Agawam, Massachusetts
city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States
Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,692 at the 2020 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from Springfield. It is considered part of the Springfield Metropolitan Area, which is contiguous with the Knowledge Corridor area, the second-largest metropolitan area in New England. Agawam contains a subsection, Feeding Hills. The Six Flags New England (formerly known as Riverside Park, one of the largest such parks in the United States) amusement park is located in Agawam, on the banks of the Connecticut River.
Agawam's ZIP code, 01001, is the lowest standard ZIP code in the contiguous United States.
Etymology
The Native American village originally sited on the west bank of the Connecticut River was known as Agawam, or Agawanus, Aggawom, Agawom, Onkowam, Igwam, and Auguam. It is variously speculated to mean "unloading place" and "fishcuring place", perhaps in reference to fish at Agawam Falls being unloaded from canoes for curing on the flats at the mouth of the Westfield River.
Ipswich, Massachusetts, was also known as Agawam during much of the 17th century, after the English name for the Agawam tribe of Massachusetts, who were indigenous inhabitants of the area.
The public source identifies “Agawam, Massachusetts” as city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Agawam, Massachusetts and city.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Agawam, Massachusetts”, the useful work is to connect “city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q577215. VIAF identifies the subject as 315942785. The Library of Congress control number is n2003081710. Authority coordinates are 42.069, -72.615. 4 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2020.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Agawam, Massachusetts”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Agawam, Massachusetts primary sources, Agawam, Massachusetts archive and Agawam research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Agawam, Massachusetts”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Agawam, Massachusetts” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.