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
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.
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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 