Overview
Historic Deerfield is the oldest part of the township of Deerfield in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
Geography
Deerfield lies along the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Today Deerfield is mostly rural farming community with a growing number of suburban-style developments.
History
At the time of European contact, the area know known as Deerfield was inhabited by the indigeneous Pocumtuck nation. After the settlers forcibly expelled the Pocumtuck from their land the nation went north to seek out the protection of the French.
Historically-for a good portion of the colonial period, Deerfield was the "Frontier" for southern and easten New England. Because of it's strategic placement, it was one of the towns that the French chose to attack during the French and Indian wars. During the Winter of 1704 the pallisade was breached, the population abducted, and the town razed to the ground. Some of the few remaining Pocumtuck took part in this raid for obvious reasons, as well as several other nations, most notably the Mohawk and Abenaki.
Almost all of those who survived the attack and the March were eventually allowed to return, although the "Unredeemed captive" Eunice Williams chose not to. Deerfield was eventually resettled, the frontier pushed north, and Deerfield became for the most part just another colnial town.
Historic Deerfield
Historic Deefield is a designation for the oldest part of "Old Deerfield" and includes both the town committee run buildings, and a few other buildings in the area. Historic Deerfield is effectively an open air museum.
The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, or PVMA is the town committee that operates most of the bulidngs in Historic Deefield.
PVMA owns most of the buildings in Historic Deerfield, inlcuding the Modern Flint Center- a museum within this museum, and has renovated several the upstairs floor of the Sheldon House to act as a Museum. The First Church of Deerfield is a joint Unitarian/Congregational Church, and the Deerfield Inn is a historic building, but also a functioning family run bed and breakfast.
Events
The PVMA organizes events throught the Northern Pioneer Valley, from semi-permenate exibits to an East European festival to celebrate the strong Slavic heritage of modern Deerfield.
Historic Deerfield (http://www.historic-deerfield.org/)
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