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Can You Guess What Town Holds The 1st Zip Code In Massachusetts?

Author Ayla Brown
You'd think that every town in America would have a zip code, but some actually do not. That being said, Agawam was the first in MA and the Continental US to have gotten one! How cool, right?

Each town in the United States comes with a zip code. And if I know anything about New Englanders, we are proud of the towns that we come from! (Shoutout to 02093 and 02190!)

We all know that each combination of numbers carries a unique story, but have you heard the story of 01001? This specific zip code belongs to the town of Agawam, and it is believed to be the first assigned zip code in the Continental United States. The first zip code ever assigned was in 1963 in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.

The Birth of The 1st Zip Code

The Zip Code, short for “Zone Improvement Plan,” was introduced by the United States Postal Service in 1963. The goal was to facilitate efficient sorting and delivery of mail. This innovative system divided the country into numerical zones, allowing for a more organized and streamlined mail distribution process. Sounds obvious, but before that it I can imagine it was like a “free-for-all.” Like, good luck getting that letter to someone in another state!

Agawam Got The Lucky 1st Zip Code

Agawam is all the way in Western, MA and it’s believed to be home to the first zip code in the Continental United States, which means the first in the Commonwealth of MA. The significance of this code goes beyond its numerical value. It represents the initial step in modernizing the postal system to keep pace with the growing demands of a rapidly evolving nation.

young kids on a park ride at six flags New England

Agawam is home to the first zip code in the continental United States. But it’s also home to Six Flags New England! Ever been?

Did You Learn Something Today?

I hope so, because I learned something today! Truthfully, I was looking up fun facts about Massachusetts, and this one about Agawam’s zip code came up. I know it sounds nerdy, but everything starts from somewhere. Massachusetts holds so much history, and no matter what zip code you represent, you’re bound to find something incredible about the town you’re from.

Related:

5 Massachusetts Towns with the Most Historical Homes

I was thinking about homes the other day. Isn’t it strange that even if we spend 50 years in one house, it’s really not “ours.” There might have been people before you and there will probably be people after you living there. But it still feels so intimately ours. I thought it was a deep thought anyway. lol

But it opens up this broader conversation: what cities in America have the most historical homes? And, more hyper-locally focused, which towns in Massachusetts have the most historical homes per capita? We do have the 2nd most historical homes in the country, ya know?

What is a “historical home’ anyway?

In the United States, a home is typically considered a historical home, and eligible for historical designation or recognition, if it meets certain criteria related to its age, architectural significance, and historical importance.

What US city has the most historical homes? Is it Boston?

No, it’s not Boston. Though we did rank in the Top 10! The team at Assurance IQ crunched data from the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places to figure out which US cities and states have the most registered historical homes.

Boston came in at #9 on the Top 10 Countdown. New York City has the most historical homes, coming in at #1. Portland, Oregon came in second followed by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. St. Louis and Chicago round out the Top 5. If you want to see the rest, check out Assurance IQ’s full report RIGHT HERE.

As far as states go, Massachusetts has the second most historic homes in the country. Go us!

Which Massachusetts towns have the most historical homes?

Assurance IQ provided that info too. We won’t give you the full rundown but we will give you the Top 5. These are the towns with the most historical homes PER CAPITA.

  • Massachusetts Towns with the Most Historic Homes - #5

    BROOKLINE has the 5th most historical homes in Massachusetts. has 151.1 historical homes per capita.

  • Massachusetts Towns with the Most Historic Homes - #4

    TAUNTON has the 4th most historical homes in Massachusetts. has 160.2 historical homes per capita.

  • Massachusetts Towns with the Most Historic Homes - #3

    WALTHAM has the 3rd most historical homes in Massachusetts. has 170.1 historical homes per capita.

  • Massachusetts Towns with the Most Historic Homes - #2

    CAMBRIDGE has the 2nd most historical homes in Massachusetts. has 178.1 historical homes per capita.

  • Massachusetts Towns with the Most Historic Homes - #1

    NEWTON has THE most historical homes in Massachusetts. has 215.1 historical homes per capita.

Ayla Brown has been an on-air morning show host with Country 102.5 since 2018. Before taking this once-in-a-lifetime job, Ayla was (and still is) a country music singer. In 2006, she placed 13th on American Idol. In 2012 and 2013 she celebrated her Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium debut, and over the years she has visited 13 countries overseas to sing for the American Troops. Country music is in Ayla Brown’s soul. Not only does she sing it, but she gets to talk about it every day on “Country Mornings with Jonathan and Ayla.” Ayla is happily married to singer-songwriter, Rob Bellamy, and they welcomed a son named Barrett in August of 2022. In her free time, she loves to sew baby bibs and experiment with new recipes in the kitchen. She also loves to travel and try new foods. Ayla writes about Boston area happenings, parenting, holistic lifestyle and living, and travel.

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