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Hampden is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,171 at the 2000 census. Hampden is a delightful and picturesque town at the eastern edge of the Connecticut River Valley. Hills rise up to over 1000' from the valley elevation of 150-250'. The highest peaks are Pine Mt. and Rattlesnake Peak, both at 1070' AMSL. Weather is enjoyable during Spring, Summer and Fall. Winters are variable, sometimes fairly mild, with days in the 30's, and sometimes rather cold. A record cold temperature of -40 degrees fahrenheit was recorded at the Hampden Post Office, and at other points in the village of Hampden, on an early morning in January, 1960. In late July, 2006, the temperature reached 100 degrees on a hot afternoon. These are the known recent extremes of temperature in Hampden. On March 14, 1995, after several snowstorms and little melting, a snow depth of 28" was recorded. However, some winters there is little snow. In the summer there are hot and humid periods, which alternate with warm and dry periods. Hampden has 3 churches, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Federated. The Federated Church is Congregational, or United Church of Christ and United Methodist, combined. Hampden has 2 communities, the center, or the "village", where the town hall, fire dept., police dept., Hampden Hardware, Country Kitchen, Scantic Pub, and other businesses are located, and the "west side", where the Shell gas station, Village Mart market, Monson Savings Bank, Pop's Pizza and other businesses are located. History
Think of other villages and towns with which you are acquainted. Undoubtedly, you will recognize that many beginnings of settlements bordered upon streams or rivers. It was so with Hampden. The first grist and saw mills required the waters of the Scantic to provide them with power. Since their businesses had to be near the river, so also did the owners need to be close to their mills. So many of the earliest homes were built bordering the river or its tributaries. The first settlers were native Americans. The first European settlers who followed the Nipmuck Indians arrived in Hampden about 1741. The first European settlers were the Stebbins and Hitchcock families. The first sawmill was erected on the Scantic in the vicinity of the V.F.W. building. During the first hundred years as South Wilbraham, Hampden was an agricultural town with Wilbraham as the "mother" town. At the time of separation from Wilbraham in 1878, industries were becoming active in Hampden. There is every evidence that Hampden could have well turned into one of the many New England factory or industrial towns. Several factors, however, changed the destiny of the town. The lack of transportation to deliver the materials manufactured is probably the greatest deterrent. When the proposed railroad from Stafford to Springfield failed, quarries and mills were forced to use limited facilities, thereby slowing delivery of goods. Fires leveled some of the mills and, with the lack of marketing, other businesses failed. The advent of automobiles enabled men to find occupations outside of the town. There was then the trend back to agriculture with many orchards developed throughout the area, with the herds of milk-producing cows, and with farmers growing their many crops. At about this time numerous summer type vacation homes were built for Springfield residents who vacationed in Hampden. From these many year-round homes developed. Now the mills and quarries, orchards and cows are about gone and Hampden has become a residential town. Hampden was first settled in 1741 and was officially incorporated in 1878. Research Tips
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