CHAPTER 5:

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES – FRANKLIN COUNTY

The Route 112 Scenic Byway runs through portions of the Towns of Colrain, Shelburne, Buckland, and Ashfield in Franklin County and is steeped in regional and local history. Native Americans occupied the area since the retreat of the last glacial ice sheets approximately 12,000 years ago. They probably concentrated in the floodplains of the North River, the Deerfield River and Clesson Brook, though little evidence remains of their settlements. As European settlers moved in, the mainstays of the region’s economy were farming and timbering, with pockets of industrial development growing up around mills along the waterways. In subsequent years, the settlers eventually upgraded former Native American trails to support the use of horse and cart. Much of the present‐day Route 112 was laid out over old country roads that had developed through the centuries to connect the towns that had developed along the valley with the rest of the state.

The construction of Route 112 began in Buckland in 1896, and continued for a period of almost 75 years with few changes being made other than minor realignments and minimal widening. A portion of the roadway was significantly altered in the Ashfield section in the 1950s that straightened the highway by eliminating existing sections and laying a new road from the top of Ashfield Mountain south to the Route 116 intersection. In the 1970s the roadway in Ashfield was further modified by extending it to the Goshen line along Cape Street. More recently, a new overpass was constructed on Route 2 in Buckland (1999) and bridges have been replaced over the North River in Colrain (2002) and over Clesson Brook in Buckland (2006). In addition, the road has been widened and new guardrails have been installed in many sections to improve safety.

The history of the Route 112 Scenic Byway region is a significant component of the Corridor Management Plan. The region’s history plays an important role in understanding the unique resources of the area and in preserving these assets for future residents and visitors. This chapter of the plan provides insight into the development of the area prior to, during and after the construction of the Byway. This information is intended to help tell the story of the Byway and has been obtained from the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s (MHC) Reconnaissance Survey Report for each Town (prepared in 1982 and 1983), the Colrain Open Space and Recreation Plan (2004), the Shelburne Open Space and Recreation Plan (2004), the Buckland Open Space and Recreation Plan (2004), the Route 112 Scenic Farm Byway Final Report (1995, focusing on the towns of

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐1 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Buckland and Ashfield), the Buckland-Shelburne Master Plan (1999), and The Franklin County Rural Historic Landscape Preservation Plan Report (1992).

Native American Use of Area

Post‐glacial effects, which produced the agriculturally productive floodplain areas of the Connecticut and Hudson River Valleys, are also responsible for the more severe conditions of the uplands that lie between them. Beginning approximately 12,000 years ago the ice retreated, leaving immediately behind it a vista reminiscent of todayʹs tundra conditions, including low shrubs. The result was an area utilized by widely distributed, thinly dispersed, and highly mobile groups of hunter/gatherers. This period is classified as Paleo‐Indian and lasted from 12,000 to around 9,000 years ago.

The residents of the area during the Paleo‐Indian Period were hunters of larger game such as caribou, using weapons mounted with a fluted spear point. Only a few artifacts of this era have been found due to the wide distribution of people. There are only four known sites for this period in Western Massachusetts. The closest one to the Byway is located in Deerfield. Most of the early sites are located in lowland regions along rivers and floodplains where food sources were close at hand. Evidence of the upland sites from this period are few due to the more limited resources of those areas at that time; however, travel through the area was probable.

More productive soils evolved naturally and allowed for an increase in the number and diversity of the flora and fauna of the region. From the dominant, boreal type forest with little diversity, the landscape gradually took the shape of a more mature temperate forest with an increasing preponderance of nut‐producing trees including oak, chestnut, and beech, providing food for many species of wildlife including deer, bear, squirrels, etc. The more diverse herbaceous level increased the foraging prospects for both animals and humans. These changes initiated the expansion of foraging societies into the upland areas. The number of prehistoric sites increased proportionately in response to the greater availability of food resources.

The period from 9,000 to 8,000 years ago, known as the Early Archaic Period, is typified by a dramatic increase in the production of nut‐bearing trees, with oak production tripling to about 30 percent over the previous period. The larger rivers supported a variety of fish and other aquatic species that were important food sources, particularly shad, which ascended the river each spring. The Middle Archaic Period lasted from about 8,000 to 6,000 years ago, with the area following the general trend found in Southern New England based on prehistoric sites found.

The most sites have been found from the Late Archaic period of 6,000 to 3,000 years ago. The number of artifact styles associated with this period increases and is complicated by ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐2 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County the fact that there were three distinct cultural traditions present (Laurentian, Small Stem, and Susquehanna) during that time. It is thought that the Laurentian cultural traditions may represent a specialized adaptation by small, mobile bands to exploit the interior resources without semiannual relocations for food sources. The Small Stem cultural traditions, which may have been handed down from the Middle Archaic, most likely exploited resources on a more seasonal basis by summering near the coast and wintering in the interior. The Susquehanna cultural tradition, considered a transitional period, is seen more toward the end of the Late Archaic Period. With its introduction, the beginnings of a horticultural society emerge.

Only a few prehistoric sites have been documented within the Route 112 Byway Corridor Study Area in Franklin County, and not all have complete information. In order to protect the identified sites, only general descriptions and locations are included in this report. Other potential sites of archaeological interest can be identified based on slope, existence of landscape terracing, and proximity of water. Most of the information below relates to native populations in the region during the Contact Period (1500‐1620). Little changed during the Plantation Period (1620‐1675) to alter the native populations’ settlement patterns or transportation routes. However, early contacts between European settlers and natives resulted in widespread epidemics that decimated the native population. With the end of the French and Indian Wars during the Colonial Period (1675‐1775), European settlers began to establish permanent communities that further encroached on the native population’s settlement areas and traditional ways of life.

There are no reported native period sites located in Colrain dating back to the Contact Period (1500‐1620). However, the presence of a relatively diverse upland resource base suggests native occupation likely occurred in several locations. Native period sites probably focused on the North River floodplain, particularly the broader expanses of the East Branch and lower portion of the North River (between Lyonsville and Shattuckville). An especially inviting location would have been the area in the vicinity of the confluence of the two branches of the North River. These floodplains would have provided excellent sites for hunting and fishing encampments. In addition, moderate‐ sized horticultural tracts probably were established on these fertile plains. Smaller fishing and hunting encampments were probably located adjacent to the Green River and scattered about local uplands.

Colrain’s fertile floodplains and extensive network of waterways were capable of supporting a moderate native population. The town probably was part of the Pocumtucks’ upland fishing and hunting territory, since they had access via the Deerfield River. The identified native trails in Colrain lead towards Deerfield where the Pocumtucks were centered. The likelihood for evidence of native sites surviving within the North River floodplain is good.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐3 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Colrain was on a secondary transportation corridor for native populations moving from the Deerfield Valley to the Green Mountain uplands. An important connecting trail to the Pocumtuck (Shelburne Falls) along the North River likely followed the east bank as the axis of Call Road to a presumed fordway at Colrain Center and north along the East Branch as the axis of Route 112.

There are four prehistoric sites located in Shelburne. One of the sites has been dated to the Early Woodland period, around 2,500 years ago. This site produced several quartzite flakes (used to make other tools) and one quartzite core from which flakes had been struck. Also recovered from this site were eleven grit‐tempered potsherds (pottery fragments) and five fire‐cracked rocks, indicating a prolonged habitation during this period. Another site, located in a rock shelter, produced both quartzite and quartz flakes. Two other sites do not have the artifacts recorded.

According to the MHC, there are no reported native period sites in Shelburne dating to the Contact Period (1500‐1620). The focal point of native occupation was probably Shelburne Falls, originally known as Salmon Falls. This site (including both the Buckland and Shelburne sides of the Deerfield River) had been the traditional location of some of the most productive salmon fishing in Massachusetts. Large native fishing encampments were most likely established on the Deerfield River floodplain in the vicinity of the village of Shelburne Falls. Smaller fishing sites were probably located further north on the same floodplain up to the town’s border with Colrain. Native upland occupation was probably limited to small short‐term hunting camps scattered throughout the town’s uplands. Massaemett Mountain may have been utilized for this purpose.

Shelburne’s location on the Deerfield River drainage and its proximity to present‐day Deerfield strongly suggests it was utilized primarily as a major resource area by the Pocumtucks centered there. The town’s location on the Mohawk Trail, a major native transportation corridor between the Connecticut River and the Mohawk River Valley, indicates that there was probably some local contact with the Mohicans of the Mohawk Valley. Extensive development in Shelburne Falls has likely impacted a large portion of native period fishing sites. However, vestiges may remain in some of the less developed portions of the Deerfield floodplain north and south of Shelburne Falls.

Shelburne was the location of an important native transportation route over the Massaemett highlands along the Deerfield River from the Connecticut Valley to the western interior. The primary east‐west trail was reportedly located along the north bank of the Deerfield River gorge to the Pocumtuck (Shelburne) Falls. The main trail continued north from Shelburne Falls along the Deerfield Valley, roughly following the course of Route 112 today, to the fordway at the North River.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐4 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County There are no reported native Contact Period sites in Buckland. However, it is considered likely that native period occupation occurred on the Buckland side of Shelburne Falls, as well as in the floodplains of the Deerfield River and Clesson Brook. According to the 1995 Route 112 Scenic Farm Byway Final Report, one of the most significant areas of archaeological interest identified within the Route 112 Byway Corridor Study Area is in the Clesson Brook Valley, near what is now known as the Wilder Homestead. Rated “excellent” for archaeological potential, it is thought that this area could have been a Native American village anywhere between the Paleo Era (approximately 10,000 years ago) through the Contact Period (approximately 300 years ago). Native occupation of these areas was probably heaviest during the spring months. Buckland, like Shelburne, appears to have been an important fishing and hunting site for the Pocumtucks centered in Deerfield. The close proximity of the Mohawk Trail also suggests potential contacts with the Mohicans.

Native transportation corridors in Buckland consisted of a primary route along the Deerfield Valley from Shelburne Falls to the Connecticut River, with a secondary axis along Clesson Brook. The Deerfield River trail is presumed to have continued along the south bank following the current route of Ashfield Road/Route 112 to Clesson Brook and east at the base of Walnut Hill. A likely north‐south route is believed to have followed Clesson Brook along the current path of Route 112 through Buckland Center to Four Corners, with a westward branch along Clesson Brook as an axis of Hawley Road.

There also are no reported native settlement sites identified in the Town of Ashfield during the Contact Period. However, native artifacts collected locally and displayed at the Historical Society Museum suggest that there were native populations in Ashfield at some point in its history. The town’s hilly terrain and absence of major water sources suggest that native occupation was restricted to small or moderate sized camps. Native settlement in this section of the Byway Corridor Study Area probably focused on the plateau that the village of Ashfield is situated on and in the vicinity of Ashfield Lake. The Ashfield Lake area near the current location of the Steady Lane Farm was identified in 1995 as having “good” potential as an archaeological site. These areas were probably utilized by the Pocumtucks as part of their upland fishing and hunting territory. Native transportation routes in Ashfield included an east‐west axis along South River to Ashfield Lake with a northern connector along Smith Road to Clesson Brook in Buckland.

Prehistoric sites along the Route 112 Scenic Byway represent significant historical assets that are an important part of the history of this area. Many of the known sites have not yet been fully examined; therefore the possibility remains for more extensive results. As the Byway was the connecting crossroad for several different cultures, further exploration may provide additional information concerning their interactions, as well as more potential sites. The Byway Corridor Study Area includes more than 10,000 years

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐5 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County of settlement and transportation routes that set the stage for European settlement and modern land uses and any remaining undisturbed sites could be prioritized for study.

History of the Communities along the Scenic Byway: European Settlement to the Present

The communities along the Route 112 Scenic Byway each have interesting histories that are interwoven to generate a truly unique and fascinating story of the Byway from the time of European settlement during the Colonial Period (1675‐1775) through the modern period. For the most part, the towns along the Byway were not permanently settled by Europeans until after the violence of French and Indian War had subsided, in the early 1760s. Many of the earliest settlements included forts for defense against native incursions. The Byway Corridor Study Area is noted for the many historic farms that date from the dramatic growth in the agricultural sector of the region’s economy in the Federal Period (1775‐1830). The Early Industrial Period (1830‐1870) brought the expansion of the manufacturing base with the development of mills and mill villages along the waterways in the region, particularly in Colrain along the North River and its branches and in Shelburne Falls. Many historic structures and sites remain from this period and the Late Industrial Period (1870‐1915) that followed. The expansion of the manufacturing sector and the attendant growth in population was impacted by the development of railroads and trolley lines during the Industrial Periods. It was during this time that construction of Route 112 was begun along routes that dated back to native trails and had subsequently been developed into local roads. In most towns along the Byway the population peaked during the Late Industrial Period, and by the Early Modern Period (1915‐1940) the population began to decline along with the contraction of the industrial and agricultural sectors of the economy. Since that time, population in the towns along the Byway has generally been stable, with occasional increases in some areas as a result of an influx of summer residents and the growth of tourist‐based commercial enterprises.

This chapter briefly discusses the significant events that shaped the communities along the Byway, moving from north to south, and identifies important locations and properties within these towns. Tables listing the significant historic areas and properties in each town are included in the appendices. These include resources in each town located right on Route 112 (shown as shaded on the tables) and within the Byway Corridor Study Area. The location of some of these resources is shown on the Historic Structures Map at the end of this section. Properties listed in this chapter and the appendices are designated according to the definitions in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s State Register of Historic Places 2005, which are defined as follows:

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐6 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County NRIND: National Register of Individual Property NRDIS: National Register District NRMRA: National Register Multiple Resource Area (Refers to a community‐wide or area‐wide designation that includes nomination of both individual and district properties.) In addition, this chapter identifies significant rural historic landscapes within the Byway Corridor Study Area, as defined by the National Park Service Bulletin #30, Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Rural Historic Landscapes: A geographical area that historically has been used by people, or shaped or modified by human activity, occupancy, or intervention, and that possesses a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of areas of land use, vegetation, buildings and structures, roads and waterways, and natural features. The 1992 Franklin County Rural Historic Landscape Preservation Plan Report identified rural historic landscapes in the following areas of significance: • Agricultural (Centennial and Bicentennial farmsteads, apple orchards, maple sugaring operations, dairy farmsteads, corn, tobacco fields) • Industrial (Milling operations, such as sawmills, cider, and grist mills, mining and quarrying, lumbering) • Community Development Centers • Recreational (State forests, town parks, retreat areas, and summer camps) • Conservation (Natural reserves, scenic vistas, conservation forests) • Transportation (Early automobile routes, railroad, and river corridors) • Engineering (Dams, waterworks) • Science (Research, laboratories, geology) • Religion (Communities, churches)

Although diverse, these types of landscapes all contain substantial areas of vegetation, open space, or natural features that embody significant historical values through past use or physical character. Buildings, industrial structures, objects, designed landscapes, and archaeological sites may also be present. Many will be integrally related to historic activities and contribute to the significance of a large historic district. Some may qualify individually for listing in the National Register.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐7 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Colrain

Colrain was surveyed in 1735 as Boston Township Number Two, and the proceeds of its sale benefited the City of Boston. It was settled during the Colonial Period in the 1740s by Presbyterian Scotch‐Irish during the hardships of the French and Indian Wars. Settlement was initially on 50‐acre lots in the southeastern uplands of the town, and along the North River alluvial lands. Fort Morrison, Fort Lucas, South Route 112 in Colrain Town Center Fort Morris, and McDowell’s Fort were constructed by the settlers to defend the inhabitants. Several deadly Indian Route 112 in Colrain Town Center attacks occurred during this period. The Town of Colrain was incorporated in 1761. A treaty ended the wars in 1763 and settlement proceeded rapidly due to good agricultural land, timber, and water power sites.

Over the next sixty years of development during the Federal Period (1775‐1830) the town’s land use patterns were established. Forests were cleared and farms were located on the good soils. Water‐powered mills were set up on the North and Green Rivers and on most of the brooks for sawmills, gristmills, and for manufacturing. Around the mills, the villages of Adamsville, Elm Grove, Foundry Village, Lyonsville, Griswoldville, Shattuckville, and others were established. The villages were the local hubs with taverns, homes, schools, churches, stores, and the residences of trades people. The town’s civic center was located at Colrain Center, which developed from a single farm in 1800 to a small village during this period.

Agriculture determined the patterns of the landscape. Livestock had relatively high value and was the basis of farm wealth. In the early 19th century, Colrain was the second highest wool producing town in Franklin County, following Ashfield. Pastures were cleared on the hillsides to support sheep and cows. The forest cover was reduced to around 20 percent by the 1850s. Large quantities of cheese and butter were produced on the farms. Cultivated acres were devoted to corn, grain, and potato production. The elevations, soils, and climate made the town very favorable for apple growing.

Manufacturing contributed to the development of the villages, particularly during the Early Industrial Period (1830‐1870). Some of the most significant historic buildings in Colrain Center date from this period. Around 1814, Isaac Johnson and Warren Wing established the first cotton spinning mill in Franklin County at Shattuckville. Joseph ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐8 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Griswold, Jr. established a cotton textile mill at Griswoldville in 1832 and another at Willis Place in 1865. By 1855, Griswold mills were making two million yards of print cloth annually. Griswold and William Shattuck, another Colrain textile manufacturer, were credited with producing 67 percent of the cotton manufactured in Franklin County in that year. As the century progressed, the mills expanded and attracted French Canadian and English mill worker families to live in mill‐owned housing. By 1837, two iron furnaces had been established, one at Foundry Village and the other at Willis Place, to cast iron products including wood stoves. Wood industries also became important during this period. There were sash and blind works in Elm Grove and Griswoldville, a furniture shop in Lyonsville, wagon shops, turning shops, a box shop, a cooper shop, and more than a dozen saw mills around town. The Arthur A. Smith Covered Bridge was constructed in 1869 crossing the North River in a location south of Griswoldville and moved to its present location in Lyonsville in 1886. The bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and was reconstructed in 2006.

During the Late Industrial Period (1870‐1915) farming and textile production continued to drive the local economy. The Shelburne Falls and Colrain Street Railway opened in 1896 and was designed to carry freight as well as passengers. The electric railway ran from Colrain Center to Shelburne Falls and enabled local textile mills to thrive during a time of relative industrial decline.

When the trolley closed in 1927, during the Early Modern Period (1915‐1940), it eliminated a significant source of employment and there was no longer any public transit to allow Colrain residents to commute to the mills in nearby towns. However, the age of the automobile was just beginning, heralded in Colrain by the conversion of a former blacksmith shop on Jacksonville Road to Call’s Garage in 1925. In 1933, the construction of a new steel and concrete bridge over the North River realigned the road north through the Center as State Route 112 along Main Road and Jacksonville Road. The entire length of Route 112 in Colrain was designated a Rural Historic Landscape in 1992 because of both its agricultural significance and because of its importance as an early transportation route exhibiting Federal Period road systems and lot divisions.

Colrain’s population grew by over 150 percent between 1776 and 1790. The population reached a peak of 2,016 around 1810 and slowly declined afterwards to 1,877 by 1830. Emigration to Vermont, New York State, and the west began in the late 18th century. The growth of manufacturing jobs offset the abandonment of some of the upland farms. The Shattuckville cotton mill closed in 1920. The population reached a low point of 1,391 around 1930. The town’s economy seems to have declined before the Great Depression, and to have become worse during it. The town’s location away from railroads and interstate highways reduced economic opportunities and development.

Since the mid 20th century, land use patterns have been affected by the reduction in the number of farms and farm animals. Pastures have grown up into forests. Homes ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐9 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County constructed outside of the villages for non‐farming residents have reduced the agricultural focus of the countryside. Automobiles have increased the mobility of the residents and reduced their reliance on the local economy. The large cotton mills have closed and have been torn down, leaving BBA Fiberweb as the last fiber mill in town. Yet many farms and orchards still remain and are an important part of the town’s economy.

Historic Points of Interest in Byway Corridor Study Area in Colrain

Significant historic sites and landscapes located in Colrain along Route 112 (consisting of Jacksonville and Main Roads) and in the Byway Corridor Study Area include the following (see also the Historic Structures Map and Appendices):

• County Road from Halifax, VT to Colrain Center—Route 112 from the Vermont border south to Colrain Center closely follows the 1763 county road which connected to an earlier county road to the Greenfield Meadows. • Fort Morrison—one of several forts built during Route 112 looking south from Vermont State Line the Colonial Period to protect against native incursions. • Industrial mills and villages in Elm Grove, Foundry Village, Lyonsville, Griswoldville, and Shattuckville (many identified in 1992 as Historic Rural Landscapes in Franklin County). • Griswoldville Power Canal— Built in the 1830s, this canal runs along and above Route 112 in Griswoldville. Griswoldville Power Canal

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐10 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • Colrain Center Historic District—a National Register District (NRDIS) established in 2006. The entire district lies within the Byway Corridor Study Area and provides an excellent example Grisw of a 19th century village. This NRDIS is comprised of Main, Greenfield and Jacksonville Roads, Streeter Lane, River and Coburn Streets. The district consists of ninety‐four resources and covers 30.2 acres. Eighty‐five of the resources are contributing and nine are non‐ contributing. Included among these resources are the Civil War/WWI Memorial on Town Old Center Bridge abutments Common and Congregational Church that are dated to 1870, at a location that may also include remains from a bridge dating back to 1794. Colrain Center retains its 19th century village appearance with a mix of institutional, civic, commercial, and residential buildings. The architectural styles represented in the district include Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Neoclassical. Significant properties in the district include the Charles Thompson House (c.1819), which appears to be the oldest house in Colrain Center; the Town Common; the Congregational Church/Town Hall (1834), the construction of which established the district as the Town’s civic center; and the Griswold Memorial Library (1908), designed by architects Maclean and Wright of Boston. Other contributing Griswold Memorial Library properties include the Brick Store (1814), the Tin Shop ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐11 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County (1850), the Clark Chandler Store (1813), the Center School/Old Town Office (1910), and Call’s Garage (1925). The William Pitt House (1850) on Main Road now serves as the Colrain Historical Society House Museum. (See Appendix for a listing of the significant resources included in this district.) • Arthur A. Smith Covered Bridge— located on Lyonsville Road, the bridge was listed on the National Register in 1983 and was reconstructed in 2006. Colrain’s significant historic resources are its agricultural and village land use patterns. The Arthur A. Smith Covered Bridge under construction living history of productive fields, pastures and old farmsteads contributes to the town’s special character. Wood lots and extensive forests continue to support the local wood industries. The villages retain interesting 19th century buildings associated with the town’s personages and events. The architecture in this working landscape represents what the rest of New England once looked like.

Shelburne

The early history of Shelburne during the Colonial Period (1675‐1775) was focused in the area of Shelburne Falls, then known as Salmon Falls. Colonial utilization of local uplands for livestock grazing pre‐dated initial colonial settlement. In 1712, Shelburne was granted as part of the Northwest Pasture to Deerfield Downtown Shelburne Falls for use as pasture land. Shelburne Falls was the site of extensive colonial fishing. A 1743 statute designated twenty acres of land along the Deerfield River for use as a public fishing area, which was sold later in the 18th Century to a private landowner.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐12 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County

Permanent settlement of Shelburne began in the vicinity of Shelburne Falls around 1760, when five families established homes. Only sixteen years later (in 1776) the population had risen to 575, with most of the settlement occurring east of Shelburne Falls. The majority of these early settlers were Presbyterian Scotch‐Irish who migrated from New Hampshire. By 1770, settlement began in the area of the Hill Cemetery in central Shelburne with the construction of the Town’s first (log) meetinghouse. The rich soils of the uplands, used both for crops and grazing, provided the early residents of Shelburne with their economic base. Lumbering also took place at this time, but on a smaller scale.

During the Federal Period (1775‐1830) sawmills and gristmills took advantage of the waterfalls in Shelburne, but agriculture was still the number one commercial activity. Between 1760 and 1790, Shelburne’s population expanded 105 percent, but then essentially remained the same for the next forty years. By 1830, Shelburne’s population stood at 995 people. Manufacture of shaving boxes and hoes and two tanneries were among the industries reported during this period. Approximately two dozen houses of the Federal Period survive in Shelburne, most of which are located in rural settings.

During the Early Industrial Period (1830–1870) the population of Shelburne grew by 59 percent, reaching 1,582 by 1870. Although Shelburne remained predominantly an agricultural community, manufacturing made its way to the town with the establishment of a crooked scythe snathe shop by Silas Lamson in 1837. By 1843, Lamson was affiliated with M.C. Goodnow and had expanded the company to include the manufacture of cutlery. In 1851, the Lamson & Goodnow cutlery was moved to its present site on the Buckland side of the river. Around the same time, Shelburne Falls became home to small tool manufacturing, shops for manufacturing of farming implements, and two fabric mills. In addition, the production of butter and cheese, maple syrup, and apples for export all helped to produce prosperity in Shelburne. This resulted in an expansion of a residential district along Water Street and the construction of commercial blocks along Bridge Street. The civic center of the town was moved from central Shelburne south to Shelburne Center along Greenfield Road.

Manufacturing continued to thrive in Shelburne during the Late Industrial Period (1870‐ 1915). Contributing to this growth were the arrival of the Troy & Greenfield Railroad in 1867, the construction of the Shelburne Falls and Colrain Street Railway in 1896, and the introduction of hydroelectricity in 1912. In addition to Lamson and Goodnow, Shelburne’s industry consisted of hardware manufacturers, box makers, a silk manufacturer and knitting mills. Agriculture also continued to prosper. By the 1880s, Shelburne was considered the leading milk producer in Franklin County and was third in the production of cheese. With its location on the rail line, dairy farmers in Shelburne began selling to milk distributors for markets in Boston, Springfield and Northampton. In spite of the fact that its economy was booming, Shelburne’s population slowly decreased over this period. Residential construction ceased outside of Shelburne Falls ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐13 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County while the Town’s commercial district along Bridge Street expanded, though primarily during the 1870s. However, most of the Town’s institutional buildings were built during this period.

In the beginning of the Early Modern Period (1915‐1940), Shelburne’s population saw a period of decline and then increased 10 percent between 1920 and 1940 to 1,636. In 1914, the Mohawk Trail (Route 2), which was designed as a scenic tourist route, brought tourism related commercial development to that portion of Shelburne along the highway. The trolley system closed in 1927, yet Shelburne Falls continued to grow as the center of both commercial and industrial activity in town. The major industry during this period was the Mayhew Steel Products Company, which manufactured a variety of forged tools and employed approximately 200 people in 1930. Dairy farming, along with other farm products such as apples and maple syrup, continued as the primary agricultural activities in the uplands of Shelburne.

Since the early 20th century, there has been a shift from manufacturing to tourist‐related businesses such as restaurants, retail establishments, bed and breakfasts, etc. Shelburne Falls has a strong artistic community, which is evident with the many art galleries and studios located in the village. Agriculture still plays an important role and many farms and orchards continue to operate.

Historic Points of Interest in Byway Corridor Study Area in Shelburne

Route 112 passes through a small section of Shelburne south on Colrain Road to where Route 112 joins the Mohawk Trail (Route 2) and crosses the Deerfield River, after looping around through neighborhoods located on Mechanic, Hope and Main Streets. Important historic resources along the Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Study Area in Shelburne include the following (see also the Historic Structures Map and Appendices):

• Shelburne Falls National Historic District—The district was established in 1988, encompasses twenty‐ six acres in the village center business district, and includes properties on the Shelburne side of the bridge as well as a few on the Buckland side. The commercial core of the District, located one half Shelburne Falls NHD with Memorial Hall on left mile from Route 2, contains many historic commercial, civic, and religious buildings located primarily to the ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐14 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County north and south of Bridge Street in Shelburne and on State Street in Buckland. Attractions include the former Odd Fellows Hall (now McCusker’s Market), which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and many buildings in the Victorian, Italianate, and Greek and Classical Revival styles. The Byway Corridor Study Area includes most of the District in Shelburne, ending just north of the Bridge of Flowers. Also within the District (but outside of the Byway Corridor Study Area) are the Glacial Potholes located in the Deerfield River, just south of the dam and falls. (See Appendix for a listing of properties in the Shelburne Falls National Historic District.)

• Proposed Expansion of the Shelburne Falls National Historic District—In June 2004, the Town of Shelburne submitted an application to the MHC for an expanded Shelburne Falls National Historic District that was defined to include many of the significant historic buildings (primarily residential) that are located adjacent to the existing historic district within the Shelburne Intersection of Hope and Main Streets section of the NRDIS. (See Appendix for a listing of properties adjacent to the Shelburne Falls National Historic District in Shelburne that are recommended for inclusion in an expanded NRDIS.) The structures that are within the proposed historic district expansion date from approximately 1830 to the early l900s. There are 418 structures, 376 of which are contributing in an area of approximately 131 acres. Included in this expanded district are a number of residential properties located on Mechanic, Hope and Main Streets, which form a portion of Route 112. • Arms Cemetery—Located on Route 112/Colrain Road north of the Historic District, this cemetery is the burial site for many famous people, including Linus Yale, Jr., who patented the Yale dial or combination lock produced in the Yale Lock Shop in Shelburne Falls from 1860 to 1869.

Shelburne’s significant historic resources are its village and agricultural land use patterns, and its manufacturing base. The portion of the Route 112 Scenic Byway passing through Shelburne retains historic buildings associated with the town’s residents and events.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐15 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Buckland

Buckland was originally included as part of Boston Plantation Number One (Charlemont) during the Colonial Period in 1735. Because Anglo‐Indian warfare remained a threat until fighting terminated, Buckland remained unoccupied except for sporadic settlement until 1769, when Capt. Nahum Wood established a home on Clesson Brook Road (then Hawley Road). Between 1769 and 1775, the MHC estimates that there may have Wilder Homestead been ten families living in Buckland, then called “No‐Town”. The Colonial residents focused on agriculture and livestock production for their sustenance, with added hunting and fishing, particularly along the Deerfield floodplain. The town’s first saw and gristmills appeared along Clesson Brook and Ruddock Brook during this period.

The Town was established as a separate district and incorporated in 1779, during the Federal Period (1775‐1830). During this period, sawmills and gristmills took advantage of waterpower in Town, but agriculture was still the primary commercial activity. An economic focus developed in Shelburne Falls after a covered bridge was built over the Deerfield River in 1821. Buckland’s population increased by 45 percent between 1790 and 1830, when it reached 1,039, with the majority of that growth occurring in the 1790s. Federal style houses were built in Buckland Center, at Buckland Four Corners, and on Ashfield and Conway Streets. There were also many institutional buildings constructed during this period. The survivors include the Grange Hall and a school at Four Corners (1829). Finally, two of the four taverns that were operating from that time period have survived. They are the Zenas Graham Hall/Wayside Inn (1797) and the Freighters Inn (1827).

It was during this period, in 1797, that Mary Lyon was born in Buckland. Lyon was a pioneer in the field of women’s education and was the founder of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (later Mount Holyoke College). After completing her education at the co‐educational Sanderson Academy in Ashfield and the Byfield Female Seminary located north of Boston, Lyon taught during the summer at schools in western and eastern Massachusetts, and in southern New Hampshire. During the winters from 1824 to 1830, she would return to the hill towns she grew up in to run her own school preparing young women for elementary teaching. For several years, the school was located in the third floor ballroom of the Upper St. home of Major Joseph Griswold, a prominent Buckland citizen whose large home often served as a community assembly ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐16 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County hall. Lyon also taught classes at the Zenas Graham Hall/Wayside Inn on Upper Street. After spending several years as Assistant Principal at the Ipswich Female Seminary in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Lyon decided in 1834 to focus all of her time and efforts on founding an institution of higher education for women. Following three years of fundraising and planning, the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary opened in South Hadley in 1837. The success of Mount Holyoke opened the doors of higher education for women in the United States. Other historic properties in Buckland associated with Lyon include the site of her birthplace on Mary Lyon Hill, located off of East Buckland Rd., and the First Congregational Church on Upper St.

It took the expansion of the Lamson & Goodnow Company and its relocation to the Buckland side of the Deerfield River in 1851 for the settlement patterns to shift during the Early Industrial Period (1830‐1870) which otherwise saw a stable population figures. The prosperity of Lamson & Goodnow established the village of Shelburne Falls on both sides of the Deerfield River. The company, with up to 250 employees, dominated the manufacturing economy of Buckland and a good portion of western Franklin County, a position it retained for many years. Small woodworking shops and cheese and butter producers helped to make Buckland prosperous. In 1855, Buckland was the leading cheese producer in the county. Most residential construction during this time period occurred in the Shelburne Falls section of the Town and at Buckland Four Corners where Greek and Gothic Revival cottages predominated.

Lamson & Goodnow Cutlery remained the dominant economic factor in Buckland and Shelburne Falls during the Late Industrial Period (1870‐1915). This era saw the construction of the Victorian iron truss bridge in 1890 and the concrete trolley bridge in 1908 (now the Bridge of Flowers) connecting Buckland with Shelburne. Industrial activity in Shelburne Falls increased as a result of the arrival of the Troy & Greenfield Railroad in 1867 and the construction of two hydroelectric plants along the Deerfield River. Overall, Buckland’s population was highest in 1870 with 1,946 residents and although the cutlery prospered, the population declined thereafter, reaching 1,569 in 1915 (a loss of approximately 20 percent).

The layout of Route 112 in Buckland began in 1896 near Woodward and East Buckland Roads. Over the next decade the highway was extended from the northeastern corner of Buckland down to Hog Hollow and Maynard Brook. In 1955, the highway was extended to the Ashfield town line generally following the old county road, Ashfield Road. Although no new sections of Route 112 were laid out in Buckland between 1907 and 1955, there were a number of significant alterations to the existing route to widen and straighten the highway. Other changes over the years have involved improvements and alterations to bridges and overpasses, including moving a bridge from Clark Brook to Clesson Brook (1950), altering the bypass around Shelburne Falls over Scotts Bridge to the Shelburne town line (1953), widening the bridge over the Boston and Maine railroad

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐17 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County tracks between Route 112 and Route 2 (1954), constructing a new overpass on Route 2 (1999) and rebuilding the Clesson Brook Bridge (2006).

Buckland’s population declined during the Early Modern Period (1915‐1940) to its lowest point with 1,433 residents in 1920, but population numbers began to increase again after the end of the Great Depression. The trolley line closed in 1926, yet Shelburne Falls remained a center of both commercial and industrial activity. Additional residential development occurred during this period.

Historic Points of Interest in Byway Corridor Study Area in Buckland

The Buckland section of the Route 112 Scenic Byway (running along Ashfield Road) includes some of the most significant historical agricultural landscapes to be found in the Byway Corridor Study Area. Several of these areas have been identified as Historic Rural Landscapes. Important historic resources within the Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Study Area in Buckland include the following (see also the Historic Structures Map and Appendices):

• The Shelburne Falls National Historic District was established in 1988, encompasses twenty‐six acres in the village center business district, and spans both of the towns of Shelburne and Buckland. The commercial core of the District, located ½ mile from Route 2, contains many contributing commercial, civic, and religious buildings located primarily to the north and south of Bridge Street in Shelburne and on State Street in Buckland. The District contains forty‐three properties, forty of which are contributing. Six of these properties are located in Buckland, along with the two bridges that span the river between the two towns. Most of these buildings in Buckland were erected in the mid‐ to late‐19th century in the Victorian Eclectic style. The Odd Fellows Hall (1877, currently McCusker’s Market) located on State Street is the only National Register Individual Property in the District. (See Appendix for a listing of Buckland Odd Fellows Hall (now McCusker’s Market) properties located in the Shelburne Falls NRDIS.)

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐18 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • Proposed Expansion of the Shelburne Falls National Historic District—The 1999 Buckland‐Shelburne Master Plan recommended an expanded Shelburne Falls National Historic District that would include many significant historic buildings that are located adjacent to the existing historic district within the Buckland section of the NRDIS. This expanded district could include the historically significant Lamson & Goodnow manufacturing complex and residential areas along Williams, State and North Streets. These areas contain twenty‐seven properties, only one of which would be non‐contributing. (See Appendix for a listing of properties adjacent to the Shelburne Falls National Historic District in Buckland that are recommended for inclusion in an expanded NRDIS.) • Woodward Road/Buckland Recreation Center Area on Ashfield Road: Just past the Mohawk Regional High School on Ashfield Road is the Luther Dunnell House (1840), followed by the H.B. Wells House (1809), also known as Pine Brook Farm. On Woodward Road opposite the Buckland Recreation Center is the Frederick Louis Boehmer Tool Mill (1810). The Gould House (1875) is also located H. B. Wells House on Woodward Road. • Ashfield, Depot, Dunbar and Purinton Roads Triangle—This area in north Buckland just beyond the Buckland Recreation Area contains numerous significant properties. Historic resources in this area that are located right on Route 112/Ashfield Road include: the Buckland Post Office (1819), the Enos Taylor House (1800), the Silas Trowbridge House (1829), the Daniel Trowbridge Cooper Shop (1800), and the Arvid Crittenden House (1900), also known as the “Lightning Splitter.” Properties located on Depot Road include Bert Shaw’s House (1830) and the William Taylor House (1800), on the corner of Depot and Dunbar Roads. Also on Dunbar Road is the Erastus Taylor House (1776). Purinton Road properties within the Byway Corridor Study Area include the Mowry’s Residence (1850).

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐19 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • The Wilder Homestead (1775) is an historic saltbox house filled with memorabilia that is located on Ashfield Road (Route 112) just north of the intersection with Upper Street. There is a barn on the premises that houses a weaving studio and display of old historic farm tools as well as the Daniel Wilder Homestead (right) and Cobbler Shop Townsley Cobbler Shop (built sometime between 1812 and 1820), which was moved to this site from its original location on Route 112 at the north entrance to Upper Street. The Wilder Homestead is operated as a house museum by the Buckland Historical Society. • Buckland Center has a wealth of historic resources and has been suggested for designation as a separate National Register Historic District in both the 1999 Buckland‐ Shelburne Master Plan and the 2004 Buckland Community Development Plan. In 1992, this area Buckland Historical Society (left) and Zenas Graham was designated as a Rural Hall/Wayside Inn (right) Historic Landscape because of its community development significance. The Center includes historic structures and sites located on Ashfield Road (Route 112), Upper Street, Maynard Hill Road, Charlemont Road, and Cross Street, all of which are located completely within the Byway Corridor Study Area. Within this area, forty‐five contributing structures remain. Among these are the the Charly Shedd House (1830), located on the southwest corner of the first entrance to Upper Street on Ashfield Road; and the Zenas Graham Hall/Wayside Inn (1797), located on the corner of Charlemont Road and Upper Street. (Significant properties on Upper and Cross Streets are identified below and in the Appendix, which includes a listing of significant properties in the Buckland Center area.)

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐20 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • Upper Street—Most of the significant structures in Buckland Center are located on Upper Street. The Major Joseph Griswold House (1818) is one of the twenty‐ one historic properties MHC identifies as being located on Upper Street and has been listed on the National Register since 1972. Other properties on Upper Street include the First Congregational Church of Christ/ Robert Strong Woodward Mary Lyon Church House and Blacksmith Shop (1850), the Buckland Public Library (1870), the Buckland Center First Cemetery (1777), the Methodist Church/Buckland Grange (1850), the First Congregational Church of Christ/Mary Lyon Church (1800), and the Alpheus Brooks House (1790). • Cross Street—MHC has identified six significant historical properties along this road in Buckland Center, including the Josiah Spaulding House (c. 1700s) and the Newton Griswold Sash and Blind Shop (1836). Two properties on Ashfield Road (Route 112) close to the intersection with Cross Street are the Bronson Place (1850) and the Franklin Ballard House (1855). • Buckland Four Corners—The Buckland Four Corners area includes five properties identified by MHC along Ashfield Road, most of which continue to be working farms, including the Vight Residence (1790) and the Lyman Wood House (1810). While Buckland has changed from a town where most residents earned Lyman Wood House their living locally through agriculture to a place where many people commute to work outside of town, many residents continue to appreciate the eighteenth and nineteenth century agricultural landscape that still exists. Fortunately, there are active farms along Route 112 that have maintained the historic landscape. The rural small town character of Buckland is further defined by its historic structures and sites. In all, the historical inventory of the town contains over 170 documented historic structures, evidence of the rich history within Buckland. These assets contribute to Buckland’s “sense of place,” and the unique qualities of the town.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐21 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Ashfield

In 1690 Captain Ephraim Hunt of Weymouth led a group of men on a doomed military expedition to Quebec, Canada against the French and Indians. The men were not paid. In 1736, after Captain Hunt had died, his son, Capt. Ebenezer Hunt, successfully petitioned the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to grant these sixty‐ Howes House and Barn three men a piece of land “for a Township in consideration of their hardships and Sufferings in the said Expedition.” They were granted the right to lay out a Town that was “Six Miles Square, in some Suitable place Westward of Deerfield.” The town was called Huntstown.

It was laid out in five divisions between 1739 and 1783. The first division was laid out in mostly fifty acre lots under the direction of surveyor Nathaniel Kellogg of Hadley. This first division area was in the northeast corner of town. It later became the Beldingville, Baptist Corner, Wardville, Plain and part of Steady Lane school districts.

These sixty‐three men or their heirs, the proprietors, either sold their rights to this land or else met in Weymouth on 24 July 1739 to draw, by lottery, for their first division lot. Among this group was a freed black man, Heber Honestman, of Easton, who had purchased his proprietors’ right from the heir of another proprietor. Also drawing was Captain John Phillips, of Easton, in his own right.

The first families to arrive in Huntstown, probably in 1741, came from Easton. They were Heber Honestman and his wife, Susanna; Richard Ellis, born in Dublin, Ireland, who had married Jane Phillips, daughter of John; and her brother, Thomas Phillips and his wife, Catherine. Heber Honestman settled on the proprietor’s lot #1 that he had drawn in 1739. Both Thomas Phillips and Richard Ellis settled on land they had purchased from other proprietors. Other settlers arrived by 1742 from eastern Massachusetts, including the Nightingales, John and his “wizard” uncle Samuel from Braintree. In 1751 Chileab Smith came from Hadley with his family.

By 1743 the first corn mill was built on “Pond Brook,” now the South River. By 1753 a saw mill was built on the Bear River near the Ellis, Phillips and Smith families. By 1754 a road was laid out from Deerfield (note: Conway was part of Deerfield then) to “Heber’s fence” on “Bellow’s Hill.” In 1761 the road was continued to the corn mill and the Ashfield plain.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐22 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County By 1754 there were fourteen families, from Deerfield, Hatfield, Mendon and Ware, as well as from Easton and Braintree, living in Huntstown. By 1755 some of these families had moved to Deerfield because of the threat from Indians. In 1756 a stockade “fort” was built around the home of Chileab Smith and the settlers returned from Deerfield. A second fort was built in 1757 near the Ellis’ and Phillips’ houses.

Substantial colonial settlement did not take place until the termination of the French and Indian Wars in the early 1760s. The town was incorporated as the Town of Ashfield on 21 June 1765. It was named by Governor Bernard for his friend, Lord Thurlow of Ashfield, England. The greatest growth during the Colonial Period (1676‐1775) took place between 1761 and 1776, when the local population jumped to 628 individuals (an increase of over 600 percent). This growth rate was one of the highest among the Connecticut River Valley western upland settlements during this period.

Agriculture was the primary pursuit of Ashfield residents during the Colonial Period. Local uplands were best suited for livestock grazing and extensive commercial crop production was restricted to corn and oats. Several scattered mills operated, including both saw and grist mills.

Chileab Smith, with members of his family, established a Baptist Church in 1753. His son, Ebenezer, became the first minister. In 1786 the congregation split over a difference in the interpretation of doctrine. Chileab and Enos Smith established a second church just over the line in Buckland. In 1798 the two churches reunited; they disbanded ca 1850. Some of the members built a second church in South Ashfield in 1814, which was disbanded in 1841. In 1867 another Baptist society was formed. In 1869, they moved the Buckland Baptist Church, originally built circa 1828, from its location just off Upper Street in Buckland, to Main St. in Ashfield. This building was later sold to the Grange and it is now the Community Hall.

By 1763, Jacob Sherwin, a Congregational minister, had settled on “Bellows” (now Bellus) Hill. There were fifteen people in his congregation which met at the home of Ebenezer Belding. The Congregationalists built a church on the Plain by 1771 and in 1814 they moved into a new church building on Norton Hill. This building was moved back to the Plain in 1856. A second Congregational Church building was built in 1856 on the Plain; in 1868 the two congregations united and the first building was sold to the town to be used as a Town Hall. In 1820 fourteen men established an Episcopal Church. The present building was ready for occupancy by December 1827 on a lot donated by Levi Cook.

The Universalist Church was established in 1840 at South Ashfield with sixty members. In 1844 they purchased the South Baptist meeting house. In 1868 they voted to adjourn for one year and did not re‐open. The building was moved and used for the South

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐23 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County Ashfield Community Hall. At present it is a private home. The Methodists met in the two room school house at Chapel Falls from 1832 to 1855.

The town was divided into school districts, each with its own building. The first was Baptist Corner in 1766, to be followed by the Round School in South Ashfield and the school on the Plain. In 1777 a school was established in Spruce Corner. By 1790 the districts of Steady Lane, Briar Hill, Cape Street, Northwest and Wardville were formed as the population increased in those areas. Chapel Falls was added in 1810 and Beldingville in 1813. South Ashfield had a second school added in 1815. The fourteenth and last district was Apple Valley, added in 1845. Many of these buildings are there still and have been converted to private homes.

Sanderson Academy was established by Alvan Sanderson in 1816 for secondary education. At first classes met in private homes and later in a building moved to Main Street from Steady Lane. Sometime after the second Sanderson Academy was built, the first building was moved further west on Main Street and is now part of a private home. John Field donated land for a playing field in 1885 and after his death, his wife donated money for a school and library to be built in his memory. This building, which opened in 1889, burned in 1939. The new building incorporated all twelve grades and the district schools were closed. In 1997, students began attending school in a new building at the corner of Routes 112 and 116. The town razed the 1940 building, but the Field playing field continues to be used by the young people of Ashfield. In 1967 the town joined with several neighboring towns to form the Mohawk Regional School District for grades K‐12.

Ashfield’s population continued to grow at a high rate during the Federal Period (1775‐ 1830), increasing by 132 percent between 1776 and 1790. The population peaked in 1810 at 1,809 and then began a gradual decline that lasted for 120 years. The economic base continued to be predominantly agricultural, with some large dairies and flocks of sheep reported by the 1840s. From about 1812 to 1830, Ashfield was a center of the peppermint industry and by 1825 several hundred acres of peppermint were under cultivation. There continued to be several small saw and grist mills and one‐man tanning operations for local needs. Woodworking mills began to be established, producing broom handles, axes and hoes. Joseph Griswold is said to have introduced the making of sash, doors, and blinds by machinery here. Griswold stayed only a short time in Ashfield, however, before moving to Buckland, and finally to what became Griswoldville in Colrain in 1828.

During the Federal Period, settlements became well defined in specific areas (including South Ashfield, Ashfield Center, Spruce Corner, Watson, and Baptist Corner), as well as along the Town’s major roads (Main and Cape Streets, Hawley, Buckland and Baptist Corner Roads). Many residential properties were constructed during this period, with a peak of construction after 1800. Two institutional buildings of considerable architectural ______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐24 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County significance were built in the period, including the present Town Hall, which was constructed as the Town’s second meetinghouse in 1812, and Saint John’s Episcopal Church, built in 1829.

Like the majority of towns in the county, Ashfield’s population continued to decline during the Early Industrial Period (1830‐1870). During the course of this period the Town lost nearly a third of its population, with the greatest loss occurring in the single decade from 1840 to 1850. The economy remained predominantly agricultural, and Ashfield was the leading wool‐producing town in the county during a boom in the industry that peaked in the mid 1840s. Ashfield was a major producer of butter and cheese, and was the leading butter producer in the county in 1855. By that year, there were also fourteen sawmills plus small shops for making broom handles, planes, wooden faucets, surgical splints and “yankee notions” (mincing knives, pill boxes, etc.) Other small shops established during this period included a potter, which represented the largest value of any industry in town in 1855.

The prosperity of the Federal Period seems to have continued into the first half of the Early Industrial Period, to judge by the number of Greek Revival houses and cottages extant in the town. Several institutional buildings and commercial properties remain from this period as well, including the Congregational Church (1856) and the Crafts Store (1835).

During the Late Industrial Period (1870‐1915) Ashfield Center remained the focus of civic and commercial activity, and of the local highway system with east‐west connections to Conway from Ashfield Center along Route 116. Route 112 was initially constructed in 1897 in Ashfield. It was called Buckland Road and began at the top of what is known as Ashfield Mountain, just north of where the present Buckland Road, located around the eastern side of Ashfield Lake, intersects with Route 112 today. In 1898, the next portion of the road was laid out, crossing Smith Brook and terminating at a complex of shops.

The town’s population fluctuated during the Late Industrial Period and dairy farming remained the major feature of the economy. The Ashfield Co‐operative Creamery was established in 1880 and its production peaked in 1912. By the 1870s, much of Ashfield’s woodworking industry had declined. In 1878, a flood caused by the breaking of the Great Pond Dam swept through the Ashfield Plains and South Ashfield causing considerable destruction and delivering “a staggering blow to the town’s economy” and its woodworking shops. No railroads or trolley lines were constructed through the area. Very little residential construction took place during this period, except at the town center. The most outstanding institutional building of the period is the Belding Library of 1913‐14, designed by Samuel M. Green of Springfield.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐25 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County The Early Modern Period (1915‐1940) brought a net loss in population, which stood at 872 by 1940. The wooden products industry continued to operate with two mills producing hardware handles and these prospered for much of the period. Ashfield’s creamery closed in 1927.

A recent round of alterations of Route 112 in Ashfield began in 1952, continuing the layout of the road to the Buckland town line by generally following the county layout from the late 1800s and straightening it to the limited extent practical. Major construction in 1955 laid a new road, Suburban Drive, from the top of Ashfield Mountain south to the Route 116 north (Spruce Corner Road) intersection, providing a considerably straight new highway to bypass the town. Previously it passed the length of Ashfield Lake, climbed Norton Hill and picked up Steady Lane to Cape Street. In 1970, alterations were made to Cape Street (then an old but good country road) allowing Route 112 to be moved there from the old route along Spruce Corner Road (also Route 116) and Lithia Road to the Goshen line.

For decades, Ashfield was a quiet farming community with dozens of dairy and apple farms dotting the hillsides and lowlands. While the number of dairy herds has declined over the past forty years, there are at least three remaining dairy farms with large milking herds. In 2005 a new farm was started with a grass‐fed herd that produces raw milk for sale at the farm and yogurt that is sold at many local stores. There are other farms with goats and sheep also selling cheese. Several farms are raising grass‐fed beef and marketing their products locally. Fresh eggs are available from several farms in Town.

There are a large number of bee hives in Town and a very successful fruit orchard. Forestry products, Christmas trees and maple syrup production are other agricultural items produced and sold in Ashfield. There are a growing number of market gardeners in town who sell their produce to local stores and restaurants. The Town has a very successful farmer’s market each Saturday morning in season. There are several farmers who grow corn and hay crops or raise animals on land they use for free or rent from others. Other farmers cut their own hay crops and sell out each year to people who feed it to horses and other animals or use it for mulching their crops. In May 2006, the Town easily passed a Right to Farm Bylaw at Town Meeting and the Agricultural Commission has produced a brochure listing twenty‐seven farms. Agriculture is an integral part of the economy of Ashfield and growing as “buy local” becomes more and more important.

Historic Points of Interest in Byway Corridor Study Area in Ashfield

Important historic resources within the Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Study Area in Ashfield include the following (see also the Historic Structures Map and Appendices):

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐26 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • Ashfield Plain Historic District— This National Register Historic District located near Ashfield Lake was established in 1991 and is comprised of Main and South Streets and adjacent parts of Buckland and Norton Hill Roads. All of Buckland Road and parts of Main and Norton Hill Roads are located within the Byway Corridor Study Area. Significant properties in the District that are located in the Byway Corridor Study Area include the Ashfield Lake Dam (1879), and the Milo M. Belding Jr. Memorial Park (1928) (See the Appendix for a listing of significant resources Town Hall (left) and Elmer’s Store (right) included in this district). • Howesville— Several of the houses of this small settlement still remain. The houses can be found just south of the Buckland line along Route 112 almost to Smith Road. These houses were built by the descendants of Samuel and Bathsheba (Howes) Howes, who came to Ashfield from Yarmouth around 1776 with three children. In 1792, their son Heman Howes married Phebe Lilly and they had eleven children. Five of their sons settled near their parents on adjoining properties, while a sixth son lived a few miles away. From 1821 to 1845, Heman Howes paid taxes in Ashfield on three houses, four barns and 280 acres along what is now Route 112. The houses built by sons Heman Howes, Jr., James Howes, and Jonathan Howes are there still, as are the houses built by two of Jonathan’s children and his granddaughter. Jonathan Howes built a sawmill at the foot of Ashfield Mountain on what is now Howes Brook and a woodworking shop across the road from it where his son, Cyrus, made coffins for the town. The mill and shop are no longer there, but six houses owned by this family are there still.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐27 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • Smith Road—This road, located within the Corridor Study Area west of Ashfield Mountain Road (Route 112) just over the Buckland/Ashfield line, includes five historical resources, including the Philip Bassett House (1830), the Jehiel Perkins‐ Elizabeth Harris House (1835), and the County Road Old Stone Bridge (1846). The road was improved in 1846, at which time the bridge appears to have been added. An application is currently pending to have the bridge listed in the National Looking under the northeast side of the Register of Historic Places. County Road Old Stone Bridge (Photo courtesy of Nancy Gray Garvin)

• Suburban Drive—This section of Route 112 encompasses the combined sections of Routes 112 and 116 in the center of Ashfield. Included along this section of the Byway are three historic resources representing key phases of historical development in town. These are: the Samuel and Heman Howes House (1775), also known as the Austin Richmond House, which has been altered with many of its original architectural features removed; the George Basset House (1850), also known as the Walter Allum Summer House; and the M. Bross Thomas House (1921), also known as “Cricket Lodge”. • Steady Lane Area—This area of farmhouses and fields is located in one of the most scenic regions of the Byway, one of the two highest‐rated “Outstanding” segments in the visual assessment (Segment 17). There are seven historic resources located on Steady Lane include the Steady Lane Farm (1820), that is visible from the roadway, the Steady Lane Schoolhouse (1851), and the Thayer and Harmon Mill (1900). Across from Steady Lane, View of the Steady Lane Area from Route 112 the Byway Corridor Study Area

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐28 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County encompasses a portion of Bug Hill Road out to the intersection with Lilliput Road, which includes a number of historic properties. • Cape Street Area—This section of Route 112 runs from the southern intersection of Routes 112 and 116 south to the Goshen border. This area includes five of the oldest historic properties extant in Ashfield, dating back to the 18th century. These include the Sears Homestead (1772) and the Levi Eldridge‐Andrews House (1790), also known as “Journey’s End”.

Resources Available for Historic Preservation

Local and State Informational Resources

Local Historic Commissions and Historical Societies can provide important support and assistance to willing private property owners. They could, for example, sponsor a specially designed training program for private property owners educating them about preservation options. In addition, the MHC currently conducts a program called “On the Road,” which is an educational program where knowledgeable staff visits the local communities and provides hands‐on information on historic preservation. The meetings are usually informal, with much of the time devoted to answering questions that are of interest to the local communities.

National or State Historic Register Listing

The National Register of Historic Places is a listing of buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts significant in our nation’s history, culture, architecture or archeology and that are worthy of preservation. It is a federal designation, administered by the Secretary of the Interior through the Massachusetts Historical Commission as the State Historic Preservation office. Listing in the National register provides formal recognition of the property’s significance, tax incentives for owners of income producing property and limited protection from federally funded, licensed or assisted projects. A listing on the National Register can provide some exemptions from the state building code. A National Register listing does not limit the owner’s use of the property.

Local Historic Districts

A local historic district can be created to preserve significant historic structures and to encourage the builders of new structures to choose architectural designs which complement the historic setting. A local historic district requires review by an historic district commission of any exterior alteration to buildings and structures visible from the public way. Establishing a local historic district requires a Town Meeting vote.

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Corridor protection bylaws offer another method of protecting a transportation corridor from inappropriate development. These bylaws are often implemented as an overlay district within the Zoning Bylaws and can only be adopted by a 2/3 majority vote at Town Meeting.

Preservation Restrictions

Since a local historic district only assists in the preservation of exterior features visible from the public way, a community may want to work with the owner on implementing a preservation restriction. A preservation restriction is a legal agreement between a property owner and another party, usually a non‐profit organization or government body. Such an agreement “runs with the land” governing the use of the property by current and future owners. For the owner of a National Register listed property, a preservation restriction may qualify as a charitable tax deduction. It also may reduce the assessed value of the property, resulting in property tax savings. For the community, the preservation restriction is a very effective method of preserving the structure, both inside and out, as well as the setting.

Grant Funding

The MHC sponsors two grant programs to help communities and nonprofit organizations conduct historic preservation projects. The first MHC program, Survey and Planning Grants, provide 50 percent matching federal funds for the preparation of community surveys, preservation plans, preparation of historic district studies and legislation, archaeological surveys, nominations to the National Register, and educational preservation programs. Eligible applicants are local Historic Commissions, Historic District Commissions or study committees, Certified Local Governments, city and town planning offices and boards or community development officers, regional planning agencies and state agencies, educational institutions, and private non‐profit organizations. Projects eligible for this funding include completion of cultural resource inventories, nominations of properties to the National Register, completion of community‐wide preservation plans, public relations brochures and other innovative planning projects.

The second MHC program, the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund, provides 50 percent matching grants to qualifying properties listed on the State Register to ensure their physical preservation. Monies are available for the restoration, rehabilitation, stabilization, and documentation of historic and archaeological properties owned by municipalities or nonprofit organizations. A highlight of this unique program, the first of its kind in the nation, is the option applicants have to apply for up to 75 percent of the

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐30 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County total project cost if they are willing to commit an additional 25 percent toward an endowment fund for long‐range preservation and maintenance of the property. Projects range from the acquisition of an endangered property, to the restoration of an historic building, to research projects such as historic structures reports, archaeological data recovery projects, or study of innovative preservation techniques. Unfortunately, the funding provided by the State for this program is inconsistent and grants may not always be available.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation offers financial assistance to communities and nonprofit organizations to conduct a variety of historic projects. The Preservation Services Fund provides matching grants of up to $5,000 (typically from $1,000 to $5,000) for preservation planning and education efforts. Funds may be used to obtain professional expertise in areas such as architecture, engineering, preservation planning. land use planning, fund raising, organization development and law as well as preservation education activities.

Grant programs that offer assistance to private for‐profit owners are the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund and the Johanna Favrot Fund, and those programs are open only to owners of National Historic Landmarks. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors offers up to $10,000 for consultants with expertise in the preservation field to plan, conduct architectural research and material investigation. The Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation provides up to $10,000 for professional advice, conferences, workshops and education programs.

Federal Tax Credits

Federal income tax credits are available for income‐producing residential and commercial property owners for qualified restoration projects. An owner’s personal residence is not eligible. Under the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Incentive Program, owners of property that are listed on the National Register or are within a National Register Historic District may deduct 20 percent of the cost of a major restoration project on their taxes. Restoration must be significant, exceeding the greater of the adjusted basis of the buildings or $5,000, and work can be phased over a five‐year period when there are architect’s drawings and specifications prepared for the work. Restoration work must follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. The program is administered through the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). A 10 percent tax credit is available for buildings that are not listed in the National Register but were built before 1936.

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The Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit is a recent addition to the preservation toolkit. Under the program, a certified rehabilitation project on an income‐ producing property is eligible to receive up to 20 percent of the cost of certified rehabilitation expenditures in state tax credits. There is an annual cap, so there are selection criteria that ensure the funds are distributed to the projects that provide the most public benefit. The MHC certifies the projects and allocates available credits.

Local Option Property Tax Assessment Program

In 1996, the state legislature enabled local communities in the Commonwealth to establish the Local Option Property Tax Assessment program. This provides tax savings to historic property homeowners who rehabilitate their property according to appropriate standards. Property taxes are abated by the community and phased back in over a five‐year period. So far the only communities to enact the program are Chelmsford, Foxboro and Ludlow. MHC can be contacted for more information.

Findings

• There are few locations along the Byway where the traveling public can access historical information on the Byway Corridor. • There is little indication along the majority of the Byway Corridor of the significance of the area to Native Americans. • There are several historically important locations along the Byway that lack historic markers. • Numerous bridges and historic structures are not distinguished for easy public reference. • Historic resources, particularly those near the roadway, would be threatened by projects to straighten or increase the width of Route 112. • Some historic resources are in need of maintenance to increase their attractiveness to heritage tourists. One such resource is the Wilder Homestead in Buckland, which needs structural work on the house and the barn, as well as clearing of trees to enhance the view from the Byway. • There are limited preservation programs available to help private, for‐profit business owners maintain or restore their historic properties. Additional effort needs to be made to assist private owners to secure tax incentives or other financial benefits available.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐32 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • Not all of the Towns in the Byway Corridor have active Historic Commissions. In addition, some of the historical data provided by Towns for MHC’s Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) is incomplete and out‐of‐date.

Recommendations

• Communities could work with individual property owners to determine significant historic structures and develop plans to assist in their restoration and/or preservation. Sponsoring an MHC “On the Road” workshop would be a logical first step to identifying ways to help private property owners maintain historic structures and landscapes. One or more local Historic Commissions could take the lead and sponsor this educational meeting intended to provide information to the Byway communities about tools and methods for preserving their historic resources. The information would be specifically targeted to the Byway communities and would particularly highlight resources for properties that are privately owned. • Increase the number of informational kiosks at strategic locations to make more historical information available to the public. Several issues could be addressed in this manner, including the following: o Highlighting the Native American significance of the Byway Corridor. o Historic information pertinent to specific locations. • Install markers or signs for individual structures of historic significance along the Corridor such as bridges, houses, and cemeteries. Markers and signs should be of a uniform nature to allow for consistency throughout the Byway Corridor. • Implement a plaque program along the Byway in order to recognize the owners of historically significant Byway structures and to educate the public about the architectural resources along the corridor. • Support the implementation of preservation restrictions or conservation restriction on historically significant structures along the Byway. Work with willing land owners to permanently protect important historic resources. • Work with the towns of Shelburne and Buckland to expand the Shelburne Falls National Register Historic District and to create a Buckland Center National Register Historic District in the Route 112/Upper Street area. • Work to protect and preserve important archeological sites along the Byway. • Encourage local Historic Commissions to alert and educate property owners about the federal and state tax credits that are available for restoration work that occurs on properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

______Route 112 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan — Page 5‐33 Archaeological and Historic Resources – Franklin County • MassHighway should work actively with the Massachusetts Historic Commission and local Historic Commissions to ensure that Route 112 road projects preserve historic resources. • Towns in the Route 112 Byway Corridor should support active Historic Commissions to assist in the documentation and preservation of historical resources. The Commissions should seek grant funding or volunteer assistance to update the historical resource survey sheets for submission to the MHC and inclusion in the MACRIS system.

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