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List of city nicknames in Massachusetts

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This partial list of city nicknames in Massachusetts compiles the aliases, sobriquets, and slogans that cities and towns in Massachusetts are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"[2] are also believed to have economic value.[1] Their economic value is difficult to measure,[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

For navigational purposes, this list is organized by county.

Barnstable County

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Pride flags in Provincetown, Massachusetts

Berkshire County

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Bristol County

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Dukes County

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Essex County

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Franklin County

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Hampden County

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Hampshire County

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Middlesex County

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The Minute Man Statue on the Green in Lexington, Massachusetts commemorates the events that earned the town its sobriquet of The Birthplace of American Liberty.

Norfolk County

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Interior of the Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts

Plymouth County

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Suffolk County

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The Beantown Pub in Boston, Massachusetts (the state capital)
  • Boston
    • Athens of America – Boston Brahmins' reference to the numerous cultural institutions which separated Boston from its counterparts[54][55] Also called the Modern Athens.[6]
    • Beantown or Bean Town and variations 'The Bean', 'DA BEAN', BeanCity, B-town, etc.[55][56][57][58]
    • The Hub (or the Hub of the Universe)[59][58][60]
    • City of Notions[6]
    • The Cradle of Liberty[55][58]
    • Puritan City[6]
  • Revere – The City of Sand [citation needed]

Worcester County

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City flag of Worcester, Massachusetts, with a heart in the middle

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Muench, David (December 1993). "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts" (PDF). University of Wisconsin Extension. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City :) Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
  3. ^ "The slogan for Provincetown says it well, 'Like No Where Else'" Archived 2012-07-22 at archive.today
  4. ^ "Visitor Services Board Meeting Minutes" (PDF). Town of Provincetown. 22 August 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2012. Some members felt that although a slogan ("Like nowhere else") has been chosen, there needs to be more community input and consensus
  5. ^ Used in "Rich Gay, Poor Gay", by David Colman, The New York Times, September 4, 2005, and in the title of the book Ptown: Art, Sex, and Money on the Outer Cape By Peter Manso (2002; Simon and Schuster; ISBN 978-0-7432-4311-7
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Barry Popik, Smoky City, barrypopik.com website, March 27, 2005
  7. ^ "Williamstown Massachusetts. The "Village Beautiful."". Archived from the original on 2011-08-28. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  8. ^ Technology Plan 2007-2011, Attleboro Public Schools Archived 2012-03-31 at the Wayback Machine, Attleboro Public Schools website, accessed September 17, 2011
  9. ^ Attleboro Massachusetts- The Jewelry Capital of the World, Guyot Brothers Company, Inc. website, accessed September 17, 2011
  10. ^ Reynolds, Mark. "Mayor's plans for city include schools for gifted pupils", The Providence Journal, February 2, 2005. Accessed June 28, 2009. "Meanwhile, the graduation rate for students in Fall River -- the self-proclaimed 'Scholarship City' -- is 97 percent."
  11. ^ Tom Huntington[permanent dead link] "Treasure Trove of Documents Discovered in Whaling Town," American Heritage, Winter 2009.
  12. ^ A Message From The Mayor Archived 2008-01-05 at the Wayback Machine, City of Taunton, Massachusetts website, accessed April 23, 2007. "Throughout our glorious history, our community has earned the reputation as the Christmas City as visitors converge on Taunton from all corners of New England to witness the annual lighting of historic Taunton Green."
  13. ^ City of Taunton, Massachusetts, accessed on the original site on April 23, 2007; archived on May 2, 2008. "Taunton has three nicknames; 'City of Fists'- 1st Woman Proprietor, 1st to raise hands withthe Liberty & Union Flag 1774, and 1st Silver Manufacturer 'The Silver City- Had three major Silver Manufacturing Plants-1 remaining Christmas City-For decades the community lit up the Taunton green at the annual "It's On" ceremony."
  14. ^ Lopes, Ashley. "Watching the history of Taunton"[permanent dead link], Taunton Daily Gazette, April 15, 2007, accessed April 23, 2007. "TAUNTON – Mayor Charles Crowley, producer of cable access program Olde Tyme Taunton, kept the history of the Silver City alive as he celebrated his 250th show Wednesday."
  15. ^ "About the City | Lawrence, MA". www.cityoflawrence.com. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  16. ^ "Rhyme & Reason: The Story Behind Lynn's Notorious Song". NBC Boston. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  17. ^ Focus on Newburyport Archived 2006-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, Merrimack valley Info[failed verification], accessed October 1, 2007. "Shipbuilding was one of the most important and profitable trades making Newburyport known as the 'Clipper City.'"
  18. ^ https://archive.today/20130210001502/http://www.wickedlocal.com/northandover/town_info/government/x751580102%23axzz1meM58b5Y , North Andover Citizen Newspaper
  19. ^ a b c Claims to Fame - Products Archived 2007-04-08 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
  20. ^ "QUITS POST IN DISPUTE ON SALEM'S BIRTH DATE; Author of City History Gives Up Place With the Essex Institute.", The New York Times, March 6, 1926, accessed April 23, 2007. "Sidney Perley, author of a history of Salem, resigned his position with the Essex Institute today because of a dispute as to the date of the city's founding. His action renewed a controversy which had raged since plans were set on foot to observe next July the tercentenary of the 'City of Witches.'"
  21. ^ Matarazzo Jr., Bruno. "Historic buildings getting plundered for copper" Archived 2013-02-01 at archive.today, The Salem News, April 23, 2007, accessed April 23, 2007. "SALEM – Think of a thief snatching a gold necklace from around a woman's neck as she walks down the street. Now think of the victim as a historic building, and you get an idea of one of the crime trends haunting the Witch City."
  22. ^ Trausch, Susan (1990), "There is Life Beyond Boston--Really," The Boston Globe, June 6, 1990, p. 17: "[Springfield] has Chicopee, "Kielbasa Capital of the World," right next door."
  23. ^ O'Brien, George (2001), "Stretching the Imagination in Chicopee," BusinessWest, October 1, 2001: p. 14: "The city once known merely as the kielbasa capital of the universe now has much more on its plate."
  24. ^ Faber, Harold (1993-09-12). "The World Capital of Whatever". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  25. ^ Holyoke Community Charter School (HCCS) Opens in the Birthplace of Volleyball, SABIS Educational System, archived from the original on November 28, 2010
  26. ^ New England for Visitors Archived 2014-07-10 at the Wayback Machine, About.com, accessed April 23, 2007. "Did you know that Springfield is the birthplace of basketball?"
  27. ^ Federal Reserve System and Brookings Institution (2008), Springfield, Massachusetts: Old Hill, Six Corners, and the South End neighborhoods, in The Enduring Challenge of Poverty in America: Case Studies from Communities Across the U.S. Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco website, November 19, 2011. "Springfield was once known as the 'City of Firsts'. It was the first to develop interchangeable parts..."
  28. ^ a b Springfield Archived 2012-03-08 at the Wayback Machine, Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts
  29. ^ Choose Springfield, Massachusetts, website accessed November 19, 2011
  30. ^ The City of Progress New City Library, Merrick Park, State Street Springfield, MA
  31. ^ The City Of Progress, Winchester Square Springfield, MA
  32. ^ Read the ebook Progressive Springfield, Massachusetts by George Storrs] [Graves
  33. ^ "Full text of "The picturesque city, Springfield, Massachusetts; a series of forty views showing the picturesque side of this "city of homes" Archive.org. 1913-07-05. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  34. ^ "Amenities | Choose Springfield, Massachusetts". choosespringfieldmass.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  35. ^ a b "Progressive Springfield, Massachusetts". [Springfield, Mass., G. S. Graves. 1913.
  36. ^ "Picturesque Springfield and West Springfield, Massachusetts". Springfield, Mass., Hotel Worthy. 1912.
  37. ^ WESTFIELD, THE "WHIP CITY", accessed April 23, 2007.
  38. ^ Vallette, David A. (2009-05-01). "'Hamp override draws foes, backers". The Republican. Springfield, Mass. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  39. ^ Gordon, Ronni (2007-07-27). "Theater benefit at Noho academy". The Republican. Springfield, Mass. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  40. ^ Steven Otfinoski, "Presidents and Their Times: Calvin Coolidge". page 15.
  41. ^ Cambridge Officials Put a Stop to Boy Scout Drive to Aid Troops in Iraq Archived 2008-11-03 at the Wayback Machine, Fox News, accessed April 4, 2008.
  42. ^ Examples of the use of this name include the book title Lexington, the Birthplace of American Liberty: A Handbook by Fred Smith Piper (first published in 1902, formerly available from the Lexington Historical Society [1] Archived 2012-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, and currently available through Google Books), the Lexington Visitor Center website, and the City of Lexington website Archived 2007-06-10 at the Wayback Machine (all websites accessed January 6, 2008).
  43. ^ Numerous local businesses, including Mill City Grows, Mill City Glass Works, and Mill City Ballroom Archived 2015-11-28 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed December 9, 2015
  44. ^ Drake, John (2006-12-27). "Natick to be designated "Home of Champions"". Boston Globe. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  45. ^ http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/parks/discover/Discover%20Newton,%20MA%20%20The%20Garden%20City.htm Archived 2012-01-18 at the Wayback Machine, Official website of the City of Newton
  46. ^ Affordable towns near Boston for would-be home buyers Archived 2014-12-24 at the Wayback Machine, by David Valdes Greenwood. Boston Phoenix, accessed April 4, 2008.
  47. ^ Makeover Proposed for 'Tewks-Vegas'", The Boston Globe (Boston, MA), August 15, 2002, Erica Noonan, Globe Staff
  48. ^ Siek, Stephanie V. Waltham: Room to grow at museum", Boston Globe, April 12, 2007, accessed April 23, 2007. "You can see it at the new home of the Waltham Museum, which finally has enough room for its many windows into the past lives of the Watch City."
  49. ^ "Quincy, MA - 404". Archived from the original on 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  50. ^ "Home". brockton.ma.us.
  51. ^ America's Hometown, Town of Plymouth website, accessed November 19, 2011
  52. ^ Sweeney, Emily (January 9, 2011). "How the South Shore became the Irish Riviera". Boston Globe.
  53. ^ Discover Wareham, accessed March 8, 2021. "Wareham will always be “the Gateway to the Cape” based solely on geography"
  54. ^ Boston: "The Athens of America" - Britannica Student Encyclopaedia
  55. ^ a b c U.S. City Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008
  56. ^ Why do they call Boston "Beantown"?, Ask Yahoo? website, September 5, 2001
  57. ^ Why do they call Boston "Beantown"? Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine, Boston-Online website
  58. ^ a b c Norman Dalager, "What's in a nickname?", Boston.com website, accessed June 18, 2008
  59. ^ The Hub of the Universe, from Oliver Wendell Holmes' reference to the Massachusetts State House as the "hub of the solar system"
  60. ^ Queen City, Time (magazine), January 30, 1928, accessed April 13, 1928.
  61. ^ Mike Richard (1993). Glory to Gardner: 100 years of football in the Chair City.
  62. ^ Bruce Gellerman, Erik Sherman (2008). Massachusetts Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff. Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-0762746804.: "By 1837 they were turning out so many chairs that residents immodestly dubbed the place "Chair City of the World."
  63. ^ Constance Riley (2008). Chair City of the World. Xlibris. ISBN 978-1436358453.
  64. ^ Used in numerous local business and organization names, e.g. Chair City Supply Company, Chair City Oil, Chair City Family Medicine, Chair City Pale Ale Archived 2012-01-10 at the Wayback Machine, Chair City Pipers, etc.
  65. ^ City of Gardner official website, accessed October 28, 2008.
  66. ^ Used in city promotional materials including the city of Leominster's official website Archived 2012-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
  67. ^ Town of Winchendon official website Archived 2015-11-26 at the Wayback Machine, accessed December 9, 2015
  68. ^ "Home". worcestermass.org.
  69. ^ Laura Crimaldi, Reaching high in City of Seven Hills; ‘Second tier’ Worcester thrives, Boston Herald, March 1, 2009; archived July 6, 2009
  70. ^ Worcester, Mass - Origins of the Phrase Wormtown, WorcesterMass.com website, accessed October 28, 2008
  71. ^ [https://parisofthe80s.com/paris-of-the-80s-an-introduction-107b08bb6155>
  72. ^ Worcester, Mass - Origins of the Phrase The Woo, WorcesterMass.com website, accessed April 28, 2013
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