NORTHAMPTON, a post-town and shire-town of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, one of the United States of North America. It is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Connecticut River, ninety-five miles west from Boston. It consists chiefly of two streets, proceeding like the radii of a circle, although with many irregularities. It contains several handsome public buildings, of which the court-house, jail, and one of the religious meeting-houses, are the most conspicuous. The private houses are in general large, and in a good style, and many of them are elegant. Northampton is a place greatly resorted to by travellers, from the romantic beauty of the scenery in the vicinity. The common schools of this place are highly respectable. A stream passes near the centre of the town, on which are erected numerous mills and many manufacturing factories, amongst which are two of woollen. Farmington Canal extends from New Haven to this place. A bridge, built in 1826, connecting this town and Hadley, is 1086 feet in length by thirty-six in breadth, and is supported by
six piers and two abutments. The Indians called this town Nonatuck. It was the third place settled on the river in this state, and was incorporated in 1654. Amongst the striking objects in the scenery of Northampton are the beautiful river, and the heights called Mount Tom and Mount Holyoke, the former being 1200 and the latter 900 feet above the river. The population amounted in 1830 to 3618. Long. 72. 40. W. Lat. 42. 16. N.