Historic Northampton

10/22/2026

Another sold out show of Rhythm & Rails this week held in Union Station-a big thank you to Trudy Williams and the incredible team of musicians and crew!

10/17/2026

Fabulous performances at this year's Eekappella (October 17)! We love hosting this concert/fundraiser for the Hampshire Support Alliance.

A big thank you to everyone who volunteered, attended, and performed--especially the high school and college students in the a ca****la and dance groups who donated their time during their busy semesters.

10/15/2026

Two bears, one beaver: whose pool?

Among the many benefits and delights of wildlife cameras are learning more about animal behavior and how different species interact. This 2-minute sequence captures the highlights of a 15-minute interaction. Watching it, it's easy to imagine what that bear might be thinking. Suggestions?
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Here's something else to think about: An interaction between a beaver and a bear in Northampton has only been possible during the last 40 years.

By 1700, beavers had been hunted out from Massachusetts, except for a small number living in remote regions of the Berkshires. Similarly, by the mid-1800s, bears were almost gone from the state, a consequence of forest clearing and long-standing bounties. Fast forward to the 1990s. By then, thousands of acres of abandoned farmland had returned to forest. Beavers, which been reintroduced by MA Wildlife (then known as the MA Fish and Game Commission) into more wetlands in Berkshire County during the 1930s, had increased in number. Hunters and conservation groups had helped permanently protect more habitat. And, the long-term effects of the state's wildlife laws had made a difference in wildlife populations. By the 1990s, beavers and bears had returned the Connecticut River Valley, including Northampton, and for the first time in 150+ years, interactions like this one could take place in our local landscape. MA Wildlife notes that both the beaver and bear populations are increasing. The most recent estimates, which are not updated annually, are 100,000 beavers and 5,000 bears statewide.

Two resources on bears in MA:
https://www.mass.gov/black-bears-in-massachusetts
https://www.mass.gov/hunting-black-bear-in-massachusetts

10/14/2026

For most of us in Massachusetts, swimming in local ponds ends with the arrival of September. Not for this mother bear. Every time she passed this small beaver pool, she took a dip--often for just a few seconds, once for a couple of minutes--and twice with her two cubs.

Enjoy a 2-minute dip into the lives of a local bear family....and check out that mamma bear's tongue!

Northampton, Massachusetts (USA)
Recorded on a Browning Recon Force Advantage

10/14/2026

David Dempsey, a long-time Historic Northampton volunteer, art conservator, and retired Associate Director for Museum Services at Smith College Museum of Art, cleans an historic sign from Rahar's. The sign was recently donated to Historic Northampton by the Estate of Rodney Kunath, who was a champion of Northampton history, Clarke School graduate, and a beloved community member.

In addition to this sign, Kunath's estate also donated an historic postcard of Rahar's Hotel, which was established in 1897 by James Richard Rahar (1862-1944). During Rahar's time as owner, the three-story Victorian at 7 Old South Street became a Northampton landmark-- as a hotel, restaurant and bar. The Inn and restaurant closed in 1965 due to unpaid taxes and creditors. Soon after, under new ownership, Rahar's began a new chapter, not only as a bar and restaurant, but as a venue where bands could perform. During that era, it became, once again, a go-to place for locals and area college students.

Another Rahar's sign can be seen at Packard's. This sign will be installed in Historic Northampton's Shepherd Barn later this fall.

10/11/2026

Train whistles, traffic noise, a siren, people's voices, and ... wildlife.

As this 2-minute compilation documents, the 25-acre Barrett Street Marsh Conservation Area (Northampton, Massachusetts, USA) is a green oasis for wildlife. That's particularly noteworthy because not only has this marsh had a long history of manipulation and alteration, but it's also:
* adjacent to a shopping center, car dealership, a well-used bike path,
* 300 feet from the Northampton Fire Station
* 800 feet from Routes 5/10
* 1,100 feet from the train tracks
* 1/2 mile from Interstate 91, and
* less than a mile from downtown Northampton,

For sharp-eyed observers, watch for the Eastern phoebe....and a challenge: excluding the sounds of ground crickets, how many different species of animals can you count?

Recorded on a Browning Recon Force Advantage

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Seven years ago, we stopped mowing this patch at Historic Northampton. What was once a lawn of crab grass and Kentucky bluegrass and about as valuable as a parking lot for wildlife is now a rowdy tangle of goldenrod, asters, common milkweed, and even oak seedlings!

Come visit and look for bumblebees, wasps, and other late-season insects.