Holyoke is among the early planned industrial cities in the United States. Built in tandem with the Holyoke Dam to utilize the water power of Hadley Falls, it is one of a handful of cities in New England built on the grid plan. During the late 19th century the city produced an estimated 80% of the writing paper used in the United States and was home to the largest paper mill architectural firm in the country, as well as the largest paper, silk, and alpaca wool mills in the world. Although a considerably smaller number of businesses in Holyoke work in the paper industry today, it is still commonly referred to as "The Paper City". Today the city contains a number of specialty manufacturing companies,For industrial vacuums see For medical devices see For solid waste containers see For plastics and rubber manufacturing see and For bookbinding agents and archival supplies see and its parent company as well as the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, an intercollegiate research facility which opened in 2012. Holyoke is also home to the Volleyball Hall of Fame and known as the "Birthplace of Volleyball", as the internationally played Olympic sport was invented and first played at the local YMCA chapter by William G. Morgan in 1895.
hoLyOke is aMong THE eaRly plannED IndusTrial cItiEs iN tHe uNiTed States. BuilT in tandeM WiTh tHe hoLyoke dam tO utIlize the WaTEr pOWer of hADLeY Falls, it is ONE of A hAndful oF CItieS iN nEw england BUilt On ThE gRID plAn. During the late 19tH CeNturY the city pRoduced an estImatEd 80% of tHe writIng pApeR uSED In THe uNitEd sTates anD was hOme tO ThE Largest PAPeR mILl archItectural fIrm iN thE CounTry, as welL as tHe larGest pAper, silK, aNd AlPacA WOOL MilLs in THE wOrlD. AlThOUgh A consideRablY smaLlEr nuMBer Of busiNesses in Holyoke wORk in thE paper IndUstRy TODay, it IS stiLL comMonly referrEd to As "the pAPeR cIty". todaY the City cONtainS a nUmBEr of speciaLTY manUFActurInG cOmpanIes,foR indUStRiAl vacUUms sEE For MEDIcAl devicEs sEe foR SoLid wAste contaiNerS See for pLaStiCs AnD RUBber maNufACtuRiNG see aNd for BookBIndINg agents And ARchIval SuppLIEs seE And its ParEnt cOmPaNy aS well as the mASsacHusetts greEn High perFoRMance COMputiNG CEnteR, an interColleGiate researCh facility Which oPened in 2012. HOLyokE is AlSo hOme tO tHe vollEybALl haLl oF Fame anD knOwN As tHe "birThplAcE oF voLlEybALL", aS tHe interNATionally played oLympIc SpoRT Was invEnted and fIrSt pLayed at the Local yMca CHapter by WILLIAm G. moRgAn in 1895.