Independence Day Celebrations in Western Massachusetts

The summer skies of June and July will soon be bathed in brilliant blossoms of color and sound as Western Massachusetts celebrates the spirit of 1776 once again with fireworks and festivities galore. Here's a sampling of some of the pyrotechnic displays towns and cities are planning for this season of independence in the year 2012. While most of the following events are free, some do request a donation and others charge an entry fee. It's best to visit the applicable websites to get the scoop on all of the details of each venue (as well as any additional planned holiday happenings the town or city may offer, such as parades or concerts) before heading out.


Brimfield
Saturday ~ June 23
139 Old Palmer Road
Brimfield, Massachusetts
Directions to Old Palmer Road


Easthampton
Saturday ~ June 23 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: June 24)
Galbraith & Daley Fields
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Directions to Daley Field
More info: http://www.easthamptonspirit.com/


Monson
Saturday ~ June 23 ~ 9:15 p.m. (Rain date: June 24)
Monson High & Quarry Hill School
Monson, Massachusetts
Directions to Monson High School
More info: http://www.monsonsummerfestinc.com/events.htm


Northampton
Saturday ~ June 23 ~ 9:15 p.m. (Rain date: June 24)
Look Park
300 North Main Street
Florence, Massachusetts
Directions to Look Park
More info: http://www.northamptonfamilyfourth.com/


Holyoke
Friday ~ June 29 ~ Dusk (Rain date: June 30)
Holyoke Community College
Homestead Avenue
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Directions to HCC
More info: https://www.facebook.com/HolyokeCommunityCollege


Chicopee
Saturday ~ June 30 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 1)
Szot Park
Front Street
Chicopee, Massachusetts
Directions to Szot Park
More info: http://www.festofall.com/


Lenox
June 30 ~ 9:30 p.m.
Elm Court Estate
Lenox, Massachusetts
Directions to Elm Court Estate


Ware
Saturday ~ June 30 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 1)
Grenville Park
Walter Drive
Ware, Massachusetts
Directions to Grenville Park
More info: http://www.townofware.com/Pages/WareMA_MeetingCal/S037ECD82-037ECE06?formid=161


Westfield
Saturday ~ June 30 (Rain date: July 1)
Stanley Park
400 Western Avenue
Westfield, Massachusetts
Directions to Stanley Park
More info: http://www.stanleypark.org/page/fireworks-freedom and http://www.cityofwestfield.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Community-Celebrations.pdf


East Longmeadow
Tuesday ~ July 3 ~ 9:00 p.m.
East Longmeadow High School
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts
Directions to ELHS
More info: http://www.eastlongmeadowma.gov/


South Hadley
Tuesday ~ July 3 ~ 9:15 p.m. (Rain date: July 5)
Michael E. Smith Middle School
100 Mosier Street
South Hadley, Massachusetts
Directions to MSMS
More info: http://www.southhadley.org/Pages/SouthHadleyMA_Recreation/specialevents


Sturbridge
Tuesday ~ July 3 ~ Dusk (Rain date: July 4)
Old Sturbridge Village
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
1-800-733-1830
Directions to Old Sturbridge Village
More info: http://www.osv.org/orders/listprograms.html?ID=29&G=


Agawam
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 5)
Six Flags New England
1623 Main Street
Agawam, Massachusetts
1-413-786-9300
Directions to Six Flags
More info: http://www.sixflags.com/newengland/index.aspx


Amherst
Wednesday ~ July 4 (Rain date: July 5)
McGuirk Alumni Stadium, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Directions to Alumni Stadium
More info: https://www.facebook.com/Amherst.July4th.Fireworks/info


North Adams
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 5)
Joe Wolfe Field
North Adams, Massachusetts
Directions to Wolfe Field


Pittsfield
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 5)
Wahconah Park
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Directions to Wahconah Park
More info: https://www.facebook.com/pittsfield.parade


Springfield
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 5)
Memorial Bridge
Springfield/West Springfield, Massachusetts
Directions to the Memorial Bridge
More info: http://www.spiritofspringfield.org/starspangle/index.html


Stockbridge
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 10:00 p.m. (Following performance)
Tanglewood Grounds
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Directions to Tanglewood
More info: http://www.bso.org/


Chesterfield
Friday ~ July 6 ~ 9 p.m. (Rain date: July 7)
Cummington Fair Grounds
Cummington, Massachusetts
Directions to the fair grounds
More info: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=308875732539382&set=a.244076865685936.55776.244039579022998&type=1&theater


Southwick
Friday ~ July 6 ~ 9:15 p.m. (Rain date: July 13)
STRDS Athletics Field
Powder Mill Road
Southwick, Massachusetts
Directions to STRDS Athletic Field
More info: http://www.southwickma.org/Public_Documents/SouthwickMA_CommCal/S037FC76C-037FC7B0?formid=161


Greenfield
Saturday ~ July 7 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 8)
Beacon Field
Beacon Street
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Directions to Beacon Field
More info: http://www.greenfield-ma.gov/Pages/GreenfieldMA_Recreation/Fireworks

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Elsewhere in Massachusetts:


Fitchburg
Tuesday ~ July 3 ~ 10:00 p.m.
Rollstone Hill
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Directions to Rollstone Hill
More info: http://fitchburgcivicdays.com/


Worcester
Tuesday ~ July 3 ~ 9:30 p.m. (Rain date: July 5)
East Park (Christoforo Columbo)
Shrewsbury Street
Worcester, Massachusetts
Directions to East Park
More info: https://www.worcesterchamber.org/event-register?event=371


Boston
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 10:30 p.m.
Along Charles River, between Longfellow & Mass Ave. bridges
Boston & Cambridge, Massachusetts
Directions to Boston fireworks
More info: http://www.july4th.org/


Salisbury Beach Center
Wednesday ~ July 4 ~ 10:15 p.m.
North End Boulevard
Salisbury, Massachusetts
Directions to Salisbury Beach Center
More info: http://www.beachfests.org/fourth-of-july.html


Pepperell
Saturday ~ July 7 ~ Dusk
Field behind VFW Post 3291
Pepperell, Massachusetts
Directions to VFW Post 3291
More info: http://pepperell4thofjuly.org/

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In Connecticut:


Hartford, CT
Saturday ~ July 7 ~ Dusk (Rain date: July 8)
Riverside Park & Riverfront Boathouse
20 Leibert Road
Hartford, CT
Directions to Riverside Park
More info: http://www.riverfront.org/events/festivals/#Riverfest


Stafford, CT
Saturday ~ July 7 ~ 9:00 p.m. (Rain date: July 8)
Stafford High School
145 Orcuttville Road
Stafford, Connecticut
Directions to SHS
More info: http://www.staffordct.org/calendar_civic/calendar.php?op=cal&month=7&year=2012&catview=0


Enfield, CT
Sunday - July 8 ~ 9:45 p.m.
Town Green
Enfield, Connecticut
Directions to the Enfield Town Green
More info: http://enfieldcelebration.org/


Please contact explorewmass@yahoo.com with suggestions for local fireworks displays we may have missed or corrections we need to make.

As always, thanks for stopping by and take care. (And have a safe and super holiday!)

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This Month in Western Massachusetts History: March

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BORN:

2 Mar 1904 - Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss - (2 Mar 1904 - 24 Sept 1991) - Author; Illustrator, Green Eggs and Ham, etc. - Born and raised in Springfield

5 Mar 1955 - Penn Fraser Jillette - (5 Mar 1955 - ) - Illusionist; Magician; Entertainer - Born and raised in Greenfield

12 Mar 1948 - James Vernon Taylor - (12 Mar 1948 - ) - Grammy Award-winning Musician, Member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Resident of Washington

17 Mar 1951 - Kurt Vogel Russell - (17 Mar 1951 - ) - Actor, Silkwood, etc.; Baseball Player - Born in Springfield

26 Mar 1850 - Edward Bellamy - (26 Mar 1850 - 22 May 1898) - Author, Looking Backward 2000-1887 - Born and died in Chicopee Falls

26 Mar 1874 - Robert Lee Frost - (26 Mar 1874 - 29 Jan 1963) - Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet; English Teacher at Amherst - Lived in Amherst

27 Mar 1969 - Johnny April - (27 Mar 1969 - ) - Musician; Drummer, Staind - Resided in Springfield

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DIED:

13 Mar 1906 - Susan Brownell Anthony - (15 Feb 1820 - 13 March 1906) - Temperance Activist; Abolitionist; Suffragette - Born in Adams

16 Mar 1985 - Edward William (Eddie) Shore - (25 Nov 1902 - 16 Mar 1985) - NHL Hockey Player; Player, Owner, AHL's Springfield Indians - Resided and died in Springfield

19 Mar 1988 - Estelle Condit (Suzy) Frelinghuysen - (1911 - 19 Mar 1988) - Abstract Artist; Opera Singer, Philanthropist - Married to George L. K. Morris - Resided in Lenox

22 Mar 1785 - Jonathan Edwards - (5 Oct 1703 - 22 Mar 1785) - Fervent Preacher; Theologian - Lived in Northampton

22 Mar 1798 - Justin Morgan - (28 Feb 1747 - 22 Mar 1798) - Composer; Horse Breeder, Morgan Horse - Born and lived in West Springfield

24 Mar 1882 - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - (27 Feb 1807 - 24 Mar 1882) - Professor; Poet, Paul Revere's Ride, etc. - Resided in Pittsfield

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HAPPENED:

Mar 1643 - Springfield settlers vote to build a bridge over the Mill River in Springfield.

Mar 1648 - The section of Springfield known to natives as Woronoko is annexed to create Westfield. Springfield had acquired the land per an order of the General Court in 1647.

Mar 1750 - Residents of South Hadley, requiring more space for worship and civic affairs, vote at assembly to build a new meeting-house. Fifty meetings and thirteen contentious years later, the structure is finally built.

Mar 1847 - Springfield's Main Street train station burns beyond repair. It is replaced with a larger, brick structure.

Mar 1848 - With debate whether to advance from town to city growing, a committee of the state legislature sitting in Springfield is presented with opinions pro and con.

Mar 1931 - The aqueduct connecting the Ware River and Wachusett Reservoir is completed, as Boston looks west to increase fresh water supplies to the city and its suburbs.

Mar 1674- Ferry service is established on the Connecticut River, just south of inlet of the Agawam (now the Westfield River). The ferry shuttled passengers, animals and freight across the river at this spot for almost 200 years, until the construction of the South-end bridge in 1879.

1 Mar 1651 - Joshua Parsons, young son of Hugh and Mary Parsons, passes away, leading an already-unnerved Mary to declare her husband a witch and murderer to Magistrate Pynchon, confirming many Springfield residents' suspicions. Mary, claiming to be possessed by Satan, recanted her story shortly after, taking responsibility for the death of the boy. Joining her jailed husband in Boston, she was held for trial. Although Mary was exonerated on the charge of being witch, she was convicted in May, 1651, and sentenced to death for Joshua's murder. Too sick to be hanged on the scheduled day, Mary was found dead in her cell on the next. Hugh Parsons was also convicted, but ultimately was spared the hangman's noose, leaving the area in due haste.

1 Mar 1842 - The Northampton and Springfield railroad corporation is formed.

2 Mar 1798 - The Berkshire County town of Clarksburg is incorporated.

3 Mar 1802 - West Springfield grows in area with the annexation of Westfield land.

4 Mar 1629 - King Charles I grants charter to the Company of the Massachusetts Bay.

4 Mar 1816 - Enfield holds its first town meeting. Enfield was one of four Massachusetts towns disincorporated in 1938 to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir, part of Boston's water-supply system.

6 Mar 1762 - The Franklin County town of Bernardston, formerly known as Falltown, incorporates.

6 Mar 1762 - The Berkshire County town of Sandisfield is incorporated.

6 Mar 1762 - The town of Tyringham, in Berkshire County, is incorporated.

6 Mar 1930 - Frozen food makes its worldwide debut as seven markets in Springfield offer curious patrons a variety of Clarence Birdseye's icy edibles for the first time in history.

7 Mar 1888 - The Springfield Daily Union newspaper offices on the corner of Main and Worthington Streets are swept up in a rapidly spreading fire, causing several deaths and injuries. Some victims jumped from the upper floors, where fire had trapped them. Others met their end in the blaze itself, unable to get out of the building. The tragic event prompted the city to buy the fire department's first aerial ladder.

7 Mar 1938 - Dana holds its last town meeting. The Swift River Valley town (and three others) would cease to exist on April 28, 1938, drowned by the man-made Quabbin Reservoir, a massive undertaking to expand Boston's water supplies.

9 Mar 1848 - Main Street, Springfield, was a somber scene as the body of President John Quincy Adams passed mourning dignitaries, military companies, politicians and residents on its way to First Church at Court Square.

9 Mar 1855 - The town of Norwich changes name to Huntington.

11 Mar 1864 - The Westfield Athenaeum is incorporated by legislative act.

12 Mar 1783 - The Hampshire County town of Middlefield is established.

12 Mar 1830 - The Massachusetts railroad corporation is established. The corporation's mission is to build a railroad between Boston and the Hudson river near Albany or Troy by January 1, 1835, passing through Springfield.

14 Mar 1793 - Cheshire is incorporated as a town in Berkshire County.

14 Mar 1805 - Great Island, in the Connecticut River, is annexed to the town of Gill, effective April 1, 1805.

15 Mar 1833 - The Western Railroad Company is established by charter of the Massachusetts legislature. The incorporation is charged with extending the western end of the Boston and Worcester railroad to the state's border with New York.

16 Mar 1854 - Holyoke firm Lyman Mills is incorporated.

16 Mar 1868 - The Springfield Street Railroad Company is incorporated. Before electrification, the rail cars were pulled by teams of horses

17 Mar 1801 - Dana holds its first town meeting.

20 Mar 1651 - Hugh Parsons, accused of witchcraft, is brought from Springfield to Boston to stand trial.

20 Mar 1784 - The town of Dalton is incorporated in Berkshire County.

20 Mar 1837 - The Westfield - Southwick border is adjusted.

21 Mar 1785 - Heath holds its first town meeting.

21 Mar 1936 - Springfield and other Connecticut River towns are devastated by a major flood.

21 Mar 1940 - Quabbin Reservoir receives its first flow of water from Ware River diversion. Quabbin reaches full capacity on June 22, 1946, 412 billion gallons.

25 Mar 1938 - Enfield Town Hall serves as site of town's farewell gathering, an emotional night well-attended by residents and friends alike. Just over a month later, Enfield is no longer, officially disincorporated to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir.

26 Mar 1855 - The border between Northampton and Easthampton is defined.

28 Mar 1938 - Final plans are filed by the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission for the massive land-taking required for the creation of Quabbin. In all, 117 square miles become watershed property. By the year 2005, the reservoir quenches the thirst of over 2.2 million people in eastern Massachusetts daily.

31 Mar 1933 - The Civilian Conservation Corps is created as a result of the Reforestation Relief Act. The Corps was also referred to as the "3 Cs". Taming Holyoke's Mt. Tom State Reservation was one of the first local projects the Corps tackled.

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The Great New England Hurricane of 1938: The Aftermath in Western Massachusetts

"New England tobacco barn."

In the mid-afternoon of September 21, 1938, a fast-moving hurricane, the likes of which hadn't been seen in two-hundred years, slammed without mercy into Long Island, New York, at Great South Bay and continued hastily north along its path of despair, racing across Long Island Sound into the unsuspecting coastal town of Milford, Connecticut. By dinner time, the indiscriminate meteorological demon was tearing up Vermont, leaving Milford and dozens of other New England towns and cities dazed and digging out or underwater in its wake.

Western Massachusetts was not spared the hurricane's scouring winds or stinging, pelting downpour. Indeed, the buckets of precipitation borne westward from the African coast upon the hellish cyclonic winds of September 21st only served to exacerbate an already-saturated Bay State, the abundantly wet summer of 1938 keeping streams, rivers and ponds full and bursting at their banks. When the hurricane hit, the flooding commenced. Wind and water at powerhouse speeds lashed the valleys and hills, and swept the land like a broom of fate.

The following images snapped shortly after the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 are from America from the Great Depression to World War II: Black and White Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945, which is part of the American Memory Collections at the website of the Library of Congress. Captions in quotes are from the website.

"House in Amherst, Massachusetts."

Around 9,000 homes were destroyed in New York and New England as a result of the hurricane, with estimates of another 15,000 to 25,000 damaged.

"Tobacco Barn in Amherst, Massachusetts."

In total, about 19,000 structures, including barns and other outbuildings, were considered total losses after the hurricane, their damage was so complete.

"Tobacco barn near Amherst, Massachusetts."

Property damage added up to over $300 million in 1938 dollars, which translates to around 4 to 6 billion 2008 dollars.

"Tobacco barn in Massachusetts."

The Great New England Hurricane, also known as The Long Island Express, pummeled Western Massachusetts tobacco farms, striking during the late season leaf-curing process.

"Chicken house between Worcester and Amherst, Massachusetts."

At the height of the rushing hurricane, winds in excess 100 miles per hour hammered New England with a vengeance only unwitting nature can unleash. A wind gust of 186 miles per hour was recorded at the Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts.

"Farmer clearing debris of chicken house between Worcester and Amherst, Massachusetts."

Accounts vary on the storm's ultimate toll in human life and limb. Common estimates put the number of deceased at around 700, with the number of injured at about 1,800.

"Chicken house near Worcester, Massachusetts."

In a matter of a few desperate afternoon hours on the first day of Autumn, healthy, vital livestock was decimated throughout the Pioneer Valley and beyond, farmers left to pick up the pieces of their broken livelihood.

"Chicken house damaged by the debris of a second chicken house which was demolished between Worcester and Amherst, Massachusetts."

In addition to the thousands of livestock lost to the chaotic onslaught, upwards of 750,000 unfortunate chickens are thought to have perished on Long Island alone.

"Apple orchard near North Brookfield, Massachusetts. This orchard has seven thousand trees and eighty-five percent of them went down."

Much of the region's ready-to-harvest apple crop was wiped out by the storm. Many mature trees were lost for good, large portions of orchards left in need of replanting.

"Pine wood lot near North Brookfield, Massachusetts."

At one point, the Great New England Hurricane had reached top-ranking on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, clocking in as a Category 5 on September 20th before settling into a horrifically damaging Category 3 on the 21st. Striking the Southern New England coastline at high tide with the moon at full face, the hurricane wreaked havoc unimaginable on a populace virtually unwarned by forecasters of the weather.

"Pine wood lot near Worcester and Amherst, Massachusetts."

When the sky cleared and the storm had passed, the Northeast was less 275 million trees in her forests and glens.

"Pine wood lot near Worcester and Amherst, Massachusetts."

Amherst's town center was altered forever with drastic destruction: 3,000 trees on and around the Common twisted victims of the storm's swift saber of wind.

"Flooded-over cornfield near Amherst, Massachusetts."

Roads were erased and train tracks washed out when the hellacious hurricane of 1938 swept across Western Massachusetts. In all, 26,000 automobiles were destroyed in its stead.

"Onions, corn stalks, and debris washed across the road by the Connecticut River near Northampton, Massachusetts."

The Connecticut River, already swollen with the steady downpour that had fallen relentlessly on the area in the days before the storm, easily reached several feet high above flood stage as the raging torrent of hurricane rain poured from the sky.

"Onions, corn, and a mixture of debris brought in by the Connecticut River flood near Northampton, Massachusetts."

The heavy devastation inland notwithstanding, the coastal areas of Southern New England bore the brunt of the hurricane's blind and calamitous trajectory, with 2,600 boats destroyed and thousands more damaged. Maritime and many other industries, already off-balance as a result of the Great Depression, reeled under nature's cursed blow.

"Salvaging onions near Hadley, Massachusetts."

A landscape strewn with viciously unearthed onions 'twas surely perfumed with a pungent breeze.

"Salvaging onions near Hadley, Massachusetts."

Power went out and communications were lost as nearly 20,000 miles of the electric and telephone lines zig-zagging the Northeast were torn from their masts. Virtually everyone was in the dark in the wake of The Long Island Express. Thirty percent of New England picked up their telephone receivers and heard only dead air.

"Salvaging onions near Hadley, Massachusetts."

A smile of hope after a brush with death. Onions are gathered, weighed and bagged. Life goes on after the storm.

"Onion field near Hadley, Massachusetts."

Today, there are warning systems and around-the-clock weather stations on television and radio to keep folks up to snuff on the latest perceived possible future atmospheric inclinations of Mother Nature. Still, more of us are here now, living on the beaches and in the fertile floodplains, planting our foundations in homes where corn and onions used to grow, or on grains of sand ever-shifting, infinite configurations of storm-whipped possibilities. Are we ready?

The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 remains the meanest, strongest, most powerful storm to hit the Northeast in two centuries. Long may it hold that distinction.

Here's a link to a PDF of an interesting 2008 report by Risk Management Solutions, Inc. exploring the potential outcome of a similar storm hitting the Northeast in the modern day: http://www.rms.com/Publications/1938_Great_New_England_Hurricane.pdf

As always, thanks for stopping by and take care.

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The Little Red Schoolhouse, Storrowton Village, West Springfield, Mass.

Little Red Schoolhouse (c1940)

 Built by John and Salmon White around 1810 from bricks produced at Thomas Craft's local brickyard, the Little Red Schoolhouse served as one of  the town of Whately's centers of learning for more than a century.

In 1930, the structure, dismantled and moved to the Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, was reconstructed as part of Mrs. Helen Storrow's idyllic vision of a typical New England hamlet embodied in her philanthropic project known as Storrowton Village.

Today, Storrowton Village is a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike, and is a perennial favorite for visitors to the annual Eastern States Exposition, held in late September/early October.

"Plans and elevations"

While one can imagine the belfry bell's peal for the attention of Whately children come the autumn of the year, the tower was actually added to the structure during its 1930 rebuild. The change was ordered to effect a closer resemblance to a schoolhouse in the Vermont town of Vergennes, said to be the model Mrs. Storrow strived to replicate in her Storrowton Village.

"Exterior and main entrance details"

The 20' x 24' Little Red Schoolhouse, also known as the North Center School after the district of Whately it served, had a capacity of a dozen pupils with a small teacher's room on the second floor.

Early on in the town's education history, a few decades before the Little Red Schoolhouse was built, classes were held in the summer, presumably to negate the expense of providing fuel for warmth in the winter. Indeed, the first schoolhouses in town were built sans fireplaces.

"Interior elevations and details"

As well as boasting a centrally-placed stove for warmth, the cutting edge technology of the North Center School included wrap-around blackboards and chalk rails.

A visit to the school at Storrowton Village brings one face-to-face with the original plaster-on-wood slates five generations of scholars took their lessons from. Carvings in the wooden seats and desktops attest to the human penchant for marking the fact of their existence for the successive waves sure to follow in their footsteps.

In the Little Red Schoolhouse, it is plausible that the same seats vacated by the last class to graduate were once occupied by those same students' great-great grandparents.

To plan a visit to Storrowton Village in West Springfield, head over to:

http://www.thebige.com/sv/index.asp

For dates, hours and information on the annual fall fair at the Eastern States Exposition (the Big E) visit:

http://www.thebige.com/fair/

And here are links to a couple of previous EWM posts on the Exposition and Storrowton Village:

The Captain John Potter House, Storrowton Village, West Springfield, Massachusetts

Photos: The Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Mass., September, 1936

More fairs and festivals in Western Massachusetts.

As always, thanks for stopping by and take care.

Image source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey, Call Number: HABS MASS,7-SPRIFW,8; http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/MA0207

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Fairs and Festivals in Western Massachusetts

Updated: July 7, 2012

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Adams


Adams Agricultural Fair
August 2 - 5, 2012

Bowe Field
Columbia St. (Route 8)
Adams, MA
wheel2148@aol.com

http://aafadams.tripod.com/adamsfair/



Ashfield


Ashfield Fall Festival
Annual/October

Main St.
Ashfield, MA
info@ashfieldfallfestival.org

http://www.ashfieldfallfestival.org/



Becket


Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
June - August 2012

358 George Carter Rd.
Becket, MA 01223
(413) 243-0745

http://www.jacobspillow.org/



Belchertown


Belchertown Fair
Annual/September

Belchertown Town Common
Main St.
Belchertown, MA
(413) 323-7201
questions@belchertownfair.com

http://www.belchertownfair.com/



Blandford


The Blandford Fair
August 31 - September 3, 2012

Blandford Fairgrounds
10 North Street
Blandford, MA 01008
(413) 848-0995

http://theblandfordfair.com/



Brimfield


The Brimfield Antique Show
2011 Schedule:
May 8 - 13, 2012
July 10 - 15, 2012
Sept. 4 - 9, 2012

Route 20
Brimfield, MA 01010

http://www.brimfieldshow.com/about_the_show.htm



Chicopee


Borrowed Talents Craft Fair and Art Show
July 28 & 29, 2012

The Moose Lodge and Family Center
244 Fuller Road
Chicopee, MA
(413) 827-8748
borrowedtalents@hotmail.com

http://borrowedtalentscraftfair.weebly.com/index.html



Cummington


Cummington Fair
August 23 - 26, 2012

Cummington Fairgrounds
97 Fairgrounds Rd.
Cummington, MA 01026

http://www.cummingtonfair.com/



Granville


Granville Harvest Fair
October 6 - 8, 2012

Town Center
Main Rd. (Route 57)
Granville, MA

http://townofgranville.net/default.aspx



Greenfield


The Green River Festival
July 14 & 15, 2012

Greenfield Community College
College Drive
Greenfield, MA
(413) 773-5463
balloon@crocker.com

http://www.greenriverfestival.com/


Franklin County Fair
September 6 - 9, 2012

Franklin County Fairgrounds
89 Wisdom Way
Greenfield, MA 01302
(413) 774-4282
info@fcas.com

http://www.fcas.com/


Brick + Mortar International Video Art Festival
October, 2012

Various Downtown Buildings
Greenfield, MA
Walking maps available on Town Common

http://greenfieldvideofest.org/about.html


Hancock


Country Fair
September 29 & 30, 2012

Hancock Shaker Village
34 Lebanon Mountain Rd.
Hancock, MA 01237
(413) 443-0188
(800) 817-1137
info@hancockshakervillage.org

http://www.hancockshakervillage.org/



Heath


Heath Fair
August 17 - 19, 2012

Heath Agricultural Society, Inc.
9 Hosmer Rd.
Heath, MA 01346
info@heathfair.org

http://www.heathfair.org/



Middlefield


Middlefield Fair
August 10 - 12, 2012

Middlefield Fairgrounds
7 Bell Road
Middlefield, MA
(413) 623-6027
middlefieldfair@gmail.com

http://middlefieldfair.org/



North Adams


Fall Foliage Festival Parade
September 30, 2012

Main St.
North Adams, MA 01247

http://www.fallfoliageparade.com/



Northampton


Three County Fair
August 31 - September 3, 2012

Three County Fairgrounds
54 Fair St.
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 584-2237
info@threecountyfair.com

http://www.3countyfair.com/


Paradise City Arts Festival
October 6 - 8, 2012

Three County Fairgrounds
54 Fair St.
Northampton, MA 01060
(800) 511-9725

http://www.paradisecityarts.com/



Old Deerfield


Old Deerfield Craft Fairs
June 16 & 17, 2012
September 15 & 16, 2012
November 16 - 18, 2012

Village of Old Deerfield
Deerfield, MA 01342
(413) 774-7476, ext. 18
info@deerfield-craft.org

http://www.deerfield-craft.org/



Springfield


Caribbean Festival
Annual/August

Springfield Carnival Association
Parade: Catherine St. to Blunt Park
Springfield, MA
(413) 726-9006
cariq69@hotmail.com



Glendi Greek Festival
September 7 - 9, 2012

Greek Cultural Center
St. George Cathedral
22 St. George Road
Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 737-1496

http://www.stgeorgecath.org/Glendi.htm


Mattoon Street Arts Festival
September 8 & 9, 2012

Mattoon Street
Springfield, MA

http://www.mattoonfestival.org/



Stockbridge


Stockbridge Summer Arts and Crafts Show
August 18 & 19, 2012

Berkshire Botanical Gardens
Routes 102 & 183
Stockbridge, MA

http://www.stockbridgechamber.org/arts_crafts.html


Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas
November 30 - December 1 & 2, 2012

http://www.stockbridgechamber.org/christmas.html

Above two events hosted by:

Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce
50 Main Street
Stockbridge, MA 01262
(413) 298-5200



West Springfield


The Big E
September 14 - 30, 2012

Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Avenue (Rte. 147)
West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 205-5115
info@TheBigE.com

http://www.thebige.com/fair/



Westfield


Westfield Fair
August 17 - 19, 2012

Westfield Fairgrounds
Russellville Rd.
Westfield, MA 01085

http://www.thewestfieldfair.com/


For more local activities and events check out EWM's Things To Do In Western Massachusetts and Museums of Western Massachusetts.

Your suggestions for additions to this list are welcome. Please leave a comment below or email: explorewmass@yahoo.com. Thanks!

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Quabbin Views

On August 14, 1939, the flooding of the Swift River Valley in Central Massachusetts commenced. Quabbin Reservoir was born.

View south from Soapstone Mountain - Petersham

The four towns of Dana, Greenwich, Enfield and Prescott were dismantled and their residents displaced to build Quabbin Reservoir, an expansion of greater Boston's water supply.

Monson Turnpike - Old North Dana

Miles of roads were abandoned, railroad lines torn up and train stations removed. Bridges were blasted away with explosives.

Shoreline - North Dana

On June 22, 1946, Quabbin Reservoir reached full capacity for the first time: 412 billion gallons cupped within 181 miles of shoreline.

View near Doubleday Village

The flooding of the valley resulted in sixty islands dotting the 24,529 surface acres of the reservoir.

Swampland in Petersham

Wetlands make up 2,272 acres of the 79,215 total acres of the state-managed Quabbin watershed area.

Remnants of old Route 21

Quabbin Park opened in 1945. There are 22 miles of hiking trails within the park's boundaries, many following the route of formerly settled roads.

Wild columbine

Several of the numbered gates found along the perimeter of its eighteen mile length provide public access to the Quabbin watershed. One of the most popular gates to hike is Gate 40, which leads to Dana town center.

Mount Zion and Mount L

Shore fishing was first allowed at Quabbin on July 5, 1946. On May 27, 1952, the Quabbin reservoir was opened to anglers in boats.

View east from New Salem

For loads of information on the Quabbin Reservoir and the Swift River Valley area, including more than fifty links to maps, history, photographs and directions, visit EWM's, The Quabbin Page.

As always, thanks for stopping by and take care.


Other links of interest on EWM:

The Quabbin Chronology: A Timeline of the Swift River Valley

Quabbin Gate 40: The Dana-Greenwich Road

Quabbin Gate 40: Dana Town Common

Map: Hampshire County, Massachusetts, 1854


Quabbin Fishing/Boating Regulations 2010:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/watersupply/watershed/quabfish.htm

Quabbin Visitor Center:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/quabbin.htm

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Williams College Tops Forbes List of Best Colleges in the U.S.A.

A View of Williams College* (c1884)

Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., has been ranked the top college in the country by Forbes in the publication's annual pick of "America's Best Colleges," with Amherst College placing third on the list.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University ranked fifth and eighth, respectively. Wellesley College ranked twelfth.

Of course a list is hardly necessary: The fine quality of higher-education has long been recognized here in the Bay State - especially in Western Massachusetts - but it's still nice to see five of the top twelve of Forbes' ranking of over six-hundred colleges and universities are from the home team. Kudos.

Here's a link to the article at Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/11/best-colleges-universities-rating-ranking-opinions-best-colleges-10_land.html


*Image from the book, Williamstown and Willliams College; author, Nathaniel H. Egleston; published 1884. Original caption: "The Old College Chapel, Griffin Hall, and Soldiers' Monument." Digitized version of the book available at the Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/williamstownwill00egle

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Kiddie Rocker band, Princess Katie & Racer Steve to perform at the Eric Carle Museum!

(Press Release) For the very, very first time, Princess Katie & Racer Steve will be performing at the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts - home of the Very, Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Tickets are $6 per person at the door (children under 2 are free). Ticket sales begin/doors open at 12:30, the concert begins at 1 pm.

Rock star attire and costumes for kids are encouraged.

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For more information...

The Eric Carle Museum website: http://www.carlemuseum.org/Home

Princess Katie & Racer Steve's website: http://www.princessracer.com

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Event details:

When: Saturday - August 7 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Where: Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
125 West Bay Road
Amherst Center, MA

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Western Massachusetts Highways and Byways, circa 1929

1929 Gulf Refining Co. Road Map

Before the Massachusetts Turnpike sped east to west, before Interstate 91 linked north and south, before Quabbin...Western Massachusetts, 1929...

Happy motoring!

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Notable Residents of Western Massachusetts

Some folks may be famous in their own circles, others internationally, but one thing is for sure, Western Massachusetts has contributed its share of personality, genius and talent to the planet, and continues to do so today, to the benefit of all. Here are some of the people who have called Western Massachusetts home...

~A~

Creighton Williams Abrams, Jr. - (15 Sept 1914 - 4 Sept 1974) - U.S. Army General; Army Chief of Staff - Namesake of the M1 Abrams Tank - Born in Springfield, raised in Feeding Hills - Buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Susan Brownell Anthony - (15 Feb 1820 - 13 March 1906) - Temperance Activist; Abolitionist; Suffragette - Born in Adams


Johnny April - (27 Mar 1969 - ) - Musician; Drummer, Staind - Resided in Springfield

~B~

Elizabeth Banks, born Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell - (10 Feb 1974 - ) - Actress - Pittsfield native


Louis Knox Barlow - (17 Jul 1966 - ) - Musician; Songwriter; Guitarist; Singer, Dinosaur Jr., etc. - Lived in Westfield


Everett Hosmer Barney - (7 Dec 1835 - 31 May 1916) - Inventor of clamp-on ice skates; Philanthropist - Springfield resident from 1864 - Interred in Barney Mausoleum, Forest Park, Springfield


Leonard Baskin - (1922 - 3 Jun 2000) - Artist; Sculptor; Illustrator; Printmaker - Resided in Northampton


Jesse Barrett-Mills - (2 May 1984 - ) - Award-winning Filmmaker - Raised in Amherst


Mark Henry Belanger - (8 Jun 1944 - 6 Oct 1998) - Major League Baseball Shortstop - Born and buried in Pittsfield


Edward Bellamy - (26 Mar 1850 - 22 May 1898) - Author, Looking Backward 2000-1887 - Born and died in Chicopee Falls


Travis Eric Best - (12 Jul 1972 - ) - NBA Basketball Player - Born and raised in Springfield


Samuel Bowles - (9 Feb 1826 - 16 Jan 1878) - Editor of the Daily Republican Newspaper - Springfield native and resident


Milton Bradley (8 Nov 1836 - 30 May 1911) - Lithographer; Inventor; Game Manufacturer - Springfield Resident from 1856


John Brown - (9 May 1800 - 2 Dec 1859) - Merchant; Abolitionist - Springfield resident, 1846-49


Rachel Fuller Brown - (23 Nov 1898 - 14 Jan 1980) - Biochemist; Co-developer of anti-fungal antibiotic Nystatin - Born in Springfield


William Cullen Bryant - (3 Nov 1794 - 12 Jun 1878) - Poet; Editor, New York Evening Post - Born and lived in Cummington


Nick Buoniconti - (15 Dec 1940 - ) - Football Player; Member of NFL Hall of Fame - Born in Springfield


Thornton Waldo Burgess - (14 Jan 1874 - 5 Jun 1965) - Conservationist; Author, Old Mother West Wind, etc. - Lived in Springfield and Hampden


Augusten Burroughs, born Christopher Robison - (23 Oct 1965 - ) - Bestselling Author, Running With Scissors, etc. - Raised in Northampton, Amherst resident

~C~

Christopher Frank Capuano - (19 Aug 1978 - ) - Major League Baseball Player - Born and raised in West Springfield


Eric Carle - (25 Jun 1929 - ) - Children's Book Author and Illustrator, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, etc. - Resided in Northampton 20+ years


Catherine Grace (Cady) Coleman - (14 Dec 1960 - ) - USAF Colonel; NASA Astronaut - Resident of Shelburne Falls


Chris Collingwood - (1968 - ) - Songwriter; Producer; Musician, Fountains of Wayne - Resident of Northampton


John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. - (4 Jul 1872 - Jan 1933) - Northampton Politician; 30th U. S. President - Amherst, Northampton resident


Zenas Crane - (9 May 1777 - 29 Jun 1845) - Currency, Certificate and Bond Papermaker; Co-founder of Old Berkshire Mill, now Crane & Co. - Resided in Dalton


Frances Crowe - (1919 - ) - Peace Activist, Pacifist - Lives in Northampton

~D~

Timothy Patrick Daggett - (22 May 1962 - ) - Gymnast; Olympic Medalist; Sports Broadcaster - Born in Springfield, raised in West Springfield

Michael D'Antonio - Songwriter; Designer; Musician, Killswitch Engage - Westfield


William Danoff - (7 May 1946 - ) - Singer, Starland Vocal Band; Songwriter, Co-wrote Take Me Home Country Roads - Born and raised in Springfield


Cecil Blount DeMille - (12 Aug 1881 - 21 Jan 1959) - Filmmaker; Academy-Award Winning Producer; Director - Born in Ashfield


Emily Elizabeth Dickinson - (10 Dec 1830 - 15 May 1886) - Reclusive Posthumously Published Poet - Born, lived and died in Amherst


William Edward Burghardt Du Bois - (23 Feb 1868 - 27 Aug 1963) - Scholar; Author; Civil-rights Activist - Born and raised in Great Barrington


Charles Edgar Duryea - (15 Dec 1861 - 28 Sept 1938) - Co-producer of first gasoline-powered automobile; Co-founder of the Duryea Motor Wagon Co. - Springfield


James Frank Duryea - (8 Oct 1869 - 15 Feb 1967) - Co-producer of first gasoline powered automobile; Co-founder of the Duryea Motor Wagon Co. - Springfield


Adam Jonathan Dutkiewicz - (4 Apr 1977 - ) - Musician, Killswitch Engage - Raised in Westhampton

~E~

Kevin Brooks Eastman - (30 May 1962 - ) - Artist; Co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -Resided in Northampton


Jonathan Edwards - (5 Oct 1703 - 22 Mar 1785) - Fervent Preacher; Theologian - Lived in Northampton


Joseph Buell Ely - (22 Feb 1881 - 13 Jun 1956) - Lawyer; Politician; 52nd Governor of Massachusetts - Born and lived in Westfield

~F~

Damien Richard Fahey - (1 Jun 1980 - ) - MTV VJ; Entertainer - Raised in Chicopee and Longmeadow


Marshall Field - (18 Aug 1834 - 16 Jan 1906) - Department Store Founder, Marshall Field & Co.; Philanthropist - Born in Conway, lived in Pittsfield


Estelle Condit (Suzy) Frelinghuysen - (1911 - 19 Mar 1988) - Abstract Artist; Opera Singer, Philanthropist - Married to George L. K. Morris - Resided in Lenox

Daniel Chester French - (20 Apr 1850 - 7 Oct 1931) - Sculptor, Lincoln in Lincoln Memorial, etc. - Summered in Stockbridge


Robert Lee Frost - (26 Mar 1874 - 29 Jan 1963) - Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet; English Teacher at Amherst - Lived in Amherst

~G~

John Cantius Garand - (1 Jan 1888 - 16 Feb 1974) - Firearms Designer, M1 Garand - Resided and died in Springfield


Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss - (2 Mar 1904 - 24 Sept 1991) - Author; Illustrator, Green Eggs and Ham, etc. - Born and raised in Springfield


Kim Althea Gordon - (28 Apr 1953 - ) - Musician; Singer-Songwriter, Sonic Youth; Designer; Producer - Northampton resident


Sylvester Graham, Rev. - (5 Jul 1794 - 11 Sept 1851) - Creator of the Graham Cracker; Dietary Reformist; Minister - Resided in Northampton


William Robert Guerin - (9 Nov 1970 - ) - Hockey Player; NHL's First Latino - Born and raised in Wilbraham


Arlo Davy Guthrie - (10 Jul 1947 - ) - Musician; Folk Singer; Song Writer - Resident of Washington

~H~

Chester Harding - (1 Sept 1792 - 1 Apr 1866) - Portrait Artist - Born in Conway, resided 36 years in Springfield.


Nathaniel Hawthorne, born Nathaniel Hathorne - (4 Jul 1804 - 19 May 1864) - Author, The House of the Seven Gables, etc. - Resided in Lenox


Francis Xavier Healy - (6 Sept 1946 - ) - Major League Baseball Catcher; Sports Broadcaster - Born in Holyoke


Edward Hitchcock - (24 May 1793 - 27 Feb 1864) - Geologist; Pastor; Professor; President, Amherst College; Author - Resided in Deerfield and Amherst


Joseph Hooker - (13 Nov 1814 - 31 Oct 1879) - Major General in Union Army, Defeated by Lee in Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville, VA, 1863 - Native of Hadley

~I~

~J~

Helen Maria Hunt Jackson - (18 Oct 1830 - 12 Aug 1885) - Author, Ramona, etc.; Indian Rights Activist - Born in Amherst

Penn Fraser Jillette - (5 Mar 1955 - ) - Illusionist; Magician; Entertainer - Born and raised in Greenfield

~K~

John Tracy Kidder - (12 Nov 1945 - ) - Pulitzer Prize-winning Author - Resident of Northampton

~L~

Peter Alan Laird - (27 Jan 1954 - ) - Artist; Co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Native of North Adams

Timothy Francis Leary, Dr. - (22 Oct 1920 - 31 May 1996) - Author; Psychologist; 1960s Counter-Culture Figure - Born and raised in Springfield


Aaron Lewis - (13 Apr 1972 - ) - Musician; Songwriter; Guitarist, Staind - Raised in Longmeadow

Rebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin - (6 Oct 1973 - ) - Basketball Player, WNBA; Sports Broadcaster - Raised in Southwick


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - (27 Feb 1807 - 24 Mar 1882) - Professor; Poet, Paul Revere's Ride, etc. - Resided in Pittsfield

~M~

Archibald MacLeish - (7 May 1892 – 20 April 1982) - Poet, Writer, JFK Speechwriter, Librarian of Congress - Resided in Conway


Anne Mansfield (Annie) Sullivan Macy, born Johanna Sullivan - (14 Apr 1866 - 20 Oct 1936) - Teacher; Sign Language Pioneer; Governess, Helen Keller - Born in Feeding Hills


Rachel Anne Maddow - (1 Apr 1973 - ) - Media Figure; Broadcaster; Political Commentator - Resident of Western Massachusetts


Taj Mahal, born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks - (17 May 1942 - ) - Grammy Award-winning Blues Musician - Raised in Springfield


Joseph Donald (J) Mascis - (10 Dec 1965 - ) - Musician; Songwriter; Guitarist, Singer, Dinosaur Jr., etc. - Born and lives in Amherst


Herman Melville - (1 Aug 1819 - 28 Sept 1891) - Author, Moby-Dick, etc. - Lived in Pittsfield


Charles Merriam - (31 Nov 1806 - 9 Jul 1887) - Co-founder G. & C. Merriam Co., Publisher, Webster's Dictionary; Philanthropist - Resided and died in Springfield


George S. Merriam - (20 Jan 1803 - 22 Jun 1880) - Co-founder G. & C. Merriam Co., Publisher, Webster's Dictionary; Editor; Author, Life and Times of Samuel Bowles, etc. - Resided and died in Springfield


Dwight Lyman Moody - (5 Feb 1837 - 22 Dec 1899) - Evangelist; Publisher; Founder of Northfield and Mount Herman Schools - Born in Northfield, where he died


Thurston Joseph Moore - (25 Jul 1958 - ) - Musician; Singer-songwriter, Sonic Youth; Producer - Resident of Northampton


Justin Morgan - (28 Feb 1747 - 22 Mar 1798) - Composer; Horse Breeder, Morgan Horse - Born and lived in West Springfield


William G. Morgan - (1870 - 1942) - Inventor of Volleyball; Physical Education Instructor - Resided in Northfield, Springfield and Holyoke


George L. K. Morris - (1905 - 1975) - Abstract Artist; Philanthropist - Married to Estelle Condit (Suzy) Frelinghuysen - Resided in Lenox


Kathryn Bridget Moynahan - (28 Apr 1971 - ) - Model; Actress - Resident of Longmeadow

Emmett Jefferson (Patrick, Murph) Murphy III - (21 Dec 1964 - ) Musician; Drummer, Dinosaur Jr., etc. - Born in Amherst


Mike Mushok - (10 Apr 1969 - ) - Musician; Guitarist, Staind - Raised in Ludlow, lived in Springfield

~N~

James Naismith - (6 Nov 1861 - 28 Nov 1939) - Inventor of Basketball; Physical Education Instructor; Coach - Resided in Springfield

~O~

~P~

Linda M. Perry - (15 Apr 1965 - ) - Musician; Producer; Singer, 4 Non Blondes - Born in Springfield


Matthew Langford Perry - (19 Aug 1969 - ) - Actor, Friends, etc. - Born in Williamstown


Louis Brian Piccolo - (31 Oct 1943 - 16 Jun 1970) - NFL Football Player; Cancer Fight Immortalized in Movie, Brian's Song - Born and lived in Pittsfield


Sylvia Plath - (27 Oct 1932 - 11 Feb 1963) - Poet; Writer; Teacher, Smith College - Lived in Northampton


Eleanor Torrey Powell - (21 Nov 1912 - 11 Feb 1982) - Actress, Dancer - Born in Springfield


Victoria Principal - (3 Jan 1950 - )  - Actress - Resided in Chicopee


William Pynchon - (11 Oct 1590 - 29 Oct 1662) - Massachusetts Settler; Co-founder of Springfield; Theologian - Resided in Springfield

~Q~

~R~

Jeffrey James Reardon - (1 Oct 1955 - ) - Major League Baseball Relief Pitcher - Born in Dalton


Norman Percevel Rockwell - (3 Feb 1894 - 8 Nov 1978) - Artist; Illustrator; Recipient, Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1977 - Lived and died in Stockbridge


Kurt Vogel Russell - (17 Mar 1951 - ) - Actor, Silkwood, etc.; Baseball Player - Born in Springfield

~S~

Edmund Hamilton Sears - (6 Apr 1810 - 14 Jan 1876) - Minister; Author, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, etc. - Born and raised in Sandisfield


Suzanne Strempek Shea - Award-Winning Author, Selling the Lite of Heaven, etc. - Born in Western Massachusetts, resident of Bondsville


Edward William (Eddie) Shore - (25 Nov 1902 - 16 Mar 1985) - NHL Hockey Player; Player, Owner, AHL's Springfield Indians - Resided and died in Springfield


Josiah James Linsly (Josh) Simpson, Jr. - (1949 - ) - Glass Artist - Resident of Shelburne Falls


Horace Smith - (28 Oct 1808 - 15 Jan 1893) - Inventor; Gun Manufacturer; Co-founder Smith & Wesson, Co.; Philanthropist - Born in Cheshire, resided in Springfield - Buried in Springfield Cemetery


William Stanley, Jr. - (28 Nov 1858 - 14 May 1916) - Physicist; Electrician; Inventor, Thermos Bottle, etc. - Resided in Great Barrington


Charles Pomeroy Stone - (30 Sept 1824 - 24 Jan 1887) - U. S. Army Officer; Surveyor; Engineer, Statue of Liberty Foundation and Pedestal, etc. - Born in Greenfield


Joel Michael Stroetzel - (24 Jul 1980 - ) - Musician, Killswitch Engage - Raised in Westfield


Jimmy Sturr - Grammy Award-winning Polka Musician - Born in Springfield


Jane Maria Swift - (24 Feb 1965 - ) - Politician; First Female Governor of Massachusetts - Born in North Adams, resident of Williamstown

~T~

James Vernon Taylor - (12 Mar 1948 - ) - Grammy Award-winning Musician, Member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Resident of Washington


Uma Karuna Thurman - (29 Apr 1970 - ) - Actress, Pulp Fiction, etc. - Resided in Amherst and Northfield


Sojourner Truth, born as Isabella Baumfree - (1797 - 26 Nov 1883) - Abolitionist; Women's Rights Activist - Resided in Florence

~U~

~V~

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. - (11 Nov 1922 - 11 Apr 2007) - Author, Slaughterhouse-Five, etc. - Lived briefly in Northampton

~W~

Francis Emroy Warren - (1844 - 1929) - First Governor of Wyoming - Born in Hinsdale


Daniel Baird Wesson - (18 May 1825 - 4 Aug 1906) - Inventor; Gun Manufacturer; Co-founder Smith & Wesson, Co.; Philanthropist - Resided in Springfield - Buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Springfield


Edith Wharton, born as Edith Newbold Jones - (24 Jan 1862 - 11 Aug 1937) - Designer; Pulitzer Prize-winning Author - Resided in Lenox


Stephanie Diana Wilson - (27 Sept 1966 - ) - Engineer; NASA Astronaut - Lived in Pittsfield


Mark Edward Wohlers - (23 Jan 1970 - ) - Major League Baseball pitcher - Native of Holyoke


Jon Wysocki - (17 Jan 1971 - ) - Musician; Drummer, Staind - Born in Northampton, raised in Westfield, lived in Springfield

~X~

~Y~

Jane Hyatt Yolen - (11 Feb 1939 - ) - Award-winning Author; Editor - Resident of Hatfield

~Z~

As I worked on this list, I began to realize that I could keep adding to it indefinitely...there are so many interesting and able souls that hail from Western Massachusetts. I'll keep working on it as time passes, so check back for updates every once in awhile. If you have a suggestion of someone I should add (and I'm certain there are many) or a correction/modification I should make, please leave a comment below. Thanks! ~Mark (Updated October 4, 2010)

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