Research Teams Organizing

The Editorial Board for the Ashfield History Project (preparing the third volume of the Town’s history, focusing on the half-century from 1960-2010) continues to organize research teams around particular topics.

Generally the impulse for topics comes from interested residents. The best example is the current effort to gather material about Apple Valley. It began with Lou Battalen’s suggestion that we study the neighborhood as a whole. In discussions with Lou, we realized that we need to establish the history of Bear Swamp Reservation. Martha Townsley was eager to contribute what she knows (which is a great deal about Apple Valley!), and Johanna Pratt was enthusiastic, too. So a team is organizing, and we are eager to identify others who would like to be part of this neighborhood effort.

Surely there are other neighborhoods (South Ashfield? Steady Lane? Baptist Corner?) where similar efforts could be organized. If you know of one, please contact a member of the Board. We will put you in touch with others.
Meanwhile, Eleanor Ward is burrowing through the vault at Town Hall to assemble a chronology of Town government.

And Don Robinson is eager to work with a team of volunteers to put together a record of voting and elections over the past half-century. How has turnout fluctuated? Who have we supported in national and state primaries and general elections? What trends can we discern? (Someone, for example, remembered a primary election in which there were exactly two Democratic votes.)

We’d love to have a team undertake a history of agriculture in Ashfield since 1960. There seems to be a renaissance going on now. What have been the ups and downs over the past half-century?

Let us know your ideas. We are eager to encourage and support a variety of research efforts.

by Don Robinson (for The Ashfield News)