Massachusetts is one of the 50 states of the United States of North America. The state is located in the Northeast region and has 6,587,536 inhabitants (2011). The capital is Boston and the standard abbreviation for the state is MA.
Massachusetts borders New Hampshire and Vermont to the north, Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, and New York state to the west.
Located to the east on the Atlantic Ocean, the state also covers the Cape Cod Peninsula and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Massachusetts belongs to the New England subregion of the Northwestern United States region.
In the east of the state is a low plain with deep inlets and many natural harbors. To the west, the lowland gradually increases in height.
The valley of the Connecticut River forms the Midwest of the state. East of the valley are the Green Mountains.
In the Berkshire Hills, Mount Greylock, with a height of 1,075 meters, is the highest point. In the far west of the state lies the Taconic Mountains.
Lakes and Rivers
The state’s most important river is the Connecticut. It flows south through Massachusetts.
The state has more than 1,100 lakes, the largest of which are Lake Webster and Lake Quinsigamond. Artificial lakes have been created for power generation, including the Quabbin Reservoir and the Wachusett Reservoir.
Climate and holidays
Massachusetts has a climate with severe winters with a lot of snowfall. Summers are hot and often dry.
Under the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, the climate on the coast is slightly milder.
Popular vacation destinations in the state include Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island’s beautiful nature and scenic towns.
The Berkshire Hills also attract many visitors. This includes the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox in the summer.
There are many historic sites to discover in the cities of Boston, Plymouth, Salem and New Bedford.
Cities Massachusetts
Besides the capital Boston are a number of other cities in Massachusetts: Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Cambridge, Plymouth, Lynn, Weymouth, Somerville, Westfield, Waltham.
Massachusetts counties
Massachusetts borders the states of New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. The state is located in the east on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Boston.
The state of Massachusetts is administratively divided into 14 counties. These are Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester.
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
The Saugus Iron Works were the first complete ironworks in North America, operating from 1646 to 1668. Today, the National Historic Landmark includes restored furnaces, forges and rolling mills, mostly dating from the 17th century. Železárny is located about 16 km northeast of downtown Boston, Massachusetts.
There is an archaeological site in the area, where various objects from the 17th century were discovered, and the entire complex of historical smelters is gradually being revealed. Thanks to archaeological work, it is possible to find out what role iron production played in its time, what influence it had on the settlement of the area and how important it was for the creation of the early history of the nation. Extensive archaeological research was carried out mainly between 1948 and 1953 by Roland W. Robbins. Today, you can see individual factories and water wheels powered by the Saugus River under the open sky.
You will learn about 17th-century ironmaking technology, engineering and design methods, local and foreign trade that took place there at the time, and the life and work of ordinary people in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Bay Colony was a British settlement that was established in the 17th century on the east coast of North America in New England. Today, part of Boston and the town of Salem are located on this site.
Today, the Saugus Iron Works is considered the forerunner of America’s industrial giants. One of the most valuable monuments in the area is the manor’s wooden Iron Works House, dating from 1680, which still stands on its original site. It was built about ten years after all production ceased in the ironworks. Between 2005 and 2008, many local historical monuments underwent extensive reconstruction. For example, the museum building from 1917 was completely renovated. Most of the locations have already been made available to the public again, but the park is closed from November to March every year.
