This presentation by Robert Comeau will discuss the properties and history of the many burial sites used by the people of Amherst through the centuries.

Explore Amherst’s historic West Cemetery through the lens of Emily Dickinson’s correspondence with guide Sarah Zureick-Brown, a trustee of the Amherst Historical Society and the creator of The Silent Sod. During this 75 minute tour, you’ll meet Dickinson’s local contemporaries to whom she expressed grief and solace in her letters, and you’ll also be introduced to some of Amherst’s other literary legends. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Location: Meet at 45 Boltwood Walk (Amherst History Center) Note: The distance covered will be roughly one mile with some uneven terrain. There is no seating available at the cemetery.

Local media producer Jonathan Barkan will give a multi-media presentation on Henry Knox's efforts to bring the guns of Ticonderoga to aid General Washington in Boston.

If you walk along the Mill River conservation trail in North Amherst today, you will see little to suggest that this small, shaded valley — situated roughly between Pine Street and Pulpit Hill Road — has changed much in the three centuries since Hadley farmers first moved into the area. But a glance at some of the old maps tells a different story: “Factory Hollow” was once the scene of intensive use of the River to power early industry in Amherst, ranging from grist mills to substantial textile and paper mills. In fact, the River — along nearly its entire Amherst course from Leverett in the north to Hadley in the west — powered some three dozen mills and factories, beginning at least as early as 1727 and continuing production well into the twentieth century. This tour, lead by Bryan Harvey, will cover the area downstream of Puffer’s Pond to the current Mill River Recreation Area, an area in which many textile and woodworking mills once stood, as well as grist and sawmills and even a candle wicking factory! He will also discuss the many changes in the River itself (in the form of dams, mill ponds, and canals) built support these industries, some still visible today. (Approximately 2 miles roundtrip.)  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Walking along the Mill River conservation trail today there is little to suggest that this quiet valley — situated roughly between Pine Street and Pulpit Hill Road — has changed much in the three centuries since Hadley farmers first moved into the area. But “Factory Hollow” was once the scene of intensive use of the River to power early industry in Amherst, ranging from grist mills to substantial textile and paper mills. In fact, the River — along nearly its entire Amherst course from Leverett in the north to Hadley in the west — powered more than 60 businesses in 32 mill and factory buildings across 12 locations. The River was harnessed at least as early as 1727 and mills continued in production well into the twentieth century. Bryan Harvey will provide a glimpse into the work of the Mill River History Project, which is chronicling the remarkable scale and scope of this activity and its impact on the development of North Amherst, Cushman, and the larger Amherst community. This will be a major update to an earlier History Bites presentation in March 2025. It will not only present the latest findings, but also discuss how the research has evolved and the tools utilized to manage it. The Project is sponsored by the District One/North Amherst Neighborhood Association (DONA), and underwritten by Town of Amherst Community Preservation Act funding and private gifts. Bryan Harvey has lived in Amherst for 54 years, and is a Trustee of the Amherst Historical Society (AHS). He has been instrumental in the Project’s formation, development and management, and also leads periodic walking tours of the Factory Hollow area sponsored by the AHS.

Elizabeth C. Dearden will lead a cemetery tour of West Cemetery as a case study of funerary symbolism in relation to the antecedent events of the American Revolution. From Puritan iconography to Whig inspired Neoclassical imagery, these symbols were used for memorialization, persuasion, sustained momentum, and inspiration for the Patriot cause.  Dearden is a public historian from Western Massachusetts. She received her MA in history from Salem State University with a graduate certificate in public history. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER