Knowledge Corridor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New England's Knowledge Corridor constitutes an economic and cultural partnership between the Connecticut River cities of Springfield, Massachusetts, Hartford, Connecticut, and surrounding towns. Formalized in 2000 [1] at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts, the Knowledge Corridor seeks to engender economic and cultural opportunities for New England's second most populous region, (after Boston, Massachusetts) of 1.7 million residents and 110,000 college students. The Hartford-Springfield area hosts over 26 colleges and universities, and thus received the moniker Knowledge Corridor from regional boosters.

The Connecticut State Capitol in downtown Hartford

Hartford and Springfield share a common heritage since their respective foundings in 1635 and 1636. During the mid-20th century, the cities shared a dramatic loss of industry, White flight, and disastrous urban renewal. Knowledge Corridor initiatives attempt to rectify these problems. Plans to connect, within six years, Springfield-Hartford-New Haven via commuter rail promise to further unite the region, and ease residents' dependence on highway travel. [2]

While Hartford and Springfield's urban cores lie only 25 miles apart, (with Bradley International Airport situated midway between them,) the Hartford-Springfield metro region includes outlying cities like Northampton and Amherst to the north in Massachusetts's Pioneer Valley, and Middletown to the south.

As noted, colleges abound in the Knowledge Corridor, including large research universities like the University of Connecticut and University of Massachusetts Amherst. The region also hosts many elite liberal arts colleges, like Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Trinity College, and Wesleyan University, among others. Cultural institutions include the Big E; the Connecticut State Capitol, the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the Mark Twain House in Hartford; the Basketball Hall of Fame, the Springfield Armory, and The Quadrangle in Springfield; the Yankee Candle Company; and Six Flags New England in Agawam.