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Restaurant historian Jan Whitaker will present an illustrated history of Northampton’s restaurants of the 20th century. Jan will discuss the town’s prominent and influential restaurants of the past, along with its ordinary and forgotten places. She will look at the highs and lows of the city’s restaurant history, from the Great Depression to the “renaissance” of the 70s and 80s.
Sponsored by Sylvester's and Roberto's Restaurants
Registration
Registration is full for this talk. Admission $5 for members and donors $10 all others Learn More |
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Following Bob Leverett’s programs, all are welcome to gather at the sugar maple near the Historic Parsons House and consider this tree’s history--who has passed by during its life time, what are some of the major changes that have taken place since it took root. We will read some tree-related poetry and toast its life with small samples of maple syrup.
Learn More Sponsored by King and Cushman Insurance
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To honor Northampton’s trees and the multiple benefits they bring to our lives, Bob Leverett will highlight Northampton's wealth of big championship quality trees as well as some of our special forests. Trees enhance our health, clean our air and water, calm and cool our streets and inspire us with their beauty. They are a major factor in removing carbon from the air, helping to slow climate change.
Sponsored by King and Cushman Insurance
Registration
Registration is recommended. Seating is limited to 55. Admission $5 for members and donors $10 all others Learn More | Register |
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Approximately 11,000 shade trees grow within public right-of-way that the City of Northampton holds along its streets and Rich Parasiliti, the City’s tree warden, is responsible for the protection and welfare of all of them. On this walking tour, Tree Warden Rich Parasiliti will highlight some of his all-time favorite trees in downtown, describing their life history and significance and the multiple values of shade trees and urban forests.
Sponsored by National Grid
Registration
Registration is full. Email [email protected] to be placed on the wait list. Admission $8 for members and donors $12 all others Learn More | Register |
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John Sacerdote will demonstrate how he constructed the twelve-foot long model of Northampton’s Main Street as it appeared in 1847. The model is the centerpiece of the exhibit Making it on Main Street which will be on view until June 2021.
Using slides, Sacerdote will first describe the process he used to make some of the 50 buildings. Then he will demonstrate making a building and show the specialty tools and supplies needed. Sponsored by Mssrs. Czelusniak et Dugal, Inc.
Co-sponsored by the Amherst Railway Society Registration
Registration recommended. Admission $5 for members and donors $10 all others Learn More | Register |
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Join Smith College astronomer Meg Thacher and co-director Laurie Sanders for an amble down an ancient road into the Meadows to enjoy both the sunset and rise of the full moon. Meg will have telescopes on hand to take closer looks at the moon, Jupiter, Saturn and several impressive star clusters and double stars.
Sponsored by Northeast Solar
Registration
Pre-registration is required. Limited to 25. Meeting Location to be announced. Admission $8 for members and donors $12 all others Learn More |Register |
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J.M. Sorrell will tell the nearly forty-year-long story of Northampton Pride. In 1982, a small group of local and student activists organized the first annual Northampton Lesbian and Gay Liberation March. Walkers gathered at the Bridge Street School lawn and marched down Main Street to Pulaski Park where a rally was held. Sorrell started marching and volunteering to help organize the march in its second year. Nearly forty years later, Main Street is still the route--but now in reverse to the Three County Fairgrounds to accommodate the tens of thousands of participants.
Sponsored by River Valley Market
Registration
Registration is recommended Admission $5 for members and donors $10 all others Learn More | Register |
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Join collections manager Kelsy Sinelnikov for a look at objects in the collection related to banking and commerce. Discover what you could buy in exchange for a cord of wood or maybe a chicken in 1869 by looking at local account books. Examine 18th and 19th century paper money issued by local banks before a national currency took its place. Finally, discuss the rise of credit cards through a look at their predecessor, the charge plate.
Sponsored by
Florence Bank & Greenfield Savings Bank Seating
First come, first served. Admission This Collections Spotlight is included with admission to the Making it on Main Street exhibit, which is a suggested donation of $5-10. Learn More |
Composite Photograph of the South Side of Main Street
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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.
Sponsored by Joe's Cafe
Registration:
Pre-registration required. Limited to 15. Fee: $8 members & donors $12 non-members Learn More |
An excavation site in Northampton has revealed two separate early archaic period encampments dating to
approximately 9,500 to 8,000 years ago. |
Last fall, in accordance with state and federal regulations, the MA Department of Transportation hired Dave Leslie, a lead archaeologist with Archeological and Historical Services, Inc., to conduct a preliminary assessment of an area in Northampton where a new roadway construction project is planned. His investigation included digging a series of small test pits, some of which uncovered Native American artifacts dating to the Early Archaic Period. This September Leslie returned to the site to conduct a more thorough excavation. In conjunction with Massachusetts Archaeology Month, Leslie will present his findings and explain what this site reveals about Native Americans during this time period.
This public talk is held in partnership with Forbes Library
Sponsored by Mass Humanities Admission:
$5 Members of Historic Northampton, Friends of Forbes Library and students with valid ID $10 all others Learn More |
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Join John Brady, recently retired geologist from Smith College, on a 90-minute tour of downtown Northampton. Learn about the geologic origins of the stone blocks used to build some of the City's most iconic downtown buildings, from the Court House and First Churches to City Hall and beyond. On this tour, John will expand your view of Northampton and reveal connections to more than 400 million years of earth history.
Sponsored by D.A. Sullivan & Sons, Northampton, MA
Registration:
Pre-registration required. Limited to 15. Fee: $8 members and donors $12 all others Learn More |
Replica of the Sarah Strong Chest
by furniture maker Sharon Mehrmann |
Professional woodworker Sharon Mehrman will describe how she painstakingly constructed a 7/8 scale replica of a circa 1700 Hadley-type chest. Mehrman will demonstrate some of the historic woodworking techniques she used, and discuss what she has learned about early American joinery by making the replica.
Seating:
First come, first served. Admission: $5 members and donors | $10 all others Sponsor: Sugar Maple Trailside Inn Learn More |
Nancy Stark Smith and group in Helsinki, Finland
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Join us for a conversation of “Why Here, Why Then?” with renowned body movement teachers and performers Janet Adler, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, and Nancy Stark Smith as they explain the role that Northampton played on shaping and launching their careers.
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Hampshire County Courthouse and Court Procession
Detail from the Model of Northampton, 1847 Amherst Railway Society |
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.
Registration:
Reservations strongly recommended. Limited to 35. Register by email at hcba@crocker.com. |
Gravestones of Warham Clapp, Sophia Clapp and
Sally Maminash in the Bridge Street Cemetery in Northampton. Photo by Margaret Bruchac |
Saturday, September 14, 2019 | 4:30 pm
Indigenous Northampton in the 19th Century: Revisiting the History of Sally Maminash by Dr. Margaret Bruchac One of the most intriguing gravestones in Northampton’s Bridge Street Cemetery belongs to Sally Maminash (1765-1853), a Mohegan/Nonotuck woman identified as “The last of the Indians here. A niece of Occum. A Christian.” Stories from the newspaper recount cryptically tragic details: her mother Elizabeth murdered; her father’s gravestone stolen; and Sally trapped in a lonely corner of the room, reading her Bible. Dr. Margaret Bruchac revisits the writings of local town historians to show how seemingly “unknown” Indigenous histories can often be recovered by dismantling the romantic stereotypes that situated Native peoples in distant times and locales. This event has reached full registration. $5 members, donors & students with valid ID $10 all others Sponsored by Mass Humanities Learn More |
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Saturday, September 14, 2019 | 8:30 to 10 am
350 Years in 90 Minutes: Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Northampton 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. Fee: $8 members & donors; $12 non-members. Sponsored by Greenfield Savings Bank. Learn More |
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Wednesday, September 11, 2019 | 1 to 3 pm
Exploring Look Park with an Eye on History & Nature with Laurie Sanders of Historic Northampton During the last 150 years, the 130-acres that make up Look Park have undergone a series of transformations–from farm fields and pasture to golf course to park. Historic Northampton co-director and naturalist Laurie Sanders will help reveal the park’s history and how it has shaped the landscape and plants and animals we see today. Advance Tickets Required. Purchase by September 6th. Limited to 25 |Fee: $10 Learn More |
Ebony spleenwort in the mortar between the stones
of two of the city's downtown bridge abutments. |
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 | 12 noon to 1:30 pm
Nature in Downtown Northampton with Laurie Sanders of Historic Northampton We'll look for every plant or animal species that survives in downtown, from the mosses and ants living in the cracks and margins to the larger plants and creatures that are able to survive in the wilder and untended pockets that occur in and around the heart of the city. Pre-registration Required. Limited to 15. Fee: $8 members & donors; $12 non-members. Sponsored by Joe's Cafe. Learn More |
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Saturday, August 24, 2019 | 10 to 11:30 am
Sylvester Graham Olympics - A Family Program Embrace your inner Graham-ite - compete in a Graham cracker toss, build a Graham cracker tower, and challenge your Graham cracker-wielding dexterity. Learn about Sylvester Graham and how his philosophy influences the food on our plates, then participate in brain teasing events to put that knowledge to the test! Outside on Parsons Lawn, Historic Northampton Kids are free - $5 per adult or $10 per family |
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Wednesday, August 14, 2019 |12 to 1 pm
Collections Spotlight - Main Street Undressed with Kelsy Sinelnikov, Collections Manager Historic Northampton Collections Manager Kelsy Sinelnikov will highlight some of the items that were common on Main Street during the 1800s, but hidden from view. Join her for a close up look at the corsets, stays, stockings and other undergarments worn and sold on Northampton’s Main Street and part of Historic Northampton’s remarkable clothing collection. Cost: $5 members & donors; $8 others |
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Saturday, August 10, 2019 | 10 to 11:30 am
Hydro History - A Family Program Splash your way through history as you make your own water-powered devices! Discover how water has shaped the history of Northampton by creating your own miniature water wheels, participating in a bucket brigade, and looking at 1800s Fire Department gear. Outside on Parsons Lawn at Historic Northampton Kids are free - $5 per adult or $10 per family |
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Tuesday, August 6, 2019 | 12 to 1 pm
Nature in Northampton: A Walking Tour with Laurie Sanders We'll look for every plant or animal species that survives in downtown, from the mosses and ants living in the cracks and margins to the larger plants and creatures that are able to survive in the wilder and untended pockets that occur in and around the heart of the city. Registration is required. Space is limited to 20. $5 for members and donors $8 for non-members Learn More |
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Saturday, August 3, 2019 | 7 to 9 pm
Parsons Lawn Concert Series StompBox Trio StompBox Trio is the creative intersection between Evelyn Harris’s singular & magical voice, John Cabán’s haunting dobro & stompbox and David Rodriguez’s deep wood bass & foot tambourine... blending classic 20th-century American blues, funk & soul with some 21st-century mojo to create a soulful, foot stomping, hip shaking sound, not to be missed! Caravan Kitchen food truck will be on hand serving paninis. The lawn opens a 6 pm for picnicking. Music 7-9 pm Learn More |
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Saturday, July 27, 2019 | 7 to 9 pm
Parsons Lawn Concert Series The O-Tones The O-Tones have been swinging around New England since 1993. With their soulful sound, they play Jazz standards, Motown hits, Blues tunes, Latin rhythms and Soul music for fun listening and dancing. From Ella Fitzgerald to Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra to Smokey Robinson, their luscious sound will entertain and inspire! Caravan Kitchen food truck will be on hand serving paninis. The lawn opens at 6 pm for picnicking. Music 7 - 9 pm Learn More |
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Saturday, July 20, 2019 | 7 to 9 pm
Parsons Lawn Concert Series New City Opry The New City Opry plays bluegrass, country classics and Western swing. This will be an evening of fun and family friendly entertainment. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and listen to live music! Ginger Love Cafe food truck will be on site. The lawn opens at 6 pm for picnicking. Music 7 - 9 pm Learn More |
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Saturday, July 20, 2019 | 10 - 11:30 am
Silk Saturday at Historic Northampton Touch, observe, sketch, and learn about lives of three of our native silk moth caterpillars -- lunas, prometheas and cecropias. They are related to Chinese silkmoths, which provided the raw material for Northampton's 19th century silk industry and are the source of silk clothing today. We'll meet in Historic Northampton’s garden and then visit the exhibit to see a special display of clothing and objects related to the 19th century silk industry in Northampton. Unravel a cocoon while unraveling the past! Ages 3+ |
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Thursday, July 18, 2019 | 10 - 11:30 am
Paper Zoo at Historic Northampton Who says historical figures have to be human? Create a paper version of some of Northampton’s most important (and furriest) residents while learning about how they shaped our history. Children and their caretakers will also search for animals in the exhibit, and do hands on activities. |
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Wednesday, July 17, 2019 | 12 to 1 pm
Nature in Northampton: A Walking Tour with Laurie Sanders We'll look for every plant or animal species that survives in downtown, from the mosses and ants living in the cracks and margins to the larger plants and creatures that are able to survive in the wilder and untended pockets that occur in and around the heart of the city. Registration is required. Space is limited to 20. $5 for members and donors $8 for non-members Learn More |
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Saturday, July 13, 2019 | 7 to 9 pm
Parsons Lawn Concert Series Tim Eriksen: Local music, Local history Drawing on materials discovered in Historic Northampton’s collection, local junk shops, church basements and old newspapers, Eriksen’s performance will include murder ballads, fiddle tunes, shape-note harmony and haunting originals about time, place, identity and mystery.
The lawn opens at 6 pm for picnicking & Little Truc serving creative southeast Asian food on site. Music 7-9 pm Learn More |
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Saturday, July 13, 2019 | 8:30 to 10:00 am
350 Years in 90 Minutes: A Walking Tour of Downtown Northampton Elizabeth Sharpe, co-director of Historic Northampton and historian, will lead a walking tour of downtown Northampton. Registration is required. Space is limited to 20. $8 for members and donors $12 for non-members Learn More |
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Saturday, July 6, 2019 | 7 to 9 pm
Parsons Lawn Concert Series Sessa - Brazilian Folk-Pop A long-time fixture of both the US and Brazil’s music scenes, Sessa debuts his solo work for the first time in 2019. His songs are sung in a laidback Portuguese recalling Caetano Veloso, with a visceral longing that is universally accessible. His simple yet lush arrangements are transcendent and dramatic.
Learn More |
Paradise City Dragon Boat
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Tuesday, July 2, 2019 | 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Exploring Northampton Series: From Northampton to the Boundary Waters (or at least the boundary with Hatfield) Paddle with Historic Northampton & Paradise City Dragon Boat from the former New Haven-Northampton Canal to the Hatfield boundary. Take in the beauty of the Connecticut River in a dragon boat and learn about our rich natural and cultural history at the same time.
Registration required. Space is limited to 32. $25 for members and donors | $35 for non-members Learn More |
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Wednesday, June 26, 2019 | 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Exploring Northampton Series: Mineral Hills and Turkey Hill Road Quarry Join local experts Mark Carmien, Paul Foster-Moore & Laurie Sanders for a tour of the Turkey Hill Road Quarry. Learn the story of how this area was protected and its natural history.
Registration is required. Space is limited to 20. $8 for members and donors $12 for non-members Learn More |
Grand Opening of Making it on Main Street
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Saturday, June 22, 2019 | 1 to 4 pm
Grand Public Opening of Making it on Main Street Enjoy live oxen demonstrations featuring Rock & Star and Bluedog Forestry, a cartooning lesson by New York Times best-selling children’s author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka, a performance by the A2Z yo-yo team as well as music by the Expandable Brass Band, free Herrell’s ice cream and more! Rain or Shine. Free.
Learn More |
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Exploring Northampton Series:
Big Trees of Look Park with Bob Leverett Thursday, May 23, 2019 | 10 am to 1 pm Noted big tree hunter and expert Bob Leverett will lead participants on a 3-hour guided walk of notable trees found in and around Look Park. In addition to pointing out individual trees, Bob will share information about the species’ life history and ecology and also include information about the park’s history and earlier uses. Registration limited to 20. $8 members and donors | $12 non-members Learn More |
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Firefighters of Northampton: Present Day Firefighting & Book Release by Peter Norman
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 7 pm Northampton Fire Station, 26 Carlon Drive Three Northampton firefighters—Tim McQuestion, Natalie Stollmeyer and Daryl Springman-- will discuss Northampton Fire Rescue. Local author and photographer Peter Norman will introduce his new book Northampton Fire Rescue and show some of the images he took while "camped out" at the Northampton Fired department. Learn More |
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Stories of Bicycling History and Activism
A Public Talk by Lorenz J. Finison Saturday, May 11, 2019 | 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. 33 Hawley Street, Northampton (Lower Level) Friends of Northampton Trails and Greenways (FNTG) and Historic Northampton invite you to a presentation by Lorenz Finison. In the late 1800’s, the popularity of bicycles increased exponentially. By 1900, the bicycling craze faded. Within the next few decades, automobiles became commonplace and roads were refashioned to serve cars first. Bicycling then experienced a renaissance in the 1970s as concerns over physical and environmental health coalesced. Finison traces the activities of cycling environmental and social justice activists, and features topics of racing, touring, commuting, rails-to-trails, and how this history shapes our lives. His talk will introduce for the first time the Pedal Against Pollution of 1972 as it passed through Northampton, and the ill-fated Tour de Trump stage race which rolled through Northampton in 1990. Learn More |
A group shot kept by Dr. Starbuck in a personal photo album shows gay and lesbian couples holding hands outside the Big House, Middlefield, MA, circa 1930.
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Stories of Our LGBTQ Ancestors:
Dr. Amber Starbuck and Mabel Stevens and the Big House A Presentation by the Sexual Minorities Archives Friday, May 3, 2019 at 7 pm Flex Space, 33 Hawley Street The Sexual Minorities Archives of Holyoke will present a new history talk about Dr. Amber Starbuck and Mabel Stevens of Middlefield. The two women were an out lesbian couple who ran a wellness resort called the Big House in Middlefield from the 1920s to 1960s. Co-sponsored by Historic Northampton in partnership with the Northampton Center for the Arts Learn More |
James L. Long and his cousin Johnnie O'Brien,
Market Street, Northampton, MA, 1912. Photograph by Lewis Hine | Library of Congress |
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 | 7 pm| Public Talk
Tracking Down the Stories of Child Laborers A Public Talk by Joe Manning For the past 13 years, author, historian and Florence resident Joe Manning has been tracking down and interviewing the descendants of children photographed by Lewis Hine for the National Child Labor Committee. Using the interviews and his own research, Manning tells us how the lives of these children turned out, what they were like, and how they are remembered by their families. Forbes Library, Calvin Coolidge Museum Learn More |
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Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 5-7 pm | Walking Tour
Exploring Northampton Series: A Sunset Amble in the Northampton Meadows Join co-director and naturalist Laurie Sanders for a walk down Hockanum Road to the site of the former Hockanum Ferry on the Connecticut River. The return leg will coincide with the sunset, which is one of the most beautiful times to be in the Meadows and view the Holyoke Range. Pre-registration required. Limited to 20. $8 members & donors; $12 all others. Learn More & Register |
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Saturday, March 23, 2019 | 5-7 pm | Walking Tour
Exploring Northampton Series: A Sunset Amble in the Northampton Meadows Join co-director and naturalist Laurie Sanders for a walk down Hockanum Road to the site of the former Hockanum Ferry on the Connecticut River. The return leg will coincide with the sunset, which is one of the most beautiful times to be in the Meadows and view the Holyoke Range. Pre-registration required. Limited to 20. $8 members & donors; $12 all others. This walk is filled to capacity. |
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Thursday, March 21, 2019 | 7 pm |Public Talk
Amy Goodman on what can one person do? A talk in honor of Frances Crowe Award-winning independent journalist and host of the daily news program Democracy Now! Amy Goodman will give a talk in honor of Frances Crowe on her 100th birthday. Sponsored by Smith College's Special Collections, Sophia Smith Collection of Women’s History, which holds Frances' papers. John M. Greene Hall, Smith College Northampton, MA Learn More |
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Saturday, March 16, 2019 | 1 pm
Celebrate the Struggle: 100 Signs for 100 Years Participants are invited to make a sign about an issue that concerns them or one that particularly concerns Frances. The group will march from 33 Hawley Street in Northampton, up Main Street to City Hall and back again, led by the Expandable Brass Band. Indoors we will break bread together and have brief statements from Frances, her family & friends. Center for the Arts 33 Hawley Street, Northampton Learn More |
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Saturday, February 23, 2019 | Film Screening
An Art That Nature Makes: The Work of Photographer Rosamond Purcell Reception with Rosamond Purcell Film, Conversation and Book Signing 33 Hawley Street, The Arts Trust Building in Northampton, MA Finding unexpected beauty in the discarded and decayed, photographer Rosamond Purcell has developed a body of work that has garnered international acclaim, graced the pages of National Geographic and over 20 published books. This film details Purcell’s fascination with the natural world – from a mastodon tooth to a hydrocephalic skull – offering insight into her unique way of recontextualizing objects both ordinary and strange into sometimes disturbing but always breathtaking imagery. 6 pm: Reception with hearty appetizers | $20 ($5 students) 7 pm: Film, conversation and book signing |$10 Learn More |
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Friday, February 22, 2019 | 7 pm | Public Talk
Sleuthing & Serendipity: The “Discovered” Adventure of Two Intrepid Women Naturalists Who Helped Inspire Congress To Preserve The White Mountains. 33 Hawley Street, The Arts Trust Building in Northampton, MA An Illustrated Talk and Booksigning with Valley Authors Allison Bell and Maida Goodwin Valley authors Allison Bell & Maida Goodwin will describe three remarkable stories: (1) how three independent research projects reunited long-separated photographs and letters (some with secret code) that (2) tell the story of a 1902 hike in the White Mountains of two women naturalists, who subsequently took leading roles in the successful effort to protect the White Mountains of New Hampshire and (3) the region’s extraordinary alpine habitats and hiking trails. Co-Sponsored by the Berkshire Appalachian Mountain Club Learn More |
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Thursday, February 21, 2019 | 7 pm | Public Talk
The Search for Lickingwater and the Making of Northampton A Public Talk and Book Signing by John Sinton 33 Hawley Street, The Arts Trust Building in Northampton, MA John Sinton will talk about the physical creation of the Connecticut River Valley and of Nonotuck village. How did Northampton come to occupy primary of place in the Valley for its first one hundred fifty years? The central section of the presentation will focus on the Mill River itself, its major diversions in 1710 and 1940, and the role the river played in the formation and development of Northampton. Suggested donation: $5-$10 at the door. Learn More |
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Tuesday, January 15, 2019 | 7 pm | Film Screening
Monday, January 21, 2019 | 7 pm | Film Screening Community & Creativity: The Arts in Northampton Then, Now & Going Forward at the Northampton Community Arts Trust building This special program will take a closer look at Northampton's arts scene -- from the 1970s on into the future and include the public premiere of Vision of Thornes, a 13-minute documentary about Gordon Thornes' philosophy about the arts and his experience in Northampton. Suggested donation: $5-$10 at the door. Limited seating. First come, first served or reserve a seat by emailing [email protected]. Learn More |
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Wednesday, January 16, 2019 | 1 - 4 pm | Tea & Talk
Afternoon Tea & A Talk Northampton Parks: An Unexpected History Sponsored by Look Park & Historic Northampton at the Look Park Garden House Join Historic Northampton and co-host Look Park for afternoon tea in the Garden House and an illustrated talk about Northampton's parks by Laurie Sanders, Historic Northampton's co-director. During this presentation, Laurie will place Northampton's (Look, Childs, Pulaski and others) within the context of American history and share their individual stories--from the parks that were proposed and never created to those that we enjoy today, all of which were controversial. Reservations Required. $10 for afternoon tea & talk. Call 413-584-5457 to make your reservation. Learn More |
