AHS’s Annual 2-Day Ski and Winter Gear Sale Approachs!
The Amherst Historical Society is excited to be holding our 3rd annual ski and winter gear sale beginning on Friday evening, January 4th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, January 5th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pacific Lodge at 99 Main Street, Amherst. The lodge will be transformed into a ski market selling top brands with experts on hand to assist everyone with their selection to ensure that you buy just the right items and the right sizes.
This two-day sale will again offer hundreds of pairs of top ski gear both new and used skis, snow boards, and skates for sale at rock-bottom prices. The items on sale will include new and used downhill and cross country skis in adult and child sizes, boots and bindings, hockey and figure skates, snowboards, clothing for adults and children, including coats, gloves, and helmets, ski poles, snow shoes, and a number of specialty items. Some of this merchandise will be brand new at super low prices, so come and get the entire family’s gear updated!
It’s Official! Weights & Measures
Introducing our most recent addition to the collection: the official cabinet of weights and measures used by the Town of Amherst beginning about 1900.
Today, we are assured that a gallon is exactly that when we purchase gasoline–the pump bears the official seal of the State of Massachusetts. But in the past? How did you know a pound was a pound when purchasing produce or other goods? We are the pleased recipient of the official Weights & Measures used by the Town of Amherst beginning about 1900. The cabinet is approximately 6 feet across x 6 feet high x 2 feet deep–filled with scales, weights and liquid measures. Come visit this new treasure!
You can learn more from this story by Scott Merzbach in the Daily Hampshire Gazette.
Opportunities for Local Learning
On Wednesday, November 1st, second graders from the Common School visited the Jones Special Collections and the Amherst Historical Society!
This experience gave the hands-on experience into researching local history by exploring the collections of artifacts and primary documents. They examined straw hats, a wooden yoke, a wooden scythe and a wooden plane and practiced making inferences about the objects using what they had learned in class. Visits like these give kids a first-hand look at the history of their own town, tangible enough to reach out and touch, connecting the next generation with all the generations past.
Facilitating these key historical experiences is one of the most important missions of the Amherst Historical Society. If you’re interested in scheduling a visit for your classroom or other group, please get in touch with us! We would love to hear from you.
These are all entries under the letter “C” in the book Amherst A to Z, written by Elizabeth Sharpe. The book is illustrated with pictures of artifacts from the Amherst History Museum, historic images from the Jones Library’s Special Collections, as well as photographs of our town and the folks who live here.