Walking Historical Florence

Steve Strimer has been leading history walks around Florence for a while, and I finally went on one of them recently. I've lived in and around Florence (a village of Northampton) for years, driving through at least twice a day, and often neglecting to take the time to consider the rich history beneath the pavement and behind the clapboard facades. The village was the site of a utopian community, a hotbed of abolitionism, a stop on the underground railroad, and home to many escaped slaves and free blacks including Sojourner Truth and David Ruggles. Steve has done much research on all of this, pouring through old documents and poking around in people's attics, and he periodically takes groups on walks to share his knowledge.


David Ruggles was born a free black in Connecticut in 1810 and moved to New York where he opened a grocery store, became a publisher of abolitionist pamphlets and was the first African American to own a bookstore. In 1842 he moved to Florence, where he joined the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, a utopian community. He remained active in the abolitionist movement here and also opened a water cure facility (Northampton had several water cure and spa facilities in the mid-1800s). Near blind and in poor health, he died here in 1849.


This little clapboard cottage will one day be the David Ruggles Center for Early Florence History and Underground Railroad Studies. It's not a house he lived in, but was contemporary with his time in Florence.

Searching for Signs of Spring: A Peep Adventure

Like a Peep on a wire. The Peeps return to New England.


Mountains of dirty snow begin to melt. On nice days, the Peeps can motor with the top down as they look for signs of spring.


Enormous potholes open up in the roads. The Peeps nearly drove into this one. Thank goodness they always brake for dinos.


The fields flood, and mud is everywhere. That's why we call it Mud Season. The Peeps decided it's better to travel by boat than by car.


At last, the Peeps and their friend Mr. Fez find a cheery sign of spring. When the crocuses emerge, spring can't be far away!