| Ludlow, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
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| Coordinates: 42°9′36″N 72°28′35″W / 42.16°N 72.47639°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampden |
| Settled | 1751 |
| Incorporated | 1774 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Representative town meeting |
| Area | |
| - Total | 28.2 sq mi (73.1 km2) |
| - Land | 27.2 sq mi (70.3 km2) |
| - Water | 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2) |
| Elevation | 550 ft (168 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 21,209 |
| - Density | 752.1/sq mi (290.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 01056 |
| Area code(s) | 413 |
| FIPS code | 25-37175 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618187 |
| Website | http://www.ludlow.ma.us/ |
- For other places with the same name, see Ludlow (disambiguation).
Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,209 at the 2000 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, southwest of Belchertown, and is considered part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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History
Ludlow Company (whose clock tower is depicted on the town seal), formed in 1868, helped shape the town by providing housing, a library, schools, playgrounds, and even a clubhouse for the increasingly diverse community. Ludlow was home to many sawmills and gristmills, utilizing the power from several sources of water nearby, including the Chicopee River, Broad Brook, Higher Brook, and Stony Brook. The town is most noted, however, for its factory mills and production of jute yarns, twine, and webbing. Less well known was the glass-making business that was prevalent in the early 1800s. John Sikes manufactured glass bottles and other glassware and the Ludlow.
The late John F. Thompson, represented Ludlow in the Mass. General court, where he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, known as the "Iron Duke", he wielded much influence in state and local politics, during the late 50's and early 60's.
Ludlow High graduate Maura West of "As The World Turns" won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in 2007. Dean Lombardi, a 1976 graduate of Ludlow High and star hockey player for the high school and Springfield Olympics, is the current president and general manager of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Tom Matera, a 1994 graduate of Ludlow High School, went on to become World Wrestling Entertainment Superstar Antonio.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.2 square miles (73.1 km²), of which,
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 21,209 people residing in the city. The population density was 752.1 people per square mile (290.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.78% White, 2.19% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, and 1.09% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.47% of the population.
Culture
Ludlow is home to a very large Portuguese-American population. The Portuguese church Our Lady of Fatima puts on an annual carnival, which is one of the most significant cultural events for Portuguese-Americans in the country. Ludlow is also home to many Polish and French Canadians. Soccer is an extremely popular sport in Ludlow. The city's high school soccer team is the most dominant in Western Mass and has recently been ranked 17th nationally by the NSCAA and has won many state championships as well, including the most recent one in 2008. The city is also home to the amateur Gremio Lusitano, and the Western Mass Pioneers and Western Mass Lady Pioneers professional soccer teams. The Pioneers play in the USL Second Division while the Lady Pioneers compete in the USL W-League. Both teams play their home games at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow. In 1996, the National Soccer Hall of Fame added Ludlow to its soccer history display.[2]
References
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Ludlow lands spot in Soccer Hall of Fame Union-News (Springfield, MA) - Wednesday, May 22, 1996
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