HOLYOKE, hol'yOlc, Mass., city in Hamp den County, on the Connecticut River and the New York, New Haven and Hartford, and the Boston and Maine railroads, about 75 miles southwest of Boston and eight miles north of Springfield. Holyoke was settled in the last part of the 17th century by people from Ireland, and for some time it was called Ireland Parish. It was incorporated as a part of West Spring field in 1786,• but in 1850 it became a distinct town, with its own government, and it was chartered as a city in 1873. Like the other settlements along the shore of the Connecticut. the inhabitants saw the advantages to be de rived from the water power. At first only the small streams flowing into the Connecticut were dammed and used for turning machinery; the main stream itself was the great route whereby trade intercourse was established with settlements along its shores. In 1847 the Had ley Falls Company began to devise ways and means of using the water power of the Con necticut River, which at Holyoke had a fall of about 60 feet. In a few years the dam, 1,000 feet in length, was 'placed across the river, and the water power thus obtained gave Holyoke great opportunities for the establishment of manufacturing industries, and they have been well utilised. For some years it was noted for the number and magnitude of its paper-mills; but other industries now enrich the city. Its chief manufactures are paper, paper-products, thread, cotton and woolen goods, knit goods, alpana, silk, automobiles, machinery, bicycles, wire, belting, screws, bricks, furniture and school supplies. Some of the public institutions
are the College of Music, public library, House of Provine Hospital, City Hospital, two or phanages located outside the city limits, Saint -Vincent's for girls and Holy Family for boys. -A large percentage of the people are of foreign birth or foreign descent. The law which de clares: *No minor who cannot read and write the English language can be employed in any factory or commercial enterprise is rigidly enforced. Evening schools are provided for those who cannot attend school in the day time. The Holyoke Scientific Society has done special and excellent work in American archaeology. It owns a valuable Collection of Indian relics. Some of the places of interest near the city, and which may be reached by the electric rail way, are Mount Holyoke (q.v.), Mount Tom (q.v.) and Springfield. In 1896 the city char ter was revised, and the government is now vested in a mayor, who is elected annually, and a city council. The annual income of the city reaches over $3,000,000 and its expenditures are proportionate. The water system, gas and elec tric-light plants are owned and operated by the city. Pop. 62,852.