Take a tour of the factory that made paper President Abraham Lincoln used during the Civil War. Learn how the Algonquian and others used Turners as a major rendezvous spot. See what animals live here.
Do all of these, and more, during Turners Falls History Month, which begins on Saturday.
For the third year, Turners Falls RiverCulture is partnering with The Friends of The Discovery Center and the Great Falls Discovery Center to produce the event, all of which are free and open to the public.
Saturday, Sept. 10 — Tours at 10:30 and 11 a.m. President Abraham Lincoln wrote from his office, overlooking the unfinished Washington Monument and Union soldier encampments on Southworth paper made in Turners Falls today.
Take a tour of the paper company in operation since 1839. See the entire process. Meet under the Paperlogic sign on Turners Falls Road, just over the Canal Street bridge. There are flights of stairs to climb. Children must be 10 years old or older. Arrive a few minutes early. Registration is appreciated: riverculture@gmail.com or call 413-835-1390.
Saturday, Sept. 10 — 1 to 2:30 p.m. In cooperation with Greenfield’s Museum of Our Industrial Heritage, Al Shane leads an industrial and cultural archaeology tour of the John Russell Cutlery Co. sites in Turners Falls. Meet in the Great Hall at the Discovery Center on Avenue A to see cutlery artifacts. The walking tour includes uneven, irregular ground, so be sure to wear sturdy shoes.
Saturday, Sept. 17 — 1 to 2 p.m. Join Connecticut River Watershed Council’s Executive Director Andrew Fisk to explore the past, present and future of the Connecticut River. Learn about the biology, law, engineering and hydrology, which reveal the successes and failures in the decades-long work to improve your river and watershed.
Thursday, Sept. 22 — 5 to 7 pm. Take a stroll back in time with local historian Ed Gregory, Discovery Center’s Janel Nockleby and Northfield Mountain’s Kim Noyes to discover the rich industrial history along the Canalside Rail Trail during the annual drawdown of the canal. Wear walking shoes and meet at the entrance of the Center for a two mile walk on flat terrain. Register by calling 800-859-2960.
Saturday, Sept. 24 — 9 a.m. to noon. Work to make the watershed a cleaner place on sites that run the gamut from fishing trash to illegal dumping. For ages 7 and older. Meet at the Great Hall in the Discovery Center on Avenue A. Register at 413-659-3714.
Sunday, Sept. 25 — 10:30 a.m. to noon. Kids ages 8 to 12 should bring their imaginations on a walk along the Canalside Rail Trail to see the Strathmore Mill and learn its history. We’ll return to the Great Hall, where you’ll plan and design the future use of the mill. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sunday, Sept. 25 — 1 to 2 p.m. in the Great Hall. By Professor Evan Pritchard.
Algonquian peoples (a Native American culture group of our region) knew how to live off the land and would seek out certain types of configurations of land and water to establish their political and economic centers, often involving the confluence of rivers and islands at the crossing of trade routes, fording places, bends in rivers, waterfalls, estuarine valleys, heads of tide and more. Many of these spots became United States or Canadian capitals. Turners Falls never became a state capitol, but it has a remarkable “configuration,” and was once one of the great rendezvous spots in what is now New England. Professor Pritchard will lecture and show slides to illustrate the hidden significance of our bioregional area. Pritchard is of Mi’kmaq and Celtic descent. He is the director of the Center for Algonquin Culture in Rosendale, N. Y. He has written 30 books on Native American culture
Thursday, Sept. 29 — Walk from 3 to 5 p.m., and talk presented from 7 to 9 p.m. Mass Wildlife offers an afternoon walk in the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area, followed by an evening talk at the Discovery Center on Avenue A. For the walk: meet on Old Northfield Road between Turners Falls Road and Lake Pleasant Road beneath the large powerline that crosses Old Northfield Road. Wear sturdy boots and dress for cold weather. The talk will include the history of the wildlife area, unique species and communities there, habitat management and prescribed fire.
More information can be found at:
www.discoverycenter.org