By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Deerfield, MA) The Town of Deerfield is celebrating 350 years since its founding in 1673 and volunteers have worked throughout 2022 planning events to commemorate the occasion this year.
The festivities began with a jubilee at Deerfield Academy on New Year’s Eve with over 170 attendees and just after sunset on New Year’s Day was the lighting of the 350th Anniversary Cake outside of the South Deerfield Fire District on Routes 5&10. Prior to the lighting, a volunteer appreciation ceremony was held inside the fire station.
The anniversary is also inspiring a deep dive into the town’s history as the History Work Group is currently working on digitizing historical documents and records. Over 4,500 pages have been digitized including town meeting records from 1680-1868, census data from 1790-1840, and land records.
The History Work Group will be sharing the information they have gathered through the Deerfield350.org website and “video broadcasts, during presentations sponsored by local organizations in multiple localities throughout town, and at larger conferences hosted by Historic Deerfield and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA).”
Information about the anniversary events and projects, including a parade and Founder’s Day events, is available at deerfield350.org