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| Markers Link City's Historic Sites |
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 Historic Northampton will unveil a new "outdoor museum" for the city in a ceremony to be held in Florence Center this fall. A series of prominently placed historic markers will form a path of discovery from Florence Center through the heart of Greater Northampton and the Route 9 corridor. This project will enrich the experience of living in and visiting Northampton by enhancing the historical dimension of the community. Each marker will provide a link in a chain of interpretation telling the story of Northampton's history. Containing colorful historical photographs and prints, these site markers will tie history and place together for generations to come. Initially, Historic Northampton will place five four-sided kiosks and two single pedestal historic markers on designated sites around the city. Read More |
| $105,000 Grant Awarded for Preservation |
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Historic Northampton Museum received a major grant from the Northampton Community Preservation Act (CPA) Committee to restore and preserve the historic properties in the Parsons, Shepherd and Damon Houses Historic District as designated in the National Register of Historic Places.
The $105,000 award will fund the exterior restoration of Historic Northampton's three historic buildings. Restoration will include replacement of damaged clapboards, repainting and roof replacement on the 18th century Nathaniel Parsons House.
All work will be guided by an extensive historic site and building archeology survey compiled by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. |
| Teaching the Constitution Through a Local Lens |
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Historic Northampton and the Hampshire Educational Collaborative brought some 50 area educators together at Smith College last summer for a professional development workshop on "Constitutional Debates: Intellectual Roots, 1780s Northampton, and Issues Today."
Led by UMass Constitutional Historian, Dan Gordon, and Historic Northampton Director, Kerry Buckley, the workshop was based on using primary historical documents, especially 18th century issues of the Hampshire Gazette.
On October 3rd, 1787, the entire Constitution was published in the Gazette. Having been recently chastened by Shays' Rebellion, Hampshire county readers engaged in a lively debate on the merits of the new Constitution. These letters from ordinary citizens eloquently frame the major arguments for and against its ratification.
Ashleigh Pyecroft, a history teacher at Palmer High School said, "As a teacher of history, I found all this fascinating- and I am especially excited about the local resources available to me. With a U.S. History MCAS looming on the near horizon, the stakes are getting higher for social studies teachers and students. The theme that seemed to resonate for us all throughout the workshop was the potentially transformative nature of studying and teaching history with original and local source materials. Hopefully, if educators can see it as transformative and exciting, we will be able to impart this feeling to our students. I know that at least one group of local educators will be especially fired up for this year's Constitution Day."
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| Online Collections Attract Members Nationwide |
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 Last year, Historic Northampton introduced a major benefit for members: exclusive online access to our digital catalog and archives containing thousands of photographs, historic newspapers and maps, historic house inventories and our extensive digital collections database of objects and artifacts.
A subscriber option for institutions- schools, libraries, colleges and universities- was also introduced.
The response to this initiative has been overwhelming, almost doubling our membership. Interestingly, many of these new members come from all over the United States and from as far away as New Zealand.
Historic Northampton's research portal offers access to one of the most unique historical collections in New England. Classrooms all over the Commonwealth will be able to access 18th century issues of the Hampshire Gazette as they study, first hand, the ratification debate over the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.
An important reference tool for primary sources, this database will continue to grow.
All of our 17th century documents and manuscripts are now online as are additional maps, photographs and collection objects. Updating the online collection is an ongoing process.
Membership growth will ensure continued growth of our online collection.
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| Book Center Comes to Historic Northampton |
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Historic Northampton welcomed a new addition to its campus in April. The Massachusetts Center for the Book opened its Western Massachusetts headquarters in a historic building attached to the Shepherd Barn.
The Massachusetts Center for the Book is the Commonwealth affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The non-profit organization works with the national center and within the network of state-center affiliates that operate in every state in the Union as well as in the District of Columbia to promote "books, reading, literacy, and libraries" at the national and local levels.
"Access to books is fundamental", said Sharon Shaloo, Director of the Massachusetts Center for the Book, "for if books are going to be, as we know they can be, a meeting place and a common ground for discussion of our shared hopes for life in this Commonwealth, then we must make certain that our circle of readers is continually expanded and that books are available for all who seek them."
A current project of the Center is the Literary Map of Massachusetts, a guide to Commonwealth literary heritage sites. "We hope the books, authors and libraries represented on this map," said Shaloo, "might take you to every region of the Commonwealth where you can explore the ways communities have honored writers who have enriched our cultural life."
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| New Exhibit to Feature 19th Century Artist |
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 Art Historian Martha Hoppin will be the curator of Historic Northampton's forthcoming exhibit, opening November 23rd, on the life and work of 19th century Northampton artist, Charles C. Burleigh, Jr.
Son of free-thinking Congregationalist parents, Burleigh showed much promise at an early age and studied at the Lowell Institute of Design in Boston and at the Pennsylvania Academy. Beginning in 1878, Burleigh and his young wife spent five years in Europe, traveling and painting. Before he could return home, however, he became ill and died in Cologne in 1882.
Historic Northampton maintains an extensive collection of Burleigh's sketches and paintings. These, along with letters and diaries offer a glimpse into the life of a promising artist on the eve of the modernist revolution.
Martha Hoppin most recently curated Changing Prospects: The View from Mount Holyoke at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. |
| Fundraiser to Feature Antiques Road Show Experts |
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 On September 20th Historic Northampton Museum will host its first Antiques Appraisal Event for those hoping to discover that their homes hold hidden treasures.
The Museum will be hosting appraisers from international fine art auctioneers Bonhams New York, who have been regularly seen on the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. Seeing the event as a fun and helpful way to raise funds for the museum, the specialists will be donating their time and expertise by offering attendees verbal appraisals of American & European Paintings; Early American Furniture; Fine & Antique Jewelry; Decorative Arts; Books, Maps & Manuscripts.
Events such as these attract many eager to know if an overlooked family heirloom might actually be a valuable auction find- and this is not an unheard of occurrence. At a similar event that took place at Wilbraham, MA in 2004, Fine Jewelry Specialist, Virginia Salem, appraised an Emerald collection at $10/20,000, which went on to sell for close to $200,000 thousand at auction.
"Unearthing an auction treasure may not be the norm, but people are always intrigued to find out the background of something that's been forgotten in the attic," states Salem. "And it is very possible that this appraisal day in particular will bring to light some interesting pieces as this area of the country is steeped in history."
The event will take place on Saturday, September 20th from 10AM-2PM. The cost for appraisal is $25 for the first 3 items and $5 per piece for each additional item with a limit of seven items in total. (Stamps, Coins, Dolls, and Musical Instruments will not be accepted for appraisal.) All proceeds will be donated to the Museum.
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