Colonial New England Spotlight: Historic Deerfield, Massachusetts
Make reservations at the Deerfield Inn
Deerfield Inn, Deerfield, Massachusetts.
Article
and photos by
Eric Hurwitz.
Page
created on 9/12/17.
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I know many of you want to stay in a New England village that is as
pretty as a postcard and at an inn or bed and breakfast to reflect that
charm, too. It's actually not
that easy to find such a place.
With so many vacation destinations becoming too crowded and touristy --
and basically losing sight of why they were beautiful towns in the
first place -- the chance to feel grounded, relaxed and connected on
vacation has diminished over the past 30 years. Some people just want
peace and quiet, but without being bored to death -- in other words,
the
best of both worlds with space for oneself and enough things to do. Is there a place to strike that balance?
Yes, and Historic Deerfield might just be that place for you.
This small quintessential western Massachusetts village
located off all area main roads, is one of the last remaining “pure”
New England colonial villages remaining in the six state region. Settled
in 1669, Deerfield is a rarity -- that is, one of
the only towns formed by English colonists along the eastern seaboard
that, to the best of its ability, has preserved its original town
presence and vision.
Perhaps best known as the home of Deerfield Academy -- a boarding
school founded in 1797 -- the village's appeal actually goes way beyond
that esteemed academic institution.
The village is a gem with about a mile of about two dozen
beautiful 18th and 19th century old homes lining Old Main Street, as
well as the
chance to take a self-guided or professionally guided tour (through Historic
Deerfield) of museum
houses with period architecture and furnishings and examples of Yankee
work ethic. This includes presentations and exhibitions of colonial-era trades like crafts, ceramics,
furniture, textiles and metalwork. The tour is truly a
great way to focus on the history and culture of
the Connecticut River Valley and early New England.
If you need a little bit more to do in the area, however,
there's the Yankee Candle flagship store in South Deerfield,
the vast Berkshires
of Western Massachusetts with its cultural venues and scenic
beauty, and nearby Shelburne Falls with the spectacular Bridge of Flowers and Glacial Potholes.
But if it's just a quiet, unassuming travel foundation you want,
Deerfield comes across loud and clear as such a place...
The "busy" section of Historic Deerfield.
The Deerfield Inn is the only place to stay in the village, so thank
goodness it's a good one! The prototype for a classic New England bed
and breakfast inn, the Deerfield Inn resonates with remarkable small
town New England preservation. The Deerfield Inn fits in quite nicely with the amazing
historic New England scene of Old Deerfield with its freshly white
painted, welcoming preserved structure, inviting front first and second
floor porches, stately pillars, close-to-the-street presence with very
little front lawn (typical on many historic New England main streets),
and well-placed Adirondack-style chairs (OK, that wasn't part of
old-time America but it still looks nice!).
Inside, the historical nuances and creaky nooks and crannies remain
intact leading to 24 rooms (11 in the main building, 13 in the carriage
house), and a restaurant and tavern open to the public for lunch and
dinner (breakfast is included for inn guests). Although imperfect
architecturally -- so typical of old New England buildings -- the
Deerfield Inn keeps up to date with a fully restored look that does not
compromise its innate charm and character.
Scenery and sustenance are in close proximity to the Deerfield Inn's
doorstep no matter where you look with farmland, rivers and
hills. Here is one scene on the outskirts of the village...
The outskirts of the village.
Back in the village, the brick, the clapboard, the proud, tall standing
flagpole in the
middle of town, and a beautiful town green create an authentic travel
atmosphere that is rare in today's busy, contrived "You can have it
all" tourist towns. There's not one phony bone in this treasure of a
village.
While writing my book, Massachusetts
Town Greens, I found Historic Deerfield to be one of the most
pleasant places in my travels to 70 town commons in Massachusetts. It
is truly an oasis in the middle of a village oasis...
Deerfield Town Green.
Learn more about the Deerfield Inn, book a room at the
lowest available rate
Log onto Historic
Deerfield for more information about tours.
Booking.com
Interested in your local business
becoming part of our New England community?
VisitingNewEngland business partnerships started on Jan. 30, 2017, and
differ than feature articles previously posted on VisitingNewEngland.
Businesses pay a small, one-time fee to have pages like this appear,
and first must be accepted by VisitingNewEngland.com editor and
publisher, Eric Hurwitz, as a business he approves as part of "real New
England travel" to keep the integrity of the site. Businesses that sign
up for business partnerships receive priority by receiving more social
media exposure and link placement on VisitingNewEngland.com. Contact me
if interested in forming a business partnership.
Books by
VisitingNewEngland.com Publisher Eric Hurwitz
Massachusetts
Town Greens -- Discover New England's first travel attractions:
town commons!
The
Best Diners in New England --
If you love
classic diners, New England has them! In my book, I write in detail on
50 top local diners.
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