At a Glance
Area
8,257 square miles
Area Codes
413, 508, 617, 781, 978
Capital City
Boston
Climate
Massachusetts experiences a varying climate throughout the seasons, with the coastal areas slightly cooler than inland. Average seasonal temperatures range from 70-90°F in the summer to 50-70°F in the fall. Winter temperatures are cooler, usually staying around the freezing mark or lower. The average annual rainfall is between 40 and 50 inches.
Famous People
Massachusetts is the birthplace of many well-recognized names in the worlds of sports, science, politics, the arts and general celebrity. Among the long list are…
• Louisa May Alcott, author, Boston
• Emily Dickinson, poet, Amherst
• Theodore Geisel “Dr. Seuss”, author, Springfield
• Norman Rockwell, painter, Sturbridge
• Paul Revere, patriot, Boston
• Edgar Allan Poe, poet, Boston
• Alexander Graham Bell, inventor, Salem
• John Adams, 2nd U.S. President, Quincy
• John Quincy Adams, 6th U.S. President, Braintree
• John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S President, Brookline
• George H. W. Bush, president, Milton
• Barbara Walters, journalist, Boston
• Ben Afflect, actor, Cambridge
• Matt Damon, actor, Cambridge
• Jack Lemmon, actor, Boston
• Jay Leno, television personality, Andover
• Rocky Marciano, boxer, Brockton
• Louisa May Alcott, author, Boston
• Emily Dickinson, poet, Amherst
• Theodore Geisel “Dr. Seuss”, author, Springfield
• Norman Rockwell, painter, Sturbridge
• Paul Revere, patriot, Boston
• Edgar Allan Poe, poet, Boston
• Alexander Graham Bell, inventor, Salem
• John Adams, 2nd U.S. President, Quincy
• John Quincy Adams, 6th U.S. President, Braintree
• John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S President, Brookline
• George H. W. Bush, president, Milton
• Barbara Walters, journalist, Boston
• Ben Afflect, actor, Cambridge
• Matt Damon, actor, Cambridge
• Jack Lemmon, actor, Boston
• Jay Leno, television personality, Andover
• Rocky Marciano, boxer, Brockton
Historical Dates
1620 – Arrival of Pilgrims on the Mayflower
1639 – Royal charter granted to the Massachusetts Bay Company
1775 – Revolutionary War begins at Lexington & Concord with “the shot heard round the world”
1788 – Sixth state to adopt the U.S. Constitution
1639 – Royal charter granted to the Massachusetts Bay Company
1775 – Revolutionary War begins at Lexington & Concord with “the shot heard round the world”
1788 – Sixth state to adopt the U.S. Constitution
Major Industries
Early industrial economy included woolen goods, cotton textiles, boot & shoe industry, leather and tanning, and machinery. Today’s industries, however, include biotechnology and biomedicine, farming, paper printing and publishing, marine sciences, polymer technology and, of course, tourism.
Massachusetts Fast Facts
• The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621.
• Harvard was the first American university, founded in Newtowne (now Cambridge) in 1636.
• The first American lighthouse was built in Boston Harbor in 1716.
• The first battle of the Revolution was fought in Lexington and Concord in 1775.
• Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber in Woburn in 1839.
• Elias Howe invented the sewing machine in Boston in 1845.
• Louis Prang printed the first American Christmas card in Boston in 1875.
• Basketball was invented in Springfield and played for the first time there in 1891.
• Volleyball was invented in Holyoke and played for the first time there in 1895.
• Boston was home to the first subway system in America, opened in 1898.
• Harvard was the first American university, founded in Newtowne (now Cambridge) in 1636.
• The first American lighthouse was built in Boston Harbor in 1716.
• The first battle of the Revolution was fought in Lexington and Concord in 1775.
• Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber in Woburn in 1839.
• Elias Howe invented the sewing machine in Boston in 1845.
• Louis Prang printed the first American Christmas card in Boston in 1875.
• Basketball was invented in Springfield and played for the first time there in 1891.
• Volleyball was invented in Holyoke and played for the first time there in 1895.
• Boston was home to the first subway system in America, opened in 1898.
Official State Name
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Population
Approximately 6.5 million
Professional Spectator Sports
Boston Bruins
Tel: 617-624-BEAR
www.bostonbruins.com
Boston Celtics
Tel: 617-523-3030
www.celtics.com
New England Patriots
Tel: 1-800-543-1776
www.patriots.com
Boston Red Sox
Tel: 617-482-4SOX
www.redsox.com
State Parks
107
Tax Information
Massachusetts levies a statewide sales tax of 6.25%. Gasoline is taxed at 23.5 cents/gallon
Towns
Massachusetts is made up of 50 cities and 302 towns.
