History Museum and the Allen Sisters Photography Art

Hay Cart - Photography by Allen, Frances and Mary (c. 1899)

One of the greatest treasures in Memorial Hall Museum and Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in Old Deerfield, Massachusetts is the vast collection of Allen sisters’ prints and glass plate negatives. Frances Allen and Mary Allen are renowned for idealized photographs of country scenes, figure and child studies, and landscapes dating from 1885-1920. This excerpt from their photography journal in 1894 is a bit of insight to their work:

We use the camera simply as a quick way of sketching, and regard all the technical part, which comes after the exposure is made, as a necessary evil…. In pictures, artistic excellence is usually entirely at variance with what is called a perfect photograph. The eye cannot focus itself on every object in its field of vision at the same time. If a photograph does this, the effect is hard and unnatural. But there must be method in this madness. A picture is not necessarily beautiful because it is blurred, and there’s need of all one’s technical skill, even after a good negative is made, in adapting the print to its peculiar individual qualities.

The Memorial Hall Museum is open seasonally (May 1 – November 1) from 11 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for youth and students aged 6 – 21. Only a few blocks away is the Deerfield Inn, a traditional country inn located in the center of this 350-year old landmark village. Right now they are running a special package to get a free third night at the Deerfield Inn! When you book a two-night weekend stay and extend your getaway into a Thursday or Sunday, that third night will be free! Also included is a twenty-five dollar credit towards food and beverage on your free room night. This offer is only for a limited time (June 18-July 25, August 14-September 6) so book soon and enjoy your stay in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Visit the historical basketball coaches and players at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Latest News at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Dream Team and Piston Coach Hall of Famer, Chuck Daly, passes away at 78
May 11, 2009

Chuck Daly in 1994 with his Hall of Fame Medallion

Chuck Daly gained worldwide fame as coach of the legendary Olympic Dream Team in 1992, but long before Barcelona and the gold medal, the twelve-year NBA coach was established as one of the game’s premier mentors. (Read more)

For all you extreme basketball fans or simply the interested, visit the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame museum in Springfield, MA and learn about the most incredible athletes of our past. Learn and understand the fascinating stories of legendary players and coaches whom performed phenomenally and touched many lives. Tickets run for no more than $17 and its usually open from 10am-4pm (click here for details on tickets and hours). After all the basketball excitement, you have plenty of choices of where to go for dinner: Max’s Tavern, Pazzo Ristorante, Cold Stone Creamery, j.Quincy’s & Samuel’s Sports Bar, Subway, Onyx Fusion Bar & Restaurant, and UNO Chicago Grill. Stop by the Official Museum Store online or in Springfield, MA and grab something suitable before visiting the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Channing Blake Meadow Walk by the Deerfield Inn

As Spring rolls around the corner and the flowers begin to bloom, there’s no better time to view these spectacular views. The Channing Blake Meadow Walk will take you through the working farms then through the stunning meadows until the Deerfield River. This fully accessible path describes the local geology, natural history, and Native and European presence that once occupied Deerfield, Massachusetts. The path will open May 1st until December 1st. On your relaxing stay, be sure to accommodate your night at the traditional country inn, The Deerfield Inn. Located in the center of the 350-year-old National Historic Landmark village of Deerfield, you’ll find peace and serenity in any of their 24 guest rooms with their exceptional hospitality. You can reserve online or call 800-926-3865.

A Blast From the Past in Historic Deerfield, MA

Deerfield, Massachusetts

Often times, Deerfield, Massachusetts is referred to as New England’s gem. Deerfield is home to thirteen beautifully restored, historic homes built in the 18th century, as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life Museum and two memorial libraries.

The Flynt Center of Early New England Life is a great place to visit if you are interested in learning about 18th and 19th century New England, with its constantly rotating exhibitions and knowledgeable staff. Currently, the Flynt Center is showing the following exhibits:

“Clothes Make the Man: The Colonial Gentleman in New England.”
“Engraved Powder Horns from the French and Indian War and the American Revolution: The William H. Gutham Collection.”
“Celebrating the Fiber Arts: The Helen Geier Flynt Textile Gallery.”

Just this past weekend, the Flynt Center opened a new exhibit – “Into the Woods: Crafting Early American Furniture,” where visitors can learn about antique furniture.

Deerfield is also home to the jointly administered Henry N. Flynt Memorial Library and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association Library with volumes totaling 41,000 combined. These volumes include not only books, periodicals and microforms, but also local account books, diaries and letters.

To top off a visit to Deerfield, be sure to relax at the Deerfield Inn. The Inn offers 23 guest rooms and an award winning dining room that serves both lunch and dinner.

Gain up to $400 off from Innsiders Club

Guests of the Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) save significantly when they become members of the DINE Innsiders Club. All they need to do to enjoy the Innsider benefits is to pick up a DINE brochure during any stay at a DINE inn and use it to keep track of their visits.

Each time Innsiders stay at four different DINE inns, they receive $100 off their next DINE visit of two nights or more. They can do this up to four times, for a total off of $400. This allows Innsiders to explore new inns while also returning to inns they enjoy particularly well.

All DINE inns offer all the services of the finest bed and breakfasts and luxury inns. Their guests enjoy opulent accommodations and a wide variety of recreational activities. The inns themselves are located in historic buildings set in lovely New England settings.

DINE Innsiders already get their money’s worth in comfort and relaxation, plus the inns offer getaway specials, romantic packages, and other lodging discounts. The Innsiders Club provides a bonus savings to recognize Innsiders’ loyalty to the 10 DINE inns.

The inns are (in Rhode Island) Cliffside Inn, (in Vermont) Windham Hill Inn and Rabbit Hill Inn, (in New Hampshire) Chesterfield Inn, Manor on Golden Pond and Inn at Thorn Hill and Spa, (in Massachusetts) Captain’s House Inn, Gateways Inn and Deerfield Inn, and (in Maine) Camden Maine Stay Inn.

The fine print to the Innsider offer is minimal. Some blackout periods and restrictions may be applied by the individual inns. Only $100 DINE dollars can be redeemed at a time. Innsiders need to present their DINE Innsider Card, which is part of the brochure, and have it stamped when they visit inns. There’s no cash value to this offer, and the card expires two years after its issue date.

Innsiders who already use their Innsiders Club card find it an easy process and rewarding too. That extra hundred dollars can buy a special bottle of wine, an afternoon of spa treatments, or some other treat that will make their time away particularly memorable.