| Massachusetts is a densely populated state of | | | | back to the American Revolution, including |
| 6.4 million, of which over 4 million live in | | | | Paul Revere�s House, and houses, |
| the Boston metropolitan area, on the Atlantic | | | | churches and graveyards of the North End. |
| Coast. Boston is also the capital of the | | | | Downtown there is still the pre-revolution |
| state. The Rte 128 corridor around the city | | | | Old State House, and other sites are popular |
| is known for its hi-tech and research firms. | | | | in Concord and Lexington, scenes of the first |
| Cambridge, a city of 100,000 just north of | | | | battles of the American Revolution. |
| Boston also has a good deal of hi-tech and | | | | |
| bio-technology firms, around MIT and Harvard | | | | Financial and investment companies are |
| University. The state has also gotten some | | | | important to the city, from State St. Bank, |
| fame and problems with the downtown Boston | | | | to the Boston-based Fidelity Investments. |
| project, the huge Central Artery/Tunnel | | | | There also are the regional offices of Bank |
| Project, known as the �Big Dig�. | | | | of America and a considerable amount of |
| In any case, there are plenty of | | | | publishing companies. The city contains four |
| possibilities for your Massachusetts | | | | convention centers, including the Hynes |
| Incorporation. The Boston area has an | | | | Convention Center, which is directly |
| impressive subway system and also Commuter | | | | connected to shops and fine hotels by above |
| Rail, run by the MBTA. Commuter rail has | | | | street corridors. |
| been introduced to Worcester and Springfield | | | | |
| as well. | | | | The city is home to four major convention |
| | | | centers: the Hynes Convention Center in the |
| The state remains largely rural out of the | | | | Back Bay, the Bayside Expo Center in |
| greater Boston area. Cranberries are grown | | | | Dorchester, and the World Trade Center Boston |
| in the area on the way to Cape Cod in | | | | and Boston Convention and Exhibition Center |
| Southeast Massachusetts, and there is a | | | | on the South Boston waterfront. Because of |
| substantial fishing industry. Other | | | | its status as a state capital and the |
| agricultural products are fruits, nuts, | | | | regional home of federal agencies, law and |
| berries, dairy and animal cattle raising. | | | | government is another major component of the |
| Cape Cod and the miles of sand dunes of the | | | | city's economy. And then of course, there |
| Cape Cod National Seashore have become a | | | | are still the substantial facilities for |
| major tourist attraction, along with the | | | | shipping of the port of Boston. |
| upscale island of Martha�s Vineyard. | | | | |
| Summers in the cool Berkshire Mountains in | | | | Springfield in Massachusetts� second |
| the western part of the state are a regional | | | | largest city with 150,000 people, and is |
| favorite, as well as winters going skiing. | | | | located on the Connecticut River in the |
| Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income | | | | western part of the state. Like Hartford, |
| tax of 5.3-percent a year, over a certain | | | | Connecticut, 100 miles south it has a |
| income, and a 5-percent sales tax. | | | | substantial insurance and banking sector. |
| | | | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company |
| Boston is known as a college town, including | | | | is a large Fortune 500 company that is |
| top schools in nearby Cambridge, such as | | | | headquartered in Springfield. Likewise the |
| Harvard, and in Boston, Boston University and | | | | office of the Toronto Canada-based TD |
| Northeastern University. Companies in the | | | | Banknorth has its Massachusetts headquarters |
| Boston include biotechnology companies like | | | | in Springfield. Then there is Smith & |
| Merck & Co., Millipore, Genzyme, and Biogen. | | | | Wesson, the famous producer of handguns. The |
| | | | Indian Manufacturing Company has its |
| Tourism is another large part of the economy. | | | | headquarters in Springfield too, a produces |
| In Boston there are the historic sites going | | | | motorcycles. |