Skip to main content

Travel New England: Deerfield Village

Image
By


Deerfield is one of the oldest Massachusetts settlements within the Connecticut River Valley. Settled in 1673, Deerfield was one of the furthest outposts of the early Colonial period. Deerfield and its surrounding areas were heavy in agriculture in the fertile fields of what is now known as the Pioneer Valley.

Old Main Street - Deerfield Village

Within modern day Deerfield is the Historic Old Deerfield Village.  A New England version of Colonial Williamsburg, Deerfield Village is a walk through to 18th Century New England.   Much of the old village sits along a one mile stretch of Old Main Street.  Here numerous historic homes and farmhouses from the 18th centuries can be found.  


With a basic admission of $18 per adult, you are able to walk inside and tour the grounds and many of the homes within Historic Deerfield.  Some homes have guided tours while others are self guided.  At various places with in town, you can see woodworking or cooking demonstrations or take a stop at the Carriage Barn.  When I visited in 2006, a wonderful 91 year old man, who did not look a day of it, tells stories about carriages and farm equipment from the 17th to the early 20th century.

One of the many 18th century homes within Historic Deerfield.

Most of the guided tours are on the hour by members of Historic Deerfield.  Parking is easy and for the most part, it is on either side of the quaint town road.  There is also a gift shop and bookstore.  The Visitor's Center is located within Hall Tavern.  The tavern was built in 1760 in Charlemont and moved to Deerfield.  The Tavern will sometimes host cooking demonstrations and also is home to a cook's garden.

An old fire call box and weathered American flag on the exterior of the Deerfield Fire Station.

Visitors that want to fully immerse themselves within the town can stay overnight at the historic Deerfield Inn which has been operating since 1884.  Or if passing through, enjoy lunch at Champney's Restaurant & Tavern.

The Deerfield Inn offers lodging and meals at Champney's Restaurant and Tavern.

Old Deerfield is a National Historic District and also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  The preservation of the village under Historic Deerfield began in 1952 as a continuation of the work of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Flynt. 

Deerfield Academy

Deerfield today is a town of just over 5,000 residents.  It is home to the Yankee Candle Flagship store in South Deerfield which attracts thousands.  Deerfield Academy, a private preparatory high school, is located within Historic Deerfield.  The highly prestigious school has been in operation since 1797.

All photos taken by post author - September 30, 2006.

Further Reading:

How To Get There:

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The case to move Interstate 73 in Southern Ohio onto US 33

By
Every decade or so, Ohio pushes to revisit the proposed Interstate 73 that would connect Michigan to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  It's been happening since Congress legislated the route in 1991.  Within Ohio, Interstate 73 generally follows the US 23 corridor from Portsmouth through Columbus to Toledo, and into Michigan. Since High Priority Corridor Five was created , Ohio has really done nothing to move forward with Interstate 73.  Sure, there have been feasibility studies here and there.  But actual dollars and construction just haven't occurred. The US 33 Nelsonville Bypass appears to have been built to Interstate standards. However, Ohio has been slowly upgrading US 33 to a full freeway through Southeastern Ohio.  Bypasses of Lancaster and Nelsonville opened in 2004 and 2013, respectively.  Other sections of two-lane road are being twinned, some to freeway or, at a minimum, to expressway standards.  Currently, a $274 million widening project in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Local Sign Find - The last remnant of Business Interstate 95 between Kenly and Rocky Mount , NC

By
As you head north on Interstate 95 at Exit 107 for Kenly and US 301, you'll notice something odd about the overhead sign for the exit.  Peeling off the sign for all that can see is the word 'NORTH' off-center from the US 301.  This old sign (probably close to original from when this section of I-95 opened - more on that in a little bit) gives a hint to a short-lived Business Interstate Route that ran from here to Rocky Mount. The last hint of the Kenly-Wilson-Rocky Mount Business I-95 (Shaun White - August 2020) Interstate 95 in North Carolina has a unique history.  But one of the overlooked and forgotten pieces of Interstate 95 in North Carolina is the 38 mile section between Kenly and Rocky Mount.  When opened to traffic in late 1978, it was the next to last piece of Interstate 95 in North Carolina to open replacing a four lane US 301 from Battleboro through Rocky Mount and Wilson to eventually tying back into the Interstate in Kenly. Though it was not delayed in l...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nostalgia fast food with style - Returning to Rax

By
Nostalgia. It sells. It evokes, and more accurately, warps memories of days gone by.  Things were better, simpler, and we eat it up. Nostalgia can make you drive three hours and over a hundred miles out of your way just to reconnect with a dying fast-food restaurant you last enjoyed in the early to mid-90s.  That person was me - that restaurant was Rax. I could go on about Rax's history, but in short, Rax was briefly a very popular roast beef fast-food chain.  Growing up in the 80s and early 90s in Western PA, Rax was the good fast-food spot.  The milkshakes.  (Personally, the chocolate chip milkshake was heaven.)  Uncle Alligator Kids Meal with the chocolate chip cookie. Take that McDonald's Happy Meal!  The fancy salad and hot foods bar.  Going to Rax was special.  Like so many similar restaurants, various investments, management decisions, etc., led Rax to almost disappear overnight.  By the time I graduated college in late 1999, abou...
Post a Comment
Read more