Greenfield Reconnaissance Report - MA Heritage Landscapes ...

INTRODUCTIONHeritage landscapes are special places created by human interaction with the natural environmentthat help define the character of a community and reflect its past. They are dynamic andevolving, reflect the history of a community and provide a sense of place. They show the naturalecology that influenced land use patterns and often have scenic qualities. This wealth oflandscapes is central to each community’s character, yet heritage landscapes are vulnerable andever changing. For this reason it is important to take the first step toward their preservation byidentifying those landscapes that are particularly valued by the community – a favorite localfarm, a distinctive neighborhood or mill village, a unique natural feature or an important rivercorridor.To this end, the Massachusetts Department ofConservation and Recreation (DCR) and itsregional partners, the Franklin Regional Councilof Governments (FRCOG) and the PioneerValley Planning Commission (PVPC), havecollaborated to bring the Heritage LandscapeInventory Program to twelve communities in theConnecticut River Valley region ofMassachusetts. The goals of the program are tohelp communities identify a wide range oflandscape resources, particularly those that aresignificant and unprotected, and to providecommunities with strategies for preservingheritage landscapes.The communities within the Connecticut RiverValley region of Massachusetts are diverse intheir settlement patterns and economic histories.Connecticut River Valley Heritage LandscapeInventory project areaWhat they hold in common is a foundation built on agriculture that was carried out incommunities traversed by a series of major waterways and tributaries, from the ConnecticutRiver to the Deerfield, Sawmill, Green, Millers, Quaboag, Swift, Mill and Ware Rivers. Thisregion contains significant cultural and historic resources and uncommon natural beauty. Forsome of the communities, industry developed alongside agriculture, so that today the heritagelandscapes reflect both agrarian and industrial pasts while providing recreational and educationalopportunities. From scenic town commons and natural areas, to civic buildings and burialgrounds, the heritage landscapes within the region collectively tell the story of their varied andoften complex history.Massachusetts Heritage Landscape Inventory Program 1Greenfield Reconnaissance Report