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Conservation in Williamstown: Its Historic Roots with Phillip McKnight

On Saturday, September 25th, 2015, Phil McKnight presented a lecture on the historic roots of conservation.  Phil’s lecture included images of 19th century American Romantic paintings and traced the development of the practice of land conservation here in Williamstown by first briefly tracing the historical development of an American consciousness towards the environment.  What were the driving forces which brought northern Europeans to the New World and how did those forces begin to change as we as a people began our westward journey across this vast continent?  In what manner did we confront the enormous challenges of the frontier and in doing so, how did we change the natural environment?  This story was applied to Williamstown, using both the Williamstown Conservation Commission and the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation as examples of promoting orderly change within the concept of land conservation.

 

If you missed his lecture, you can view it online here at the WilliNet website:  Conservation in Williamstown:  Its Historic Roots

PRMcK Photo #2Phil teaches a course on environmental law and environmental history during the fall semester at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams and during the winter term at Williams College.

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The West Hoosuck Blockhouse with Dusty Griffin

At 2 pm on Saturday Sept. 19, 2015 Dusty Griffin presented the opening lecture in the 2015-16 Williamstown Historical Museum lecture series. His topic was “The West Hoosuck Blockhouse,” the history of the “blockhouse” or small fort built near the site of the present Williams Inn in 1756, when the little settlement here was still called West Hoosuck. Shortly after the blockhouse was built, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, three of its defenders were killed by a force of Indians moving through the Hoosac River Valley. But the real story behind the blockhouse concerns local disputes about the siting and building of the blockhouse, disputes that sharply divided the settlement and reached the floor of the provincial legislature in Boston, where it was known as the “West Hoosuck Affair.”

The lecture was designed as a companion piece to a talk Dusty gave in 2014 on “The 1746 Attack on Fort Massachusetts.” Dusty is a frequent lecturer at the Williamstown Historical Museum, having talked in recent years on “The Short History of Treadwell Hollow,” “The History of Flora’s Glen,” “The Cincinnati Connection,” “Two Williamstown Soldiers in the 37th Massachusetts,” and “Three Eph Generals in the Civil War.” He has also curated exhibitions at the Museum on “Williamstown in the Civil War” and “Big Days in a Small Town.”

Dusty’s lecture can be viewed on WilliNet by following this link:  The West Hoosuck Blockhouse
 DustyGriffinSq
Dusty is Professor of English Emeritus at New York University, and a past member of the board of the Williamstown Historical Museum.
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In Memoriam, Henry N. Flynt, Jr.

We regretfully announce that one of our dearest friends has died. He will ever be missed.

Henry N. Flynt, Jr., known to us all as Hank, was one of the finest men around. He passed away at home on Saturday evening surrounded by his loving family. A memorial service will be held on Monday, August 3, at First Congregational Church, 906 Main Street (for more information about this check this post on the Church’s website). An obituary will appear in tomorrow’s paper.

Hank with an antique bicycle in a parade from an earlier era.
Hank with an antique bicycle in a parade from an earlier era.