What happened to Springfield? (Boston, Worcester: 2015, low crime, home)

[Calvin72]

This seems like a subject nobody wants to bring up. It's just not something that I've ever heard come up in the media (national or local).

When I passed through Springfield when I was taking a Peter Pan Bus out to Northampton (I'm in college), it was a bit of an alarming/eye-opening experience. It was really shocking how depressing things looked there: Graffiti, Litter, Derelict Buildings, Blight, no signs of industry/offices, people with tattoos etc.

So I was wondering if any people could share their general understanding of how things turned out the way they did? Were there any turning points, or was it basically just a slow decline/decay.

It's also interesting to compare Springfield with other mid-sized cities in New England: Pittsfield, Worcester, Manchester, Bangor, Portland, Providence. Was Springfield the place that fell the hardest?

I appreciate personal experiences, especially from old-timers. ;-)


Source:
2015-16 SAT Performance Report - Springfield (02810000)

[tysmith95]

Originally Posted by Calvin72

.
It's also interesting to compare Springfield with other mid-sized cities in New England: Pittsfield, Worcester, Manchester, Bangor, Portland, Providence. Was Springfield the place that fell the hardest?

Portland maine is next to the ocean, and has a strong tourism industry. Worcester benefits from being closer to Boston, while Springfield is detached. Same with Providence, plus RI has the ocean and some tourism.

Pittsfield and Bangor are more towns than mid-sized cities. With Manchester, NH is probably the best run state in the region. Other than the recent opoid problems, NH has low crime and a fairly strong economy (again, southern NH benefits from Boston)

[scorpio516]

Unrecovered post-industrialization. Those two-ish words tell you everything about Springfield.

[in_newengland]

https://qz.com/991336/the-story-of-u...massachusetts/

The above article will give you an overview.

Also, a recent thread on here before you joined:

Let's Talk about Springfield

I was born in Springfield, started school there, and can remember what a beautiful city it WAS. Downtown with fancy stores, people going to work in Springfield and feeling safe, thriving businesses, etc. What ruined it? Cities in general started to die out around the 1950s when the returning GIs from the war wanted to start families and they had enough money to move to the suburbs.

Then, around the late 1950s, the building of malls ended the prosperity of downtowns. Springfield had a beautiful downtown with high end department stores, the famous Johnson's Bookstore that was much more than just a bookstore--you could spend all day in that place--five and ten cent stores, dress shops. Springfield had everything, including a first rate school system.

During the 1960s, some idiots built route 91 that destroyed part of the gorgeous Forest Park and cut off the city from its waterfront. Attempts were made to revive the city, but they failed. Crime, corruption.

I can remember it as it was but it's too depressing to write about again.

[bostonguy1960]

It's a shame that the Basketball Hall of Fame is located there. Not sure if it's a decent area or if visitors need to see blight when approaching.

Not sure how they've managed to keep their American Hockey League franchise (highest level of minor league professional hockey) whereas Lowell, Portland, Worcester and Manchester have either recently lost their AHL teams or have downgraded to a lower-level league with lower ticket prices).

It's had an AHL team for most years going back many decades; maybe their small but devoted fanbase lives in nearby towns but not the city. Is the arena in a bad area of downtown but they still attend games then quickly flee back home without supporting restaurants and bars?

At least they have Springfield College and American International College (small liberal arts school according to my search), but I guess colleges don't necessarily prevent decay.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

It's a shame that the Basketball Hall of Fame is located there. Not sure if it's a decent area or if visitors need to see blight when approaching.

Not sure how they've managed to keep their American Hockey League franchise (highest level of minor league professional hockey) whereas Lowell, Portland, Worcester and Manchester have either recently lost their AHL teams or have downgraded to a lower-level league with lower ticket prices).

It's had an AHL team for most years going back many decades; maybe their small but devoted fanbase lives in nearby towns but not the city. Is the arena in a bad area of downtown but they still attend games then quickly flee back home without supporting restaurants and bars?

At least they have Springfield College and American International College (small liberal arts school according to my search), but I guess colleges don't necessarily prevent decay.

AIC has been in a dangerous location for as long as I can remember, going back to around the 1960s. I think they still have STCC ("stick") too.

[tovarisch]

They also have Western New England University, great museums, the new casino, a brand-new railraod/bus station, some awesome restaurants, and SOME return of industry. Not out of the woods yet, by any means, but maybe on the way up. Time will tell.

[timberline742]

Tattoos?

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

It's a shame that the Basketball Hall of Fame is located there. Not sure if it's a decent area or if visitors need to see blight when approaching.

y

It's pretty much right along the highway. Take the exit and you at there. Quick escape when you are done.

[western mass and love it]

The Hall of Fame complex, MGM casino complex and the Massmutual center are all within walking distance of each other and in safe area patrolled by police frequently.

Springfield as a whole has a ton of work to make itself right again, but it isn't any where near as awful as In_New England makes it out to be.

And how recent was this bus trip? If it was recently you must've been looking at the wrong city. The landscape of downtown has evolved in just a short year.

I spend quite a bit of time in both Spfld and Worcester and honestly they are not that far apart in the way they represent themselves. The Boston factor for Worcester in my opinion is minimal.