A compilation of photos from Deerfield’s past with a brief history of the town.
About Us
Welcome to the Historic Deerfield website—the next best thing to visiting our museum of history, art and architecture along a mile-long street laid out in 1671 and still lined with 18th- and 19th-century houses on their original sites. This quintessential New England village is surrounded by working farms and rolling cornfields along the Deerfield River. Here in western Massachusetts, Historic Deerfield’s museum houses range in date from the 1730s to the 1840s. Inside you will find one of the best public collections of art and antiques in America while you explore the lifestyle of early New England in a working village of endless beauty. And after touring, take time to relax at the 1884 Deerfield Inn. For now, enjoy our website and use it to plan your trip to see us in Deerfield!
Philip Zea
President
Mission Statement:
Historic Deerfield, Inc., is dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley. Its museums and programs provide today’s audiences with experiences that create an understanding and appreciation of New England’s historic villages and countryside.
Organizational History:
Historic Deerfield was incorporated in 1952 to sustain the work of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Flynt of Greenwich, Connecticut. In 1936, the Flynts enrolled their son at Deerfield Academy, a nationally-known college preparatory school founded in 1797, located in the center of Deerfield, Massachusetts. With the encouragement of Deerfield Academy’s headmaster, Frank Boyden, they began to purchase and restore the old houses along The Street to carefully restore them. Today, 11 historic houses and the Flynt Center of Early New England Life display collections of more than 25,000 objects made or used in America between 1650 and 1850.
Contact Us:
Click here for a staff directory and address information.
Employment:
No positions are currently available.
Facility Rentals:
Historic Deerfield offers meeting and event rentals at the White Church Community Center. For more information, please contact Julie Orvis Marcinkiewicz, Special Events Coordinator, at (413) 775-7179 or events [at] historic-deerfield [dot] org.
News:
Click here for recent news and press information.
Publications Program:
From time to time, Historic Deerfield publishes books and electronic documents that support our mission and highlight our collections. For more information, please contact David Bosse, Librarian and Curator of Maps, at (413) 775-7126 or dbosse [at] historic-deerfield [dot] org.
Annual Report:
Our 2009 Annual Report is now available.
Accreditation:
Historic Deerfield is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM).
Acknowledgements:
A portion of Historic Deerfield’s operating funds is provided through a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Institutional Links:
Deerfield Attractions (http://www.deerfieldattractions.com/)
Franklin County Chamber of Commerce (http://www.franklincc.org/)
Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (http://www.valleyvisitor.com/)
Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (http://www.massvacation.com/)
Outdoor History Museum Forum (http://www.outdoorhistory.org/)
Pioneer Valley History Network (http://www.pioneervalleyhistorynetwork.org)
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (http://www.deerfield-ma.org/)
Other Links:
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News
Historic Deerfield will offer instruction in open hearth cooking for those who are interested in historic foodways and hearth management. A series of seven one-day classes has been scheduled for Saturdays in February and March 2010.
The 2010 winter lecture series is titled “A Freshly Minted Democracy: Coins and Medals in Early America.” All of the lectures will be offered at 2 p.m. at the White Church Community Center, and are free and open to the public.
The Flynt Center of Early New England Life is open Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 5, 2009–April 11, 2010, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The museum will reopen for the 2010 Regular Season on Saturday, April 17, 2010. Enjoy current exhibitions (see box at lower right) and “The Museum’s Attic” gallery. Seasonal Winter Admission (except where noted for Special Events): $7 Adults, $5 Youth (ages 6-17), under 6 and members free.
Programs
This one-day symposium will be held at Collins Cinema, Wellesley College. Free and open to the public, but seating is limited.
Join curators and a master craftsman for a day of exploration of Historic Deerfield’s lustrous treasures, the art and mystery of silversmithing, and the manufacturers of early New England silver, especially focusing on the work of Paul Revere. Click here for an information and registration form.
Exhibitions
Examine one of the finest collections of early American textiles and costumes ever assembled!
The town of Hadley, Massachusetts is celebrating its 350th Anniversary and to help observe this occasion, Historic Deerfield will showcase objects from the town. Hadley Sampler: An Anniversary Celebration is on view at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life through January 31, 2010. Included with general admission.
Explore a dazzling array of masterworks by famous American cabinetmakers including Duncan Phyfe and Honoré Lannuier, Samuel McIntire, John and Thomas Seymour, and John Townsend. Included with general admission.
Museum Store
Examines the choices open to people living in an agrarian culture and how they adjusted to the coming of an industrial order.
Support Historic Deerfield with this 100% cotton twill cap.
New! Doorways of Deerfield features 16 historic houses and buildings throught the village of Old Deerfield. Under each doorway is the name of the house or building. Photographer Dan Dougherty. Poster comes rolled ready for you to frame. 18” x 24”
Grate or shave the Chocolate Block on your favorite dessert, or melt and drizzle on a bowl of ice cream. Also great for baking.
American Heritage Chocolate - from the Historic Division of Mars, Inc.
5.13 oz.Block
80 pages of full color photos by Richard Cheek celebrating the four seasons in the historic village.
Hand hooked wool rug depicting 7 of our village buildings in Springtime. Taken from a painting by Anne Bell Robb, a MA artist. 2’ x 3’.
