written and edited 57 books and anthologies. She has written about such topics as being a Jew, body image and eating disorders, lesbianism, gay parenting, and her gender role as a femme. Her...
, author of Heather Has Two MommiesHeather Has Two Mommies is a children's book written by Lesléa Newman with Diana Souza's illustrations, first published in 1989. It is about a child, Heather, raised by lesbian women: her biological mother, Jane, who gave birth to her after artificial insemination, and her biological mother's...
.
- Alix Olson
Alix Olson is an American poet who works exclusively in spoken word. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 1997 and uses her work to address issues of capitalism, sexism, homophobia, heterosexism, transphobia, misogyny, and patriarchy...
, spoken word poet and owner of Subtle Sisters Productions
- Dr. Kyle Pruett
Dr. Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is a author of books and columns on parenting, and is a professor of Child Psychiatry at Yale University. This researcher and practicing psychiatrist was the host of the TV series Your Child Six to Twelve with Dr. Kyle Pruett. He has contributed to Good Housekeeping, Child,...
author and child psychiatry expert
- Jeffrey Rowland, creator of the webcomics Wigu
Wigu is a webcomic created by Jeffrey Rowland. It was publicly launched on January 7, 2002. Wigu is the successor to Rowland's earlier web comic When I Grow Up and derives its name from the earlier strip's initials. Wigu has been nominated for the 2004 Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards categories...
and Overcompensating
- Talisa Soto
-Early life:Soto was born Miriam Soto in Brooklyn, New York, where her parents moved to from Puerto Rico in the 1950s. Her parents relocated to Northampton, Massachusetts when she was still just a child. Soto's family was one of the few Puerto Rican families that resided in her neighborhood...
, actress
- Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth was the self-given name, from 1843, of Isabella Baumfree, an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York...
, African American abolitionist and orator
- Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was an American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction including Slaughterhouse-Five , Cat's Cradle , and Breakfast of Champions...
, author
- Dar Williams
Dar Williams is an American singer-songwriter specializing in pop folk.She is a frequent performer at folk festivals and has toured with such artists as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Griffin, Ani DiFranco, The Nields, Shawn Colvin, Girlyman, Joan Baez, and Catie Curtis.-Biography:Williams was born...
, popular musician.
- Mo Willems
Mo Willems is an American writer, animator, and children's books author/illustrator. -Early life:Willems was raised in New Orleans and attended the Isidore Newman School. He graduated from New York University's Tisch School for the Arts...
, popular children's book author
Cultural references
- Northampton, Massachusetts is the birthplace of the eponymous protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, video game, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy...
in Henry JamesHenry James, O.M. was an American author who expatriated to England, and who acquired British nationality near the end of his life. One of the key figures of 19th century literary realism, James was born in the United States, the son of theologian Henry James, Sr., and brother of the philosopher...
's 1875 novel Roderick HudsonRoderick Hudson is a novel by Henry James. Originally published in 1875 as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly, it is a bildungsroman that traces the development of the title character, a sculptor.-Plot summary:...
.
- Segments of the 1966 film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a 1966 American drama film directed by Mike Nichols. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is an adaptation of the play of the same title by Edward Albee...
were filmed in and around Northampton during the fall of 1965 . When not filming, Elizabeth TaylorDame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE , also known as Liz Taylor, is an English-born British-American actress. Known for her acting skills and beauty, as well as her Hollywood lifestyle, including many marriages...
and Richard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award and was at one time the highest-paid actor in Hollywood...
frequented Northampton's Academy of Music, where they sat in the balcony to watch movies.
- Other films filmed in Northampton include the Academy-Award
The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is...
-winning The Cider House RulesThe Cider House Rules is a 1999 drama film, directed by Lasse Hallström, based on The Cider House Rules, a 1985 novel by John Irving. The film won two Academy Awards. John Irving documented his involvement in bringing the novel to the screen in his book My Movie Business'.-Plot:Homer Wells, an...
, MaliceMalice is a 1993 American thriller film directed by Harold Becker. The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and Scott Frank is based on a story by Jonas McCord.-Plot:...
with Nicole KidmanNicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, fashion model, singer and humanitarian. In 2006, Kidman was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's highest civilian honour. In 2006, she was also the highest-paid actress in the motion picture industry.Kidman's...
and Alec BaldwinAlexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in films such as Beetlejuice and The Hunt for Red October, in addition to the Martin Scorsese films The Aviator and The Departed.He was nominated for the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild...
, In DreamsIn Dreams is a psychological thriller directed by Neil Jordan, released in 1999. The film has a running time of 1 hour and 40 minutes.In Dreams has the distinction of being the last film Robert Downey, Jr...
with Annette BeningAnnette Francine Bening is an American actress.-Early life:Bening was born in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Shirley, a church singer and soloist, and Grant Bening, a sales training consultant and insurance salesman. Her parents, natives of Iowa, were practicing Episcopalians and conservative...
and Robert Downey Jr.Robert John Downey, Jr. is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Downey made his screen debut at the age of five when he appeared in one of his father's films, and has worked consistently in film and television ever since. During the 1980s, he had roles in a series of coming of age films...
, and SylviaSylvia is a 2003 British motion picture that tells a biographical story of the romance between Sylvia Plath, a prominent American poet and her husband Ted Hughes, an English poet...
with Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress.The daughter of Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, Paltrow dropped out of her university to follow an acting career. She began her career in theatre in 1990, and made her film debut the following year...
.
- Edge of Darkness was filmed in October, 2008 in Northampton and the surrounding area.
- It is also known as the birthplace of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four mutant turtles, who were trained by a giant, talking rat sensei, Master Splinter, in the art of Ninjitsu...
. The concept was created and developed here by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
- Author Tracy Kidder
John Tracy Kidder is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer of the 1981 nonfiction narrative, The Soul of a New Machine, about the creation of a new computer at Data General Corporation....
documented the many layers of Northampton society at the end of the 20th century in his nonfiction book Home Town.
- Webcomics Questionable Content
Questionable Content is a slice-of-life webcomic written and drawn by Jeph Jacques. It was launched on August 1, 2003; the 1500th strip was posted on September 25, 2009. Jacques currently makes his living exclusively from QC merchandising and advertising, making QC one of the few self-sufficient...
and Minimalist Stick Figure Theatreis a quasi-autobiographical webcomic written and illustrated by a programmer who uses the pseudonym Thanatos Omega. The strip follows the metaphysical and mundane occurrences in the lives of generally nameless characters. Begun as a supplement to the author's blog, the comic initially parodied the...
take place primarily in Northampton.
- Artist Jeffrey Rowlands makes his home in Northampton and is primarily famous for his Overcompensating Comic.
External links