Page 32 - BusinessWest Macrh 6, 2023

HOLYOKE HISTORY TIMELINE >>
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1895
Construction begins on the third, and present, Holyoke Dam.
1895
On Feb. 9, William Morgan, director of Physical Education at the Holyoke YMCA, invents mintonette; at the suggestion of others, the sport is subsequently renamed volleyball.
1899
Albert Steiger builds his new store on High Street. The Steiger’s chain would eventually spread across New England and Western New York.
1899
American Writing Paper Company is formed from 23 paper mills, 13 of them in Holyoke.
1902
The city of Holyoke takes over the gas and electric lighting plants from the Holyoke Water Power Company and establishes Holyoke Gas & Electric.
1902
A new public library opens on Chestnut Street, with Frank Willcox serving as librarian for the next 44 years.
1906
The Olmsted brothers complete Springdale Park, the largest of the city’s public parks.
1912
William Skinner & Sons completes the largest silk mill, under one roof, in the world.
1917
Holyoke’s peak population is reached at 62,210.
1921
American Writing Paper Company declares bankruptcy.
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Holyoke
Jeff Hayden says Holyoke has diversified its business community, strengthening it in the process.
Staff Photo
saw just how much this meant to every- one,” she explained, referring to every- one from parade committee members to those who watch each year along the parade route. “Everyone just has a greater appreciation for how important this is.
“This is the third-oldest parade in the country, and we work very hard to maintain high standards,” she went on. “Anyone from around Holyoke is very proud of it; they brag about it ... it’s a great tradition.”
While the buildup to the St. Pat- rick’s Day Parade continues, so too does planning for the 150th anniver- sary, said the mayor, adding that one of the intriguing tasks — and big challeng- es — ahead is deciding what should go in the time capsule.
Organizers are already thinking about items like one of the Super Bowl programs created by Hazen Paper (see related story on page 48), a Holyoke High School yearbook, T-shirts, a his- tory of the city, and much more. It may take the shape of a volleyball with a large box inside.
The task of deciding what goes in the limited space in the time capsule is made more complicated by the many aspects of the city’s history and the many objects — recent and more than a century old — needed to tell the story. In many ways, it’s a good problem to have.
But getting back to that matter of resiliency, Vega said that trait is at the heart of the 150th celebration. And it is one shared by the community and the people who have lived here over the past few centuries.
“People talk about Boston Strong in the wake of the marathon bombing, but there’s also Holyoke Strong; it’s about resiliency, and it’s about history,” he said. “People have always come to Holyoke who have been migrants and have had nothing — and they built a life here. That’s what we need to keep remembering. This has always been a place where people come, get that grit, and find a path.
“This is what we’re celebrating as the city turns 150,” he went on, add- ing, again, that there is so much to cel- ebrate. BW
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Puerto Rican Cultural District, as well as the city’s rich history and diversity, with the installation of five large-scale outdoor murals.
“When you celebrate culture, people feel more connected to their communi- ty, more connected to their neighbors,” he explained. “And when you have the ability to celebrate art, it’s about bring- ing people into your community, with initiatives like Beyond Walls, the events at Wistariahurst, Gateway City Arts — it’s a celebration of music and arts that invites everyone to come join.”
Beyond the arts, Holyoke is seeing
a surge in new businesses on High Street (see related story on page 33);
a strong wave of cannabis businesses of all kinds, including large cultivation facilities; and an influx of data centers, including the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center. And in many cases, the city’s ability to provide lower-cost, green energy is a big reason why many of those business- es found Holyoke.
“Anyone who is looking for cheap electricity and green energy will knock on our door — we’re the first call they’ll make,” said Jim Lavelle, general manag- er of Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E), which can trace its roots to 1902. “It’s an interesting time, to be sure, and we’re getting a lot of inquiries; people like the story of the low-carbon, cheap electricity.”
Interest is across the board, he said, adding that it comes from data centers and cannabis cultivators (both huge
consumers of electricity), but also from business owners who want to minimize their carbon footprint, he said, adding that HG&E is working with city officials to help make the most of this asset and many others the city can boast.
Another asset is Holyoke Commu- nity College, said Hayden, adding that, historically, significant numbers of city residents have been unable to take full advantage of the employment oppor- tunities in the city because they were qualified for those jobs.
The college has long worked to change that equation through pro- grams that will ready individuals for jobs, be they as nurses, medical assis- tants, chefs, or, most recently, workers in the cannabis industry. HCC also has a strong track record of students transferring students to four-year institutions.
“I like to say that we help people get a job, get a better job, or help them do their job better,” he said.
Traditions Old and New
Getting back to those planned cele- brations ... the 150th will be just one of a growing number of events in Holyoke this year, said the mayor, noting every- thing from the famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade later this month to the Fiestas Patronales, which debuted last August
“When you celebrate culture, people feel more connected to their community,
more connected to their neighbors.”
— a four-day celebration of the city and region’s Puerto Rican culture and heri- tage and billed as the largest Latino event in Western Mass.
These celebrations, old and new, capture the city’s past, present, and future, he said, adding that they reflect the city, its history, and especially its people.
That’s especially true of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which this year will mark its 70th edition, said Karen Casey, president of this year’s event. The 69th parade was three years in the making because of COVID, she said,
a tiring, very frustrating experience on many levels.
What the pandemic years did was make those in Holyoke and beyond — this is, after all, a regional event — appreciate the tradition even more, if that’s possible.
“After having gone through what we all went through a few years ago, you
Did you know?
1899: On June 20, President William McKinley and First Lady Ida Saxton, on a visit to William Whiting, take the Holyoke Street Railway’s Rockrimmon parlor car to Mountain Park, and then the funicular Mount Tom Railroad to the Summit House. Though others would campaign there, to date McKinley remains the only sitting president to formally visit the city.
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