The Northampton Arts Council works to support and nurture the arts in the city of Northampton. The Council awards grants twice each year to artists and arts groups from both state and locally-raised funds, and seeks to improve public awareness of the arts. Its' goals include maintaining and preserving the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Northampton, programming such annual events of interest to the community as First Night Northampton and Transperformance.

Monday, March 28, 2016

When the Road Came Through: How Construction of I-91 Changed Western MA

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When the Road Came Through:
How Construction of I-91 Changed Western MA

Wednesday, April 6
Friends Annual Meeting at 6:30 followed by Historical Talk at 7 PM
Coolidge Museum







The Friends of Forbes Annual Meeting with an update from the President and Treasurer will be held from 6:30 - 7 PM followed by a presentation called "When the Road Came Through: How Construction of I-91 Changes Western Massachusetts" by historian Barry Deitz.

About 40,000 miles of roads were built between 1956 and 1978 as a result of the Interstate Highway plan and those freeways changed the face of America. In good ways, and bad. Part of that 40,000 miles of new road included the 291 miles of Interstate 91 which ran from New Haven, Connecticut up to the Canadian border. Built to run along the abandoned right-of-way path for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railway line, construction on I-91 began in 1958 and was finished when the final sections in Vermont were completed in 1978.

A new highway cutting its way across a county’s farms and towns can leave a wide range of often contradictory emotions in the people affected by those changes. Historian Barry Deitz will present an illustrated talk about the construction and impact of I-91 through Western Massachusetts including research conducted at the Forbes Library.

This program is free and open to all. Refreshments will be served.


Join the Friends of Forbes now!The Friends of Forbes is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help and enrich the Forbes Library so it may better serve the public. Through its membership and fundraising activities the Friends of Forbes provides financial support for a host of programs and materials.

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