The Pioneer Valley is full of opportunities to explore local history. Please check the events calendar often.
See Past Events here.
ON-GOING EVENTS
25 October thru 6 November — “25 Years of CiderDays”
Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Ave. A., Turners Falls
Over twenty-five years, CiderDays has evolved to a three day, county-wide festival celebrating the apple in all of its forms and providing sessions on every aspect of apple usage. The Great Falls Discovery Center hosts an exhibition of historic cider presses and images that honor the orchards, producers and enthusiasts who have advanced the art of cidermaking. Sponsored by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. November 1-3, 2019. For a full schedule visit: ciderdays.org.
11 May thru ? — “What Do We Do With the STUFF?”
Historical Society of Greenfield, 43 Church St., Greenfield
Your high school yearbook. Your kid’s art from grade school. Grandma’s wedding dress. Dad’s Army uniform. Great-grandpa’s piano. The attic, the basement, the shed, the stacks by the bed. What do we do with all the STUFF???
The Historical Society of Greenfield has received a grant from the Pioneer Valley History Network, and will be opening a new exhibit centered on how an item in someone’s home becomes an artifact in a museum. Between the KonMari movement, downsizing, and sandwich generations dealing with both stuff their kids outgrew and stuff their parents no longer need, we are in a cultural moment now around how we deal with all the ‘stuff’ we’ve accumulated.
Deciding which items to accept and how to display the items held is a huge responsibility for any museum. Boards and curators have to make similar choices as people in personal homes, around how to purchase things, inherit things, or pass things on.
The grant supports an exhibit showing the steps a museum takes in accepting a new item, and how objects hold memories that connect us. Over the past year, the Historical Society of Greenfield has been taking part in the “Future of Our Past” program through the Pioneer Valley History Network. This intensive project uses a nationally-recognized curriculum designed by the American Association for State & Local History (AASLH) to improve all aspects of museum work and collections care. The project is funded by generous grants from Mass Humanities and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. As a final step of this program, the HSG submitted an implementation grant proposal to demonstrate their improvement.
The Historical Society of Greenfield is a currently collecting museum, focused on using stories of the past to help inform future choices. The HSG at 43 Church St in Greenfield opens at noon on Saturday May 11th for the summer season. Visiting the museum is free, membership in the HSG is $20/year, and all donations go to help with every aspect of collections care. hsgreenfield1907@gmail.com 413-774-3663 @HSgreenfieldMA
30 May thru early November — “Art in the Everyday: A Photographer’s Perspective at Springfield Armory”
Springfield Armory National Historic Site, One Armory Way, Springfield
A new exhibit showcasing historic and rarely seen photographs from the archives at Springfield Armory National Historic Site will be on view through the fall of 2019 in the museum’s temporary exhibit gallery. “Art in the Everyday: A Photographer’s Perspective at Springfield Armory” opens to the public with a special reception on Thursday, May 30, from 6 to 8 pm. The event will include light refreshments and a cash bar generously provided by the Friends of Springfield Armory National Historic Site. Admission is free.
The museum collection at Springfield Armory NHS holds thousands of photographs that feature the people, experiments, and factory work at Springfield Armory from the late 1800s through the 1960s. The staff photographers taking those pictures were well versed in their craft and its limitations. Their expert use of manually adjusted cameras and lenses, glass-plate and film negatives contrasts to today when just about everyone has a camera in their pocket.
“The photographers at Springfield Armory were artists,” says Alex MacKenzie, Curator. “They may have been documenting an everyday occurrence, but they absolutely had an eye for composition as they recorded the Armory and its community on film.” The exhibit, which is part of the “Arts at the Armory” slate of programming throughout the summer of 2019, is designed to evoke an art gallery exhibition, prompting visitors to view the Armory in a different way as they look at the framed prints like windows into the past.
The photos range in dates from 1910 through 1965, and show various facets of life at Springfield Armory as seen from the photographer’s perspective. Contrasting images evoke all five senses with slamming forges, peaceful settings on the grounds, hot flying sparks, and oily machines in stunning visual portraits. The exhibit will run through early November.
The Springfield Armory National Historic Site is the location of the nation’s first armory (1794-1968), and was established by George Washington. The site includes historic grounds, buildings, and the world’s largest historic American military firearms collection. There is ample parking and the building is wheelchair accessible. The Museum is open 9 am to 5 pm, Wednesday to Sunday, November 1 to Memorial Day, and then seven days a week from Memorial Day to October 31. Admission is free. For information call 413-734-8551 or check http://www.nps.gov/spar.
OCTOBER 2019
19 October — “A Far Away War Comes Home: Southwick & Hatfield Soldiers in WWI”
Southwick Historical Society
at Southwick Town Hall Auditorium, Southwick, 2 pm
Presented by Rob Wilson.
World War I, also known as the First World War or the Great War, was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918.
Information about WORLD WAR I Veterans will be shared.
Everyone welcome!
Refreshments will be served.
A donation would be gratefully received.
For more information, call: 413-569-2012
SOUTHWICK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
SOUTHWICK MASSACHUSETTS
WWW.SOUTHWICKHISTORICALSOCIETY.ORG
19 October — “History Lives in Forestdale Cemetery”
Wistariahurst Museum
meet at the Entrance to Forestdale Cemetery, Sycamore & Cabot Sts., Holyoke
On Saturday, October 19, 2019, Wistariahurst will host “History Lives in Forestdale Cemetery: A Walk Amidst the Gravestones” with tours beginning at 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00 p.m.
Monuments, Markers, Crypts and Crosses are but a few of the sights you will see on this insightful walk through Forestdale Cemetery with City Historian Penni Martorell and Wistariahurst volunteers. Find out the history of some of Holyoke’s founding families and learn some of the facts of death and dying in the 19th century.
The tour will meet and begin at the Entrance to Forestdale Cemetery near the corner of Sycamore and Cabot Streets. Parking is available along Sycamore Street.
Advance reservations are required and can be made online at http://www.Wistariahurst.org. Tickets are $15 and $12 for Wistariahurst members, students, and seniors.
In case of inclement weather, tours will be rescheduled to Sunday, October 20. Ticket holders are encouraged to check http://www.Wistariahurst.org for changes due to weather.
19 October — “Ghosts in the Graveyard”
Longmeadow Historical Society & Longmeadow Cemetery Assoc.
*Rain date October 20*
Tours depart between 6-8 pm ($15 per person)
Tickets available through Eventbrite on the Longmeadow Historical Society Facebook Page under “EVENTS” or at: longmeadowhistoricalsociety.org under “EVENTS”
For questions, contact The Longmeadow Historical Society at 567-3600 or LongmeadowHS@gmail.com
19 October — Variety Show & Silent Auction
Buckland Historical Society
Buckland Public Hall, 15 Upper St., Buckland, 7 pm
We are raising money to save and restore the Wilder Homestead English Barn.
Come and enjoy a spectacular evening of home grown entertainment, plus Silent Auction, Popcorn, and Snacks.
Tickets are available at the Buckland Library or at the show.
$10 general admission
$5 under 18 and over 65
Polly Anderson 413-625-9763
20 October — “350 Years in 90 Minutes: Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Northampton”
Historic Northampton
meet at Historic Northampton, 46 Bridge St., Northampton, 8:30 am
Elizabeth Sharpe, co-director of Historic Northampton and historian, will lead a walking tour of downtown Northampton in conjunction with the exhibit, Making it on Main Street.
Pre-registration required. Limited to 15.
$8 members & donors;
$12 non-members.
Sponsored by Joe’s Cafe.
20 October — 15th Annual Pioneer Valley Book & Ephemera Fair
Southern New England Antiquarian Booksellers
at Smith Vocational School, 80 Locust St, Northampton, 10 am – 4 pm
Southern New England Antiquarian Booksellers invite all to attend!
15th Annual Pioneer Valley Book & Ephemera Fair, Sunday, October 20, 2019, 10 am to 4 pm, Smith Vocational School, 80 Locust St, Northampton, Massachusetts.
http://www.pioneervalleybookfair.com
30 regional dealers offering antiquarian, modern, collectible, rare, scholarly, fine, & used books, manuscripts, ephemera, prints, maps, autographs, sheet music, postcards, photographs in every imaginable subject.
Admission is $6, ages 12-21 $3, under 12 free; $1 off with card, coupon, or printout from website.
We hope to host you this Sunday.
Southern New England Antiquarian Booksellers, http://www.sneab.com
20 October — “18th Century Medical Practices”
Worthington Historical Society, 6 Williamsburg Rd., Worthington, 6:30 pm
Barbara Mathews, Ph.D., Public Historian at Historic Deerfield, will speak on 18th-Century medical practices drawing from the journal of Elihu Ashley, a doctor’s apprentice in Western Massachusetts from 1773-1775. Sunday, October 20th, 6:30 PM at the Worthington Historical Society, 6 Williamsburg Rd., Worthington, MA.
Kate Ewald, Worthington Historical Society
26 October — Western New England Chapter Meeting
Association for Gravestone Studies
at the Westfield Athenaeum, Westfield
Morning session, 10 AM to noon, followed by a light lunch, then (weather permitting) an informal tour of one or more local cemeteries.
Al and Betsy McKee will present the results of a recent LIDAR and Ground Penetrating Radar survey of the old burying ground in Longmeadow, and an up-date of their research on local carvers.
CALL FOR ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS — If you would like to do a presentation (20-30 mins.) during the morning session, contact Bob Drinkwater: soulestones@gmail.com or (413) 549-0581.
More details to follow . . . if you plan to attend, please R. S. V. P. to Andrea: anduruna@hotmail.com
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Free will donations are requested to help cover the costs of coffee, snacks and lunch.
26 October — “Reading the Forested Landscape in Pelham”
Pelham Historical Society
at the Pelham Library Ramsdell Room, Pelham, noon – 4 pm
Presentation at the Pelham Library Ramsdell Room followed by Interpretive Walk
Rain Date: Sunday, October 27, 12 to 4 p.m.
Join the renowned terrestrial ecologist and author Tom Wessels for a presentation on learning to read our forest landscape, followed by an interpretive walk at 1:30 p.m. Using tree stump decay patterns, the construction of stone walls, and much more, Tom will show us how to unravel the agricultural, logging, and wind histories in our forests. Tom’s books will be available for sale.
Come along for the presentation, walk, or both! Please sign up for the walk at the Library as space may be limited. Walk participants are encouraged to carpool, bring a snack, and dress for the weather.
For more information contact Cynthia Weigel, 413-256-4606.
This program is part of the Virginia Davis Memorial Lecture Series, which is funded by her generous bequest. Happi Cramer, long-time friend of Ms. Davis, will share memories before the program. Refreshments will be served.
30 October — “A Springfield Preservation Story: The Willys-Overland Building”
Western Massachusetts Historical Commission Coalition
at Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 60 Congress St., Springfield, 10 – noon
More details to come as we finalize speakers and the agenda. Hope you can make it! As always, if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Stacia Caplanson
Preservation Circuit Rider for Central and Western MA
Preservation Massachusetts
617-999-3256
scaplanson@preservationmass.org
Preservation Massachusetts
www.preservationmass.org
34 Main Street Extension, Suite 401
Plymouth, MA 02360
NOVEMBER 2019
2 November — 30th Anniversary Event
Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts
at the Munich Haus, 13 Center St, Chicopee, 9:30 am – 3 pm
Join the PGSMA for its 30th Anniversary Lunch and Learn. This Saturday event will feature two wonderful speakers (Coleen Fitzpatrick and Daniel Bucko), a Polish luncheon catered by Munich Haus, a raffle, plenty of opportunities for questions and answers and meeting your fellow attendees.
Due to limited seating and luncheon service, pre-registration for this event is required. Cost is $30 for PGSMA members and $40 for non-members. Register at http://pgsma.org/30th-anniversary-event.html
DNA Results: What Can I Do With Them? by Colleen Fitzpatrick, PhD
In her talk, Colleen will review how you can use your DNA results to advance your genealogical research. Some of the tools she will explore with us include:
• Gedmatch Genesis – The Basics
• The Shared cM Project
• DNA Painter
Polish Vital Records and How Best to Find Them by Daniel Bućko, Genealogist based in Poland
In his presentation delivered via Skype, Daniel will provide a comprehensive overview of how to locate records in Poland that you need to grow your family tree. Topics covered will include:
• Overview of the main Polish State Archives for each region of Poland
• Overview of the Polish Diocesan Archives for each region of Poland
• On-line resources for each region of Poland
• Limitations or what is not available to a researcher at this time in Poland
• Parish Archives and how to get the records
• Polish Civil Registers and how to get the records
Cost is $30 for PGSMA members and $40 for non-members
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