Local History Links

Local History Links

• The Ashfield Historical Society Bordering Plainfield is our neighbor, Ashfield, Massachusetts. Ashfield is one of Massachusetts’ Hill Towns, a number of small communities nestled in the rolling hills between the Connecticut River and the Berkshire Mountains. Despite its rural location, Ashfield has been at the center of many of the currents of American history since its incorporation in 1765, including the pietist movement of the late eighteenth century (the first Shaker meeting house was built here in 1789) to the abolition movement (the Free Soil party triumphed here in the 1850’s), to the prohibition movement (the town eliminated the open bar at town meeting in 1848). This website has a historical timeline, virtual tour of their museum and an extensive collection of the Howes brothers’ photographs.

• Cummington Historical Commission Visit the Kingsmen Tavern, the William Cullen Bryant House, and learn about the history of our neighbor, Cummington, Massachusetts. 

• The Rowe Historical Society The Rowe Historical Society owns and operates the Kemp-McCarthy Museum located at 282 Zoar Road in Rowe, Massachusetts. The museum has an extensive collection of local artifacts and antiques. Highlights of the collection include antique quilts, 19th century dolls, period costumes, china and glassware, sleighs, furniture, photographs, cookware, tools, farm implements, and an original 19th century hearse. Exhibits are updated regularly.

•  The Pioneer Valley Historical Network – 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 museum complexes. Some focus on collections, others provide resources and education. All are committed to keeping history alive and relevant for future generations.This collection of organizations is an incredible resource!

• Shelburne Falls Historical Society – The Shelburne Historical Society is chartered to collect, preserve and interpret material of historical interest relating to the Town of Shelburne , Franklin County, Massachusetts. Its museum and headquarters are in the old Arms Academy on the corner of Church and Maple Streets in Shelburne Falls . The museum maintains a room devoted to memorabilia and records of the Academy.

• Historic Northampton Museum and Education Center -The mission of Historic Northampton is to collect and preserve Northampton’s past and to engage the community in the exploration of our natural, material, and social history.
  Historic Northampton preserves objects and documents that illuminate the lives of past residents.  Through our programs, exhibits and public projects, Historic Northampton  encourages ongoing conversations between past and present. 
• Massachusetts Historical Society –On 24 January 1791, the Rev. Jeremy Belknap invited nine like-minded Bostonians to join him in creating what they would call simply, “The Historical Society,” now the Massachusetts Historical Society, the oldest organization in the United States devoted to collecting materials for the study of American history.

  As he envisioned it, the society would become a repository and a publisher collecting, preserving,and disseminating resources for the study of American history. Through their pledges of family papers, books, and artifacts from their personal collections, the founding members made the Society the nation’s first historical repository by the end of their initial meeting. With the appearance of their first title at the start of 1792, they also made the MHS the nation’s first institution of any description to publish in its field.

• Mass Humanities: A Commonwealth of Ideas -We believe the humanities are the key to a democracy where everyone values cultural knowledge, civil discourse, and diverse perspectives. Over the past five decades, Mass Humanities has helped thousands of people realize this potential and improve society through grants, programs and public events.