Pioneer Valley offers plenty to see for visitors, residents alikeDate: 7/15/2016 Many years ago I had a job teaching a reading comprehension program in private schools. One of my assignments was at a Catholic high school in Flushing, NY.
I had assumed that if you live in the metro New York City area – Flushing is of course part of the borough of Queens – that you would be plugged into the educational, historical and entertainment offerings of the city.
My young charges certainly changed that point of view. For them, Manhattan and what it represented was fairly far away. I believe they took it for granted to a certain extent.
I think many people no matter where they live suffer from the same limited vision. We don’t see our area as visitors do.
Last Friday I got together with two close friends for a day of adventure – or what passes for adventure when you’re over 60 years of age and on a budget. We do this periodically with either them coming from Vermont where they live or my traveling to them.
I took them to the Beneski Museum, a place I’ve long wanted to see at Amherst College. It’s a great museum for people who were raised being fascinated by dinosaurs and Ice Age mammals. The three of us certainly fall into that group.
We gawked for about an hour and I’m eager to bring my grandson to it when he is just a little older.
Keeping in the dino frame of mind, I would had also brought them to Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop in nearby Granby where my high school friend Kornell Nash is continuing the family tradition of harvesting dino footprints from a quarry on the property if I hadn’t already have taken them there on a previous trip.
Then I took my pals to the Summit House at Skinner State Park in Hadley. Have you been there? Besides the history it represents it offers visitors one of the most magnificent views in the Pioneer Valley.
Being the host of this trip, I scored two home runs.
Recently I covered a group of motorcycle riders who are recreating the trip made across the nation by two sisters in 1916. The sisters rode Indian Motocycles – yes, they didn’t put a “r” in the word – and came to the city 100 years ago to learn how the Indians were made so they could be prepared to fix them if necessary as they took their three month trip from New York City to San Francisco.
I don’t believe any of the riders were from our area and they were clearly amazed and delighted when they saw the huge collection of vintage Indian Motocycles at the Quadrangle.
Have you visited the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History?
What we take for granted and see with obscured vision, other people see brightly and clearly.
How many times have you passed the campus of Springfield Technical Community College? Now answer how many times you’ve been to the Springfield Armory Historic Site. It’s a grand museum with grounds that offer an amazing viewpoint of the city.
Yes. I’ve taken my friends there in the past.
I’ve taken my two buddies to Forest Park, not just so they can see the magnificent urban park we have, but to experience the all-out oddity of the Barney Mausoleum. Come on, admit it – as a kid weren’t you weirded out a bit when you realize what that structure was? And the ancient Egyptian motif? Today it’s something I want to share.
Perhaps you pass by these attractions or read about activities they offer and say, “Yeah, I’ll get around to it.” Take the time. It’s well worth it.
And yes, I’m already planning the next jaunt that I will host. A trip through the Springfield Cemetery is in order as well as lunch at Theodore’s are among the stops I’m considering.
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