Northampton, city, Hampshire County, western Massachusetts, on the Connecticut River; incorporated as a city 1883. It is a residential, retail, and educational center. Manufactures include brooms and brushes, optical instruments, photographic equipment, cutlery, soft drinks, caskets, and printed materials. Two hospitals located here are major employers. It is the site of Smith College (1871), the Clarke School for the Deaf, and a number of historic homes. Settled in 1654 and named for Northampton, England, it remained mainly a farming center until the mid-1800s, when manufacturing became important. Calvin Coolidge lived in the city and was mayor (1910-11) before becoming U.S. president. Population 29,286 (1980); 29,289 (1990); 28,978 (2000).
