Polish Community in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a significant Polish-American population with historic communities in Boston, Worcester, and Western Massachusetts. Polish immigration to New England began in the late 1800s, with 78 Polish-American parishes established across the region.

Boston Area

The Polish Triangle

Location: Bordered by Boston Street, Dot Avenue, and Columbia Road

The Polish Triangle remains the heart of the Polish community in eastern Massachusetts, located in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.

Major Organizations

Polish Club Boston

Location: 82 Boston Street, Boston, MA 02125 Website: polishclubboston.com

A community center serving Polish Americans in the Boston area with cultural events and social activities.

Polish American Heritage and Community Foundation

Founded: 2018

Engages the Polish and Polish-American communities in Boston, Massachusetts, focusing on:

Cultural preservation
Community engagement
Educational programs
Heritage celebrations

Worcester Area

Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish

Founded: 1903 Wikipedia: Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, Worcester Diocese: Diocese of Worcester

Designated for Polish immigrants in Worcester, this is one of the prominent Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England.

Western Massachusetts

Polish Center of Discovery & Learning

Location: Chicopee, Massachusetts Website: polishcenter.net

A living monument celebrating Polish contributions to America’s economy, arts, and sciences. The center’s mission is to preserve objects representative of the material culture of Polish people in America.

Features:

Museum exhibits
Research library operated by Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts
Educational programs
Cultural events
Archives and collections

Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts

Website: pgsma.org

A not-for-profit organization devoted to:

Encouraging and supporting Polish family history research
Promoting Polish culture and history
Operating a research library at the Polish Center of Discovery in Chicopee
Providing genealogical resources and assistance

Springfield-Hartford-Worcester Area

This tri-state region has the highest concentration of Polish-American parishes in New England, with dozens of Catholic churches in the area.

Polish Communities Include:

Springfield, MA
Chicopee, MA
Holyoke, MA
Worcester, MA
Westfield, MA
And surrounding communities

Polish Women’s Organizations

Massachusetts Federation of Polish Women’s Clubs

Founded: 1931

Formed when delegates representing 26 Polish women’s organizations in Massachusetts gathered to unite women’s clubs whose members were of Polish birth or descent.

Objectives:

Civic engagement
Cultural preservation
Educational purposes
Community service

Religious Communities

Polish Catholic Churches

Massachusetts has 78 Polish-American parishes (as part of New England’s total), with three dozen Roman Catholic churches offering Mass in Polish.

Major Polish Parishes:

Boston Area:

Holy Trinity Church, Boston
Our Lady of Czestochowa, Boston
St. Adalbert’s Parish

Worcester:

Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish

Western Mass:

Numerous Polish parishes in Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and surrounding areas

Other Cities:

Polish churches in Fall River
Polish parishes in New Bedford
Polish communities in Lowell
Polish churches in various cities

See complete list: Polish Churches in MA - PGSMA

Polish Communities Throughout Massachusetts

Greater Boston

Dorchester (Polish Triangle)
South Boston
Chelsea
Cambridge

Worcester County

Worcester (major center)
Surrounding communities

Western Massachusetts

Springfield
Chicopee (Polish Center location)
Holyoke
Westfield

South Shore

Fall River
New Bedford

North Shore

Lowell
Salem area

Cultural and Educational Programs

Polish Language Schools

Saturday Polish schools in Boston area
Polish schools in Western Mass
Parish-based Polish education

University Programs

Polish language courses at various universities
Polish cultural studies
Genealogical resources at university libraries

Annual Events

Polish Constitution Day (May 3)
Pulaski Day celebrations (October)
Polish American Heritage Month (October)
Dyngus Day (Easter Monday)
Pączki Day (Fat Tuesday)
Parish festivals and cultural celebrations

Polish Media

Polish-language community newspapers
Polish radio programs
Community newsletters
Online Polish resources

Resources

Connect with Polish Communities in Other States

Nearby States:

Connecticut - New Britain and Hartford areas
Rhode Island - Providence area
New Hampshire - Manchester area
New York - NYC and upstate

Other Major Polish Communities:

Illinois - Chicago’s huge Polish population
Pennsylvania - Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
Michigan - Detroit and Hamtramck
Wisconsin - Milwaukee area

Back to all states

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