The town of Agawam boasts of a convenient location, affordable land and buildings, and a low tax rate. The town’s rural past helps the community retain a sense of being a small town. People participate in civic activities, school affairs and sports events. Traditional farm fields, historic homes and village centers is all part of this small town atmosphere. There are also mountains, rivers, streams and wetlands to help retain an appealing sense of quiet open space. The people of Agawam like to feel it is a good place to rear children where townspeople live by family values. Agawam has good schools and is a safe place to enjoy the retirement years.

Anne Sullivan was born in Feeding Hills, a subsection of the town of Agawam, Massachusetts. Her parents were poor Irish cooks who left Ireland in 1847. Ms. Sullivan’s mother died of tuberculosis when Anne was nine. At age 10, Anne moved in with a relative. She and her brother were later sent to the Tewksbury Almshouse by relatives.

At the age of three, Anne Sullivan began having trouble with her eyesight. She underwent a long string of surgeries in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. She also had surgeries at the Boston City Infirmary. None of the surgeries helped her to regain her eye sight. In 1880, she entered the Perkins School for the Blind where she underwent surgery and regained some of her sight. She graduated as class valedictorian in 1886. The director of the Perkins Institute for the Blind encouraged Anne Sullivan to teach Helen Keller.

Anne Sullivan taught Keller the names of things with the sign language alphabet signed into Keller’s palm.

The Anne Sullivan Memorial – Marker and Statue dedicated to Helen Keller’s “Teacher,” stands on the corner of Springfield Street and South Westfield Street in Agawam, Massachusetts.

Agawam is 94 miles southwest of Boston, 21 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut, and 131 miles from New York City.

Form of Government: Mayor – Council

Transportation and Access

The principal highways are State Routes 75 and 187. Passenger rail service to Boston, Montreal, Hartford, New York, and all other points on the Amtrak network is available through nearby Springfield.

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority provides fixed route service between Agawam and Springfield and also offers paratransit services for the elderly and disabled through the Council on Aging. Peter Pan Bus Lines offers service from Agawam to Springfield and to Bradley Airport in Connecticut.

There are no hospitals, hospices or rest homes in Agawam, Massachusetts. There is four nursing homes.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved

Written by: Connie Limon For more information about the history of, living, working and visiting Massachusetts, visit http://smalldogs2.com/VisitingMassachusetts For a variety of FREE reprint articles and a special section of articles on U.S. History and the Kennedy Family, visit http://www.camelotarticles.com

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