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Date: 9/17/2015
AGAWAM – The Agawam Public Library is taking a look back in time this fall.
A quilt that was made to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the town in 2005, as well as historic pictures from landmarks in Agawam are on display for the month of September. Adult Services Librarian Cher Collins said the exhibit may stay up through October, as well.
Collins was behind putting the display together and said this time of year is great to remember Agawam’s history.
“The quilt, the squares were made by Agawam residents, and they each depict a certain aspect of Agawam history … Every once in a while, we dust it off and put it up for people to remember,” Collins said.
Commemorative squares on the quilt include ones dedicated to the Thunderbolt rollercoaster at Six Flags, Town Hall, the high school and even the library itself.
As Collins was organizing the display, photographs were donated to the library, which she said helped tie the project together.
Though the pictures did not have identification with them, Collins and her team were able to “do some digging” to figure out what the pictures were.
“They capture some of the history of Agawam or recognizable places. Some places are a little less well known,” Collins aid. “It was neat to be able to put those two together and give a littler retrospective, a flashback. It’s ‘throwback Thursday’ for the month of September.”
The exhibit has already sparked interest in those who visit it, and Collins said she has noticed an increase of people coming to the reference desk with in depth questions about the town’s history.
This is something she likes to see.
“I think it’s important as the city moves forward with different programs and initiatives. It’s always important to look backwards too and see where you’ve come from,” she said. “The difference is really amazing. I think people like to see that too. There’s some old standbys in town, and there’s old buildings that have a history in and of themselves. I think it’s just important for folks to do that, to slow down a bit to appreciate the past.”
The exhibit feature the 150th anniversary quilt and historic pictures will be on display through September, with the possibility of extending into October. For any questions, call 789-1550.