Sixteen Acres is a neighborhood in
Springfield, Massachusetts. Much of the neighborhood was constructed after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and is
suburban in character.
Unlike what its name might suggest, the neighborhood covers 4,506 acres.
Neighborhood
Sixteen Acres includes
Western New England University
Western New England University is a private university in Springfield, Massachusetts. Academic programs are provided through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Engineering, School of Law, and College of Pharmacy an ...
,
the
SABIS International High School,
Pioneer Valley Christian Academy, and the 18-hole, Veterans Memorial
Golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
Course.
Besides streets of newer ranches, colonials, split-levels, and
capes, the neighborhood has large
condominium complexes on Nassau Drive.
Sixteen Acres also features the Greenleaf Park, Greenleaf community center,
a branch library,
and two private beach clubs (Bass Pond and the Paddle Club). Commercial clusters on Wilbraham Road and Allen Street provide shopping.
Sixteen Acres residents have a quick drive to East Longmeadow's employers, such as
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of K ...
and
American Saw, as well as a short drive up Parker Street to the
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike (colloquially "Mass Pike" or "the Pike") is a toll highway in the US state of Massachusetts that is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The turnpike begins at the New York state li ...
.
History
In the early 1900s Theodore Granger (after whom Granger Street is named) bought a parcel of land which was 16 acres in size in pursuit of his dream to become a farmer.
His skills at farming were less than his skills as a carpenter and the farm did not thrive but parcels of land were given to family members and also sold.
The residents of the area were largely isolated from the rest of Springfield, as no public transportation served the area.
The area remained largely rural until after World War ll.
External links
Sixteen Acres Civic Association Website
References
{{Coord, 42, 6, 56.0, N, 72, 31, 11.0, W, display=title
Neighborhoods in Springfield, Massachusetts