[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 110 (Thursday, July 21, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNITION OF THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWN OF GREENFIELD, 
                MASSACHUSETTS AS FRANKLIN COUNTY'S SEAT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN W. OLVER

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 21, 2011

  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 200th 
anniversary of the designation of the town of Greenfield, Massachusetts 
as the county seat of Franklin County. The town of Greenfield was 
incorporated in 1753 and named for the nearby Green River. Hampshire 
County was divided to create Franklin County in 1811, and Greenfield 
was designated as the seat of government for Franklin County. After 200 
years of development and innovation, Greenfield and Franklin County 
continue to thrive on the exceptional enthusiasm of their citizenry.
  Greenfield has long been associated with commercial development and 
economic diversification. The strategic location at the confluence of 
the Deerfield and Connecticut Rivers provided advantages to 
manufacturers in the 18th century. Throughout the 19th century, major 
transportation routes linking Springfield, Massachusetts to New 
Hampshire and also Boston to New York began to pass through Greenfield. 
The town eventually grew to accommodate the influx of manufacturers 
which lasted until the conclusion of World War I in 1918.
  The ingenuity and resolve of Greenfield citizens ensured that the 
Great Depression did not cripple its agricultural and industrial 
workers, as happened elsewhere in America. The U.S. engagement in World 
War II then worked to stoke new business opportunities in Greenfield, 
and these economic openings allowed the town and its residents to 
quickly rebuild from the Depression and spring forward and economically 
develop further. In 2003, Greenfield grew to the point of adopting a 
mayoral form of government--thus, officially becoming a city in 
Massachusetts--in order to continue and improve upon on its tradition 
of providing superior recreational, educational and business 
opportunities for its residents.
  On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the designation of the 
town of Greenfield, Massachusetts as the county seat of Franklin 
County, I congratulate its citizens and praise their dedication and 
perseverance throughout the town and city's history. I look forward 
with enthusiastic support as we work together for a prosperous future.

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