Pioneer valley/Western Massachusetts art

November 28, 2014 7:33 AM

I'm looking for paintings, photographs and maps featuring the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts for display in my home.

I have it in my head something to the tune of paintings like the 'Connecticut River version of the Hudson Valley school' but I'm also interested in historical maps, photographs, ads, etc. that document the history of the region, Hatfield and Northampton in particular but doesn't need to be that specific.

posted by A Terrible Llama to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Response by poster: Should add: because it's for display I need to be able to get hi-res copies (and expect to pay for them) but may not be able to use something like a PDF scan from the historical society.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:35 AM on November 28, 2014

If I remember right I think the Mount Holyoke art museum offers high-quality prints of some of their artwork, which includes some pieces of the pioneer valley. You may want to check at the other colleges, too.

As for maps, check out Books & More Books in Whately, they have a great map room along with historical postcards, photos and, obviously, books.
posted by sonmi at 8:47 AM on November 28, 2014

"View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm — The Oxbow" by Thomas Cole is your starting point. This was one of the most famous views in America at the time; Mount Holyoke rivaled Niagara falls as a popular tourist destination.tt (More info on this painting.) Look also at Stephen Hannock's 2000 reinterpretation of the picture. Top quality repro of the Cole version. Book featuring the Hannock version.
posted by beagle at 9:06 AM on November 28, 2014 [3 favorites]

Check out the US Geological Survey Store. I found a map of Northampton, MA and surrounding area from 1895 as a gift from there, and I think you can browse around various time frames in your search if you'd like to get a few snapshots of the area across different time periods.
posted by pants at 5:59 PM on November 28, 2014

R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton has work by some local artists, including views of various Valley subjects. This giclée print of a view from Mount Pollux might fit the bill; there are some others here and there, too.
posted by brianogilvie at 7:21 AM on November 29, 2014

vermont yankee puts out a calender free to people who live in a 20 or thirty mile radius.it has old timey photos of the area sites from early 1900's to high thirties its a pretty cool calendar.
posted by fittipaldi at 11:02 AM on November 29, 2014