The Pioneer Valley History Network is a resource for local history organizations in western Massachusetts—and the public they serve. Large or small, old or new, these organizations care for the objects and stories of the region’s past. Some are small, volunteer-run historical societies; others are large museums. Some focus on collections, others provide resources and education. All are committed to keeping history alive and relevant for future generations.
PVHN welcomes your history-related questions and genealogical inquiries. Use our Contact Us page or send email to: pioneervalleyhistory@gmail.com
HistoryFest Pioneer Valley 2025
“Our Homespun History Conference”
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Westfield State University
Join us for a gathering of local history enthusiasts, high school age and up, including local historians, public history professionals, genealogists, preservationists, academics, and others, in one place for one day of sharing.
This is a grassroots, democratic way to gather and share ideas and information. Anyone can present. The topics that are presented are the ones the presenters are passionate about. The sessions that are well-attended are the ones that are of interest to the attendees.
There is no specific theme, but presentations should be in some way related to the history of the Pioneer Valley or Massachusetts. Please, no political diatribes or sales pitches for commercial products or services. Other than that, the sky is the limit.
The cost is low — the goal is to break even. We want your participation. There will be plenty of opportunity for networking and an exhibit area for selling books and other history-related products.
HistoryFest Pioneer Valley is a partnership between the Pioneer Valley History Network and the History and Philosophy Department at Westfield State University.
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“History on the Go!”
“History on the Go!” brings together historical institutions in an area to create a “trail,” on coordinated days and times, for the history-loving public to follow. These museums and historic sites will welcome visitors and tell their stories. This allows our historical museums and institutions to open their doors to a wider public and strut their stuff! For you, it’s a great opportunity to visit those historic sites that you’ve always wanted to see.
In 2024, we present three history trails in our region, on different weekends, between August and November:
- ON THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION, Saturday, August 17, noon to 5 p.m.
- TRI-TOWN HISTORY TRAIL, Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- WOMEN OF WESTERN MASS. TRAIL, Saturday, November 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
See the brochure below for details of each trail: HOTGO Brochure 2024 (final)
Our Most Recent Projects
Documenting the Early History of Black Lives in the Connecticut River Valley
Beginning in the summer of 2021, the Pioneer Valley History Network (PVHN) and the UMass Public History Program collaborated on a research project to document the lives of people of color in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This project offered an opportunity for local historical organizations to perform a “deep dive” into their relevant holdings and benefit from research assistance and expertise and the efforts of many volunteers.
Learn more
Revolution Happened Here: Our Towns in the American Revolution
Revolution Happened Here was funded in 2019 through grants from Mass Humanities and Revolution250. The project brought together a collaborative team of our region’s historical societies and museums to create a prototype for an online exhibit that tells the story of the American Revolution as it unfolded in western Massachusetts. Visitors to the Revolution Happened Here website can explore how the American Revolution, while a globally transformative event, was fundamentally a grassroots movement – intrinsically local and intensely personal.
Pioneer Valley History Network 