Turners Falls Massachusetts

 Have you ever been to Turners Falls, Massachusetts?  Is it close to Montague?  Is is part of Montague? I have never been clear on that until yesterday.  After lunch and ice cream at Country Creemee, one of our favorite places in Turners Falls,  I finally found out.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. I was still confused by the street sign, but   looking closely at the sign to the left of the doorway of their Town Hall building you see the Town of Montague is made up of the villages of:

Turners Falls

                                                      Millers Falls 

                                                      Lake Pleasant

                                                      Montague Center

                                                      Montague City

You can read about the histories of each here:https://www.montague-ma.gov/p/20/History-of-the-Five-Villages-of-Montague

According to Wikipedia, the village of Turners Falls was founded in 1868 as a planned industrial community according to the plan of Alvah Crocker, a prominent man from Fitchburg who envisioned in the immense power of the waterfalls the means of establishing a great city. Crocker was influenced by other, earlier and successful experiments in Lowell and elsewhere. Crocker's vision was to attract industry to the town by offering cheap hydropower that was made by the harnessing of the Connecticut River, through the construction of a dam and canal. His development concept was to sell mill sites along the power canal to those companies and to sell individual building lots to mill workers who would come to work in the mills.

This sign certainly doesn't clarify which community you are in!

Look closely at the sign on the Town Hall building and you will see the answer.

 

This picture shows the mills upon which this village was designed around. The water was channeled to provide power.  These buildings look like an island out in the water.

 

The Shea movie theater was built in 1927 and has since served as a venue for a variety of entertainment from local to touring talent. https://sheatheater.org/p/7/The-History-of-the-Shea-Theater-TF-MA

 

Along Main Street. 

The main street has a lot of brick structures.

This building has been converted into The Great Falls Discovery Center.

https://greatfallsdiscoverycenter.org/about-the-center-2/ 

This appears to have been a warehouse on this side of the canal.

It is my understanding that most of these mills are not used now.  The most recent which may still be in operation is the the one in the distance with the bridge attached.

A very nice bike path runs along the river.

Petersham Massachusetts

II am always amazed at the beauty of the small New England towns that are built around the village "green" or common. Petersham, Massachusetts is one of those places.  I have passed through this quiet Westerm Mass. village many times but did not know of its historical significance until now. Neither did I know until today, via Wikipedia, that the proper pronunciation is Peter's Ham.

 

I did not know that Shay's Rebellion ended here.  Neither did I know that as the plaque states, ...."This victory for the forces of government influenced the Philadelphia Convention which three months later met and formed the Constitution of the United States".  Who knew that this beautiful little town played such a significant part in the history of our country?  See picture of the plaque below.

 

I would strongly recommend a visit to this pleasant place.

Wikipedia also provides the following information.

 Petersham was first settled by Europeans in 1733 and was officially incorporated on April 20, 1754. On February 4, 1787, it was the site of the second battle of Shays' Rebellion. The town is noted for its common, part of the Petersham Common Historic District. About 45 buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Country Store, an 1842 Greek Revival structure that has housed a general store on its main floor since its opening, sits just to the East of the common.

The town's lands were expanded greatly by the building of the Quabbin Reservoir in 1938. When the towns of the Swift River Valley were disincorporated, Petersham and neighboring New Salem benefited the most, with Petersham receiving all of the former town of Dana, much of the town of Greenwich, and a small portion of the former town of Prescott east of the Middle Branch of the Swift River. Its modern southwestern borders lie along the former East and Middle branches of the Swift River, and includes lands that were once part of Hampshire County.

See more info from Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petersham,_Massachusetts

  ^{https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMFHGN_Shays_Rebellion_The_Battle_of_Petersham_Petersham_MA}

^{More about Shays's Rebellion from www.britannica.com} 

Shays’s Rebellion, (August 1786–February 1787), uprising in western Massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and stringent economic conditions. Armed bands forced the closing of several courts to prevent execution of foreclosures and debt processes. In September 1786 Daniel Shays and other local leaders led several hundred men in forcing the Supreme Court in Springfield to adjourn. Shays led a force of about 1,200 men in an attack (January 1787) on the federal arsenal at Springfield, which was repulsed. Pursued by the militia, on February 4 he was decisively defeated at Petersham and fled to Vermont. As a result of the rebellion, the Massachusetts legislature enacted laws easing the economic condition of debtors. Though small in scale and easily repressed, Shays’s action became, for some, a persuasive argument for a stronger and conservative national government, thereby contributing to the movement for the Constitutional Convention.

 

Horse Caves     At the base of Mount Norwottuck, in the Holyoke Range near Amherst, is a rock formation known as Horse Caves.  These are a group of overhanging ledges with some good scrambling and people sized cracks to explore. The Horse Caves are also a site of historical significance, dating back to Shays’s rebellion in 1787, when Massachusetts farmers revolted against crushing taxation by the Massachusetts government. It is said that some of the farmers camped at the Horse Caves after being defeated by the Massachusetts Militia.  I have been with a group that hiked there to see the "caves".

 

 

 

 

View of the beautiful, peaceful, Petersham common.

 

This well maintained building borders the common.

There are many beautiful, well maintained homes in this community.

 

One of the churches bordering the green.

 

View of the Country Store from the green

The Petersham Country Store was built in 1840 and I believe has been operated as a store continuously since then.  http://petershamstore.com/index.html

This gazebo is to the left of the green as looking from the Country Store.

A memorial was erected in the town in 1927 by the New England Society of Brooklyn, New York. The memorial commemorates General Benjamin Lincoln, who raised 3,000 troops and routed the rebellion on February 4, 1787. 

 

For those who may not be able to read directly from the plaque, the words are shown below.

IN THIS TOWN
ON SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY FOURTH
1787
DANIEL SHAYS
AND ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY OF HIS FOLLOWERS
IN REBELLION AGAINST THE COMMONWEALTH
WEE SURPRISED AND ROUTED BY
GENERAL BENJAMIN LINCOLN
IN COMMAND OF THE ARMY OF MASSACHUSETTS
AFTER A NIGHT MARCH FROM HADLEY
OF THIRTY MILES THROUGH SNOW
IN COLD BELOW ZERO.
THIS VICTORY
FOR THE FORCES OF GOVERNMENT
INFLUENCED THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION
WHICH THREE MONTHS LATER
MET AND FORMED
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
----------
OBEDIENCE TO LAW IS TRUE LIBERTY
----------
ERECTED BY THE NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY
OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
AS A GIFT TO
THE PETERSHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 

Janine's Ice Cream Take 2

 I first visited Janine's back in 2013 and started a post but somehow never got it finished.  It was and remains a very popular place.  It is the type of place old time bikers like to visit.  That doesn't mean it is a rowdy place.  Just the opposite.  On the weekends they feature music under a tent and lots of families are gathered around.  Cleanest bathrooms you have ever seen.

Right now they are on limited hours 4-8 PM because it is so early in the season.  Soon when schools and colleges are out, summer staff will be available and they will be very busy!

Janine's Frostee (Western Mass Ice Cream Places)

Today's featured ice cream place is Janine's Frostee located on Route 9/32N just a little outside of Ware, MA.  It sits off the main road so if you miss the sign and turnoff, you wouldn't even know it is there.  The entrance driveway  is parallel to the main road.  Once there it is like a little city full of activity.  It is not just a a place for ice cream and fast food...this place is a destination.  The owner is very civic minded and promotes a family friendly atmosphere.

To the right of the building is a colorful tent where FREE live music performances are held. I think they are mostly on the weekend but the website has a schedule of all the activities including car shows and other charity events.

Here's the owner's picture without customers.  Gives you a good view of the covered seating area to the right.

 

 

 

Here it is with customers.

 

Resuming Blogging

Resuming Blogging

 

I haven't posted in a long time but during this past year or so of Covid, my wife and I have more or less set aside Sunday afternoons as a time for us to get away.   As we have explored, we have found some  interesting places to eat.  In fact, sometimes our entire outing will revolve around that.  I am happy to share some of these places with you.

Reid's Corner in East Longmeadow, MA is known for their big breakfasts. Their sign says breakfast, lunch, and dinner but we have only been there for breakfast.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words  so check out this hash and eggs breakfast.  And, no my wife didn't order extra biscuits.  It came with two.

 

The original picture looks like it is a small storefront type place.  That is not true.  It is deep with many booths which are spaced and protected by plexiglass shields. When I get more photos transferred I will post more. Just to whet your appetite though, I have their menu and will post some of their breakfast offerings:

    Biscuits and Gravy

    Eggs Benedict

    Country Boy

    The Big Jim .....You get the idea.  

Check their Facebook page: Reid's Corner or their website:https://reidscorner.com. Their hours have been changed due to Covid.

 

Exploring Hardwick's Town Green

Well, I am back.  I have too many pictures which have accululated so it it time I start sharing them again.  Earlier this year I went exploring on my motorscooter.  Just before I got into Ware, Mass. I started taking backroads.  And although I was not lost, I didn't know "exactly" where I was.  I ended up on the town green in the historic part of Hardwick, Mass.  I was so impressed with the area that I spent a couple of hours taking pictures and enjoying its beauty and history.

Today's 100 mile backroads trip found us back in Hardwick.  On my first trip, some locals had told me that one of the local restaurants offered dinners with outside dining on Thursday evenings.  It was closed today because of the Columbus Day holiday but I did take a picture of the sign advertising the dinners and hope to come back to eat there before the weather gets too cold.

Western Mass Ice Cream Places: Seren-Dip-ities

While my wife and I were out on a recent "galavanting" day we encountered a lady who is an ice cream affecianado.  She told us her four  favorites in the North Quabbin area so we decided to check out some of them.  Below are photos from one we visited in Orange, Mass.

This photo actually came from Cindy's Ice Cream in Granby Mass.  It seemed appropriate to put it here since the subject of the day was ice cream.  Now you know where the term "lucky dog" came from.  This puppy was enjoying his cone which included doggie "bisquit" treats.

This is the featured ice cream shop on East Main Street in Orange, Mass.

Their small cones are not quite this big but they are big!

There are two great ice cream shops in Orange, just a short distance from each other.  The other is Anne's which we will feature later.  If you are not a big ice cream eater, order something smaller than the small cone because they are huge at both places.  Seren-Dip-ities serves Maple Valley ice cream which is made in Hadley, Mass.  In addition to the 27 flavors of hard ice cream which are listed on the side of the building, they also have several flavors of soft serve ice cream.

When we arrived about supper time, the parking lot was practically full.  Before we finished, it was completely full.  In addition to ice cream, they serve a variety of other fast foods including seafood.  We were impressed with their mini-meals which were reasonably priced and which left room for ice cream (which is why we stopped there!)  The hot dog mini-meal featured two hot dogs, a small drink, and a choice of either curly fries, homemade fries, or regular fries for $6.00.  You should definitely choose the homemade fries---they were fabulous and the serving was large enough for sharing.  The homemade fries alone are enough for a return trip!

There were lots of outdoor picnic tables in a very relaxed setting.  Some were under trees, some under umbrellas and others were under a rustic covered pavilion which provides additional shade.  The property is surrounded by a pleasant wooded background.  Our time there was very peaceful.  In fact there seems to be a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere at many of the recent ice cream places we have visited.  We are impressed with Seren-Dip-ities and will stop again when we are in the area.   We might even drive up there again just for the outing.  I like the Orange area and enjoy  visiting nearby Tully Lake and the Community Boat House.

Check it out.  Summer is short.  Get up there before it is too late in the season.  I think you might enjoy exploring this part of Western Mass too.  If you are an outdoors person, be sure to visit the Trail Head outdoor store---good people and they also sponsor some of the outdoor activities in the area such as evening kayaking at the boat house.

 Update:  Here it is two weeks later and we are back again.  We could not resist the lure of the homemade french fries so we made sure our outing today included another stop at Seren-Dip-ities.  It was not quite as crowded on a mid-afternoon Monday so I was able to take more pictures without intruding on the privacy of other customers.  Pictures are worth a thousand words.

We each got our own hamburger mini-meal today with the delicious homemade fries.  We splurged and got a side order of corn on the cob which was quite tasty too.

Very comfortable seating areas.  You might be tempted to sit there and read awhile after your food. (If they are not too busy at the time!)

Under umbrellas.

Under the pavilion.

Under the trees.

They serve locally made ice cream from Hadley, Mass.

When I asked the young lady who served us today,  "We're back again. Do you know why?"
"Because we are awesome?"
That too, plus the fries!