HISTORIC NORTHAMPTON
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The Hampshire County Bar Association presents
Historic Court Cases of Hampshire County
Presenter:
Date:

Location:
Details:


Fee:

Mike Ryan, Retired Judge and Trustee of Historic Northampton
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 | 6 pm


Historic Northampton, 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA.
Limited to 35.  Pre-registration strongly recommended.
Register with the Hampshire County Bar Association at [email protected] or call Rebecca at 413-586-8729.
$10

Join Mike Ryan, former Hampshire County District Attorney and retired judge, for a review of some of the most significant cases in Hampshire County's 400-year history--from witch trials and executions to historic cases involving fashion, frauds, civil rights and protests.
Hampshire County Courthouse
Detail of the Model of Main Street, Northampton, 1847,
by the Amherst Railway Society on exhibit
at Historic Northampton.* 

Hampshire County Courthouse
Photograph of the Hampshire County Courthouse built in 1813 (rebuilt in 1823 after a fire).  It was replaced by the current Hampshire County Courthouse built 1886-1887.


* Detail of the Model of Main Street, Northampton, 1847, by the Amherst Railway Society, depicting the Hampshire County Courthouse and a procession to a court session.  The procession is based upon a description of "The Court Sessions" by Henry S. Gere in Reminiscences of Old Northampton, 1840-1850 (1902), p. 110.
The Court Sessions
from Reminiscences of Old Northampton, 1840-1850 (1902) by Henry S. Gere, p. 110.

In the old days the sessions of the courts were made more of than they are in these later times.  Many of the lawyers came here from other counties and remained a long time awaiting their turn to try their cases.  They could not return home at night, as they can now.  Usually they stopped at the Mansion House, where the Catholic church now stands, kept by Capt. Jonathan Brewster.  The evenings were spent together at the hotel, or by invitation at the home of one of the local lawyers.  It was an interesting sight to see the judges and the lawyers, each with his green bag containing the papers relating to the cases he had for trial, headed by the high sheriff, with his long staff of office, and cockade on his hat, wending their way down to the court house.  When the procession was in sight, the court house bell was rung.  This was the signal for a general drift toward the old temple of justice, and from every direction jurors, deputy sheriffs, witnesses, and spectators were seen wending their way thitherward.  This procession of judges and lawyers with its attending features gave a dignity to the court sittings which is lacking in these modern times.
HISTORIC
​NORTHAMPTON
46 Bridge Street
Northampton
​Massachusetts 01060
[email protected]
​413-584-6011
Current Exhibit:
​Slavery and Freedom in Northampton, 1654 to 1783


Exhibit Hours
July and August Hours:

Wednesday - Sunday
11 am to 5 pm
© COPYRIGHT 2015-2024. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • About
    • About Historic Northampton
    • What's On View
    • Hours and Directions
    • Volunteer
    • Board-Staff
    • Legal/Financial
  • PROGRAMS
    • Slavery and Freedom in Northampton 1654 to 1783 Exhibit
    • Upcoming Programs
    • Past Events at Historic Northampton >
      • Past Programs 2025
      • Past Programs 2024
      • Mill River Flood 150 Commemoration >
        • Mill River Flood 150 Commemoration Events
        • Mill River Flood Introduction
        • Mill River Flood Lives Lost
        • Mill River Flood Commemoration Markers >
          • \\\\\\\\Williamsburg Mill River Flood Markers
          • Skinnerville Mill River Flood Markers
          • Haydenville Mill River Flood Markers
          • Leeds Mill River Markers
          • Florence Mill River Markers
          • Northampton Mill River Markers
        • Mill River Flood Who Was Responsible
        • Mill River Flood Guided Walks to the Dam Ruins
        • Mill River Flood Memorial Tree Project
      • Past Programs 2023
      • Past Programs 2022
      • Past Programs 2021
      • Past Programs 2020
      • Past Programs 2019
    • MCC Card to Culture at Historic Northampton
    • Help I am not receiving email announcements
  • Explore
    • Collections & Research
    • History at Home >
      • Videos
      • Interactive Witch Trial
      • Paper Dolls
      • Hidden Histories
      • Scavenger Hunts
      • Coloring Pages
      • Brain Teasers
      • Peg Doll Hunts
      • Jonathan Edwards Prayer Requests
    • Properties >
      • Parsons House
      • Damon House
      • Shepherd House
      • Shepherd Barn 2020
      • The Bridge Street School Sprouts
    • Educational Websites
    • Historic Highlights
    • COVID-19 Stories >
      • Vaccination Photos
      • Submit Your COVID Story
      • Children React
      • Family and Neighborhood Fun
      • It's a New World
      • Hope and Togetherness
      • Images
      • How Illness Feels
      • Brings Forth Memory
      • Blessings and the New Busy
      • Fear and Worry
  • Indigenous Native History
    • Native Histories in Nonotuck
    • Nonotuck Histories Essay by Margaret M. Bruchac
    • Recovering Nonotuck Histories Photo Essay
    • Profiles of Native People
    • Extended Biographies of Native People
    • Nonotuck to Northampton Maps
    • Native LIves Bibliography
  • History of Slavery
    • Exhibiit Slavery and Freedom in Northampton 1654 to 1783
    • About the Slavery Research Project
    • Black Enslaved People
    • Free Black People
    • Native Enslaved People
    • Enslavers of People
    • Relationship Map >
      • Relationship Map Family Groups
      • Relationship Map Enslavement
      • Relationship Map Indenture
      • Relationship Map Legal
      • Relationship Map Commerce
      • Relationship Map Foster or Guardian
      • Relationship Map Social Connections
    • Timeline of Slavery in Northampton
  • DONATE
    • Donate to the Spring Appeal
    • WAYS TO GIVE >
      • Monthly Donation
      • IRA Giving
      • Stock Giving
    • Join the Email List
    • Donate to the Collection